Where to Begin Reading at Monergism.com
Due to the sheer volume of material available on Monergism.com, many readers have asked for direction in where to begin reading. So what follows is our recommended list which may help get your feet wet and perhaps inspire you to investigate more deeply into various topics and texts in Scripture...
To glorify God in the person and work of Jesus Christ is the essence of this ministry, and while many would point to justification by faith alone as the the most critical element in our salvation from the wrath to come, we believe the Scriptures point to something even more essential as articulated in the following quote by Michael Haykin:
"It is wrong to suppose that the doctrine of justification by faith alone, that storm center of the Reformation, was the crucial question in the minds of such theologians as Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, Martin Bucer, and John Calvin. This doctrine was important to the Reformers because it helped to express and to safeguard their answer to another, more vital, question, namely, whether sinners are wholly helpless in their sin, and whether God is to be thought of as saving them by free, unconditional, invincible grace, not only justifying them for Christs' sake when they come to faith, but also raising them from the death of sin by His quickening Spirit in order to bring them to faith."
"...Only when God shines in us by the Holy Spirit is there any profit from the Word. Thus the inward calling, which alone is effectual and peculiar to the elect, is distinguished from the outward voice of men." - John Calvin
"For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction." - 1 Thess 1: 4, 5
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Monergistic Regeneration - Part I & Part II by Dr. Art Azurdia III - Free MP3 Downloads -
On January 18th, 2008, the Reformation Society of Oregon met and Dr. Art Azurdia III gave two expositions/lectures on the subject of monergistic regeneration. These are free downloads and required listening for visitors of Monergism.com. Right-click and save to your hard drive
href="http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/qna/FAQs.html"
target=_blank>Monergism Theological FAQs by Nathan Pitchford and John Hendryx
href="http://www.pbministries.org/Theology/Thomas%20Boston/mans_utter_inability.htm"
target=_blank> Man's Utter Inability to Rescue Himself by Thomas Boston
href="http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/edwards_light.html"
target=_blank>A Divine and Supernatural Light by Jonathan Edwards
href="http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Sermons/ByDate/2007/2511_What_Happens_in_the_New_Birth/"
target=_blank>What Happens in the New Birth? Part I by John Piper
href="http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Sermons/ByDate/2007/2522/"
target=_blank>What Happens in the New Birth? Part II by John Piper
Intro to John Owen's Death of Death by J.I. Packer
href="http://www.gracesermons.com/robbeeee/paradox.html" target=_blank>God's Part and Man's Part in Salvation by John G. Reisinger
Human Inability by Charles Spurgeon, 1858
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href="http://www.reformationtheology.com/2007/02/to_cut_off_the_sinner_from_all.php"
target=_blank>To Cut Off the Sinner From All Hope in Himself
by J.W. Hendryx
href="http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/effectualcall.html" target="_blank">Effectual Calling by A.A. Hodge
href="http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/freewill_chantry.html"
target=_blank>Man's Will - Free Yet Bound by Walter Chantry
href="http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/Orange5-8.html" onmousedown="return clk(this,'res',1,'')">Council of Orange (529 AD) Canons 4-8*
The Necessity of Divine Influences Part I, Part II by WTG Shedd
from book
The Will: Self-Determined But Not Free: Coercion vs. Necessity by John Hendryx*
Is the Will Free by Nature or by Grace? by John Hendryx
The Wind Blows Where it Wishes by Pastor John Samson
"
... So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." (John 3:8)
href="http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/cambridgedeclaration.html" target="_blank">The Cambridge Declaration of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals
"Faith is not produced by our unregenerated human nature". Updated 08-1-05
"...all the calls to "reclaim America for Christ" leave me cold. Our real need is to reclaim the church for Christ. When Christ is exalted in His church, when He is loved and revered and cherised with passion by those who bear His Name--in other words, when the church starts living like the church--then His body cannot help but make an impact on culture." - Tom Ascol
A Reminder to the Covenant God By John Hendryx
href="http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/owenoverthrow.html" target=_blank>Reversing the Curse by John Owen (Easy to read)
A Simple Explanation of Monergism by John Hendryx
href="http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/monergism_short.html"
target=_blank>The Work of the Trinity in Monergism by John Hendryx
Human Nature in Its Fourfold State Thoughts on Augustine's View on the Will
href="http://www.bible-researcher.com/sproul1.html"
target=_blank>The Pelagian Captivity of the Church By R. C. Sproul
Excerpt from Sermon: Free Will- A Slave by C.H. Spurgeon
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Regeneration by A.A. Hodge (Chapter 29 "Outlines of Theology")
target=_blank>Regeneration Precedes Faith By R. C. Sproul
href="http://custance.org/old/grace/ch21.html" target=_blank>
Regeneration Necessary to Perceive Beauty / Excellence of the Divine by Charles Hodge
href="http://homepage.mac.com/shanerosenthal/reformationink/ftpredest.htm" target="_blank">Should Predestination be Publicly Taught & Preached? by Francis Turretin
href="http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/WarfieldPlan_index.html" target="_blank">The Plan of Salvation by B.B. Warfield
href="http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/gracealone.html"
target="_blank">Grace Alone: An Evangelical Problem? by Kim Riddlebarger
The New Genesis - R.C. Sproul
Evangelicalism, False and True by Joseph P. Braswell
Salvation: Synergism or Sola Gratia? Charlie Martin
The Leaven of Synergism by Arthur C. Custance, Ph.D.
Two Views of Regeneration by John Hendryx
A Practical Discourse on God's Sovereignty By Elisha Coles
A wonderful online book dealing with the Doctrines of Grace.
target=_blank>Simul Iustus et Peccator At the same time righteous and a sinner
href="http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/lawhonored_payson.html"
target=_blank>The Law Honored in the Sinners Salvation by Edward Payson
The Will of God
The Will of God by R.C. Sproul
href="http://www.desiringgod.org/library/topics/doctrines_grace/2wills.html"
target=_blank>Are There Two Wills in God? by John Piper
href="https://www.samstorms.org/all-articles/post/two-wills-in-god" target=_blank>Are There Two Wills in God? by Dr. Sam Storms
Justification
Of Justification by Faith by John Calvin
Of Christian Liberty by John Calvin
Justification: Contrasting Biblical Teaching and Roman Catholicism By William Webster
href="http://homepage.mac.com/shanerosenthal/reformationink/mlpharpub.htm" target="_blank">The Pharisee & The Publican by Martin Luther
Commentary on Galatians by Martin Luther
href="http://homepage.mac.com/shanerosenthal/reformationink/ftnecatone.htm" target="_blank">The Necessity of the Atonement by Francis Turretin
href="http://ccc138.org/etc/printer-friendly.asp?ID=508" target="_blank">Imputed Righteousness by R.C. Sproul
target=_blank>Justification by Faith Examination of the Doctrine of Salvation by Brian Schwertley
href="http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Articles/ByDate/2004/1554_What_God_Requires_Christ_Provides/"
target=_blank>What God Requires, Christ Provides By John Piper
href="http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Delphi/8449/justification.html" target="_blank">Justification: Redemption Applied - 14 Articles on Justification by Matt Perman
href="http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/sanct_just_ryle.html" target=_blank>Justification and Sanctification: How Do They Differ? By J. C. Ryle
Holiness by J.C. Ryle (book)
href="http://gregscouch.homestead.com/files/eternalsecurity.htm"
target=_blank>Can a Christian Lose His or Her Salvation? by Greg Johnson
target=_blank>Perseverance - God Keeps His People Safe by J.I. Packer
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Just as the sinner's despair of any hope from himself is the first prerequisite of a sound conversion, so the loss of all confidence in himself is the first essential in the believer's
growth in grace. - A.W. PINK
If salvation is the implantation of a new, infinite life in the soul, it must be a work of God. Self-caused effects can never rise above the character or qualities of their cause. "Flesh gives birth to flesh but the Spirit gives birth to Spirit," Jesus told Nicodemus. This saving grace cannot be caused by the creature, it can only come from God." - John Hannah (To God be the Glory pg. 34, 35)
All things are under His rule and control, and that nothing happens in this Universe without His direction or permission. He is a God Who works, not just some things, but all things after the counsel of His own will (see Eph. 1:11). God's purpose is all- inclusive and is never thwarted (see Isa. 46:11).
"Whoever, in the diligent and immediate study of the Scripture to know the mind of God therein so as to do it, doth abide in fervent supplications, in and by Jesus Christ, for supplies of the Spirit of grace, to lead him into all truth, to reveal and make known unto him the truth as it is in Jesus, to give him an understanding of the Scriptures and the will of God therein, he shall be preserved from pernicious errors, and attain that degree in knowledge as shall be sufficient unto the guidance and preservation of the life of God in the whole of his faith and obedience."
- John Owen
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Covenant Theology
The Bible speaks of salvation in terms of "covenant". The folowing concepts of covenant speak of the the biblical data concerning the manner in which God saves sinners through Jesus Christ.
The Covenant of Grace: A Key the Bible by Calvin Knox Cummings
Classical Covenant Theology On Justification edited by R. Scott Clark
Classical Covenant Theology On Law and Gospel edited by R. Scott Clark
Classical Covenant Theology On the Covenant of Redemption edited by R. Scott Clark
Classical Covenant Theology Covenant of Works (Foedus Operum) edited by R. Scott Clark
Classical Covenant Theology On the Covenant of Grace edited by R. Scott Clark
Administration of the Covenant of Grace edited by R. Scott Clark
href="http://www.fpcjackson.org/resources/apologetics/Covenant%20Theology%20&%20Justification/ligoncovt.htm"
target=_blank>What is Covenant Theology? J. Ligon Duncan
href="http://www.fpcjackson.org/resources/apologetics/Covenant%20Theology%20&%20Justification/Ligons_covtheology/ctindex.htm"
target=_blank>Series on Covenant Theology by J. Ligon Duncan (12 lectures on Covenant Theology)
href="http://www.mountzion.org/text/marrow/diff.html" target="_blank">The Difference Between The Law & The Gospel by Edward Fisher
Adams Fall and Mine by R. C. Sproul
Calvin's Institutes 26-part Free MP3 Audio Lectures
These are lectures given at Covenant Theological Seminary. Reading and analysis of the Institutes of the Christian Religion, emphasizing Calvin's method, material arrangement, and biblical-theological content. by Dr. David Calhoun
Particular Redemption (Definite Atonement)
The Nature of the Atonement Why and for Whom Did Christ Die? by Phil Johnson
The Divine Intention of the Cross by Pastor John Samson
Gospel
target=_blank>There May be More Than One Way to God by John Hendryx
target=_blank>The Way of Faith by Dr. Phil Newton
THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST - This concise Scriptural overview
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Union with Christ begins with God's pretemporal decision to save his people in and through Jesus Christ. This union, further, is based on the redemptive work for his people which Christ did in history. Finally, this union is actually established with God's people after they have been born, continues throughout their lives, and has as its goal their eternal glorification in the life to come. We go on, then, to see union with Christ as having its roots in divine election, its basis in the redemptive work of Christ, and its actual establishment with God's people in time. - Anthony Hoekema |
Devotion
href="http://www.oldlandmarks.com/puritan.htm" target=_blank>Puritan Prayers Taken from The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions, edited by Arthur Bennett
href="http://www.gracegems.org/Winslows/lord_prayer.htm" target=_blank>THE LORD’S PRAYER, Its Spirit and its Teaching By Octavius Winslow
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Sola Scriptura
Surprised by What? A Defense of Sola Scriptura by Jake Magee
"Is Sola Scriptura a Protestant Concoction?" by Dr. Greg Bahnsen
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