Sermons on Romans 8.1-4

Sermons on Romans 8. 1-4
By Thomas Jacomb
Banner of Truth
381 pages (double column). £12.95
ISBN 0 85151 707 2

Jim Packer has described the Puritans as God's giants whose help we need if we are ever to grow. A careful study of these sermons could well help many Christians to emerge from spiritual dwarfdom.
Preached by Thomas Jacomb (1622-87) in the Countess of Exeter's home in London after the Great Ejection of 1662, they remain the best memorial of a preacher once 'so universally known, esteemed and beloved'. They appear in a handsome reprint of the James Nicol 1868 edition.
Jacomb tackles these verses in typical Puritan fashion. He leaves no stone unturned to provide thorough exegesis of every word. Then follows closely-reasoned exposition, profound doctrinal teaching and searching practical application. There is loving entreaty and solemn warning to sinners outside of Christ. His denial of annihilation has contemporary relevance. Hell is endless punishment, an eternity of woe. So 'Surely, it is better not to be at all, than to be, and yet not to be in Christ'. Conversely, to be in Christ means no condemnation, and an eternity of bliss. This 'faith-strengthening and heart-cheering' consideration should cause the believer's whole soul to go out in thankfulness to Christ and inspire to holiness of life.
Like his contemporaries, Jacomb is mighty in the Scriptures, a massive theologian, and a profound physician of souls. He provides superb treatment of such vital gospel themes as the essential deity and real humanity of Christ, his propitiatory sacrifice, and his active and passive obedience. Heresies are overthrown with powerful argument, but differences of interpretation handled fully and graciously. There is excellent practical exposition of the Spirit's work in freeing believers from the power and dominion of sin, of vital union with Christ, and the place of the law in the life of the Christian.
Do not be deterred by the prolixity of this work (despite its disclaimer), or its copious Latin footnotes. The treasure to be mined far outweighs all. It may sound like heresy, but if a choice had to be made between Lloyd-Jones and Jacomb on this part of Romans, the reviewer would not hesitate. Which is high recommendation in itself.

John Turner

© Evangelicals Now - March 1997
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• Ethical challenges for our green and pleasant land
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• One things leads to another
  Discussion concerning doctrine and fellowship (Acts 2.42)
• Inerrancy - the larger discussion (Bulldog for March)
  Observations concerning the knowledge of God (as revealed in his Word) and the current humanistic scene
• Europe - God's experiment?
  Consideration of God's purposes as shown in the history of Europe (paper adapted from address at 1993 New Europe Forum in Brussels)
• Waiting without knowing
  An interview with the wife of one of three missionaries kidnapped in Panama (reprinted from Just Between Us)
• A Rocha
  Account of the A Rocha Trust project to express biblical convictions about the environment in practical ways
• Definitely maybe - can our future be in Europe?
  Tongue-in-cheek comments on Acts 16 with reference to the current debate on Europe
• Weighing up Polkinghorne
  Discussion of Dr Polkinghorne's writings on the relationship between science and Christian theology

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• When a Church Becomes a Cult - The Marks of a New Religious Movement
• Alive in the Spirit - The gifts of the Spirit in the lives of believers
• I Believe In The Family - Family and marriage in a fast-changing world from a Christian standpoint
• Sermons on Romans 8.1-4 - Sermons of the Puritan preacher Thomas Jacomb
• To Preach or Not To Preach - The Church's Urgent Question
• Children in Renewal - The involvement of children in the use of the gifts of the Spirit