“Finally Alive” and “The Reason for God”

My current reading undertakings are the books Finally Alive by John Piper and The Reason for God by Timothy Keller. I’m about a third through each book and, so far, have good things to say.

Finally Alive. One of Piper’s new books deals with the “re-birth” or “regeneration” of a follower of Christ. What happens when one is regenerated by the Holy Spirit? How does salvation of a believer occur? Piper begins by answering the “how” questions by constantly referring to several key soteria texts in Scripture, including John 3 (Nicodemus), Ephesians 2, and 1 Peter. He gradually eases his way into the practical by detailing the texts previously mentioned in addition to Ezekiel 36 and 1 John. This book is great for any Christian to read, young or mature.

The Reason For God. Why does a good God allow suffering? Why would a loving God send people to hell? Isn’t Christianity a straitjacket of religion? These a just a few skeptical questions Keller answers in this book. The first half of the book is devoting to answering common questions skeptics to the Christian faith have. He hopes to establish a better understanding of Christianity. The second half of the book explores the reasons to believe the Gospel and contends to its reality.