What a delightful aid to the study of God's Word! I don't say that flippantly; I truly mean it. Phil Moore has done a great service to the church in writing these books, especially this one on Romans. I think I can honestly say that I've gotten to know the book of Romans fairly well. The Adult Bible Class at Cornerstone EFC has spent the better part of three years in this grand letter of the Apostle Paul and we're only just now getting to chapter 9! Who knows? If I would have had this book when we first started, we might be done by now.
The purpose of this entire series is quite clear: God wants you to read His Word and have it change your life. Through the aid of each book in this series, Moore wants you, the reader, to read the Bible with eyes wide open and a heart ready and eager for Godward change.
In the introduction to Moore's book on Romans, he points out that Romans is not just a amazing book for today's Christian; it was very, very dangerous for Paul and the recipients in Rome. He then proceeds to give some historical highlights that really help set the context for what will follow.
Here's just bit from the thoughts on Romans 9, the chapter my class is heading into right now:
Talk is cheap. What matters is delivery. Everybody knows it's easier to state a plan than turn it into reality. That's why Paul needed to follow up his general teaching about the Gospel in chapters 1–8 with a description of that plan in action in chapters 9–11.
Very helpful start to a potential difficult section of the Bible. Moore does this throughout this book, He gives a good overview statement or word picture and then goes on to open up the text, sometimes with a broad brush, sometimes with exacting detail.
If you want a book to give to someone who's never studied the book of Romans, you would do well to give them this book out of the Straight To The Heart Series. Very few will read the multi-volume set by Lloyd-Jones (although they should). Most will never get a copy of Cranfield on Romans, let alone understand much of the technical detail that set contains (I went to seminary and it still gave me brain cramps). Moore takes this vitally important book of Scripture and puts it into the hands of "Everyman" and "Everywoman" without dumbing it down. Thanks be to God for that!
I'd highly encourage you to get this book. In fact, get several and hand them out, lead a study yourself, host a reader's group or whatever other format you might find, but get it and read it.
About the Book––
A powerful devotional commentary series designed to inform and inspire
Paul's letter to the Romans is not just the longest surviving letter from the ancient world. It was also the most dangerous. Paul sent it into Nero's backyard to proclaim that Jesus is Lord and that his readers needed to surrender. Whatever the world may have told us and whatever false gospels we may have believed, it’s time for all of us to wake up to Paul's message that there is a new King in town.
Straight to the Heart of Romans is one of a series of devotional commentaries, which allow people to get to grips with each book of the Bible one bite at a time. Phil Moore does not cover the whole of each book, but rather focuses on key sections which together form a useful introduction. There will be 25 volumes in all, each containing 60 readings. The short chapters are punchy and relevant, yet crammed with fascinating scholarship.
About the Author–– Phil Moore leads Queens Road Church in Wimbledon, London, UK. He also serves as a Bible teacher and evangelist within the Newfrontiers family of churches. He is the author of the "Straight to the Heart" series of devotional commentaries.
After graduating from Cambridge University, Phil spent time on the mission field and then in the business world. He has devoted many years to the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures, and he brings them to life in the language of today in the Straight to the Heart series. The first seven volumes - Genesis, Exodus, Matthew, Acts, Romans, 1&2 Corinthians and Revelation - were published in 2010 and 2011. 1&2 Samuel and John will be published in May 2012.
Phil is married to Ruth and they have four young children. Together, they love eating strange and exotic food, watching movies with lots of popcorn, and reading books by Roald Dahl. Phil's children complain that his own books do not contain enough pictures, talking animals or chocolate factories.
Check out Phil's website: www.philmoorebooks.com
Read and excerpt HERE.
Check out Straight to the Heart of Romans' Table of Contents HERE.
You can purchase your copy of Straight to the Heart of Romans at:
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my unbiased review of the book.