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 enlarge | Author: Paul E. Little
Publisher: Victor Books
Category: Book
Buy Used: $0.01
Used (74) from $0.01
Avg. Customer Rating:  18 reviews
Sales Rank: 1853528
Media: Paperback
Pages: 192
ISBN: 088207024X
EAN: 9780882070247
ASIN: 088207024X
Publication Date: June 3, 1973
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: SHIPS FIRST CLASS-You'll Get it FAST. 1978 Victor Paperback
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| Customer Reviews:
Good book no matter where you are on the Christian journey June 26, 2006
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
The front cover description by Billy Graham of this book is amazingly accurate - "Scholarly, articulate, simple." Paul Little really does an amazing job of addressing the core essentials of the faith in less than 150 pages - from the nature of God, to the nature of man, from the importance of Christ's substitutionary death on the cross to His imminent return for His Bride, the Church. I especially liked the way that Little handed controversial issues, by giving an adequate description of both sides without seeking to interject his own opinions on several matters.
I also liked the flow of the book, beginning with the essential element of Scripture from which God has revealed Himself to man in a special manner to a chapter on the nature of God Himself. From there, Little explores the historical person of Jesus Christ and the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, upon which the entirety of Christianity rests. Once the concept of God's creation and the god-head itself are addressed, Little turns to the problem with the world - sin and the separation of man from his designed status as a child of God. Little then follows that with the chapter on the Holy Spirit, introducing the reader to the remainder of the Trinity and the special work of the Holy Spirit to convict man of his sin. Following this, Little turns to the good news of salvation and the redemption of man through the blood sacrifice of Christ. The remaining three chapters deal with other spiritual issues facing believers, including angels, Satan and demons, the role of the Church in the life of the believer, and the fundamentals of eschatology, or the "things to come" as Little phrases it.
The book is simply profound in its ability to cover such a wide gamut of ideas and principles giving just enough to address the issue without either boring the reader or leaving the reader without a proper understanding. A great book to suggest to every believer, regardless of where they are on their spiritual journey.
 very good on basics June 15, 2006
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
The author handles basic Christian faith very well, and uses some helpful examples and analogies that I haven't seen elsewhere.
I would unreservedly recommend this book to anyone who wants to become grounded on basic Christian docrine.
 reinforced dogma October 30, 2005
4 out of 36 found this review helpful
If you want your dogma reinforced then this is a great book. It blazes through philosophical arguments with proposterous nerve.
example 1. The problem of evil is solved thus:
"And God has done something about the problem of evil. He has done the most dramatic, costly, and effective thing possible by giving his Son to die for evil men."
example 2. To John Wisdoms damning parable, the book argues: "For in Christianity we do not have merely an allegation that the garden of this world is tended by a loving Gardener; we have the actual, empirical entrance of the Gardener into the human scene in the person of Christ (cf. John 20: 14,15), and this entrance is verifiable by way of His resurrection."
All of the arguments assume the ignorant position. The argument from design is entertained in the most ridiculous manner -arguing from the specific to the general. Reality is simple -we are here because things are the way they are -if they weren't, we wouldn't be here. Too many leaves in the teacup being read by those who want to see things that are not there. I'm afraid for humanity if they think this is knowledge.
Great Study Book August 5, 2005
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
This is a great book for all types of study environments. It is good for small groups with study questions for each chapter. It is also great for personal study of the basic tenants of Christianity. In easy to understand language, Paul Little covers the foundational aspects of the Christian faith. I currently use this book in the development of new leaders in our church.
Classic "Portable Primer" on Christian Beliefs June 13, 2004
20 out of 20 found this review helpful
I first encountered Paul Little's "Know What You Believe" and "Know Why You Believe" about 12-13 years ago. Over the years, I have read many tomes of systematic theology, dogmatics, etc. In fact, I'd thought that I long "out-grew" these "Beginner" books on the Christian faith. Then my wife bought a new edition that contains both books and I read them through again over the weekend. I was pleasantly surprised by the masterful simplicity in Little's presentation of the core truths of Christianity in such a clear, intelligent manner; yet without trivialising the whole thing with needlessly casual anecdotes or the feeling like he's "talking down to you". As a young Christian, I got the feeling that these books were simple apologetics that one used for evangelism and discipleship. On rereading them this round, I found them to be very scholarly works but presented in a very readable format (and believe me, that's quite a feat!). For me on a personal level, it's a return to the basics, the core truths - the vital stuff that makes Christianity so amazing and meaningful in the first place. These two books are modern Christian classics and should be on every Christian's bookshelf. Buy a dozen today and start rereading them and giving them out.
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