B. B. Warfield Books: A Reading Guide to All 8 and Where to Start
B. B. Warfield (1851–1921) taught theology at Princeton Theological Seminary for more than thirty years. Most of what he wrote was in long essays and reviews, but he also preached often in the seminary chapel. TheWay Library has eight of his books, all free to read: three books of sermons and addresses, three on the Bible and its teaching, and two on salvation and miracles. For his life story, see who was B. B. Warfield.
This guide sorts them so you can find what you need.
Where to start
If you're new to Warfield, start with Faith and Life. It's forty-one short addresses, each on one text, and it shows both sides of him: the exact scholar and the warm pastor.
After that, choose by what you want:
- For sermons: The Saviour of the World, then The Power of God unto Salvation.
- On whether the Bible can be trusted: Revelation and Inspiration, or the shorter Inspiration.
- On how God saves: The Plan of Salvation.
- On whether the miraculous gifts continue: Counterfeit Miracles.
- For deep Bible doctrine: Biblical Doctrines.
Every quotation below is checked against the book it comes from. For many more, see our collection of B. B. Warfield quotes.
Sermons and addresses
These are the easiest way into Warfield. They're short, they stay close to one text, and they always end at Christ.
Faith and Life
Forty-one brief addresses on the spiritual life. Some are on Christian character, like childlikeness and "a half-learned Christ." Several are on the Holy Spirit's witness, help in prayer and sealing. Others take great texts of Romans, Ephesians and Philippians. "The Alien Righteousness" explains justification by Christ's righteousness counted to us, and "Peace with God" separates the peace we have from the peace we feel.
Prayer in its full conception is then, not merely asking from God, but all intercourse with God.
Faith and Life, Prayer as a Means of Grace
The Saviour of the World
Nine sermons preached in the Princeton Seminary chapel, each on a great gospel text: the prodigal son, "none other name," the Lamb of God, John 3:16, the risen Christ and Philippians 2. The sermon on John 3:16, "God's Immeasurable Love," is one of his best. The last sermon calls ministers to follow Christ's self-humbling. Read The Saviour of the World.
To them indeed Jesus is the Gospel; and where Jesus is not, there there is no gospel at all.
The Saviour of the World, Jesus Only
The Power of God unto Salvation
Eight sermons from 1903. They cover Christ as our representative in Hebrews 2, "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners," peace from justification, the camel and the needle's eye, the Spirit's jealous love in James 4:5, and what it means to be led by the Spirit in Romans 8:14. The last two reconstruct Paul's preaching at Thessalonica and Athens. Read The Power of God unto Salvation.
The Bible and its teaching
This is the work Warfield is best known for. These books are more demanding, but they reward slow reading.
Revelation and Inspiration
His main essays on how God has made Himself known and how the Bible was inspired. He argues that the church's doctrine of inspiration is the Bible's own, taught by Christ and the apostles. Word studies show that 2 Timothy 3:16 means "God-breathed," and that the New Testament says "Scripture says" and "God says" as the same thing. An appendix explains how the New Testament canon was formed. Read Revelation and Inspiration.
Inspiration
The famous 1881 essay Warfield wrote with A. A. Hodge. It's shorter than the book above and makes a good first step. It explains how God and human writers worked together, defines verbal, plenary inspiration of the original texts, proves it from Scripture's own claims, and answers alleged errors. Read Inspiration.
Biblical Doctrines
Sixteen long studies of what the Bible teaches: predestination, the Spirit in the Old Testament, the Trinity, the person of Christ, redemption, Christ's sacrifice, faith, the words for love, and the millennium. The essay on the Trinity is the one most people come for.
In point of fact, the doctrine of the Trinity is purely a revealed doctrine.
Biblical Doctrines, The Biblical Doctrine of the Trinity
Salvation and miracles
The Plan of Salvation
Five lectures that map the main Christian views of how God saves. Warfield sorts them by a series of questions. Does salvation come from God or from ourselves? Through the church and sacraments, or directly from God? For all alike, or for particular people? He ends by arguing that Calvinism is the only view that keeps salvation wholly God's work. It's a short book and very clear. Read The Plan of Salvation.
Counterfeit Miracles
His 1918 lectures arguing that the miraculous gifts of the apostolic church were the apostles' credentials and passed away with them. He then tests later claims: miracles of the church fathers and medieval saints, Roman Catholic shrines, the tongues in Edward Irving's congregation, the faith-healers of his day, and Christian Science. He doesn't deny that God answers prayer for the sick. Read Counterfeit Miracles.
We believe in a wonder-working God; but not in a wonder-working church.
Counterfeit Miracles, Patristic and Mediaeval Marvels
A note on these editions
Biblical Doctrines and The Plan of Salvation were restored from scans of old printings and still have misread words, including garbled Greek in Biblical Doctrines. They're readable, but expect a few rough spots.
Why read Warfield today
Warfield answered questions people still ask: Can the Bible be trusted? What does "God-breathed" mean? Is salvation God's work or ours? He answered with great care and never lost his love for Christ. Begin with Faith and Life, then read The Saviour of the World. All eight books are on the B. B. Warfield author page.