# God told me I can only read 3 books the rest of my life, but I can choose...



## TimeRedeemer (Feb 1, 2006)

So, the choice is before me. I can only read from 3 books the rest of my days. God says so (don't ask how that has occured, it just has, and it's a very authoritative thing, so).

So obviously the first choice is easy: Biography of Kenny 'the Snake' Stabler. 

No, just kidding: the Holy Bible.

Two to go...

(At least I feel some relief at now not even being allowed to read all the books I've acquired...)

What _categories_ would I best be choosing from even...?


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## TimeRedeemer (Feb 1, 2006)

This may be rash but the second choice has come to me:

_Christian in Complete Armour_ - William Gurnall

(One practical reason for this choice: it's a book that can take a lifetime to read just in terms of number of words...)

So, I have:

_Holy Bible_
_Christian in Complete Armour_


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## TimeRedeemer (Feb 1, 2006)

Be interested is seeing how others would handle this choice...


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## Puritanhead (Feb 1, 2006)

Jesus wouldn't tell me such a thing... and make my life such as a living hell by limiting my library to three measily books. Besides, the church isn't under _wrath_. 
:bigsmile:


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## Bladestunner316 (Feb 1, 2006)

Augustines confessions

and

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K Dick


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## TimeRedeemer (Feb 1, 2006)

Pretend Jesus wants you to _focus_, though. As an exercise. Choose as if it's real. You really can't mess it up _too_ bad as long as the Bible is one of the choices, right?


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## TimeRedeemer (Feb 1, 2006)

I'm going to throw in Ames' _Marrow of Theology_.

That makes my choices:

_Holy Bible_ - KJV
_Christian in Complete Armour_ - Gurnall
_Marrow of Theology_ - Ames


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## TimeRedeemer (Feb 1, 2006)

Maybe on the consideration that a large book would be best I should have chosen Turretin's _Institutes of Elenctic Theology_ instead of the Ames...

Already second-guessing. Grass is always greener on the other side of the fence syndrome...

No, I made my choices.


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## TimeRedeemer (Feb 2, 2006)

I forgot that I could go with the Westminster Standards too. Instead of a systematic theology. The complete Westminster Standards. Including the Sum of Saving Knowledge and all the proof texts. 

But that would be smart and show common-sense. 

I have to do more researchon Turretin. Did he have the complete covenant theology picture down? To A Puritan's Mind I go...


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## Casey (Feb 2, 2006)

Does this question already presuppose you've read every book ever written? Under what other conditions could you ensure this was an informed decision effecting a lifetime?

 <--- Bible (  )
 <--- Other two books!


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## TimeRedeemer (Feb 2, 2006)

From reading this:

http://www.apuritansmind.com/Baptism/McMahonCovenantConceptsTurretin.htm

I gather Turretin had it all, basically. 

Deep in thought, wringing my hands...


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## TimeRedeemer (Feb 2, 2006)

> Does this question already presuppose you've read every book ever written? Under what other conditions could you ensure this was an informed decision effecting a lifetime?



That's a good question. I assume God in His infinite wisdom only gives this command to choose only three books to those of us who have pretty much gotten the measure of the field. Perhaps not in terms of actually reading every work, but in terms of getting an informed impression of the complete field in that way we all do that eventually... 

There are only a handful of the major candidates anyway, though.


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## TimeRedeemer (Feb 2, 2006)

My three choices:

_Holy Bible_ - KJV
_Institutes of Elenctic Theology_ - Turretin
_Christian in Complete Armour_ - Gurnall

What informed my decision: the Bible obviously; then a work on doctrine and a work on practice. Big choices. These are my only books from here on out... (All those positive reviews of Turretin better have been accurate!)

Now, though... Did I skip over the obvious choice of Calvin's Insititutes unthinkingly? Basically, I wanted a complete systematic work that had all of covenant theology in it, and I feared Calvin didn't have it all just obviously because it was still being worked out in his day... Well, I've chosen what I've chosen.


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## Bryan (Feb 2, 2006)

I would would go with;

Bible (ESV)
Pilgrims Progress
Valley of Vision

Bryan
SDG


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## TimeRedeemer (Feb 2, 2006)

> _Originally posted by Bryan_
> I would would go with;
> 
> Bible (ESV)
> ...



Interesting.


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## Bladestunner316 (Feb 2, 2006)

Then scratch "Androids" and put in my copy of the OPC's WCF.


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## TimeRedeemer (Feb 2, 2006)

Bible, Augustine's Confessions, and the Westminster Confession of Faith is very classic, even classical, sounding. 

My choice is bloated and gluttonous in comparison.


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## Bladestunner316 (Feb 2, 2006)

Well the confessions is my favourite book and my OPC-WCF is much more in-depth then my small LBCF 1689.


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## WrittenFromUtopia (Feb 2, 2006)

Bible, Turretin, Calvin.


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## Ivan (Feb 2, 2006)

> _Originally posted by Bryan_
> I would would go with;
> 
> Bible (ESV)
> ...



 unless we could include a book series.......


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## TimeRedeemer (Feb 2, 2006)

OK, my final draft:

_Holy Bible_, KJV
_Institutes of the Christian Religion_ - Calvin
And a mystery book that provides knowledge and practices for the active element, or effort part, of sanctification. 

The Calvin because his book is like what Homer and Shakespeare is to lesser works of poetry and drama. Calvin is the source. His writing is actual world literature, up there, again, with Shakespeare in his understanding. In Calvin's case his understanding of man and God and the world and the higher world. 

The mystery book I can't mention because it's something that gets coopted by cults. So does the Bible too though. Anything with truth in it will. Calvinism has it happen to it too. I don't want to have to have the negative baggage attached to me by mentioning the book though. I'll just say there is a language 'out there' that can be found that is very far from the world of Calvinism, yet at the same time, because it is based on biblical Christianity, corresponds to Calvinist doctrine remarkably, yet it is practical level knowledge regarding what one does. It's really in the realm of sanctification AND eschatology _as practice_...


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## Mr Peabody (Feb 2, 2006)

I heard that they're making a third world laptop with a crank-up battery charger. How about: 

1. Bible Works 7.0

2. CCEL

3. Interpreting Prophecy by Philip Edgecombe Hughes


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## BobVigneault (Feb 2, 2006)

That wasn't God speaking, that was your WIFE and she said you can only BUY three more books as long as you live..... or else. You were lucky to get that many.


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## CDM (Feb 2, 2006)

> _Originally posted by TimeRedeemer_
> OK, my final draft:
> 
> _Holy Bible_, KJV
> ...



Seriously, what book are you talking about? U2U me if you would like.

Thanks,


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## TimeRedeemer (Feb 2, 2006)

> Seriously, what book are you talking about? U2U me if you would like.
> 
> Thanks,



No, I'll say it if you ask, I just don't want to have to defend them from a Calvinist point-of-view. They're the teachings Tolstoy became aware of as an old man and said he'd wished he'd known of them when he was 25. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philokalia

Christian teachings dealing with mental watchfulness and refining and control of emotion are rare. As with everything of an extra-biblical nature discernment of the Spirit, sanctified common-sense, and separating of wheat from chaff is necessary... God's General Revelation and common grace and sovereignty in general is to be mined and learned from as well...


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## TimeRedeemer (Feb 2, 2006)

> _Originally posted by BobVigneault_
> That wasn't God speaking, that was your WIFE and she said you can only BUY three more books as long as you live..... or else. You were lucky to get that many.



Those Amazon packages can be conspicuous setting on the porch, can't they?


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