Treasures of Faith: Living Boldly in View of God's Promises

Rating:
Summary: Hope for the Hurting
Review: Hope. That's what this book is about. It is a book for those who are hurting and who feel hopeless. It's for those who are ready to give up. The Betters' words are spoken with integrity, and from out of the context of their own grief. It's a book about God--how He helps and heals, and shows us how to believe and live. Grace breathes through the pages of this book, but especially in Chapter 10, as the authors poignantly detail God's faithfulness and mercy to Rahab in her choices, actions and circumstances. The final two chapters showcase the taut balance between human "memories, like bricks, [built as a] dyke against time" and the optimism of a timeless "'eternity' set in [the] heart" and realized in God's promise of heaven. And at the end, even people reading from out of their own pain, dare their soulds to "be still," as they begin to believe that these Treasures of faith could indeed be theirs.

Rating:
Summary: Hope for the Hurting
Review: I wanted to like this book, and the theme is certainly one that is beneficial for Christian living, so some good may come from reading this or using it in a bible study. However, this study is deeply flawed by what I consider a cavalier, dismissive attitude towards the actions of the biblical characters portrayed.

Jacob, who in the Bible is presented is exemplary, is vilified as a conniving schemer who hardly ever understands the nature of faith. To make this case, the Betters actually ignore the statement of God in the text that in Jacob's wrestling match with the Almighty, Jacob is said to win!

Other biblical characters, like Abraham and Rahab, also receive this inquisitorial treatment, dwelling on their mistakes, or misunderstanding their righteous actions as sinful (Rahab using deceit to hide the spies is entirely proper behavior; just ask Christians who hid Jews from the holocaust in europe!) Even allowing for difference of opinion in interpretation of the stories, the Betters always use the most pejorative and prejudicial terms to describe their actions, ignoring any possible ambiguities in the story.

Strangely though, Moses disobedience isn't mentioned at all so that the Betters can present him as a shining example of faithfulness (which he is). It's just inconsistent, and pretty clearly making use of these stories to ram home their own point, instead of letting the texts speak for themselves.

If this book is used in a Bible study, be sure to note the difference between the way the Bible portrays the characters mentioned and the way Betters superficially treats them, omitting important details in the story in the interests of making their (generally correct) point, or making a closer connection between the biblical account and a modern-day "real-life" parallel situation.

Rating:
Summary: A renewed hope for the Christian
Review: My reaction to Treasures of Faith was quite opposite to that of the person who wrote the review "A superficial look at biblical characters of faith" on August 23, 2000. I feel the authors from the beginning with their choice of title are communicating to the reader that this book will be a deep hunt for the treasures, those things not seen on the surface or at a quick glace, of the characters of faith listed in the book of Hebrews. There was anything but a superficial, calvalier and dismissive attitude conveyed about the "heroes of faith" as they are referred to in this book.

The book does hold first that the Bible is the Word of God, infallible and inerrant. The points made are written to challenge the reader to look deeply into what is being said THROUGH the scriptures for the questions of the heart that rise from the challenges of living in this world today. That, as this book illustrates, are challenges that are not much different then those these Biblical characters faced. Struggles, temptations and choices of the "heroes of faith" are analyzed in a way that I believe gives a renewed hope for the Christian of today to persevere by faith in God - His Word, His Sovereignty, His ultimate goodness.

The comment from the review: "Jacob is said to win", suggests a man could win AGAINST God. The Scriptures show that Jacob won WITH God. In his weakness and sinfulness he had won the battle with God's strength to fulfill the task before him. (See Matthew Henry Commentary of the Whole Bible for more details). The person who wrote the review took the verse about Jacob from Genesis, chapter 32, out of context to illistrate a point of the book being flawed. Truely, how can a man win against Almighty God?

This book would serve as an excellent Bible Study book, especially for those who have suffered or are in the midst of a painful trial. May you be encouraged, your hope renewed, and your faith grow through this fine work.

Rating:
Summary: Believing the Promises
Review: This book has been a joy to read, allowing me to consider the personalities in the Bible as people with limitations, such as myself and all the people I know. It is always interesting to read various interpretations of Bible stories and to see what God shows the author. What a gift to us that people take the time to share these thoughts in a book. Clearly through these chapters the message is to direct us to understand what the meat of faith requires. The Convenant promise is evident in the lives of each present day and biblicial person discussed and is a source of encouragement to me. Is God sovereign? Can I trust Him? What is required of me? While the answer is revealed to the inquirer through their personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and the Word of God; reading through thorough studies such as this one can give a deeper dimension to understanding.