Book Review: “Gospel” by J.D. Greear

I am always on the lookout for writing that captures the heart of the gospel. One of my huge concerns for the evangelical church today has been the miniaturization of the biblical gospel. And what I mean by that is the preaching and teaching (even unwittingly) by those who make Christianity a bunch of rules to follow, which is flat out moralism.

In Gospel: Recovering the Power that Made Christianity Revolutionary, J.D.Greear (lead pastor of The Summit Church, Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina) slices through all the clutter by making the case that Jesus’ gospel is God’s grace alone to free believers not only from the consequence our sins deserve, but from the power of sin in our lives. In Christ, we are free at last! Free from trying to please God through “religion” and finally free to live a life of joy and obedience and confidence! Tim Keller says on the back cover of this book, “The gospel produces in believers what religion never could: a heart that desires God.”

When I first came to faith in Christ, while attending college in Iowa, I got involved with a church full of young people who were excited about Jesus and living their lives for Him. I’d never met Christians like that before. I remember one leader saying, “Christianity will not only give you a cause to live for, but a mission to die for!” You see, these people wanted nothing else but to live for the gospel. Their hearts were on fire for God, and it was my first experience seeing genuine Christianity. Greear’s book captures what a gospel-centered church ought to look like.

J.D.Greear explains in Gospel how a believer who understands the freedom in which he or she truly stands will gratefully give back his or her life in God’s greatest mission: living a life that attracts people to Jesus. He gives a practical concept of the “gospel prayer” as a way to check your motives, and live thankfully for God in a culture that really can be tough.

In his chapter, “God is Better,” J.D. cites reasons why Jesus satisfies more than any other desire or dream or hope we may have. “Jesus is better than money.” “Jesus is better than human love.” “Jesus is better than any earthly pleasure.” “Jesus is better than popularity.” All the things that most people thirst for come up dry as dust compared to living for Jesus.

If you want a refreshing view of how living the Christian life is meant to be full, satisfying, joyful, focused on Jesus (not religion), and mission-driven, read this book.

Gospel is for sale at Riverview’s Info Center (Holt and REO Town), and on Amazon.com.

 

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Image credit: Petras Gagilas