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Rating: 
Summary: Oh, the Power of God's Grace!
Review: As a Christian for many years, it was not until I read this book along with God opening my eyes/heart upto scripture that I realized the power and FREEDOM that come from grace. With a proper understanding of grace (propitiation, justification, sanctification), living for God no longer became a burden but a natural JOY that didnt require me TRYING to do it w. my own strength. It helped me receive thru the Holy Spirit what God has already given me. It helped me to obey out of LOVE not out of obligation. Oh the wonders and riches of knowing the cross! This book has changed my life.
Rating:
Summary: Now I Understand!
Review: I never understood God's grace and what it meant until I read "Transforming grace". I have spent years trying to earn what God had already given to me freely- eternal salvation. I no longer see God as a task master ready to step on me for the smallest infraction. I now see him as the God who loved me even when I was at emnity with him. Thats grace! I see God as a holy,gracious,generous,loving, and good God. If you've been feeling like the life of the believer is more of a burden than a blessing, then you need to read this book. I promise that you won't feel like that after reading this book. You will be walking once and for all in the light of God's wonderful grace. I really recommend this book. It's an easy read, and Jerry Bridges keeps it real and biblical.
Rating:
Summary: Now I Understand!
Review: I never understood God's grace and what it meant until I read "Transforming grace". I have spent years trying to earn what God had already given to me freely- eternal salvation. I no longer see God as a task master ready to step on me for the smallest infraction. I now see him as the God who loved me even when I was at emnity with him. Thats grace! I see God as a holy,gracious,generous,loving, and good God. If you've been feeling like the life of the believer is more of a burden than a blessing, then you need to read this book. I promise that you won't feel like that after reading this book. You will be walking once and for all in the light of God's wonderful grace. I really recommend this book. It's an easy read, and Jerry Bridges keeps it real and biblical.
Rating:
Summary: A must read!
Review: Ive been a growing christian for about 10 years and considered myself well read in classic christian literature. I looked down somewhat on all these new theme books. But this book literally changed my life. He teaches grace by breaking it down and going deeper. A must.
Rating:
Summary: Oh, the Power of God's Grace!
Review: Jerry, in fact, does a wonderful job in explaining how the grace that justifies (i.e., saves) the sinner is the same and only foundational grace for all benefits, etc. of the Christian life. We cannot in any way grow or diminish in our position of acceptance by God because Jesus Christ did absolutely everything necessary to turn away God's wrath forever and did absolutely everything necessary to keep us fully accepted by God without any wavering or second guessing on God's part. God cannot justly diminish His relationship with us because of our sins or increase our fellowship with Him because of any righteous acts on our part. Jesus did it all: "It is finished." I highly recommend this book for this aspect of grace as Jerry presents it. But Jerry comes up short by constantly saying in one way or another that grace is unmerited. The Bible is clear: grace (God's favor) is always earned. There is not a single person who has been justified, sanctified, and glorified with a grace, a favor, that was not earned. We find in Luke that Jesus grew in favor with God. . . . This is exactly the point. All grace ever shown to sinners was because Jesus earned it as our Substitute. And considering the doctrine of imputation and the many "in Him" types of phrasings used by Paul, the Bible actually teaches that forensically (legally), Christians earned their salvation. To put it another way: when Jesus lived a perfectly acceptable life before God, suffered God's wrath for sin, died, rose, ascended, and began to reign in heaven, every true believer was "in Him" and therefore in a legal sense (not literal sense), Christians were crucified for their sins, lived th perfect life necessary for salvation, and now reign with Him (Roman 2:13; Eph. 2; Gal. 2:20). It is interesting that when people define grace, they, like Jerry, define it 2 ways: 1) unmerited favor; 2) God's riches at Christ's expense. Well, which is it? These 2 explanations are diametrically opposed. Either God's favor wasn't merited (option 1), or it was merited (option 2). The Bible is clear: God's favor is always merited; thankfully Jesus did it for us. One other thought: mention is made of unconditional love. Again, the Bible knows nothing of the sort. God's love for sinners is fully conditional upon Jesus Christ meeting fully, for us, the conditions required of us by God to be loved by Him: living a sinless life. We couldn't do it, but Jesus did. "Transforming Grace" is definitely a worthwhile book and I highly recommend it for the teaching on saving grace as a way of life until death. But it must be read with some discernment, replacing Jerry's comments about unmerited favor with the idea that God's favor must be, and is, merited, but by a Substitute--Jesus Christ. I would hope that Jerry would consider a re-write of the book with these crucial corrections.
Rating:
Summary: The context and content of the concept of Grace
Review: One can read a book about a topic, but it may seem all to academic unless there is something related to the content of that book that you yourself have had to wrestle through. I do not endorse Jerry Bridges' "Transforming Grace" because it tickles my academic theological fancy. I endorse this book because I've "Been there... Done that... Got the t-shirt..."
Jerry Bridges articulates conclusions and thoughts I have come to regarding the Biblical concept of grace in the life of the believer; conclusions and thoughts I came to after wrestling with the issues of law and grace in the context of a former church characterized by a sophisticated subtle legalism founded in a scholastic pseudo-Puritanism; thoughts and conclusions forged in the fire of painful experience, the study of Scripture, and prayer. Bridges has not only articulated many of the same thoughts and conclusions I had come to regarding a Biblical concept of grace, he has expanded on them.
I also saw in "Transforming Grace" some of the principles and concepts set forth by Francis Schaffer in his seminal work "True Spirituality". The advantage of Bridges work is that it articulates those things from "True Spirituality" on a more popular and understandable level.
The Apostle Paul very clearly states in Titus 2:11-12 that it is Biblical grace that teaches us how to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly and righteously and godly in the present age. It is a focus on grace that teaches these things, not a focus on the law or duty or scrupulosity. It is not that there is no place for law and duty, but that place is subordinate to grace, not equal to, above, or apart from it. This truth is a foundational principle to what Bridges is saying in "Transforming Grace".
The grace that is spoken of in this book is not some vague concept of "grace" that has no content or context. It is the grace of God as exhibited in the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is in the context of the Gospel that grace has content and meaning. Bridges clearly articulates the great cost of grace from God's perspective in the work and suffering of Jesus Christ. It's through the payment of that great cost by Christ Himself that grace becomes free, unearned, and un-conditional not just for lost and bankrupt sinners, but also for forgiven sinners living their Christian lives in response to the grace and love God has shown them. "Transforming Grace" clearly sets out that Biblical grace is "God's Riches At Christ's Expense."
Nor is Bridges pulling his view of grace out of a hat. This book looks at Scripture and expounds relevant passages.
"Transforming Grace" exposes the latent legalism that still afflicts the Evangelical church at large. But neither is antinomianism spared. Both legalism and antinomianism share the same basic fundamental flaw. Both are the result of an insufficient view of what the Gospel is, and what the grace of God in the Gospel does. It is a focus on the grace of God in the Gospel that will keep us in the way that leads to life, will keep our life in Biblical balance, and is the basis of all true Biblical spirituality.
If you are looking for a well-balanced presentation of what Biblical grace is, I highly recommend "Transforming Grace".
Rating:
Summary: Truly Transforming
Review: Studying and learning about God's incredible grace changes and defines my perspective on who I am and what God has done for me. Bridges does an amazing job of getting back to the basics of the importance and life-channging essnece of God's grace. I would highly recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: Truly Transforming
Review: Studying and learning about God's incredible grace changes and defines my perspective on who I am and what God has done for me. Bridges does an amazing job of getting back to the basics of the importance and life-channging essnece of God's grace. I would highly recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome Book!
Review: This book really changed my view of grace and challenged me to really live a life of grace. Jerry Bridges captures the real meaning of grace. This is a must read book! Recommend it to anyone and everyone. Really helps you live a more Christ-centered life!
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Summary: This is no longer Jerry Bridges newest work, but it is GREAT
Review: This book was just what I needed. I had forgotten that we are not only saved by grace... we can LIVE by grace. In fact, if we are living any other way, we are outside the will of God and we cannot have the true love and devotion for Christ to which we are called. A great wake up call to the church... and to me personally. Well worth the time to read. It could change your life!!!
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