trinitylutheranchurch

Picture of Book Cover is different from copy in library.

REVIEWS:

Means of Grace Sanctification, April 12, 2001

By rodboomboom (Dearborn, Michigan United States)

What is fascinating about this book is that Senkbeil set out initially to refute what he defends in this work.

He felt the old, outdated Lutheran way of looking at sanctification as related to justification and the means of grace needed to overhauled. What he discovered upon an exhaustive search of Scripture as well as Lutheran writings and current, popular Evangelical views, was that the old way was the biblical way.

Sanctification is painful, for it is a killing of the old Adam in each of us. We die to ourselves, which is the toughest thing to do. We live to Christ and in Him who is given into our very beings through His Word and Sacraments.

Senkbeil argues here convincingly that such popular sanctification writers as Swindoll ignore the saint and sinner in each believer. We are consumed with ourselves and especially our emotions, how we feel. We little concern ourselves with God and the world and what the cross means for all of this.

Senkbeil's work will be a necessary correction to those who will honestly evaluate their stance under the sole guidance of the Scriptures. He's an eloquent writer, e.g. "The faithful church will always see that the flock is fed, not with junk food, but with the solid nourishment of the Word and sacrament. What people mean when they say they're not being fed, however, usually has less to do with spiritual nourishment than it does with spiritual taste buds."

A good, solid perspective on the Christian life, January 8, 1999

By John L. Hoh Jr. "Author and Theologian" (Milwaukee, Wisconsin USA)

I first of all would like to thank Rev. Wilhelm Petersen, my professor at Bethany Ev. Lutheran Theological Seminary, for making it a class assignment to read this book. It is that good!

Rev. Senkbeil adeptly sets forth the correct Biblical doctrine of a Christian's life in faith. Sanctification is the term used to refer to that life. And it is more the work of Christ within us that our own attempts to live a life to someone else's expectations.

Christians are not perfect--never were, never will be this side of the grave. We can only claim to be saints by the blood of Christ. As Martin Luther often said, "We are at the same time saints and sinners." This book clearly and simply details that fact and condition.