What do you think?
Rate this book
Do You Believe?: 12 Historic Doctrines to Change Your Everyday Life
Bestselling Author Paul David Tripp Unpacks 12 Doctrines for Everyday Christian Living Doctrine―what Christians believe―directly influences how they live. The biblical truths about God, humanity, and the world are not merely about knowing more―they are also about loving God and making sense of this life and the life to come. But what happens when there is disparity between what believers confess and how they live? In his latest book, Do You Believe? , pastor and bestselling author Paul David Tripp takes a close look at 12 core doctrines and how they engage and transform the human heart and mind. According to Tripp, “true belief is always lived.” To demonstrate, he unpacks each doctrine and presents its relevance for the Christian life. As readers explore topics such as the doctrine of God, the holiness of God, and the doctrine of Scripture, they will be fueled to fall deeper in love with and stand in awe of their Creator and Father―putting the truths of God’s word on display for all the world to see.
480 pages, Hardcover
Published October 26, 2021
436 people are currently reading
1803 people want to read
About the author
Paul David Tripp
133 books1,420 followersPaul was born in Toledo, Ohio to Bob and Fae Tripp on November 12, 1950. Paul spent all of his growing years in Toledo until his college years when his parents moved to Southern California.
At Columbia Bible College from 1968-1972, (now Columbia International University) Paul majored in Bible and Christian Education. Although he had planned to be there for only two years and then to study journalism, Paul more and more felt like there was so much of the theology of Scripture that he did not understand, so he decided to go to seminary. Paul met Luella Jackson at College and they married in 1971. In 1971, Paul took his first pastoral position and has had a heart for the local church ever since. After college, Paul completed his Master of Divinity degree at the Reformed Episcopal Seminary (now known as Philadelphia Theological Seminary) in Philadelphia (1972-1975). It was during these days that Paul’s commitment to ministry solidified. After seminary, Paul was involved in planting a church in Scranton, Pennsylvania (1977-1987) where he also founded a Christian School. During the years in Scranton, Paul became involved in music, traveling with a band and writing worship songs. In Scranton, Paul became interested in biblical counseling and decided to enroll in the D.Min program in Biblical Counseling at Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia. Paul then became a faculty member of the Christian Counseling and Education Foundation (CCEF) and a lecturer in biblical counseling at Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia. Paul has also served as Visiting Professor at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.
In 2009, Paul joined the faculty of Redeemer Seminary (daughter school of Westminster) in Dallas, Texas as Professor of Pastoral Life and Care.[1]
Beginning in June, 2006, Paul became the President of Paul Tripp Ministries, a non-profit organization, whose mission statement is "Connecting the transforming power of Jesus Christ to everyday life." In addition to his current role as President of Paul Tripp Ministries, on January 1, 2007, Paul also became part of the pastoral staff at Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, PA where he preached every Sunday evening and lead the Ministry to Center City through March, 2011 when he resigned due to the expanding time commitments needed at Paul Tripp Ministries.
Paul, Luella, and their four children moved to Philadelphia in 1987 and have lived there ever since. Paul is a prolific author and has written twelve books on Christian living which are sold internationally. Luella manages a large commercial art gallery in the city and Paul is very dedicated to painting as an avocation.[2] Paul’s driving passion is to help people understand how the gospel of the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ really does speak with practical hope into all the things they will face in this broken world. Paul is a pastor with a pastor’s heart, a gifted speaker, his journey taking him all over the world, an author of numerous books on practical Christian living, and a man who is hopelessly in love with Luella.
At Columbia Bible College from 1968-1972, (now Columbia International University) Paul majored in Bible and Christian Education. Although he had planned to be there for only two years and then to study journalism, Paul more and more felt like there was so much of the theology of Scripture that he did not understand, so he decided to go to seminary. Paul met Luella Jackson at College and they married in 1971. In 1971, Paul took his first pastoral position and has had a heart for the local church ever since. After college, Paul completed his Master of Divinity degree at the Reformed Episcopal Seminary (now known as Philadelphia Theological Seminary) in Philadelphia (1972-1975). It was during these days that Paul’s commitment to ministry solidified. After seminary, Paul was involved in planting a church in Scranton, Pennsylvania (1977-1987) where he also founded a Christian School. During the years in Scranton, Paul became involved in music, traveling with a band and writing worship songs. In Scranton, Paul became interested in biblical counseling and decided to enroll in the D.Min program in Biblical Counseling at Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia. Paul then became a faculty member of the Christian Counseling and Education Foundation (CCEF) and a lecturer in biblical counseling at Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia. Paul has also served as Visiting Professor at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.
In 2009, Paul joined the faculty of Redeemer Seminary (daughter school of Westminster) in Dallas, Texas as Professor of Pastoral Life and Care.[1]
Beginning in June, 2006, Paul became the President of Paul Tripp Ministries, a non-profit organization, whose mission statement is "Connecting the transforming power of Jesus Christ to everyday life." In addition to his current role as President of Paul Tripp Ministries, on January 1, 2007, Paul also became part of the pastoral staff at Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, PA where he preached every Sunday evening and lead the Ministry to Center City through March, 2011 when he resigned due to the expanding time commitments needed at Paul Tripp Ministries.
Paul, Luella, and their four children moved to Philadelphia in 1987 and have lived there ever since. Paul is a prolific author and has written twelve books on Christian living which are sold internationally. Luella manages a large commercial art gallery in the city and Paul is very dedicated to painting as an avocation.[2] Paul’s driving passion is to help people understand how the gospel of the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ really does speak with practical hope into all the things they will face in this broken world. Paul is a pastor with a pastor’s heart, a gifted speaker, his journey taking him all over the world, an author of numerous books on practical Christian living, and a man who is hopelessly in love with Luella.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
November 15, 2021
A collection of ingredients lay scattered on the countertop; the recipe stands dutifully nearby. These items I've dug out of the pantry, on their own have distinct tastes and flavours, but when pulled together, in the right order and with the right process, result in a taste unlike each element on it's own.
The ingredients of our faith are our beliefs. The beautifully specific doctrines set out in scripture, about God, the Bible, creation, the church - truths many of us have grown up knowing and believing.
Foundational truths aren't limited to head knowledge, but for gathering together, processed in our hearts, to result in a confident display of outward actions as an overflow into our everyday life.
Our beliefs - our theology - are meant to be lived out.
James reminds us, "be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like" (Jam 1:22-24). It's the power of the Word to enlighten us and influence our choices, our relationships, and the desires of our heart.
But sometimes it's hard to figure out, isn't it? My beliefs impact my life, my real life - the one that's trying to fill little bellies, build connection in my marriage, and bear fruit in ministry. Putting the pieces together can be hard, as our lives unfold in real-time.
Here's where great resources can help us!
In "Do You Believe? 12 Historic Doctrines to Change Your Everyday Life," Paul David Tripp shows us very practically how what we believe changes our lives by highlighting the doctrines of scripture, of God, creation, sin, sanctification (and more). He takes a chapter to identify core beliefs about one topic, then follows with a chapter on how it relates our daily life.
He teaches us about the doctrine of God, defining it with these words:"God's glory is the greatness, beauty, and perfection of all that he is." Therefore, we're reminded that "because God is glorious, life is one big glory war." So no longer is our sin something we do against ourselves, it's an act of glorifying something other than the Lord. Because God is glorious, we find comfort that he never changes and humility in how it exposes our weaknesses. We discover his grace as he speaks, as we tune our heart daily to his Word, inviting us into relationship with him.
One of our biggest challenges in the Christian life, is the practice of living out what we believe - and discovering how our beliefs shape what we do. Truth be told, there's often a dichotomy that exists in many of us between what we say we believe and what we do. Pieces of this is our growing in sanctification toward the likeness of Christ. Sometimes along the journey, we can use tools and resources to help us learn and understand biblical truths, with practical ways to apply them - the sweet result.
I probably went my whole growing up life in church without hearing - or perhaps remembering - the words doctrine or theology. Yet, it came through in the catechism we studied before baptism, and in the preaching Sunday mornings.
If you're looking for a resource that provides you an overview of historic doctrines of the Christian faith and practical ways these truths impact your daily life, I'd say this is the one for you!! It's not a short book, but it's written in an accessible way for the regular believer to read and understand.
Quick Stats
# of pages:400 pages
Level of Difficulty: Easy (it's written for the average person, but it'll take some time and effort)
My Rating: 5 stars!!
*A big thanks to Netgalley and Crossway for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review!
The ingredients of our faith are our beliefs. The beautifully specific doctrines set out in scripture, about God, the Bible, creation, the church - truths many of us have grown up knowing and believing.
Foundational truths aren't limited to head knowledge, but for gathering together, processed in our hearts, to result in a confident display of outward actions as an overflow into our everyday life.
Our beliefs - our theology - are meant to be lived out.
James reminds us, "be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like" (Jam 1:22-24). It's the power of the Word to enlighten us and influence our choices, our relationships, and the desires of our heart.
But sometimes it's hard to figure out, isn't it? My beliefs impact my life, my real life - the one that's trying to fill little bellies, build connection in my marriage, and bear fruit in ministry. Putting the pieces together can be hard, as our lives unfold in real-time.
Here's where great resources can help us!
In "Do You Believe? 12 Historic Doctrines to Change Your Everyday Life," Paul David Tripp shows us very practically how what we believe changes our lives by highlighting the doctrines of scripture, of God, creation, sin, sanctification (and more). He takes a chapter to identify core beliefs about one topic, then follows with a chapter on how it relates our daily life.
He teaches us about the doctrine of God, defining it with these words:"God's glory is the greatness, beauty, and perfection of all that he is." Therefore, we're reminded that "because God is glorious, life is one big glory war." So no longer is our sin something we do against ourselves, it's an act of glorifying something other than the Lord. Because God is glorious, we find comfort that he never changes and humility in how it exposes our weaknesses. We discover his grace as he speaks, as we tune our heart daily to his Word, inviting us into relationship with him.
One of our biggest challenges in the Christian life, is the practice of living out what we believe - and discovering how our beliefs shape what we do. Truth be told, there's often a dichotomy that exists in many of us between what we say we believe and what we do. Pieces of this is our growing in sanctification toward the likeness of Christ. Sometimes along the journey, we can use tools and resources to help us learn and understand biblical truths, with practical ways to apply them - the sweet result.
I probably went my whole growing up life in church without hearing - or perhaps remembering - the words doctrine or theology. Yet, it came through in the catechism we studied before baptism, and in the preaching Sunday mornings.
If you're looking for a resource that provides you an overview of historic doctrines of the Christian faith and practical ways these truths impact your daily life, I'd say this is the one for you!! It's not a short book, but it's written in an accessible way for the regular believer to read and understand.
Quick Stats
# of pages:400 pages
Level of Difficulty: Easy (it's written for the average person, but it'll take some time and effort)
My Rating: 5 stars!!
*A big thanks to Netgalley and Crossway for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review!
January 2, 2024
This may be the best book that I’ve read by Paul Tripp. It is a systematic theology of practical application. How are the doctrines of Scripture to affect us at the heart? How is life different for someone who believes the core doctrines of Christianity? These are the questions that Tripp addresses throughout the book.
Trip examines twelve of the most important doctrines of Christianity. He gives a chapter on the theology of each doctrine, followed by a much longer chapter on the practical implications of each doctrine. The doctrines Tripp tackles are the following:
1. The Doctrine of Scripture
2. The Doctrine of God
3. The Doctrine of the Holiness of God
4. The Doctrine of God’s Sovereignty
5. The Doctrine of God’s Omnipotence
6. The Doctrine of Creation
7. The Doctrine of the Image of God
8. The Doctrine of Sin
9. The Doctrine of Justification
10. The Doctrine of Sanctification
11. The Doctrine of the Perserverance & Glorification of the Saints
12. The Doctrine of Eternity
I was amazed at the scope of practical application Tripp was able to mine from these doctrines. I was also amazed at what many churches and traditions miss who don’t hold to some of these particular doctrines (for example: God’s Sovereignty, Justification (in the way Tripp described), and Perseverance of the Saints.
This would be an excellent read alongside another great systematic theology. In fact I think I will read it with any future systematics that I read. It’s a shame that systematic theologies do not reach anywhere near this level of practical application.
Extremely good! Wishing it was even longer!
Trip examines twelve of the most important doctrines of Christianity. He gives a chapter on the theology of each doctrine, followed by a much longer chapter on the practical implications of each doctrine. The doctrines Tripp tackles are the following:
1. The Doctrine of Scripture
2. The Doctrine of God
3. The Doctrine of the Holiness of God
4. The Doctrine of God’s Sovereignty
5. The Doctrine of God’s Omnipotence
6. The Doctrine of Creation
7. The Doctrine of the Image of God
8. The Doctrine of Sin
9. The Doctrine of Justification
10. The Doctrine of Sanctification
11. The Doctrine of the Perserverance & Glorification of the Saints
12. The Doctrine of Eternity
I was amazed at the scope of practical application Tripp was able to mine from these doctrines. I was also amazed at what many churches and traditions miss who don’t hold to some of these particular doctrines (for example: God’s Sovereignty, Justification (in the way Tripp described), and Perseverance of the Saints.
This would be an excellent read alongside another great systematic theology. In fact I think I will read it with any future systematics that I read. It’s a shame that systematic theologies do not reach anywhere near this level of practical application.
Extremely good! Wishing it was even longer!
October 12, 2022
A review & a star rating will hardly do this work of Paul David Tripp justice. I truly feel that every believer should have this book on their bookshelf to read, to reference again & again, to share with others. These 12 Doctrines, foundational and core to what we believe, are spelled out in great detail. He plainly lays out the Biblical theology of these 12 doctrines - sin, justification, eternity, and SO many more - and then the 2nd chapter on each chapter puts faith into action & Biblical truths into holy action. As Tripp shares, "true belief is always lived."
I took my time with this one and am having such a hard time to capture my thoughts in this simple review. If you could see my physical copy with my asterisks and highlights and notations, you'd have a better sense of how much I love this work and how I felt while reading it.
If you're looking for a biblical study resource that provides you an accurate & detailed overview of historic doctrines of the Judeo-Christian faith paired with practical ways they interact with your daily life, when the rubber hits the road, I think you should give this book a go!!! It's certainly NOT a short book, more of a textbook, but it's truly written in a digestible and accessible way for both the new or more mature believer to understand. I was utterly challenged and encouraged, in equal measure, and will return to this as a resource in the future. A FOREVER favorite, for sure!
I took my time with this one and am having such a hard time to capture my thoughts in this simple review. If you could see my physical copy with my asterisks and highlights and notations, you'd have a better sense of how much I love this work and how I felt while reading it.
If you're looking for a biblical study resource that provides you an accurate & detailed overview of historic doctrines of the Judeo-Christian faith paired with practical ways they interact with your daily life, when the rubber hits the road, I think you should give this book a go!!! It's certainly NOT a short book, more of a textbook, but it's truly written in a digestible and accessible way for both the new or more mature believer to understand. I was utterly challenged and encouraged, in equal measure, and will return to this as a resource in the future. A FOREVER favorite, for sure!
October 21, 2021
First sentence: Writing this book has been one of the greatest privileges of my life.
One of the book's greatest strengths is the layout. Tripp first introduces a historic doctrine--twelve in all--in the next chapter, he then illustrates how a firm belief in that doctrine will impact/effect your everyday life. Each of the twelve doctrines has two chapters devoted to it. One looking at the doctrine up, close, and personal. These chapters tend to have a good, solid structure of biblical support. The other looking at practical application. These chapters tend to be a blend of FICTIONAL composite stories--think of it as equivalent to WORD PROBLEMS in math--and thought provoking prose.
The twelve doctrines are as follows:
The Doctrine of Scripture
The Doctrine of God
The Doctrine of the Holiness of God
The Doctrine of God's Sovereignty
The Doctrine of God's Omnipotence
The Doctrine of Creation
The Doctrine of the Image of God in Man
The Doctrine of Sin
The Doctrine of Justification
The Doctrine of Sanctification
The Doctrine of Perseverance and Glorification of the Saints
The Doctrine of Eternity
All twelve doctrines are important. They are not the only doctrines that are important, mind you. But they are not frivolous or secondary either. And the book never claims to be comprehensive and exhaustive. The book is four hundred pages as is. I think having more than twelve doctrines would have made it a more intimidating read.
The book stresses the need for believers--all believers--to live out their faith. It is not enough to assert belief in a doctrine if that doctrine doesn't really have a deeper connection to how you actually live your life. If your doctrine isn't informing, transforming, reforming, shaping, molding your life, then you may be more influenced by the world than you'd like to think. Doctrines aren't just for a couple of hours on Sunday.
Tripp writes, "The enemy of your soul will gladly give you your formal theology, if in your real daily life he can control the thoughts and motives of your heart and, in so doing, control the way you act, react, and respond."
Read that paragraph enough times, it will have a sobering effect.
The book is good at getting you to think and think carefully. In one of the early chapters of the books, he writes, "If I could listen in on and watch a month of your life, what would I conclude about the place of God's Word in your life? Other than our salvation and his presence now living inside us as his children, our Bible is God's most precious and valuable gift to us. The question is, in our everyday lives, do we act like it is?" and, "There is not a day in any of our lives that we don't need the ministry of the Holy Spirit to bring God's Word to us in convicting, grief-producing, and confession-resulting power."
But I think my favorite section is this one:
"I am afraid that many of us live God-forgetful lives. What I mean is that other than when we are participating in something that is obviously spiritual, like a public worship service, prayer, or our times of personal devotions, we live in a state of functional spiritual amnesia. In so doing, we fail to live with a consciousness of the incredible identity that is ours as children of God, the amazing reality that God actually lives inside of us, the storehouse of blessings that is ours, and the profoundly important redemptive process that is ongoing in our hearts and lives. Because we don't carry around with us a consciousness of God and his work on the ordinary day, we don't make his purpose our purpose and his work our work."
A few paragraphs later,
"I am convinced that spending time each day in spiritual meditation and worshipful prayer is a powerful tool of sanctifying grace in the hands of our faithful and loving Redeemer. Permit me to list how the regular habit of personal worship contributes to God's ongoing work of personal heart and life transformation. Daily study of God's word, worship, and prayer will result in the following:
*A deeper knowledge of the nature and character of God.
*A clearer understanding of how God works.
*An ever-deepening love for and trust in him.
*A deeper willingness and commitment to surrender your life to him.
*A deeper knowledge of yourself as a sinner, sufferer, and saint.
*A deeper understanding of the life you have been called to as a child of God
*A deeper and more practical grasp of the truths of God's Word.
*A clearer and more practical understanding the gospel of Jesus Christ.
*A deeper awareness of the nature of sin and temptation.
*More regular patterns of conviction of sin, confession, and repentance.
*Being better prepared for spiritual warfare and Satan's attacks.
*Becoming more and more thankful for God's presence, power, and promises and the blessings of being loved by Him."
The book has many, many strengths. It is easy to recommend this one.
I personally didn't love the fictional "word-problems" in the practical chapters. I found them distracting. Other readers may relate to them more???
One of the book's greatest strengths is the layout. Tripp first introduces a historic doctrine--twelve in all--in the next chapter, he then illustrates how a firm belief in that doctrine will impact/effect your everyday life. Each of the twelve doctrines has two chapters devoted to it. One looking at the doctrine up, close, and personal. These chapters tend to have a good, solid structure of biblical support. The other looking at practical application. These chapters tend to be a blend of FICTIONAL composite stories--think of it as equivalent to WORD PROBLEMS in math--and thought provoking prose.
The twelve doctrines are as follows:
The Doctrine of Scripture
The Doctrine of God
The Doctrine of the Holiness of God
The Doctrine of God's Sovereignty
The Doctrine of God's Omnipotence
The Doctrine of Creation
The Doctrine of the Image of God in Man
The Doctrine of Sin
The Doctrine of Justification
The Doctrine of Sanctification
The Doctrine of Perseverance and Glorification of the Saints
The Doctrine of Eternity
All twelve doctrines are important. They are not the only doctrines that are important, mind you. But they are not frivolous or secondary either. And the book never claims to be comprehensive and exhaustive. The book is four hundred pages as is. I think having more than twelve doctrines would have made it a more intimidating read.
The book stresses the need for believers--all believers--to live out their faith. It is not enough to assert belief in a doctrine if that doctrine doesn't really have a deeper connection to how you actually live your life. If your doctrine isn't informing, transforming, reforming, shaping, molding your life, then you may be more influenced by the world than you'd like to think. Doctrines aren't just for a couple of hours on Sunday.
Tripp writes, "The enemy of your soul will gladly give you your formal theology, if in your real daily life he can control the thoughts and motives of your heart and, in so doing, control the way you act, react, and respond."
Read that paragraph enough times, it will have a sobering effect.
The book is good at getting you to think and think carefully. In one of the early chapters of the books, he writes, "If I could listen in on and watch a month of your life, what would I conclude about the place of God's Word in your life? Other than our salvation and his presence now living inside us as his children, our Bible is God's most precious and valuable gift to us. The question is, in our everyday lives, do we act like it is?" and, "There is not a day in any of our lives that we don't need the ministry of the Holy Spirit to bring God's Word to us in convicting, grief-producing, and confession-resulting power."
But I think my favorite section is this one:
"I am afraid that many of us live God-forgetful lives. What I mean is that other than when we are participating in something that is obviously spiritual, like a public worship service, prayer, or our times of personal devotions, we live in a state of functional spiritual amnesia. In so doing, we fail to live with a consciousness of the incredible identity that is ours as children of God, the amazing reality that God actually lives inside of us, the storehouse of blessings that is ours, and the profoundly important redemptive process that is ongoing in our hearts and lives. Because we don't carry around with us a consciousness of God and his work on the ordinary day, we don't make his purpose our purpose and his work our work."
A few paragraphs later,
"I am convinced that spending time each day in spiritual meditation and worshipful prayer is a powerful tool of sanctifying grace in the hands of our faithful and loving Redeemer. Permit me to list how the regular habit of personal worship contributes to God's ongoing work of personal heart and life transformation. Daily study of God's word, worship, and prayer will result in the following:
*A deeper knowledge of the nature and character of God.
*A clearer understanding of how God works.
*An ever-deepening love for and trust in him.
*A deeper willingness and commitment to surrender your life to him.
*A deeper knowledge of yourself as a sinner, sufferer, and saint.
*A deeper understanding of the life you have been called to as a child of God
*A deeper and more practical grasp of the truths of God's Word.
*A clearer and more practical understanding the gospel of Jesus Christ.
*A deeper awareness of the nature of sin and temptation.
*More regular patterns of conviction of sin, confession, and repentance.
*Being better prepared for spiritual warfare and Satan's attacks.
*Becoming more and more thankful for God's presence, power, and promises and the blessings of being loved by Him."
The book has many, many strengths. It is easy to recommend this one.
I personally didn't love the fictional "word-problems" in the practical chapters. I found them distracting. Other readers may relate to them more???
April 29, 2025
10 out of 10. Loved this book a lot! Paul Tripp did such a good job delving into each of the 12 doctrines. He laid them out in a very accessible way and then showed how to apply them to everyday life. I was constantly convicted throughout the book and encouraged to consider these doctrines and how to apply them with God’s help. I will definitely be going back to this book in the future. One of my new favorites!
April 22, 2025
"Do You Believe?" is a best-in-class combination of systematic theology and practical application. Tripp explains twelve core doctrines of the Christian faith. Each chapter on doctrine is followed immediately by a chapter on the difference that particular doctrine makes in the life of a believer. This book is a great example of truth applied.
Tripp's writing can be frustrating. He tends to ask a series of questions to get the reader thinking about both doctrine and application--but where most authors will ask five or six questions, Tripp might ask three or four pages of questions. It can be very repetitive, especially when you're thinking, "okay, I get it, can we please move on!"
However, the net effect is that he forces you to think about the practicality of the core doctrines from angles and applications you've never before considered. This is a great book for both biblical counselors and counselees. I've used it very profitably in my counseling ministry.
Five stars: Highly recommended.
Tripp's writing can be frustrating. He tends to ask a series of questions to get the reader thinking about both doctrine and application--but where most authors will ask five or six questions, Tripp might ask three or four pages of questions. It can be very repetitive, especially when you're thinking, "okay, I get it, can we please move on!"
However, the net effect is that he forces you to think about the practicality of the core doctrines from angles and applications you've never before considered. This is a great book for both biblical counselors and counselees. I've used it very profitably in my counseling ministry.
Five stars: Highly recommended.
June 7, 2023
SO GOOD!!! So much truth and so much practical application! Solidly long but so good otherwise ◡̈
October 22, 2024
Wow, I really enjoyed this book! While it took me over a year to read, I wouldn’t have done it any other way! By slowly reading, I was able to better digest the content and seek to apply it. It seemed like with each new topic, the Lord was already showing me something similar in other ways (like Bible reading, at church, in conversations, or while counseling) and so it felt like each chapter/topic was perfectly timed! I’m especially thankful for the many convicting and encouraging application chapters.
I highly recommend this book, though suggest also reading through it slowly. ;)
I highly recommend this book, though suggest also reading through it slowly. ;)
December 3, 2021
Tripp returns with a new book looking at 12 doctrines of the Christian faith. In this book, he challenges believers to not just intellectually understand these doctrines, but to live them out. The first part of the book is an explanation of each of the doctrines, and then the last part of the book is dedicated to painting a picture of what it looks like to fully live out the doctrines in practical ways.
I greatly enjoy Tripp's writing, and I've found a lot of value in each of his books. This book is no exception! As someone who grew up in the church, I was familiar with most of the doctrines--and have even studied some of them in great detail at different times in my life--but this was a good refresher and the application was challenging and helpful. This would be a great resource to have to reference as needed!
One small word of caution is that Tripp tends to be wordy, and he tends to repeat topic and themes over and over. The content of this book is really good, and I do like the eloquence of his thoughts, but I think there could have been some editing to tighten things up. Overall, this doesn't detract too much from purpose of the book, but it's just something to know before reading.
Thank you to Paul David Tripp, Crossway, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and honestly review this book!
I greatly enjoy Tripp's writing, and I've found a lot of value in each of his books. This book is no exception! As someone who grew up in the church, I was familiar with most of the doctrines--and have even studied some of them in great detail at different times in my life--but this was a good refresher and the application was challenging and helpful. This would be a great resource to have to reference as needed!
One small word of caution is that Tripp tends to be wordy, and he tends to repeat topic and themes over and over. The content of this book is really good, and I do like the eloquence of his thoughts, but I think there could have been some editing to tighten things up. Overall, this doesn't detract too much from purpose of the book, but it's just something to know before reading.
Thank you to Paul David Tripp, Crossway, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and honestly review this book!
March 18, 2023
Let’s start with what I loved about this book:
It was physically beautiful, the cover, the art, the quality was all incredible.
It was sound theology, and I think this book would be very helpful as a reference type book where you just pop it open to take a look and get a good 25 page essay on Gods Omnipotence for instance. I have no qualms with what was said in the book.
It’s only two stars because this book was twice as long as it needed to be. Which is the problem with most Christian books in my opinion. He was just so stinking repetitive. I’m a slow reader so this is mostly my fault, I’m sure other people could read this much faster but I felt exhausted reading it.
In summary, a great book to have on your self I definitely learned stuff and was encouraged but my goodness it was long and repetitive
It was physically beautiful, the cover, the art, the quality was all incredible.
It was sound theology, and I think this book would be very helpful as a reference type book where you just pop it open to take a look and get a good 25 page essay on Gods Omnipotence for instance. I have no qualms with what was said in the book.
It’s only two stars because this book was twice as long as it needed to be. Which is the problem with most Christian books in my opinion. He was just so stinking repetitive. I’m a slow reader so this is mostly my fault, I’m sure other people could read this much faster but I felt exhausted reading it.
In summary, a great book to have on your self I definitely learned stuff and was encouraged but my goodness it was long and repetitive
February 18, 2023
David Paul Tripp is such a thorough and thought-provoking writer. He is wonderful at making seemingly difficult doctrines so simple. This is a book that every person seeking to know more about God should pick up and read. The title is perfect for it. Do you believe? Let Tripp take you through this journey of questions and answers. It’s worth the time!
May 23, 2025
I’ll approach this from two angles - writing & theological:
Writing: Paul David Tripp writes in a very pastoral manner throughout this book to make a practical application of twelve historical doctrines, ranging from the doctrine of scripture to the image of God in man to eternity. Although his writing makes these doctrines very accessible, I think he tries too hard to connect with every reader. This leads to him going on and on more than a couple times per chapter, writing long lists of scenarios people might relate with, attempting to say, “Hey, if this sounds like your life, listen up, here’s why this doctrine should impact how you live.” Though Tripp writes in an easy-to-understand manner and says a lot of good stuff, all the repetition and lists makes this book 100 or so pages too long. Despite this, I left convicted of the need to bridge the gap between mind and heart - what I know about God and how I actually live in relation to Him.
Theology: As expected from a Crossway publication, this was clearly Calvinist in perspective. Surprisingly, I feel like Tripp tones this down a lot in his discussion of the doctrine of perseverance and glorification - he references Romans 8:28-30, the big proof text for predestination, but doesn’t really go too deep into it beyond a general idea of “God will do what He has set out to do”. Standout chapters for me were on the doctrines of the holiness of God and the image of God in man, while my Wesleyan-pilled brain was a bit depressed by what I felt to be a weak conception of the Gospel-changed life described in the chapters on the doctrines of sin, justification and sanctification. As expected I had small disagreements throughout the book, but it was a fruitful read regardless! I think Tripp shows what it means to be a humble (as we all should be, regardless of theological position) Calvinist and writes in a disarming manner.
Another note - I love the design of this book and it was a big reason why I bought it. This book was designed to be read in hardcover format, not on an e-reader. 3 stars.
…
“Love that has forsaken truth ceases to be love, and truth, not spoken in love, loses its purity, because it gets bent and twisted by other agendas. Good theology never produces angry, arrogant, bullying, disrespectful, harm-producing outrage. Theology that does not produce gentle, patient, and respectful love falls short of God‘s standard for how his truth should be handled and what it should produce.” (258)
Writing: Paul David Tripp writes in a very pastoral manner throughout this book to make a practical application of twelve historical doctrines, ranging from the doctrine of scripture to the image of God in man to eternity. Although his writing makes these doctrines very accessible, I think he tries too hard to connect with every reader. This leads to him going on and on more than a couple times per chapter, writing long lists of scenarios people might relate with, attempting to say, “Hey, if this sounds like your life, listen up, here’s why this doctrine should impact how you live.” Though Tripp writes in an easy-to-understand manner and says a lot of good stuff, all the repetition and lists makes this book 100 or so pages too long. Despite this, I left convicted of the need to bridge the gap between mind and heart - what I know about God and how I actually live in relation to Him.
Theology: As expected from a Crossway publication, this was clearly Calvinist in perspective. Surprisingly, I feel like Tripp tones this down a lot in his discussion of the doctrine of perseverance and glorification - he references Romans 8:28-30, the big proof text for predestination, but doesn’t really go too deep into it beyond a general idea of “God will do what He has set out to do”. Standout chapters for me were on the doctrines of the holiness of God and the image of God in man, while my Wesleyan-pilled brain was a bit depressed by what I felt to be a weak conception of the Gospel-changed life described in the chapters on the doctrines of sin, justification and sanctification. As expected I had small disagreements throughout the book, but it was a fruitful read regardless! I think Tripp shows what it means to be a humble (as we all should be, regardless of theological position) Calvinist and writes in a disarming manner.
Another note - I love the design of this book and it was a big reason why I bought it. This book was designed to be read in hardcover format, not on an e-reader. 3 stars.
…
“Love that has forsaken truth ceases to be love, and truth, not spoken in love, loses its purity, because it gets bent and twisted by other agendas. Good theology never produces angry, arrogant, bullying, disrespectful, harm-producing outrage. Theology that does not produce gentle, patient, and respectful love falls short of God‘s standard for how his truth should be handled and what it should produce.” (258)
December 9, 2022
Good resource & was neat getting to review doctrines with my team post Kanakuk Institute. This book challenged me to not take things at face value and dive deeper into the context of Scripture. Really good book to use for a group study, no doubt.
My favorite doctrine He covered was on the sovereignty of God. My favorite thing I’ve learned about God this year is his providence & I really liked how Paul Tripp went about explaining that:
“God doesn’t just decree what will happen and then sit passively above his world. God is an active participant in his world. He governs, sustains, effects, and controls.”
“God establishes what he has ordained without ever reducing us to robots. What we think is real and important. What we say has meaning and purpose. Our choices are valid. Our thoughts, desires, actions, choices, experiences, relationships, and locations are all the means by which God accomplishes what he has ordained.”
“He rules his world in such a way that our choices are valid and our actions are important. He is sovereign over the ends and the means”
My favorite doctrine He covered was on the sovereignty of God. My favorite thing I’ve learned about God this year is his providence & I really liked how Paul Tripp went about explaining that:
“God doesn’t just decree what will happen and then sit passively above his world. God is an active participant in his world. He governs, sustains, effects, and controls.”
“God establishes what he has ordained without ever reducing us to robots. What we think is real and important. What we say has meaning and purpose. Our choices are valid. Our thoughts, desires, actions, choices, experiences, relationships, and locations are all the means by which God accomplishes what he has ordained.”
“He rules his world in such a way that our choices are valid and our actions are important. He is sovereign over the ends and the means”
January 15, 2023
Excellent book. It is not a technical work for academia, but an approachable book for anybody in the church wanting to know more about orthodox doctrine and why it matters.
Tripp covers 12 core historic doctrines across 24 chapters with every doctrine including a chapter on why it matters in every day life. I think I’ll find myself reaching for it often over the years as a reference for the application of sound doctrine.
Ps- it’s also a physically beautiful book
Tripp covers 12 core historic doctrines across 24 chapters with every doctrine including a chapter on why it matters in every day life. I think I’ll find myself reaching for it often over the years as a reference for the application of sound doctrine.
Ps- it’s also a physically beautiful book
August 16, 2025
One of Tripp’s best books!!
So clearly goes through why we believe (from a Reformed POV but thats okay I’m wholeheartedly reformed) and the best chapters if we were to only read three would be the sections on the doctrines of sin, justification, and eternity. Really flushed out, and I think highlights the biggest things of faith for me personally recently. The importance of the need of a Savior- we are sinners, why Jesus dying for us matters- our sin is justified, and then what now? The life in Christ and in Heaven after death, we have something and Someone to live for.
So clearly goes through why we believe (from a Reformed POV but thats okay I’m wholeheartedly reformed) and the best chapters if we were to only read three would be the sections on the doctrines of sin, justification, and eternity. Really flushed out, and I think highlights the biggest things of faith for me personally recently. The importance of the need of a Savior- we are sinners, why Jesus dying for us matters- our sin is justified, and then what now? The life in Christ and in Heaven after death, we have something and Someone to live for.
September 19, 2022
I cannot recommend this book enough. Whether you are a new Christian or a seasoned one this book will bring clarity to your view of God and the sweet truths found in Scripture. Tripp explains each doctrine clearly and then helps you see how it works in your day-to-day. I was encouraged, challenged, and most importantly my heart was stirred for the Lord. Read it and find joy in God and how he works.
March 5, 2024
I loved this book. I feel like I know the Lord’s character more and am reminded of the joy we have because of Him.
September 26, 2022
One of the best books I have ever read… ever!!!
November 5, 2021
Somewhere in life, probably from my father, I picked up the sentence, “Your actions speak so loud that I can’t hear the words you’re saying.” It’s possible to think of at least a few examples of this dichotomy in the lives of some famous people.
Tripp would describe the dilemma as dissonance between biblical theology and functional theology. By functional theology, Tripp means the way we live out our beliefs, usually based on our own preferences and ideas, rather than the transcendent intention of God. To correct the dissonance problem, Tripp tackles twelve biblical doctrines, and following a brief explanation of each one, writes a chapter on how that doctrine should be lived out in life.
Following a chapter on what Tripp calls “The Dangerous Dichotomy,” he deals with the doctrines of scripture, God, holiness of God, sovereignty, omnipotence, creation, the image of God in man, sin, justification, sanctification, perseverance and glorification of the saints, and eternity. The book ends with a general and scripture index.
Throughout the book, Tripp uses examples from his personal life and from his interactions with those whom he has counseled. These examples help the reader to understand the dichotomy between a biblical and functional theology.
“All of us have constructed a superstructure of life assumptions that functions as the instrument we use to make sense out of life. So, all of us are theologians, all of us are philosophers, all of us are counselors, and all of us are archeologists who dig through the past to understand what was. And here’s what is vital to understand: your thoughts always precede and determine your activity” (p. 33).
James writes, “Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death” (James 1:14-15 NLT). A similar idea is attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Sow a thought, reap an action; sow an action, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny.”
If I could speculate, Tripp’s desire is that the destiny we reap would be one that is honoring and glorifying to God. It would be so because we had followed a biblical theology throughout our lives.
Tripp’s books are always stimulating and engaging. Do You Believe is another of those books. I will read it again and most likely with a group of people who wish to journey in a God-honoring way by thinking biblical.
Crossway was kind enough to provide me a copy of the book without cost in exchange for an unbiased review.
Tripp would describe the dilemma as dissonance between biblical theology and functional theology. By functional theology, Tripp means the way we live out our beliefs, usually based on our own preferences and ideas, rather than the transcendent intention of God. To correct the dissonance problem, Tripp tackles twelve biblical doctrines, and following a brief explanation of each one, writes a chapter on how that doctrine should be lived out in life.
Following a chapter on what Tripp calls “The Dangerous Dichotomy,” he deals with the doctrines of scripture, God, holiness of God, sovereignty, omnipotence, creation, the image of God in man, sin, justification, sanctification, perseverance and glorification of the saints, and eternity. The book ends with a general and scripture index.
Throughout the book, Tripp uses examples from his personal life and from his interactions with those whom he has counseled. These examples help the reader to understand the dichotomy between a biblical and functional theology.
“All of us have constructed a superstructure of life assumptions that functions as the instrument we use to make sense out of life. So, all of us are theologians, all of us are philosophers, all of us are counselors, and all of us are archeologists who dig through the past to understand what was. And here’s what is vital to understand: your thoughts always precede and determine your activity” (p. 33).
James writes, “Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death” (James 1:14-15 NLT). A similar idea is attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Sow a thought, reap an action; sow an action, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny.”
If I could speculate, Tripp’s desire is that the destiny we reap would be one that is honoring and glorifying to God. It would be so because we had followed a biblical theology throughout our lives.
Tripp’s books are always stimulating and engaging. Do You Believe is another of those books. I will read it again and most likely with a group of people who wish to journey in a God-honoring way by thinking biblical.
Crossway was kind enough to provide me a copy of the book without cost in exchange for an unbiased review.
December 20, 2023
I wish there was a 4.5 star rating, because I’d give this book 4.5 stars. The only thing that kept me from 5 is that it’s very thick and took my a year a half to read- not because it was boring or difficult but because each chapter was so meaty and needed time for reflection.
I immediately loved this book the minute I started reading it. Paul Tripp takes 13 key doctrines of the Christian faith and explores them thoroughly, and also provides each with a chapter on what it looks like in everyday living. It was both enlightening and practical. I feel this book would be beneficial to any baby Christian starting out all the way up to the saint of the faith on his death bed. So many important truths discussed, and a solid foundation is laid over the course of 450 some pages. Worth the read… even if it takes you years 😜
I immediately loved this book the minute I started reading it. Paul Tripp takes 13 key doctrines of the Christian faith and explores them thoroughly, and also provides each with a chapter on what it looks like in everyday living. It was both enlightening and practical. I feel this book would be beneficial to any baby Christian starting out all the way up to the saint of the faith on his death bed. So many important truths discussed, and a solid foundation is laid over the course of 450 some pages. Worth the read… even if it takes you years 😜
May 21, 2024
This book I used in tandem with Alistair Begg's Truth for Life devotional over the past year! This is classic PDT with great quotes, helpful things to underline, and great theology with application that brings glory to God. This is not necessarily a read straight through book, but a helpful look at 12 of the most important doctrines of our faith.
March 11, 2024
Another great book by Tripp. It's always funny reading how repetitive he can be at times, but his content is always really great and challenging. I think anyone could enjoy this book. Not too scholarly, but also not too simple.
July 8, 2024
We read through this at our Christian School, and I loved how much systematic theology was brought out through this. Paul David Tripp explains things well and gives great examples. Led us to have great discussions as well.
November 9, 2024
I’m never disappointed by Paul David Tripp! Once again, he brings biblical truths to life with exceptional prose.
November 14, 2024
Fantastic thought provoking and self reflection causing read.
November 4, 2022
Every Christian should read this book. It reviewed 12 key doctrines of the Christian faith and discussed how, as Christians, our lives display disbelief in those doctrines we say we hold to.
Convicting, encouraging, and refreshing to your soul!
Convicting, encouraging, and refreshing to your soul!
May 10, 2024
Absolutely amazing book on the top 12 doctrines of the Christian faith. Each doctrine has a chapter explaining it and another chapter for its application. I slowly made my way through this book, digesting the material, and thinking about it in the context of daily living,
“True belief is always lived. Faith is never just something you do with your mind, but it is always also a commitment of your heart that changes the way you live your everyday life.”
“True belief is always lived. Faith is never just something you do with your mind, but it is always also a commitment of your heart that changes the way you live your everyday life.”
July 11, 2025
Well worth the read. Each chapter is almost a book on its own, which makes for a longer read but so rich in truths to chew over and consider.
November 29, 2022
I love the format PDT took in writing this theology book. The “everyday life” chapters are practical and insightful. This is now one of my favorite theology book reads. I have and will continue to recommend this resource to those looking for a solid and practical theology book.
November 17, 2023
Excellent. Hugely helpful resource and challenge for every believer
Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews