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Why Do You Not Believe?
Andrew Murray was one of the most popular religious writers of the 19th century. Many of his works are still considered must reads among Christians today. This version of Murray’s Why Do You Not Believe? includes a table of contents.
- GenresChristian
139 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 24, 2008
About the author
Andrew Murray
1,152 books567 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Murray was Born in Cape Town, South Africa, Murray became a noted missionary leader. His father was a Scottish Presbyterian serving the Dutch Reformed Church of South Africa, and his mother had connections with both French Huguenots and German Lutherans. This background to some extent explains his ecumenical spirit. He was educated at Aberdeen University, Scotland, and at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. After ordination in 1848 he served pastorates at Bloemfontein, Worcester, Cape Town, and Wellington. He helped to found what are now the University College of the Orange Free State and the Stellenbosch Seminary. He served as Moderator of the Cape Synod of the Dutch Reformed Church and was president of both the YMCA (1865) and the South Africa General Mission (1888-1917), now the Africa Evangelical Fellowship.
He was one of the chief promoters of the call to missions in South Africa. This led to the Dutch Reformed Church missions to blacks in the Transvaal and Malawi. Apart from his evangelistic tours in South Africa, he spoke at the Keswick and Northfield Conventions in 1895, making a great impression. upon his British and American audiences. For his contribution to world missions he was given an honorary doctorate by the universities of Aberdeen (1898) and Cape of Good Hope(1907).
Murray is best known today for his devotional writings, which place great emphasis on the need for a rich, personal devotional life. Many of his 240 publications explain in how he saw this devotion and its outworking in the life of the Christian. Several of his books have become devotional classics. Among these are Abide in Christ, Absolute Surrender, With Christ in the School of Prayer, The Spirit of Christ and Waiting on God.
Murray was Born in Cape Town, South Africa, Murray became a noted missionary leader. His father was a Scottish Presbyterian serving the Dutch Reformed Church of South Africa, and his mother had connections with both French Huguenots and German Lutherans. This background to some extent explains his ecumenical spirit. He was educated at Aberdeen University, Scotland, and at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. After ordination in 1848 he served pastorates at Bloemfontein, Worcester, Cape Town, and Wellington. He helped to found what are now the University College of the Orange Free State and the Stellenbosch Seminary. He served as Moderator of the Cape Synod of the Dutch Reformed Church and was president of both the YMCA (1865) and the South Africa General Mission (1888-1917), now the Africa Evangelical Fellowship.
He was one of the chief promoters of the call to missions in South Africa. This led to the Dutch Reformed Church missions to blacks in the Transvaal and Malawi. Apart from his evangelistic tours in South Africa, he spoke at the Keswick and Northfield Conventions in 1895, making a great impression. upon his British and American audiences. For his contribution to world missions he was given an honorary doctorate by the universities of Aberdeen (1898) and Cape of Good Hope(1907).
Murray is best known today for his devotional writings, which place great emphasis on the need for a rich, personal devotional life. Many of his 240 publications explain in how he saw this devotion and its outworking in the life of the Christian. Several of his books have become devotional classics. Among these are Abide in Christ, Absolute Surrender, With Christ in the School of Prayer, The Spirit of Christ and Waiting on God.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 5, 2026
A set of 31 essays written to the unbeliever. Over and over Murray asks the reader why they don't believe?
The essays cover issues such as that faith comes from believing God's words and repenting of sins. That God's Spirit is the author of faith and a manifestation of belief. That man cannot produce faith himself, but only a heart filled with weeds or human works that won't save him. That the answer is to surrender to God and accept His grace by faith.
I think chapters 24 and 25 explain why we can't save ourselves better than most. Murray explains that the law must be obeyed perfectly to save someone from death. Yet no one is able to do that in order to live. As we are powerless to keep God's commands perfectly, God offers grace to the powerless and forgiveness of sins. We receive God's gift of grace by faith. The works of the law are for men who want to merit salvation on their own. The works of faith in James 2:24 are evidence someone received God's grace and was changed by it. God's Spirit gives saved ones the ability to keep His commandments. Works of faith are fruit from the Spirit's transformation of a believer. We are able to do God's will by the power of God's Spirit, not by our own dead human efforts.
Many good words in these essays. However, I think they were written at a desk, not from talking to unbelievers. No where did I find a definition or explanation of what sin is, or how to repent. Sin is transgressing God's law by rebellion or choosing our own way instead of God's. Murray talked about repentance but not returning to God's ways. Sinners need to return to God and repent and enter God's rest. Isaiah 30:15 says that in returning and rest you are saved; in stillness and trust is your strength, but you would not (The Scriptures Bible).
Chapter 30 addresses hindrances briefly, discussing how sins casts out God's word, or how the cares of this world full our hearing of God's word, or how emotions or our desire to save ourselves interferes with faith. However, the devil is blamed for these tactics. Murray offers no help for the person that is stuck with a hard, thorny, weedy or rock-filled heart.
Also, I didn't see a discussion on pride and why it keeps someone from surrendering to God or believing they need to. What I read was mostly Christian rhetoric and cliches. All true, but not addressing why sin is a death sentence, or why I must obey God and keep God's law perfectly to be saved or how to enter God's rest and trust Him to save me (Hebrews). I think things were missing.
The essays cover issues such as that faith comes from believing God's words and repenting of sins. That God's Spirit is the author of faith and a manifestation of belief. That man cannot produce faith himself, but only a heart filled with weeds or human works that won't save him. That the answer is to surrender to God and accept His grace by faith.
I think chapters 24 and 25 explain why we can't save ourselves better than most. Murray explains that the law must be obeyed perfectly to save someone from death. Yet no one is able to do that in order to live. As we are powerless to keep God's commands perfectly, God offers grace to the powerless and forgiveness of sins. We receive God's gift of grace by faith. The works of the law are for men who want to merit salvation on their own. The works of faith in James 2:24 are evidence someone received God's grace and was changed by it. God's Spirit gives saved ones the ability to keep His commandments. Works of faith are fruit from the Spirit's transformation of a believer. We are able to do God's will by the power of God's Spirit, not by our own dead human efforts.
Many good words in these essays. However, I think they were written at a desk, not from talking to unbelievers. No where did I find a definition or explanation of what sin is, or how to repent. Sin is transgressing God's law by rebellion or choosing our own way instead of God's. Murray talked about repentance but not returning to God's ways. Sinners need to return to God and repent and enter God's rest. Isaiah 30:15 says that in returning and rest you are saved; in stillness and trust is your strength, but you would not (The Scriptures Bible).
Chapter 30 addresses hindrances briefly, discussing how sins casts out God's word, or how the cares of this world full our hearing of God's word, or how emotions or our desire to save ourselves interferes with faith. However, the devil is blamed for these tactics. Murray offers no help for the person that is stuck with a hard, thorny, weedy or rock-filled heart.
Also, I didn't see a discussion on pride and why it keeps someone from surrendering to God or believing they need to. What I read was mostly Christian rhetoric and cliches. All true, but not addressing why sin is a death sentence, or why I must obey God and keep God's law perfectly to be saved or how to enter God's rest and trust Him to save me (Hebrews). I think things were missing.
December 12, 2018
Good Book
Strong theology. His way of writing is a little hard to get past at first, but you quickly get used to it.
Strong theology. His way of writing is a little hard to get past at first, but you quickly get used to it.
October 26, 2016
I added this to my Devotional Readings for the past month, and have been quite pleased that I did. Admittedly, it is aimed at those new to the Faith (or perhaps more precisely to those "who are on the brink of the Faith" or struggling with it) - so whilst I was not of the intended audience, I still found this to be good devotional material. It covers many things about God, Christ, Holy Spirit, Salvation, Forgiveness, Grace, etc they all Christians can do with reminding.
Admittedly the language is a bit dated for the 21st Century, and thus its value may be more to the older Christian. Also some of the entries are superb whilst others are not so much - overall though well worth the time.
Admittedly the language is a bit dated for the 21st Century, and thus its value may be more to the older Christian. Also some of the entries are superb whilst others are not so much - overall though well worth the time.
September 15, 2022
Wonderful
Wonderful book on the subject of why we don’t believe. Easy to follow but written very well. Grace and peace.
Wonderful book on the subject of why we don’t believe. Easy to follow but written very well. Grace and peace.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews