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Portraits of faith

Family album

PORTRAITS OF FAITH
By Joel Beeke
Bryntirion (distributed by Evangelical Press). 104 pages. £4.95
ISBN 1 85049 202 6

Have you been a Christian many years and feel sometimes that your Christian life has become rather weary and lack-lustre? Maybe you have only recently become a Christian, and are constantly asking: ‘Now what should I be aiming at’? Or perhaps you are not a Christian at all? If any of these describe you, then this slim book on the nature of faith in the Christian life will be an inspiration.

Portraits of Faith brings to a wider audience the four addresses that Joel Beeke delivered at the Aberwystwyth Conference in 2003. Choosing lesser known biblical characters, Beeke illustrates four different aspects of faith and encourages the reader to question whether we have this faith, and, if we do, whether we are exercising it, and maturing as Christians.

Adam and Eve, firstly, illustrate childlike faith. They believed in God’s promise of life — ultimately through Christ — despite the coming of death. They had only one promise and they believed it! The Shunnamite woman — who provided a room for Elisha, and was severely tested by the death of her son — exemplifies submissive faith by her willingness to approve God’s dealings with her at the darkest moment. Mature faith is characterised by the Canaanite woman who continues to seek healing for her demon-possessed daughter despite apparent snubs from Christ. Caleb demonstrates perservering faith.

These portraits of faith speak directly to a Christian’s heart. They are accompanied by many telling illustrations. The book is eminently readable It is a pity, however, that the Bible references are from the Authorised Version, which sounds exceedingly alien to the modern ear. Occasionally, too, Beeke makes some of his illustrations of Christian maturity seem a little otherworldly. But those small criticisms apart, this is a challenging book which with God’s help could be used to strengthen and deepen our faith.

Esther Bennett,
who lives in north London and attends Wilton Community Church in Muswell Hill, where her husband, Chris, is the minister