by Samuel Rutherford
in ePub, .mobi & .pdf formats
Samuel Rutherford’s The Power of the Word: How God Uses Preaching to Bring Faith and Conversion is a theological masterpiece that demolishes the claims of Antinomians, Enthusiasts, and Swenckfeldians who downplay or deny the necessity of the preached Word in salvation. With sharp biblical precision and unrelenting logic, Rutherford asserts that the external proclamation of the Word is the divinely ordained instrument by which the Holy Spirit brings sinners to faith. Grounded in Romans 10:17—"Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God"—Rutherford exposes the dangers of mystical notions that seek to sever the Spirit’s work from the external means God has established. He argues that the preached Word is not a dead letter but a powerful tool in the hands of God, able to awaken the soul, convict of sin, and bring about regeneration. His treatment of how the Spirit works with and through the Word provides a much-needed corrective to any who might minimize the necessity of gospel preaching.
What makes The Power of the Word particularly compelling is Rutherford’s unflinching stance against errors that persist to this day. He confronts head-on the false spirituality that claims one can be led by the Spirit without the preached Word or that conversion is purely an internal and mystical experience. Rutherford dissects these errors with theological precision, proving that the Spirit’s regenerating work does not bypass the means of grace but works through them. He also powerfully rebukes the tendency to separate faith from obedience, showing that true faith, birthed through the Word, necessarily produces holiness. This book is a wake-up call to those who take preaching lightly and a clarion call for churches to reclaim a high view of the Word. If you desire to understand the real power of preaching—not as entertainment or mere moral instruction but as the very means by which God raises the spiritually dead—then The Power of the Word is essential reading.
About the Author:
Samuel Rutherford (1600–1661) was a Scottish Presbyterian theologian, pastor, and one of the leading voices in the Westminster Assembly. A fierce defender of Reformed orthodoxy, Rutherford’s works, including Lex, Rex and The Letters of Samuel Rutherford, continue to be treasured for their theological depth and pastoral warmth. Known for his Christ-exalting preaching and willingness to suffer for the faith, Rutherford’s writings remain a powerful force in shaping Reformed thought, urging believers to hold fast to the supremacy of Scripture and the necessity of gospel proclamation.