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A Time for Confidence: Trusting God in a Post-Christian Society
As members of a society that is quickly abandoning its Christian past, followers of Christ often feel disoriented or even frightened. When human leaders and political advocates fail us, when immorality is celebrated and legislated as cultural renaissance, doubts arise and the road to compromise beckons. In this book, Dr. Stephen J. Nichols points to the almighty God as the steadfast source and foundation of our confidence. Though the Enemy “prowls around like a roaring lion” (1 Pet 5:8) and the whole world may shake around us, God’s kingdom is unshakable. This is not a time to cower, cave, or capitulate. This is a time for confidence, and our confidence must be in God. All else will disappoint.
163 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 16, 2017
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281 people want to read
About the author
Stephen J. Nichols
76 books97 followersStephen J. Nichols (PhD, Westminster Theological Seminary) is president of Reformation Bible College and chief academic officer of Ligonier Ministries. Previously, he served as research professor of Christianity and culture at Lancaster Bible College. He is an editor (with Justin Taylor) of the Theologians on the Christian Life series and is the author of several books, including The Reformation, For Us and for Our Salvation, The Church History ABCs, and Bonhoeffer on the Christian Life.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
February 12, 2017
I have long been thankful for the work of Ligonier. They have recently begun publishing many short books, such as this one, that serve as great encouragements to Christians. They make for a good read for a Sabbath afternoon.
The book is perhaps best summarized by Nichols himself in the concluding pages: "Someday we will be like Him. That's our hope. But it's not a hope that we put on the shelf, and it's not a hope that sends us into a cave. It's a hope that sends us into the world with confidence. We can be confident in God, confident in His Word, confident in Christ, confident in the gospel, and confident in hope." (142)In this confident hope, in the midst of an alien world, we proclaim the gospel of the one true God, set forth in his infallible Word, of redemption in Christ. We are not yet what we shall be, "and what we will be has not yet appeared," But because God is true, we can with confidence proclaim that hope to a world desperately in need.
The book is perhaps best summarized by Nichols himself in the concluding pages: "Someday we will be like Him. That's our hope. But it's not a hope that we put on the shelf, and it's not a hope that sends us into a cave. It's a hope that sends us into the world with confidence. We can be confident in God, confident in His Word, confident in Christ, confident in the gospel, and confident in hope." (142)In this confident hope, in the midst of an alien world, we proclaim the gospel of the one true God, set forth in his infallible Word, of redemption in Christ. We are not yet what we shall be, "and what we will be has not yet appeared," But because God is true, we can with confidence proclaim that hope to a world desperately in need.
March 6, 2017
If you're a Christian in America, you probably feel the change in our society. The culture is shifting further and further away from our Christian heritage. As time goes on, we may feel the pressure to compromise our beliefs to align with the culture of our day. But should we? Culture changes. Societies change. Nations and leaders rise and fall. But God's word stands true forever.
In this timely book, Nichols reminds us where our confidence should rest: God, the Bible, Christ, the Gospel, and hope. As we stand firm in the Word we need to do so with confidence. Nichols brings us back to the early church, less than 100 years after Jesus died on the cross, to show us what that confidence looks like. It's the same confidence we see over a thousand years later in the Reformers.
"This is not a time to cower, cave, or capitulate. It is a time for confidence, and our confidence must be in God. All else will disappoint."
I highly recommend this book to all Christians. Especially anyone feeling the pressure to conform to this world.
In this timely book, Nichols reminds us where our confidence should rest: God, the Bible, Christ, the Gospel, and hope. As we stand firm in the Word we need to do so with confidence. Nichols brings us back to the early church, less than 100 years after Jesus died on the cross, to show us what that confidence looks like. It's the same confidence we see over a thousand years later in the Reformers.
"This is not a time to cower, cave, or capitulate. It is a time for confidence, and our confidence must be in God. All else will disappoint."
I highly recommend this book to all Christians. Especially anyone feeling the pressure to conform to this world.
December 15, 2020
I was motivated to pick this book up in November. This is a good short book on why Christians can and should live confidently and boldly in a hostile society. I do not think I read anything "new" here, but it was filled with encouragement. I listened to the audio version of this, so I will want to go back sometime and get a hard copy.
September 5, 2018
A good, encouraging mix of history, biography, and theology. Reads a little homiletical, in a good way.
June 12, 2021
Modernity fell because it’s false. Post-modernity is false and will collapse. Prevailing world views on both the 20th and 21st centuries did not/cannot offer real answers. Modernity says hope is found in man or self. Post-modernity is critical of everything abandoning all hope. Neither work. Humanity needs hope, so man seeks to find or create hope. Christians don’t need to do either. They possess it. They have been given/gifted it.
February 28, 2022
A good, succinct read focusing on why, even during these tumultous times those of us who are Christians should be bold and confident in living out our Christian beliefs.
Nichols addresses all of the modern changes that Christians face today. But then he gives great Biblical examples of how the apostles dealt with many similar (or worse) situations and how God used that for His purposes. He also calls out the temptation to be in the world and conform to society, letting go of God's timeless word. Even many formerly strong evangelical pastors are falling for this today. He calls us to remember that Christians are first citizens of the Kingdom of Christ. We are aliens to this world, and that difference in world-view is both important and powerful.
Nichols addresses all of the modern changes that Christians face today. But then he gives great Biblical examples of how the apostles dealt with many similar (or worse) situations and how God used that for His purposes. He also calls out the temptation to be in the world and conform to society, letting go of God's timeless word. Even many formerly strong evangelical pastors are falling for this today. He calls us to remember that Christians are first citizens of the Kingdom of Christ. We are aliens to this world, and that difference in world-view is both important and powerful.
December 22, 2020
Good content, but its the kind of book that would've been better as a series of shorter blog posts.
May 19, 2017
Stephen Nichols has always been a favorite orator of mine. In his podcast, he always finds a way to pack brilliant lessons from church history into five short minutes. I have also enjoyed his teaching through Ligonier ministries. This is, however, the first of his written work that I have had the pleasure of reading.
Nichols' thesis is basic: it is becoming clear that the West is becoming more and more 'post-Christian' and for many Christians this means fear when it should mean confidence. He then identifies five areas in which we can place our confidence: God, Scripture, Christ, the Gospel, and the hope of the future.
While I give two thumbs up to the end-goal of this book , his writing is a bit choppy and sporadic which did not make for much of a pleasant read. It is also more of an entry level work, which I was not expecting. Nothing entirely profound was written that could not have been found elsewhere or said with shorter space. With that said, I would recommend this book to a new Christian - perhaps a middle or high school aged student - who is not entirely familiar with the Reformed faith and tradition. These could benefit greatly from Nichols' short, sporadic, yet encouraging examples from Scripture and history.
If I am honest, one of the reasons why I wanted to read this book is because I am leaning towards an optimist view of history (aka postmillennialism). Being familiar with Nichols' work in church history, I was interested in seeing how he interacted with the current state of the church and where we may be heading.
In many ways, he certainly comes across as optimistic with regards to where history is heading prior to the second advent. He provides numerous biblical and historical examples of times of suffering, when the people of God held fast to the promise of God of a hopeful future. At other times, however, he clearly focuses more so on the second advent specifically. I think this is a good balance - though I am not certain of Nichols' understanding of eschatology.
This book has reminded me of the need for the Church to have confidence in God for the future - including history prior to and after the second advent. The way our context looks now has no bearing on whether or not God will keep his promises that he has laid out in Scripture. In my estimation, the downfall of postmillennialism is often a lack of longing for the second advent, whereas the downfall of amillennialism is often an apathy towards the here and now. Nichols' seems to balance these well, all while not giving away his particular understanding of what will happen before Christ returns.
While not entirely profound, Nichols' work is an encouraging word and would serve young Christians well.
3.5/5 Originally posted at www.joyandtriumph.com
Nichols' thesis is basic: it is becoming clear that the West is becoming more and more 'post-Christian' and for many Christians this means fear when it should mean confidence. He then identifies five areas in which we can place our confidence: God, Scripture, Christ, the Gospel, and the hope of the future.
While I give two thumbs up to the end-goal of this book , his writing is a bit choppy and sporadic which did not make for much of a pleasant read. It is also more of an entry level work, which I was not expecting. Nothing entirely profound was written that could not have been found elsewhere or said with shorter space. With that said, I would recommend this book to a new Christian - perhaps a middle or high school aged student - who is not entirely familiar with the Reformed faith and tradition. These could benefit greatly from Nichols' short, sporadic, yet encouraging examples from Scripture and history.
If I am honest, one of the reasons why I wanted to read this book is because I am leaning towards an optimist view of history (aka postmillennialism). Being familiar with Nichols' work in church history, I was interested in seeing how he interacted with the current state of the church and where we may be heading.
In many ways, he certainly comes across as optimistic with regards to where history is heading prior to the second advent. He provides numerous biblical and historical examples of times of suffering, when the people of God held fast to the promise of God of a hopeful future. At other times, however, he clearly focuses more so on the second advent specifically. I think this is a good balance - though I am not certain of Nichols' understanding of eschatology.
This book has reminded me of the need for the Church to have confidence in God for the future - including history prior to and after the second advent. The way our context looks now has no bearing on whether or not God will keep his promises that he has laid out in Scripture. In my estimation, the downfall of postmillennialism is often a lack of longing for the second advent, whereas the downfall of amillennialism is often an apathy towards the here and now. Nichols' seems to balance these well, all while not giving away his particular understanding of what will happen before Christ returns.
While not entirely profound, Nichols' work is an encouraging word and would serve young Christians well.
3.5/5 Originally posted at www.joyandtriumph.com
May 24, 2017
I have to admit, it’s easy to get discouraged these days when we see how our culture is going on issues such as marriage, gender and life (abortion). Stephen Nichols writes that we need vision in this time of change. The pressure is on dissenters from the culture shift. The author states that in this time of tolerance and pluralism, when the Bible is seen as irrelevant compared with cultural trends, it is not a time for Christians to cower, cave or capitulate.
Nichols writes that today truth is seen as elastic. You share your own reality. Truth about marriage, gender and life is whatever you shape it to be. How are Christians to respond in such times? Our confidence must be in God.
The author states that the emphasis of the book can be found in Martin Luther’s great hymn “A Mighty Fortress is Our God”, based on Psalm 46. God saves us, helps us and keeps us. Our strength and confidence is in God, not us. God delights to demonstrate His power in the lives of His people. We miss out when we fail to put our confidence in God.
Throughout the book the author helpfully uses scripture (Isaiah, Genesis, etc.) to illustrate his points, as well as writings from church history, including Calvin, Luther and Edwards. He asks the reader in our current culture, will our authority continue to be in the Word in God? There certainly an assault on the authority of the Bible today.
He tells us that we must reaffirm, not rethink, the Bible. We must take a stand. We can stand firm in Christ and the Gospel. Our time is not a time for retreat, but advance. Being "in Christ" is our identity. We share in his sufferings. Our weakness is made perfect. In Christ, we can be confident. He writes that as King, Christ reigns and rules over all things. This is a basis for confidence.
We can also be confident in the Gospel. Do we believe in the power of the Gospel? Paul and Peter did. The Gospel will succeed over all odds and opposition.
Nichols writes that we are children of God. We are adopted. We have confidence in who we are and who we will be. We can endure hardships because we know the end of the story. Now is a time for conviction and a time for confidence.
I was encouraged in reading this small book. Even in a culture that increasingly is at odds with Christianity, we can be confident in the Bible, in Christ and in the Gospel.
Nichols writes that today truth is seen as elastic. You share your own reality. Truth about marriage, gender and life is whatever you shape it to be. How are Christians to respond in such times? Our confidence must be in God.
The author states that the emphasis of the book can be found in Martin Luther’s great hymn “A Mighty Fortress is Our God”, based on Psalm 46. God saves us, helps us and keeps us. Our strength and confidence is in God, not us. God delights to demonstrate His power in the lives of His people. We miss out when we fail to put our confidence in God.
Throughout the book the author helpfully uses scripture (Isaiah, Genesis, etc.) to illustrate his points, as well as writings from church history, including Calvin, Luther and Edwards. He asks the reader in our current culture, will our authority continue to be in the Word in God? There certainly an assault on the authority of the Bible today.
He tells us that we must reaffirm, not rethink, the Bible. We must take a stand. We can stand firm in Christ and the Gospel. Our time is not a time for retreat, but advance. Being "in Christ" is our identity. We share in his sufferings. Our weakness is made perfect. In Christ, we can be confident. He writes that as King, Christ reigns and rules over all things. This is a basis for confidence.
We can also be confident in the Gospel. Do we believe in the power of the Gospel? Paul and Peter did. The Gospel will succeed over all odds and opposition.
Nichols writes that we are children of God. We are adopted. We have confidence in who we are and who we will be. We can endure hardships because we know the end of the story. Now is a time for conviction and a time for confidence.
I was encouraged in reading this small book. Even in a culture that increasingly is at odds with Christianity, we can be confident in the Bible, in Christ and in the Gospel.
November 12, 2017
A TIME FOR CONFIDENCE: Trusting God in a Post-Christian Society
Stephen J. Nichols; Reformation Trust Publishing (2016)
A Time for Confidence by Stephen J. Nichols, addresses the fears and anxieties that Christians may face finding their places in a world that is no longer able to acknowledge the existence of God or the truths of Christianity. With a world that is constantly establishing new norms for behaviors and beliefs that are definitely noted based on biblical principles; and that grows increasingly violent and dangerous on a weekly basis; where are followers of Christ to go to maintain a sense of peace and confidence in our present-day environment? Nichols says that answer is the God of the Bible and His promises in His written Word.
The author argues that Christians have almost always been in the minority in culture for the last 2000-plus years, but the last few years has seen rapid erosion of any positive influences that Christianity might have influenced in Western culture over the past 500 years, especially in western Europe and North America. Nevertheless, historian and scholar Nichols makes a strong case that Christians in the West can still rely on the same promises that the early Christians relied on in the Roman world.
In Chapters Two - Five, Nichols lays out in detail the four reasons/factors that have always formed the basis of the confidence of believers in Christ in a sin-rocked world: God; the Bible; Jesus Christ, and the Gospel. In the final chapter, the author ties all of these facts of the character of God and Christ, the reliability of the Bible and the promises it contains, and the truly Good News that is the Gospel as delivered by Jesus and the Apostles to the church and the world at large.
A Time for Confidence is written for a general audience, and should provide much solid comfort and encouragement to Christians as they strive to live at peace and safety with a hostile and sick world. Pastors will also find much here on which to use in sermons to speak hope to their congregations. A useful and worthwhile resource for any Christian looking for confidence in a rapidly changing, unpredictable world.
Stephen J. Nichols; Reformation Trust Publishing (2016)
A Time for Confidence by Stephen J. Nichols, addresses the fears and anxieties that Christians may face finding their places in a world that is no longer able to acknowledge the existence of God or the truths of Christianity. With a world that is constantly establishing new norms for behaviors and beliefs that are definitely noted based on biblical principles; and that grows increasingly violent and dangerous on a weekly basis; where are followers of Christ to go to maintain a sense of peace and confidence in our present-day environment? Nichols says that answer is the God of the Bible and His promises in His written Word.
The author argues that Christians have almost always been in the minority in culture for the last 2000-plus years, but the last few years has seen rapid erosion of any positive influences that Christianity might have influenced in Western culture over the past 500 years, especially in western Europe and North America. Nevertheless, historian and scholar Nichols makes a strong case that Christians in the West can still rely on the same promises that the early Christians relied on in the Roman world.
In Chapters Two - Five, Nichols lays out in detail the four reasons/factors that have always formed the basis of the confidence of believers in Christ in a sin-rocked world: God; the Bible; Jesus Christ, and the Gospel. In the final chapter, the author ties all of these facts of the character of God and Christ, the reliability of the Bible and the promises it contains, and the truly Good News that is the Gospel as delivered by Jesus and the Apostles to the church and the world at large.
A Time for Confidence is written for a general audience, and should provide much solid comfort and encouragement to Christians as they strive to live at peace and safety with a hostile and sick world. Pastors will also find much here on which to use in sermons to speak hope to their congregations. A useful and worthwhile resource for any Christian looking for confidence in a rapidly changing, unpredictable world.
December 1, 2020
Stephen J. Nichols’ book, A Time for Confidence: Trusting God in a Post-Christian Society, was written in 2018, but it is a great book to read during Covid and a wild presidential election (in the States).
Nichols argues that at this time in history what we especially need is a vision (2) – we live in a time when we need to know where we are putting our confidence and if our confidence is in the right place – that is – in God (15).
We are first to be confident in God. We need to understand that it is when we fully acknowledge our weakness that we yield ourselves to the power of God (38).
Second, we have confidence in the Bible. The authority of the Bible is established by the words, ‘thus says the Lord” (53). To believe this – that the Bible is the inerrant and infallible Word of God is to have confidence in it.
Third, we have confidence in Christ. Here we build on our confidence in the Bible, seeing Who we are told Jesus is and what He had done, and we recognize that our hope is found in Him, not in ourselves or others.
Fourth, we have confidence in the Gospel. The Gospel tells us that God is God, and we are not – God is righteous, and we are not. Do we believe that the Gospel has the power to save as the Bible tells us? If so, we can be confident that God will use it to accomplish His plan.
Fifth, we have confidence in hope. Because of what Christ has done through the Gospel, we can have hope – an assurance in the promised future (134). We can endure suffering now knowing that we will surely receive His promises.
This is an encouraging and very readable book. Pick it up to remind yourselves of the hope we have in Christ – the confidence we have in Christ. There is no need to abandon hope. Hope is our sure path to the glorious future merited for us in Christ.
[This review appears on my blog, my YouTube channel, Amazon.com, and Goodreads.com.]
Nichols argues that at this time in history what we especially need is a vision (2) – we live in a time when we need to know where we are putting our confidence and if our confidence is in the right place – that is – in God (15).
We are first to be confident in God. We need to understand that it is when we fully acknowledge our weakness that we yield ourselves to the power of God (38).
Second, we have confidence in the Bible. The authority of the Bible is established by the words, ‘thus says the Lord” (53). To believe this – that the Bible is the inerrant and infallible Word of God is to have confidence in it.
Third, we have confidence in Christ. Here we build on our confidence in the Bible, seeing Who we are told Jesus is and what He had done, and we recognize that our hope is found in Him, not in ourselves or others.
Fourth, we have confidence in the Gospel. The Gospel tells us that God is God, and we are not – God is righteous, and we are not. Do we believe that the Gospel has the power to save as the Bible tells us? If so, we can be confident that God will use it to accomplish His plan.
Fifth, we have confidence in hope. Because of what Christ has done through the Gospel, we can have hope – an assurance in the promised future (134). We can endure suffering now knowing that we will surely receive His promises.
This is an encouraging and very readable book. Pick it up to remind yourselves of the hope we have in Christ – the confidence we have in Christ. There is no need to abandon hope. Hope is our sure path to the glorious future merited for us in Christ.
[This review appears on my blog, my YouTube channel, Amazon.com, and Goodreads.com.]
August 2, 2022
So many Christians, so few lions
Excellent easy relaxing and encouraging read.
Starting with a contrast between two church fathers’, Jérôme and Augustine, reaction, to the fall of Rome, Jérôme who went in hibernation waiting for the end vs Augustine who look up to God where our helps comes from and went forward engaging the culture. Using Isaiah 40 the author shows us that the problem with society isn’t that much is augment of sinfulness but a decrease of church presence. Isaiah 40 tells Israel that they will return. It may had been hard to believe at the time, but the question was is God able to keep his promise? He shows that we are facing the same thing today, and we can look at the circumstances and go hide in a cave (today, the fortified walls of our churches) like Jérôme or to stand firm, advancing and looking ahead like Augustine. “Our calling is to be faithful witnesses to God’s revealed will. We cannot allow unhappy and undesirable consequences to keep us from our calling” p.50 The word of God is powerful and will not return void we don’t need to compromise and retreat. But unfortunately we have forgotten our task to proclaim the gospel. He goes on to show with Paul in the book of Acts that the opposition to early church wasn’t a sign that they were losing the battle, but an opportunity to advance the gospel and we have that same opportunity today with the same God, which we see in the later part of Isaiah 40 , has power over creation, false gods, and over all the nation. In conclusion, the church triumphant is the church militant, not the church complacent. A must read especially for all of the eschatological pessimists. Onward Christian soldier, we have read the last chapter, we know we win, what do we fear? Why do we pull back inside our shell?
Excellent easy relaxing and encouraging read.
Starting with a contrast between two church fathers’, Jérôme and Augustine, reaction, to the fall of Rome, Jérôme who went in hibernation waiting for the end vs Augustine who look up to God where our helps comes from and went forward engaging the culture. Using Isaiah 40 the author shows us that the problem with society isn’t that much is augment of sinfulness but a decrease of church presence. Isaiah 40 tells Israel that they will return. It may had been hard to believe at the time, but the question was is God able to keep his promise? He shows that we are facing the same thing today, and we can look at the circumstances and go hide in a cave (today, the fortified walls of our churches) like Jérôme or to stand firm, advancing and looking ahead like Augustine. “Our calling is to be faithful witnesses to God’s revealed will. We cannot allow unhappy and undesirable consequences to keep us from our calling” p.50 The word of God is powerful and will not return void we don’t need to compromise and retreat. But unfortunately we have forgotten our task to proclaim the gospel. He goes on to show with Paul in the book of Acts that the opposition to early church wasn’t a sign that they were losing the battle, but an opportunity to advance the gospel and we have that same opportunity today with the same God, which we see in the later part of Isaiah 40 , has power over creation, false gods, and over all the nation. In conclusion, the church triumphant is the church militant, not the church complacent. A must read especially for all of the eschatological pessimists. Onward Christian soldier, we have read the last chapter, we know we win, what do we fear? Why do we pull back inside our shell?
September 30, 2019
Nichols presents this book as a Christian's answer to a culture which is losing it's "moral compass."
He asks the question, "How can the idea of truth, truth as absolute and objective reality, penetrate this new worldview?" (pluralistic and postmodern)
He proposes having "full trust" (confidence) in:
1. God: "Behold, your God" Isaiah 40; look intently and intensely, at our impressive God p29
2. the Bible: "Will our authority be the Word of God? Or will the sensibilities of our age?" We must let the Bible be our guide. p 50 Isaiah 55:11
3. Christ: our union with Christ; our challenges are great, but Christ and the Gospel are so much greater; He forgives our sins, is the means of conquering all our enemies, (including sin and death, and He is the means of ultimate victory. God's grace is sufficient to save us and sufficient to keep us and to meet us at every turn in the Christian life. p 85
4. the Gospel: the power of the Gospel changed the Praetorian Guard and the Roman society and can in our day as well, like it did for Paul and Peter in their day. Eph 3:1-14
5. Hope: heaven is a world of love and thus we have hope. p121 1 John 3:1-3
He ends with the exhortation from Hebrews 10:35 "Do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward."
He asks the question, "How can the idea of truth, truth as absolute and objective reality, penetrate this new worldview?" (pluralistic and postmodern)
He proposes having "full trust" (confidence) in:
1. God: "Behold, your God" Isaiah 40; look intently and intensely, at our impressive God p29
2. the Bible: "Will our authority be the Word of God? Or will the sensibilities of our age?" We must let the Bible be our guide. p 50 Isaiah 55:11
3. Christ: our union with Christ; our challenges are great, but Christ and the Gospel are so much greater; He forgives our sins, is the means of conquering all our enemies, (including sin and death, and He is the means of ultimate victory. God's grace is sufficient to save us and sufficient to keep us and to meet us at every turn in the Christian life. p 85
4. the Gospel: the power of the Gospel changed the Praetorian Guard and the Roman society and can in our day as well, like it did for Paul and Peter in their day. Eph 3:1-14
5. Hope: heaven is a world of love and thus we have hope. p121 1 John 3:1-3
He ends with the exhortation from Hebrews 10:35 "Do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward."
June 30, 2017
Do we believe in the power of the Gospel?
We can have a misplaced confidence that ultimately leaves us hopeless. God created us to have hope and that hope must be in the work of Christ. The text deals with putting our confidence where it belongs. Now is the time to examine where our confidence lies. It is not the time to lament about bygone days but to live out our hope of the gospel.
Six chapters to direct your heart
A time for Confidence
Confidence in God
Confidence in the Bible
Confidence in Christ
Confidence in the Gospel
Confidence in Hope
The text is Behold your God and do not fear. Our fear comes from not understanding our own reality and the weakness we all share. We are not in control as we fight for control. A misplaced confidence I know all to well. I was greatly challenged by this book to strive for my convictions and to put confidence in the only true hope of Christ.
A Special Thank You to Reformation Trust Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
We can have a misplaced confidence that ultimately leaves us hopeless. God created us to have hope and that hope must be in the work of Christ. The text deals with putting our confidence where it belongs. Now is the time to examine where our confidence lies. It is not the time to lament about bygone days but to live out our hope of the gospel.
Six chapters to direct your heart
A time for Confidence
Confidence in God
Confidence in the Bible
Confidence in Christ
Confidence in the Gospel
Confidence in Hope
The text is Behold your God and do not fear. Our fear comes from not understanding our own reality and the weakness we all share. We are not in control as we fight for control. A misplaced confidence I know all to well. I was greatly challenged by this book to strive for my convictions and to put confidence in the only true hope of Christ.
A Special Thank You to Reformation Trust Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
June 13, 2017
The purpose of this book is simple: to restore our hope and confidence in God alone despite the shifting and increasingly-secular society. The author provided historical examples on reminding that our era is not beyond saving and God's grace. And it really comes up to this quote on the last chapter on the book: "One time is a time when the ground beneath our feet is shifting ... We could even simply complain of how difficult it is to live according to a Christian ethic in the twenty-first century. That complaint does not give us a pass to get out from under our obligation. ... Christ endured. Look to Christ. You can endure."
January 19, 2021
A very encouraging, short book which is available for free at Ligonier.org at the moment. The author spares little time 'zooming in' on the troubles of Christians in today's culture, compared to zooming out to the struggles of the saints in church history, and zooms out even further to redemptive history and the glory and holiness of God. This is the perspective we need to have proper confidence, Nichols argues. He reminds the reader that the very word 'confidence' means to put one's whole faith and trust towards something. Will we put our faith in the liquid circumstance of here and now, or in the rock-solid power, promises and preservations of God through Jesus Christ?
March 16, 2017
It seems that Christianity in America is under harsh attack. When it was once understood to be American was almost assuredly to be Bible-believing Christian, such time has passed. To be Christian in America today is to rid oneself of the shackles of “archaic teachings” for the enlightenment of social equality.
Such attacks has caused many to lose confidence. The Bible is attacked and many have felt the social backlash of being seen as “intolerant” or “hater” or “uneducated”. How is a Christian to remain confident in the truth during these difficult times?
Stephen J. Nichols has written a much needed book for times such as these. A Time for Confidence is a call to remain firm and not given into social pressures. Nichols lays out that Christians can be confident in: God, the Bible, Christ, the Gospel, and hope.
My giving stories of Christians in past times who stood firm on the solid foundation of the Bible, Nichols parallels their stories with current times to show that God has not failed them and He will not fail us. His Word is forever, Christ has given us peace and power, and the Gospel still changes lives.
Christians must rest in these confidences even when the dark skies of social judgment begin to thunder words to change our ways.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
Such attacks has caused many to lose confidence. The Bible is attacked and many have felt the social backlash of being seen as “intolerant” or “hater” or “uneducated”. How is a Christian to remain confident in the truth during these difficult times?
Stephen J. Nichols has written a much needed book for times such as these. A Time for Confidence is a call to remain firm and not given into social pressures. Nichols lays out that Christians can be confident in: God, the Bible, Christ, the Gospel, and hope.
My giving stories of Christians in past times who stood firm on the solid foundation of the Bible, Nichols parallels their stories with current times to show that God has not failed them and He will not fail us. His Word is forever, Christ has given us peace and power, and the Gospel still changes lives.
Christians must rest in these confidences even when the dark skies of social judgment begin to thunder words to change our ways.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
May 23, 2018
I loved this book. I don't know if I've ever read a book before that I couldn't find something to disagree with. I was tempted to shout out in approval several times as I listened to this. I look forward to reading it again later.
(Note: I'm stingy with stars. For me 2 stars means a good book. 3 = Very good; 4 = Outstanding {only about 5% of the books I read merit this}; 5 = All time favorites {one of these may come along every 400-500 books})
(Note: I'm stingy with stars. For me 2 stars means a good book. 3 = Very good; 4 = Outstanding {only about 5% of the books I read merit this}; 5 = All time favorites {one of these may come along every 400-500 books})
May 16, 2022
The more I read Nichols' books, the more I appreciate the value of knowing, understanding, and learning from history. Modernity failed because its god was science and belief in man's 'progress'. Postmodernism failed because it jettisoned all metanarratives. It abandoned all hope. And man cannot live without hope. Christianity alone sustains man. Why? Because it's true, because it coheres, because it corresponds to reality.
May 7, 2019
This is my pick for my 2019 BOOK OF THE YEAR! So encouraging and convicting in the midst of today's culture. It reminds you of what Christians have gone through before and there really is NOTHING new under the sun ... AND WE KNOW WHO WINS!!! We have to take our focus off the current happenings and keep our focus on Him! This is a must read for Christians!
July 15, 2019
A shorter, encouraging work on living in a post-modern world where many resort to wishing for yesterday. Dr. Nichols grounds his exploration of the grounds upon which the Christian has for confidence amid the cultural noise of the present day with stories from church history. It is a fantastic summer book and I commend it to you.
March 5, 2021
A call for Christians to remember who/where our hope lies. Nichols did a great job of incorporating both Scripture and significant church documents (Canons of Dort, Westminster Confession, Edwards) to remind us that we are not called to live a life of comfort, but instead called to live a life confident in God and His calling for His children.
February 6, 2024
Nothing groundbreaking but a great reminder with solid theology of what our forefathers did to fight for the faith and stand up to the powers of their day, and how that time is increasingly coming upon us again, not to be feared like Jerome who hid in a cave, but like Luther , who stood before the Diet of Worms and unashamedly declared his allegiance to Christ and the Word of God alone.
February 5, 2020
Comforting
Comforting call for confidence in the hope we have as Christians. Especially because of the reminders that we are not the first Christians to be living in troubling times.
Comforting call for confidence in the hope we have as Christians. Especially because of the reminders that we are not the first Christians to be living in troubling times.
April 27, 2021
This book inspired me to greater confidence in Christ and faithfulness to Christ. The author made his points by drawing on both Scripture and church history in a very meaningful way. It was very dense for its length but totally worth the read.
April 28, 2024
A reminder for the need to not heel in the face of adversity when it comes down to faith. Dr. Stephen illustrates the approach Christians are to take for the sake of perseverance and unyielding conviction in the words of God as accounted in the Scriptures.
June 15, 2018
3 stars feels low, I would probably bump this one up to 3.5 if that was possible. Not much unexpected here. Good read, edifying, I liked it.
August 19, 2019
Relevant, encouraging, joyful - and just what I needed to hear at the moment.
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October 21, 2019Excellent Book and a fairy easy read. Jan
December 1, 2020
This is a great little book, full of clearly written truth and well illustrated from church history. A tract for our times.
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