Several Of My Favorite Books of 2023
I read books for life and work. I do this because of the common saying: You are what you read.
There is a vast difference between knowledge and wisdom. Just about anyone can gain knowledge but not everyone has wisdom. Wisdom is something we must ask the Lord for (James 1:5-8). Wisdom is having a godly fear of the Lord Jesus in all of life (Prov. 1:7). Books certainly can give knowledge but only the Holy Spirit can transform that knowledge into wisdom. We can’t expect to grow in wisdom if we forsake knowledge but we also shouldn’t equate our knowledge with biblical wisdom. This is why we need the Holy Spirit and time to read. All books are only worth their weight in gold as they are faithful to The Book. And those are the books the Holy Spirit uses most.
This list is a mixture of several of my favorites from both work and life. Some of the resources here are from various sermon series preached in 2023. Others were personal and devotional.
It should go without saying that I am not giving a whole endorsement of every jot and tittle in these works. Every book deserves to be interacted with—and that is what made these reads so enjoyable. Nevertheless, I wholly recommend you buy these and read through them for yourself so that you might wrestle with the truth.
Most of these books were not published in 2023. Some of these were read for a second, third, or even fourth time. As with many books in my library, several of these have not been read all the way through but most of the content has been digested in all of them.
The Doctrine of Scripture
Interpreting Scripture with the Great Tradition by Craig Carter
Biblical Reasoning by Tyler Wittman & R.B. Jameison
What Is Reality?
Seven Brief Lessons on Magic by Paul Tyson
The Doctrine of God
Divine Providence by Stephen Charnock
The Mystery of Providence by John Flavel
Covenant Theology
Covenants Made Simple by Jonty Rhodes
The Doctrine of Christ
The Glory of Christ by John Owen
Looking Unto Jesus by Isaac Ambrose
The Preeminent Christ by Paul Washer
On the Incarnation by St. Athanasius
On the Apostolic Preaching by Irenaeus
On The Cosmic Mystery of Jesus Christ by St. Maximus the Confessor
The Holy Spirit & The Christian Life
The Gospel for Real Life by Jerry Bridges
God’s Battle Plan by David Saxton
Spiritual Mindedness by John Owen
Thoughts on Religious Experience by Archibald Alexander
The Doctrine of the Church
The Mystery of the Lord’s Supper by Robert Bruce
Duties of Christian Fellowship by John Owen
Reformed Worship by Jonty Rhodes
Reformed Theology by Jonathan Master
Covenantal Baptism by Jason Helopoulos
Well Ordered, Living Well: A Field Guide to Presbyterian Government by Guy Waters
Grounded In The Gospel by Packer & Parrett
Vocation & Ethics
Vocation by Michael Berg
The Doctrine of The Last Things
The Everlasting Rest by Richard Baxter
The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis
Seeing God: The Beatific Vision in Christian Tradition by Hans Boersma
History, Biographies, Profiles, Memoirs
The Medieval Mind of C.S. Lewis by Jason Baxter
What Luther Says by Edward Plass
Church History by Simonetta Carr
Calvin’s Company of Pastors by Scott Manetsch
General Doctrine, Creedal Theology, Law & Gospel
On the Orthodox Faith by St. John of Damascus
The Marrow of Theology by William Ames
Commentary on the Heidelberg Catechism by Zacarias Ursinus
Law and Gospel by Michael Horton & Bob Hiller
Commentaries
Romans by JV Fesko
Romans by John Murray
Romans by Charles Hodge
1 & 2 Corinthians by Charles Hodge
The Second Epistle to the Corinthians by Paul Barnett
Leadership, Public Speaking
Turn Around by Jason Allen
Thank You For Arguing by Jay Heinrichs
Thoughts on Preaching by James W. Alexander