If you don’t know me well, you might not know that I am a book nerd. I enjoy reading books greatly, and I believe that most books are very valuable. These books in particular that have changed my life or changed the way I think. In this list, I am not including the Bible. Obviously, the Bible is the most important book anyone can ever read. However, the title “My Five Favorite Non-biblical Books” just doesn’t have the same ring to it. So please, don’t read these books before you read the Bible. The Bible is infinitely more important than any of these books, even despite the greatness of the books below. That should tell you something about God’s Word. But without further ado, here are my five favorite books.
1. Desiring God, John Piper
This book is probably the most influential on the way I view my relationship with God. Rather than the way I glorify God being tied to a checklist of obedience, I glorify God by enjoying Him! One of the best quotes of the book is on our purpose: “The chief of end man is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever.” I give Jesus the glory He deserves when I enjoy Him and treasure Him as He is, as the God of the Universe.
2. Knowing God, J. I. Packer
Knowing God is one of the best books on God ever written. Few if any men outside of the Bible have put so much truth into so few words as J. I. Packer has done in this excellent book. Packer shows the glory of God in who He is, and how He relates to us. His chapter on adoption is probably the single greatest chapter in a book ever written, and it is the reason for the “A” in ABP!
3. Perelandra, C. S. Lewis
The first two books I listed were nonfiction books, but this book is fictional. However, it might be one of the most profound teachings on sin that I’ve ever read. Lewis in this second book of The Space Trilogy basically recreates Adam and Eve in the garden, and he focuses on Eve’s temptation. Rarely do we think about complete human innocence, but Lewis shows this beautifully. This book is thrilling from both a fictional and theological perspective.
4. Systematic Theology, Wayne Grudem
This is the first traditional reference book in this list. I have not fully read this book (it’s more than one thousand pages, give me a break!), but I have used it more than any other. It is almost like a theological Google. It is very useful in finding out what the Bible says on a given topic. He is fair in his evaluation of doctrines and I think reasonably gives views that come from an opposing camp. Systematic Theology is also good to simply read through. Even though I use the index more than I use the index more than simply reading it straight through, it does read very well. I would encourage every Christian to have a copy of this work in his home.
5. The Lord of the Rings, J. R. R. Tolkien
Contrary to popular belief, The Lord of the Rings is actually one work, composed of six books, so it’s not a traditional trilogy. It was released in three separate volumes. This book is simply one of the best fictional books created, end of statement. Tolkien writes with a homely yet adventurous style. From the epic Aragorn to the lovable Sam Gamgee, Tolkien shows his mastery in creating immersive and three-dimensional characters.