Christian in Complete Armour

Volume 1

Look Inside Price Original price was: $15.00.Current price is: $13.50.

500 in stock

Weight 0.58 lbs
Dimensions 7.13 × 4.75 × 0.7 in
ISBN 9780851514567
Binding

Paperback

Topic

Prayer, Spiritual Growth

Original Pub Date

1655

Banner Pub Date

Jul 1, 1964

Page Count

312

Scripture

Ephesians

Format

Book

Endorsements

‘If I might read only one book beside the Bible, I would choose The Christian in Complete Armour.’ — JOHN NEWTON

‘Gurnall’s work is peerless and priceless; every line is full of wisdom; every sentence is suggestive. I have often resorted to it when my own fire has been burning low, and I have seldom failed to find a glowing coal upon Gurnall’s hearth.’ — C. H. SPURGEON

‘A beautiful feature in Gurnall’s book is its richness in pithy, pointed, and epigrammatical sayings. You will often find in a line and a half some great truth, put so concisely, and yet so fully, that you really marvel how so much thought could be got into so few words. Solid scriptural theology, like that contained in these pages, should be valued and studied in the church. Books in which Scripture is reverently regarded as the only rule of faith and practice – books in which Christ and the Holy Ghost have their rightful office – books in which justification, and sanctification, and regeneration, and faith, and grace, and holiness are clearly, distinctly, and accurately delineated and exhibited – these are the only books which do real good. Few things need reviving more than a taste for such books as these among readers.’ — J. C. RYLE

‘I believe The Christian in Complete Armour, should be in the library of every man and woman of God. No Christian leader, teacher, pastor, evangelist, or Christian worker should be without it.’ — DAVID WILKERSON (author of The Cross and the Switchblade)

‘You could not buy a better work, nor get better value for your money.’ — FREE PRESBYTERIAN MAGAZINE

Book Description

The Christian in Complete Armour is certainly one of the greatest of all the Puritans’ practical writings. This first volume in the 3-volume paperback set is a modernized abridgement of the Puritan classic by William Gurnall.

Table of Contents Expand ↓

Page
Preface 15
Biographical sketch of the Author 17
Chapter 1: The Saint’s Call to Arms 23
I. THE CHRISTIAN’S CALL TO COURAGE 24
Cowardice vs. Courage 25
Sources of Christian Courage 27
1. An established knowledge of God’s truth 28
2. A heart set in the right direction 29
II. THE CHRISTIAN’S CALL TO SERVICE 29
Directives Issued 29
1. Renounce your bosom sins 30
2. Conform your life to Christ 31
3. Sidestep stumbling blocks 32
4. Trust God in every circumstance 32
5. Stay on course to the end of your life 33
III. AN ADMONITION TO ‘BE STRONG IN THE LORD’ 33
The Source of the Saint’s Strength 33
The Significance of God’s Strength 36
1. The nature of the saint’s conscience 36
2. The character of the conscience 37
3. The nature of God’s plan 38
4. The nature of God 40
A Solemn Warning 41
IV. AN ADMONITION TO APPROPRIATE ‘THE POWER OF HIS MIGHT’ 42
What Is ‘The Power of His Might’? 42
Appropriating God’s Power 42
Three Reasons for Trusting God’s Power 43
1. His past record 43
2. Your present dilemma 44
3. His eternal desire 45
The Fivefold Bond Securing God’s Power 47
1. His near kinship to the saints 47
2. His dear love for the saints 48
3. His everlasting covenant 49
4. His self-imposed obligation 49
5. His interceding Son 50
Occasions for Using God’s Power 50
1. When weighed down by sin 52
2. When overpowered by temptation 53
3. When oppressed by Christian duty 54
Four Reasons Why God’s Power Is Sometimes Hidden 55
1. You may have overlooked God’s power 55
2. God may have purposely delayed His power 56
3. The cause of hindrance of the blessing may be in yourself 57
4. God may call you to persevere in the face of overwhelming odds 58
Chapter 2: First Consideration: The Saint’s Armour 59
I. THE CHRISTIAN MUST BE ARMED 59
The Armed Saint – His Divine Provisions 60
1. Christ as armour 60
2. The graces of Christ as armour 60
The Unarmed Sinner – His Dim Prospects 60
1. Alienation from God 61
2. Ignorance 62
3. Impotency 63
4. Friendship with sin and Satan 63
The Enemy – His Diabolical Plan 64
1. The natural inclination of man’s soul 64
2. The supernatural malice of Satan 65
The Armour – Its Creator 66
1. God is the sole designer of His saints’ armour 66
2. God makes His saints’ armour and trains them in its proper use 68
The Armour – Its Various Parts 69
1. All the parts together cover the whole saint, soul and body 70
2. Each piece has a special function 70
3. Each piece is complete and perfect 74
Our Graces – Why We Must Perfect Them 74
1. Because our graces can sustain injury 74
2. Because Satan is still perfecting his wrath and skill 75
3. Because we fulfill God’s purpose when we grow in grace 75
The Armour – Its Proper Use 76
1. The armour must be put on 76
2. The armour must be kept on 76
The Armour – Its Proper Place 80
Final Exhortation 80
II. WHY THE CHRISTIAN MUST BE ARMED 81
The Danger if Unarmed 81
Satan as Tempter to Sin 82
1. Satan chooses when to tempt 83
2. Satan chooses how to tempt 85
3. Satan chooses what or whom to use as the instruments of temptation 89
Warning 93
Precautions 95
1. Ask God for counsel 95
2. Know your heart 95
3. Read God’s Word attentively 95
Satan as Accuser of Sin 96
1. Satan accuses the saints of his own wicked thoughts 97
2. Satan exaggerates the saints’ sins 98
3. Satan appoints himself both judge and jury to try the saints 100
4. Satan tries to rob the saints of their covenant promise 101
The Saint’s Proper Reaction to Satan’s Accusations 103
1. Let his accusations make you more careful 103
2. Let them make you more humble 103
3. Let them show you the fallacy of his logic 103
God’s Perfect Response to Satan’s Accusations 105
1. God uses Satan’s own schemes to make His saints wise 105
2. God uses Satan’s tricks to make His saints thankful 107
3. God uses the devil’s wiles to make His saints wary 107
The Saint’s Fortification 108
1. Beware of Satan as a seducer 108
2. Cling to God’s promise of justification 109
3. Avoid entrapment 109
4. Maintain assurance of salvation 111
The Assurance of Victory if Armed 113
Satan’s Damnation 114
1. The curse that lies upon Satan 114
2. The limits God places upon Satan 115
Satan’s Intentions and God’s Intervention 116
1. Satan’s intention: to defile the saint’s conscience 117
2. Satan’s intention: to defile other saints 118
3. Satan’s intention: to defile the saint’s relationship with God 119
Chapter 3: Second Consideration: The Nature of the War and the Character of the Enemy 124
I. THE NATURE OF THE WAR 124
Why Saints Must Wrestle 124
1. The sharpness of combat 124
2. The universality of combat 126
3. The duration of combat 126
How Not to Wrestle 128
1. Do not wrestle against God’s Spirit 128
2. Do not wrestle against God’s providence 129
3. Do not wrestle by your own rules 130
How to Wrestle 131
1. Enlist God as your second 131
2. Stay in training 132
3. Use your advantage wisely 132
A Word of Encouragement to Wrestlers 133
II. THE CHARACTER OF THE ENEMY 134
The Saint’s Minor Assailants: ‘Flesh and Blood’ 134
1. Our inner corruptions 134
2. Human beings 136
The Saint’s Chief Assailants: Evil Spirits 141
1. Their system of government 141
(a) Satan’s claim to his throne 143
(b) God’s present concession to Satan’s claim 144
(c) How to test your true allegiance 146
2. Their powers 151
3. Their kingdom (‘the darkness of this world’) 161
(a) Why sin is described as darkness 166
(b) Why those in darkness are under Satan’s rule 168
(c) Warning to beware of Satan’s tricks 170
(d) The blinding power of ignorance 172
(e) Warning to beware of ignorance 174
(f) The way to knowledge 181
4. Their nature (‘spiritual wickedness’) 186
(a) The importance of understanding the nature of devils 193
(b) Spiritual wickedness in the saints: the cause and the cure 195
(i) Sin in the heart 196
(ii) Sins about spiritual topics 201
Errors involving spiritual principles 201
Pride 205
(c) A final thought on spiritual wickedness 223
5. The grounds of war (‘in high places,’ or ‘for heavenly things’) 225
(a) The saint’s heavenly calling 225
(b) A call worth fighting for 228
(c) A word of caution to those who desire a heavenly prize 231
(d) A practical note – on the folly of pursuing earthly things 234
(e) A final word about our heavenly prize 238
Chapter 4: Third Consideration: A Second Exhortation to be Armed 240
I. THE EXHORTATION AND THE IMPLICATION 240
First Observation: The Implications of a Repeated Admonition 240
Imperative truths 241
Second Observation: The Need to Inspect and Repair Your Graces 245
1. Why your graces must be kept in good repair 245
2. Who suffers when your grace diminishes 247
3. How to know whether or not your grace is declining 250
4. How to recover from declining grace 254
II. REASONS FOR THE EXHORTATION 258
The Hour of Battle 258
1. The nature and quality of evil and the ‘evil day’ 260
2. The certainty of an evil day 263
3. The necessity of armour to withstand the evil day 265
4. Directions for preparing for the evil day 267
The Requirements for a Happy Outcome of the War 269
1. The necessity of perseverance 271
2. The necessity of divine armour to persevere 272
3. Why the unregenerate cannot persevere 273
4. The certainty of persevering if armed 276
5. The promised result of perseverance 281
Chapter 5: Fourth Consideration: The Position to be Maintained in the Fight 285
I. STAND – DO NOT FLEE OR YIELD 285
Scripture Expressly Commands it 286
God Supplies Armour Sufficient for the Battle 287
The Christian’s Safety Lies in Resisting 288
The Enemy is Overcome Only by Force 289
1. Satan is a cowardly enemy 289
2. Satan is an encroaching enemy 290
3. Satan is an accusing enemy 291
II. STAND IN YOUR OWN PLACE – DO NOT USURP ANOTHER’S 291
Five Considerations to Persuade All to Stand 294
1. You lose God’s approval when you leave your appointed place to work outside your calling 294
2. You lose God’s protection when you ignore His restrictions as to place and calling 295
3. God does not hold you accountable for another man’s work 297
4. You suffer needlessly when you bear burdens God never intended you to carry 297
5. A flighty spirit usually carries men out of their place and calling 298
III. STAND – DO NOT SLEEP 301
Why the Christian Must Remain Wakeful 302
1. The Christian’s work is too important and demanding to be done while half asleep, or in a half-hearted fashion 302
2. Watchfulness reaps advantages for the Christian 303
How to Stand and Watch 304
1. Watch constantly 304
2. Watch universally 306
3. Watch wisely 307

Testimonials

Submit your testimonial

  1. Kevin Smyth

    I read this back in the early 90’s; it was life changing. One of the best Christian books I have ever read. Such a deep well.

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