Transforming Grace by Jerry Bridges
Few people have done a mighty work of shaping my view of Christian
faith and theology like the late Jerry Bridges.
This book originally was written in 1981 and it still packs a strong
punch of sound biblical teaching on grace alongside a healthy view of progressive
sanctification. Jerry Bridges is most
known for his book, The Pursuit of Holiness, but this book, Transforming Grace is
a work of great value as well. The whole
crux of the book is an answer to the question; now that we are saved by grace,
how do we live the Christian life?
Countering the view that somehow grace is not needed or unnecessary for
the daily Christian’s life, Jerry points us back to grace as fundamental to our
life on Earth.
In fleshing out what it means for the law of God to remain
in effect for the Christian today, Jerry does an excellent job at explaining
the difference between legalism and grace.
He writes, “Under a sense of legalism, obedience is done with a view to
meriting salvation or God’s blessing on our lives. Under grace, obedience is a loving response to
salvation already provided in Christ, and the assurance that, having provided
salvation, God will also through Christ provide all else that we need.” There is a change of reason or motive for
following God’s moral commands when one operates under grace. No longer is the moral law a law which only condemns
us but it is a moral guide, wisdom for the right path. Christ’s love compels us to love God through
following his moral commands. This view
of law brings freedom and relief to the Christian, not pushing us toward merit
keeping obedience.
Jerry gets to the heart of sanctification in his chapter
entitled Holiness: A Gift of God’s Grace.
He writes, “Sometimes we think of salvation as more like a sports coat
and a pair of slacks. We think God gives us the sports coat of
justification by His grace, but we must "buy" the slacks of
sanctification by our own efforts. But salvation is like a suit. It
always comes with the jacket of justification and the pants of
sanctification. God never gives one without the other because both are
necessary to have the complete suit of salvation. Sanctification in us begins as an
instantaneous act of the Holy Spirit and is carried forward by His continued
action in our lives." (116) There is a very real sense where the believer
must put to death deeds of the sinful nature and yet we don’t even do this
activity by our own mental efforts. God’s
work starts in election and ends in glorification for the Christian, and every
step of the way God is working in and through him to conform him to the
likeness of Jesus Christ.
Go get this book and in fact by 5 or 10, this is truly a
book that will change lives because it changed my heart many years ago when I
first read it.
Thanks to Tyndale Publishers for the copy of this book in
exchange for an honest review.
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