Living Zealously

by Joel R. Beeke; James A. La Belle

Publisher:

Reformation Heritage

, 2012

Overview

In Living Zealously, Joel R. Beeke and James A. La Belle address the much overlooked topic of Christian zeal. Having mined the depths of Puritan wisdom on what it means to live earnestly for Christ, they explain it in a way that is familiar to our modern ears and applicable to our souls. Beeke and La Belle do us a valuable service by helping us see the importance of Christian zeal and encouraging us to obtain it. Read this book and ask God to deepen your Christian life with a burning and holy zeal.

In the Logos edition, this volume is enhanced by amazing functionality. Important terms link to dictionaries, encyclopedias, and a wealth of other resources in your digital library. Perform powerful searches to find exactly what you’re looking for. Take the discussion with you using tablet and mobile apps. With Logos Bible Software, the most efficient and comprehensive research tools are in one place, so you get the most out of your study.

Key Features

• Discusses the importance of Christian zeal
• Provides Puritan insight for daily life
• Presents pastoral advice and encouragment

Contents

• The Nature and Marks of Christian Zeal
• The Necessity and Motives of Christian Zeal
• The Regulation of Christian Zeal
• The Objects of Christian Zeal
• The Outworking of Christian Zeal
• The Means to Christian Zeal

Top Highlights

“The first thing to note about Christian zeal is that it is a purposeful stirring and enflaming of the affections. It is a holy passion, which, like a magnifying glass that concentrates the sun’s rays into a single point of light, captures the believer’s affections and drives them towards a specific, biblical goal.” (Page 7)

“Simply defined, a truly zealous person is one whose fervency and passion have enflamed all his affections towards an object: ‘his love is ever fervent, his desires eager, his delights ravishing, his hopes longing, his hatred deadly, his anger fierce, his grief deep, his fear terrible.’” (Page 8)

“A great help toward constancy in zeal is to fix on what the Puritans called the four last things: death, judgment, heaven, and hell.” (Page 19)

“Being overzealous about small matters and careless about significant matters can only result in hypocrisy” (Page 53)

“This fervent love for God also awakens grief in the zealous soul when God’s name and cause are injured” (Page 11)

Praise for the Print Edition

The reason for the resurgence of interest in the Puritans today is found in their extraordinary devotion to the things of God and the depth of their understanding and exposition of sacred Scripture. I welcome this series of books that make the Puritans even more accessible in our day on a variety of important but often neglected subjects.

—R. C. Sproul, founder and president of Ligonier Ministries

We are indebted to the authors for bringing together and expounding this valuable selection on the subject of zeal from Puritan writings. It is zeal in the church that brings life to the world. The need is indisputable.

—Iain H. Murray, cofounder of The Banner of Truth Trust

A preacher can be forgiven if he lacks great intellectual ability or if he has to live with some physical weakness, but no preacher can be excused if he lacks zeal. If his heart is not aflame with a consuming passion for the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ he stands as a condemned man. By extension, that is true of every believer as well, as Beeke and La Belle show so poignantly from the Puritans.

—Geoff Thomas, Alfred Place Baptist Church, Aberystwyth, Wales

Jesus redeems, purifying a people who are to be ‘zealous for good works’ (Titus 2:14). With crystal clarity and perceptive practicality, Beeke and La Belle make quite a team. This book lays before us the solid, biblical, personal, pastoral, and urgent need for zeal in the Christian life. When Christianity still shows signs of flabbiness and inertia, these pages ignite with passion and persuasion.

—Derek W. H. Thomas, First Presbyterian Church, Columbia, SC

Product Details

• Title: Living Zealously with Study Questions
• Authors: Joel R. Beeke, James A. La Belle
• Series: Deepen Your Christian Life
• Publisher: Reformation Heritage
• Print Publication Date: 2012
• Logos Release Date: 2014
• Pages: 160
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subject: Enthusiasm › Religious aspects--Christianity--Textbooks
• ISBNs: 9781601781796, 1601781792
• Resource ID: LLS:LIVINGZEALOUSLY
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2022-09-30T01:16:35Z

About the Authors

James A. La Belle is the pastor of the Presbyterian Church of Cape Cod, OPC.

Joel R. Beeke is president and professor of systematic theology and homiletics at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, pastor of the Heritage Netherlands Reformed Congregation in Grand Rapids, Michigan, editorial director of Reformation Heritage Books, and editor of the Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth. He has written, coauthored, or edited over 70 books.