Product Description

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #290607 in Books
• Published on: 2000-05-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 338 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781879737433
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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About the Author

Customer Reviews

Much Needed work among modern day writings
I've read all the other amazon reviews AFTER reading this book, and I feel that the point James White is trying to make is simple: Too many Christians believe that "their own" faith is saving them, and not the faith of Christ that is given to them regardless of what man does (Romans 9:16). No man could even believe in God unless God first draws him...and this fact is rarely, if ever, preached or taught today. In that light, the book, though slow at times, is much needed in our present day of wishy-washy, "feel good" books that cluter Christian book stores: It's the entire heart of the true gospel. When Christians earnestly study the doctrines of predestination / election, their assurance will be strengthened like never before. Unfaithful study in this area leads to hate and prideful opinions that are not scriptural. Man hates to hear that he can do NOTHING to save himself. It's no wonder that many of James White's books (as well as many of the re-printed works of the puritans and Calvin) are so ignored and hated: they preach the doctrines of grace without compromise.

A sound defense of standard Reformation principles
After re-reading sections of The Potter's Freedom and also reading Geisler's chosen But Free, I have decided to amend my previous review of White's book. I still believe White's work is a solid work and it has many strengths to it, but I also believe there are many oversights and oversimplifications.

Out of both books, I believe that White's work is much better and more persuasive. White does an excellent job of delving into key texts and in the process he wrestles with them and examines them for what they are worth. His explanations for Matthew 23:37, I Timothy 2:4 and 2 Peter 3:9, although not the best, are without a doubt good attempts to refute Geisler's point-blank assertions; Geisler takes these verses at face value, while White looks at the surrounding verses and attempts to clarify what these verses are really stating. Since CBF (Chosen but Free) relies so heavily on these verses to bolster it's argument, White does some serious damage to Geisler's argument when he deals with these texts.

Furthermore, White does an excellent job of providing solid exegesis for some of the standard proof-texts of traditional Reformed theology. His analysis of John 6 and Romans 9 easily eclipses any simple exegesis provided by Geisler. His sections on John 6 and Romans 9 are very strong, but there really isn't anything new here that you can't find in other Reformed works. Every Reformed book that deals with predestination always has a section that delves deep into these chapters of Scripture.

Where the book was weak was White's insistence on his version of Total Depravity. Firstly, White gives absolutely no credible reason why Lazarus' physical condition is comparative to the natural man's spiritual condition. Using this as an example to prove total deadness and the need for new life is a serious case of eisegesis since nowhere is the idea hinted at in Scripture that Lazarus being raised from the dead is like the believer's being quickened by the Spirit. Sure White resorts to the standard proof texts of Ephesians 2:1 and Colossians 2:13 to prove his point, but does nekros have to be understood in the way White does? In John 5:25 Jesus says the dead, same word in Greek, will hear His voice and live. In Revelation 3:1, Jesus tells the people of the Church in Sardis that they are dead, same word in Greek, and exhorts them to strengthen the things that remain. Obviously, looking at how the word is used in every context one can easily understand that the word doesn't carry with it the connotation that White would like it to mean because Jesus obviously tells us that the dead can hear Him. Even though this may sound perplexing, Scripture tells us it is true. I think that dead in sin is much better understood within the context of separation as Isaiah 59 says when it states our sins have separated us from God. Furthermore, when White deals with John 5, he only touches the verses where Jesus says He gives life to whom He wills. Yeah, read by itself and in isolation from the other verses this would seem to support to Calvinism. Yet, two verses later Jesus says who He wills to give life to, the ones who hear Him and believe on His name. In verse 25, Jesus says the time is now here when the dead will hear Him and live. The order is the dead hear, believe and live; Yet, White arguing for regeneration preceding faith would have the order be receive life, hear and believe. White has turned the text on it's head and made it say something it doesn't even begin to teach. Moreover, this whole passage deals a crippling blow to White's idea of total depravity since it's the dead who hear and live. Not the elect, or the regenerate, but the dead.

Finally, White does not deal with the doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints. Geisler, who calls himself a moderate Calvinist, also believes that a believer cannot lose his salvation, but his beliefs are substantially different from those from the Reformed Camp. I really wish White would have devoted a chapter comparing Perseverance of the Saints (POTS), the traditional Reformed position, with Once Saved Always Saved (OSAS), which is the position of Geisler and moderate Calvinism. I believe White could have dealt a serious blow to Geisler's position if he would have differentiated it from the Reformed concept.

All in all, White's The Potter's Freedom is a good book. Whether one wants to learn more about Reformation doctrines, or whether one just wants to strengthen their convictions, this book is an excellent read. Although I did find a lot more weaknesses in the text my second time through, I would still recommend this book to anyone wanting to know more about the Reformation doctrines of election and grace.

A hot topic for the times
The differences between Calvinism and Arminianism have been debated even before Calvin and Arminius. From Augustine to Pelagius to now White and Geisler, the issue of sovereignty versus free will has been debated. In fact, to say that this is an emotionally-charged issue is, quite frankly, an understatement. White is a good apologist who has served the Christian community well with his exegetical books on issues from Mormonism to the Trinity. He attempts to answer the points made by Norman Geisler, a scholar who has written many of the books sitting on my shelves, in Chosen But Free. Geisler had chosen the best of Calvinism and mixed the ideas with some of the more appealing Arminian ideas. Needless to say, this formula has pretty much riled up the Calvinists (including White) because they resent his calling his position a "moderate" Calvinist view. To White and others like him, it's an all-or-nothing proposition. (I guess to have this as a rock-solid premise means that there's never any middle ground on an issue. For instance, should the Bible always be read literally or symbolically? Could there perhaps be a middle ground depending on the context of the passage?) Regardless, White's position is that Geisler's system is severely flawed.

Several things ought to be known when reading Potter's Freedom:

1) Whether you consider yourself a Calvinist or Arminian, you ought to take an "open view" when reading Geisler's book first and then Potter's Freedom. Try to leave your presuppositions at the door and let the writers do their best to convince you of their positions. 2) Realize that The Potter's Freedom enjoyed the "last word" on this subject as it had the chnace to attack Geisler's views without a chance of rejoinder. Therefore, I call upon both James White and Norman Geisler to come together for the last segment of a "trilogy" and put together a book that gives a chance of response for each position. This would be more fair. 3) Above all, let Christian charity reign. We have too many battles out there--a world that needs Jesus, whether you are Calvinist or Arminian--to spill so much blood on what has to be considered a secondary, or peripheral, issue. Sure, this issue is very important, but which camp would say that they cannot fellowship with those who belong to the other "side"? Please, let's not turn this issue into the defintion of what makes a person a Christian.

Several minor complaints about Potter's Freedom. White likes to gather quotes from Christian leaders and influential thinkers and put their comments on the back cover as well as on several inside pages. This book includes more than 30 quotes from people such as Jay Adams, George Grant, and Daniel Wallace. Despite having used Geisler's blurbs for several other of his back covers, for some reason White does not include Geisler's recommendation on Potter's Freedom. (I wonder what Geisler would have written?) Perhaps White forgot to ask Geisler to write a blurb for this new book. In all seriousness, perhaps White ought to ask Bethany House (his usual publisher who, quite ironically, put out Chosen But Free) to delete Geisler's blurbs in future editions of White's books, as they look out of place now in light of Potter's Freedom.

One other suggestion: Although this does not make his position right (or wrong, for that matter), the typeface of The Potter's Freedom is very difficult for older eyes to read. For some reason, it was printed too light--it needs to be much darker with a different, more readable font. Also, there were at least a dozen grammatical/spelling errors that I caught. The next edition needs the perusal of a quality editor, something White has over at Bethany House.

Restating my position, I recommend that you read the two books and debate the issues in your own mind and within your own circles. If you are like me, this will require you to do some very heady thinking. Geisler and White may certainly stretch many of your preconceived notions, if you will allow them to do so. And I think you will be a better Christian for it.