Book Review - Taking God at His Word (24/6)

Kevin DeYoung aims at this book to get readers to take God’s word seriously. DeYoung does not attempt to do anything new or novel, instead he drives his point clearly from scripture in every chapter. The reader is brought to attention on 4 main points that DeYoung wants to bring across strongly:

1. God’s Word is Enough


2. God’s Word is Clear


3. God’s Word is Final


4. God’s Word is necessary

DeYoung first makes the call for christians to take God’s word not only seriously, but also passionately, desiring to want more of God’s word. Following which, DeYoung makes the points that God’s Word to us in scripture is something that is God’s word, written by man, yet without error.

The following 4 chapters are what I think is the meat of the book. They show convincing how scripture makes this exact 4 points and how preachers and christians should, no must, regain their trust and confidence on the Word of God alone. I felt that the chapter on ‘God’s Word is Enough’ was exceptionally well written and a good reminder for all christians in this generation that is so quick to want to move “beyond” the Word of God.

In the last 2 chapters, DeYoung shows us how we should take God at His Word — just as how Christ took God’s Word. DeYoung shows time and again how Jesus himself shown full confidence in God’s Word, how He has never wavered from it and how we too can emulate Christ in this. DeYoung then encourage the readers to stick on with the simple teaching of Sola Scriptura, inviting readers to think thoughtfully over their own history with God’s word, the ability and origin of the Word of the Lord and the practicality of it.

Lastly, DeYoung ends off with 30 books that he recommends for Christians to continue to pursuit on this topic.

What is good about this book is that it is exceptionally clear, and does not bog you down with needless details, DeYoung does not beat around the bush and drives you straight to scripture allowing you to see for yourself if that’s what is clearly said in Scripture and the appendix provided does point the reader to very good and recent resources that will surely help to deepen the reader’s conviction on the Word of God.

What could be improved though, is perhaps a chapter on cultivating better bible reading habits. Sure the reader most likely be convinced that we must take God at His Word, but how should I do it? Perhaps every a short guide on it, will be good. In the end, the reader is built up in his confidence on God’s Word, but if not applied, it will just remain as an apologetics for the sufficiency of the Word of God, but not sink down to bear fruit in the reader’s life.

Rating: 4/5

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Disclaimer: I was given this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.