Reviewer: Keith Brown works in interim ministry. He is dedicated to turning around small dying churches by raising up elders, deacons and other leaders through personal relationship and mentoring. This is done through establishing healthy patterns of spiritual and numerical growth as revealed in Scripture. He has served as a full-time evangelist for the churches of Christ for the past twenty years and is now beginning to take on the role as a shepherd of God’s flock.
Title: “The Transforming Power of the Gospel”
Author: Jerry Bridges
Publisher/Copyright: NavPress 2012
About the Book:
The overall message that Jerry Bridges has for us is that “The Transforming Power of the Gospel” not only places the believer in a saved relationship with God, but also refreshingly and poignantly reminds us that this same Gospel is the power that continues to transform us. Understanding this simple but profound truth sets the believer free from the lie of self-help religion that continually robs believers of hope. What we discover is that the transforming power of the Gospel knows no bounds. No matter where you are in life, no matter what struggle you face, the transforming power of the Gospel, once understood leaves the believer unapologetically with hope. Moreover, this hope wells up in a heart of gratitude lived out in holiness. Jerry helps the believer to realize that it is God, Christ and the Holy Spirit, rather than the self-made-man, which is at work to effect transformation of life.
Reviewers Observations:
What is good and beneficial about Jerry’s message is that through understanding and focusing on the transforming power of the Gospel, the Christian is freed to open his life to the work of God in his or her life. The gospel allows us to put down our pride and allow God to work his transforming power in and through us.
Quotes from the Book:
“I now realize I did not know I needed to be transformed. After all, I was living a decent moral life and was not committing the more obvious sins of many of my fellow students at college” (13).
“If we want to enjoy the benefits of the gospel in our daily lives, we must learn to live like Paul. We must learn to look outside of ourselves and our performance, whether good or bad, and see ourselves standing before God justified – cleansed from our sins through the shed blood of Christ and clothed in the perfect righteousness of Christ” (56).
Speaking of being transformed into the image of Christ… “But what does that image look like? It looks like Jesus in His humanity as He lived a real life in a real world for thirty-three years” (157).
“If you commit yourself to the pursuit of Christlikeness, you will discover an increasing tension between your desire to know and do the will of God and your perceived progress in doing it. This increased tension can become discouraging and demotivating. The solution to this dilemma is to keep in mind that, in our standing before God, He sees us clothed in the perfect obedience of Christ. This standing never changes, regardless of whether we are having a good day or a bad day. In Him, we are always holy and blameless. In Him, we are always as perfectly righteous as He was in His sinless humanity” (178).
Product Recommendation:
The Transforming Power of the Gospel is best suited for any Christian who desires to grow in a deeper understanding of the grace of God in their lives. A grace that, not only redeems a man, but also redeems all the moments of a man’s life. For anyone struggling with their identity in Christ, here they will find a reassuring word of encouragement.
Jerry’s book may be used to/for… Preaching, teaching, small groups and individual study and discussion. It should prove beneficial in transforming any group or church through understanding that the power of the transformed life comes not from the wisdom, power and winsomeness of man, but from the heart of heaven revealed in the Son of God and the work of Spirit of Christ in our midst.
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I am thankful to say that I own this book. After reading this review, I look forward to reading it even more because it sounds so beneficial.