The Steadfast Love of the Lord: A Review

Storms, Sam. The Steadfast Love of the Lord: Experiencing the Life-Changing Power of God’s Unchanging Affection. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2025.

The love of God is perhaps one of the most discussed topics in the church today. We are all familiar with the passage that tells us that "God is love" (1 John 4:8). But what does that mean? More importantly, what does it mean that the Lord loves us? Perhaps this is something that you have struggled with. After all, if we are in Christ, if we have repented of our sin, then we have at least some idea of the weight that our sins bear. I think of John Bunyan's Christian who labored under his heavy burden before coming to the cross of Christ. It was so heavy that he could hardly think of anything else. I can relate to that. Sin is a crushing weight. So how could God truly love me when I still continue in my sin despite knowing I am forgiven and adopted as a child of God? How can I know that God truly loves me? These are the questions that Sam Storms wants to help the church work through in his new book.

Steadfast Love is Unflinching

Sam starts his book by discussing the importance of rightly defining love. He says, "These days I regularly see a new slogan emblazoned on T-shirts, the bumper stickers of cars, placards held high at rallies, and even the back of the football helmets of NFL players: 'Love is love!'" (p. 8). But what does that mean? He answers by saying, "Unless I’m mistaken, I think they mean what Amy Grant meant—that love is always accepting, never critical, entirely inclusive, and altogether affirming of the moral legitimacy of anything a person believes and however they choose to behave" (p. 11). This certainly seems to be what the world means by love, but it is not what Scripture means by love. In answer to this idea, Sam points us to Scripture to talk about important cultural issues, such as homosexuality and prostitution. More than that, though, he points us to Scripture to have a true accounting of what love means and what it means to be loved by the Lord.

The steadfast love of the Lord is never-ending. Sam illustrates this repeatedly through faithful biblical exposition. He references both the Old Testament and New Testament repeatedly to show that the Lord does not change and that his steadfast love endures forever. Nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of the Father.

Style and Organization

I can appreciate a book like this. It is simple and conversational. Throughout the book, Sam asks questions and makes statements that a reader might put forward as he works through his point, such as, "But Sam, you don't know me. You don't know anything about me" (p. 184). The style makes the book approachable and effective in reaching its target audience. The chapters flow easily from one to another. Like a skillful painter, he lays out a background and then starts to fill in the details so that the reader might have a better picture of what it means that the Lord truly has steadfast love for his people.

Some Constructive Criticism

Overall, I loved this book. Everyone needs a reminder and a deep dive into the Lord's love for his people. It is easy to get overwhelmed by sin, both my own and the sin that surrounds me. I need to be reminded regularly that the Lord truly loves me. My only criticism of the book is its treatment of the doctrine of impassibility. To be clear, I do not think that Sam's handling of the doctrine is wrong, only that it is not as clear as it should be. He says, "Some theologians are uncomfortable with speaking of God in this way, as if it suggests he is not impassible. I’m keenly aware of and sensitive to their concerns. They want to emphasize that God is not weak, mutable, or subject to fickle feelings provoked by others. I have to agree with them on that point" (p. 196). This is the opening to a section where he discusses how the Lord loves us and sings over his people. So far, all well and good. The issue comes in that at this point, the importance of upholding the doctrine of impassibility is not reconciled with his treatment of how the Lord rejoices over his creation. It is as if Sam wants to be clear that he has no intention of denying the impassability of God, while not explaining how what he has to say is not denying it. The previous quote makes it clear that he is aware that he is to some extent opening himself up to this charge, but does not seem to really address it more fully.

To be fair, this book is not that kind of book. It is not necessarily for theologians but for people who are struggling to understand the love that the Lord has for them. I love how he points out that the Lord does truly love his people, and he expresses that love through song. My desire would be for him to be clearer in outlining how that love is not an affected love, but a determinative love, which is the point of the doctrine of impassibility. That the Lord is not passive but active. It is because the Lord loves that we love, not the other way around.

Summary

I would highly recommend this book, the issue of impassability not withstanding. I have known many, including myself, who have at times struggled with reconciling my own shame with the love of God. We need reminders like this. We need to be confronted with the overwhelming, never-ending, steadfast love of our Lord and Savior. If you know anyone who struggles, I hope that you will recommend this book to them and read it yourself. It is worth your time.

Soli Deo Gloria