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Rating: 
Summary: reader-friendly, eloquent and insightful
Review: Dr. Ryrie clarifies his own thoughts on the gift of salvation in a very reader-friendly and eloquent style. Extremely well written, it is more like a friend reasoning with you rather than a professor who is presenting his thesis to you.Very early on, he talks about semantics, which often times are simply neglected, but in reality can have a dramatic effect upon how one interprets the scriptures. He then walks you through various situations, using insightful questions and examples to help us arrive at the meaning of a text, using "the whole counsel of God." While it is not meant to be a systematic treatment of the subject, it is well organized and is suitable for both the layman and scholar.
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Summary: I'm sorry Dr. Ryrie but genuine faith perseveres
Review: It is a sad thing when a well-respected and godly evangelical theologian fails miserably on a certain theological issue. Dr. Ryrie states that a true believer can stop believing! The Bible states that those who persevere in faith will be saved (Matt 24:13) and that those who do persevere are true believers (cf. Hebrews 3:14 and 1 John 2:19). However, it is granted that Ryrie is responding to some of the unbiblical excesses (e.g., MacArthur) of the biblical Reformed view, but a theological view should be based on solid Scriptural foundation. This critical review is not about the integrity and character of Dr. Ryrie (like I said, he is a well-respected and godly theologian). However, when someone like Ryrie teaches this error it must brought to light. I'm sure that Ryrie had the best of intentions when writing this book (to accuse him of being an antinomian immoralists is pure slander) but this book falls short of good exegesis and theology.
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Summary: The Heart of the Matter...
Review: Many do not seem to understand that when writing a book, the author must write to his audience. Dr. Ryrie does this beautifully. This book can be read by the newest of Christians as well as seminary students. Dr. Ryrie does not give compromise the Gospel with his teaching on salvation. Some have said that the Theology has been kept short in this book: that is the point. Dr. Ryrie does not endeavor to write another Systematic Theology, rather, he is teaching on a subject through the medium of the written word. I am immensely grateful for this book. Thank you Dr. Ryrie.
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Summary: A Must Read for All Christians
Review: Many do not seem to understand that when writing a book, the author must write to his audience. Dr. Ryrie does this beautifully. This book can be read by the newest of Christians as well as seminary students. Dr. Ryrie does not give compromise the Gospel with his teaching on salvation. Some have said that the Theology has been kept short in this book: that is the point. Dr. Ryrie does not endeavor to write another Systematic Theology, rather, he is teaching on a subject through the medium of the written word. I am immensely grateful for this book. Thank you Dr. Ryrie.
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Summary: Thank You Dr. Ryrie
Review: My congratulations go out to Dr. Charles Ryrie. Finally someone has stepped out and written a book that showed salvation as the Bible showed it. Ryrie does not present cheap grace here, he presents free grace here. He does not present easy believism here, he presents simple believism. Dr. Ryrie should be commended for taking a stand for the "gift of God unto salvation to everyone who believes." Ryrie adresses the problem that has plagued the church since the first century when the Judaizers caused the Galatians to stumble. It seems that everyone wants to help God out by adding something either to the front or the back of the Gospel. Ryrie doesn't do that in this book. You owe it to yourself to read this book if you truly want to know what the Bible says about the gospel.
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Summary: Grace- it's too easy for some
Review: This book has literally saved my life. The freedom which Christ preached has been perverted for centuries by men who self righteously portray themselves as judges of mens souls instead of their actions alone. Certainly I can judge a mans deeds- but his soul is not my domain. Where he or she came from and the fruit they display in their lives is not mine to make SOUL judgements of- I may doubt their salvation- but to know is to truly play God. Lordship advocates talk of playing God by "easy believism and cheap grace" yet in reality their's is true playing of God. Churches where the hurt and empty can come and the "Easy (there's that word again) yoke" of Jesus can be taken have turned into looking good Christians with harsh attitudes and great fear that "you or I may not be doing it right". The fear that grace might lead to "go ahead and sin anyway" was answered by Paul in Romans 6- and he stated in Galatians that the gospel was an offense to the works righteous Jews of his day. While I won't judge the Lordships advocates souls I will say that it appears they would be appalled at the people Jesus hung out with.
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Summary: Salvation in laymans terms
Review: This book was an excellent read and really clarified the issue of what it means to beleive in Jesus Christ. By no means an antinomian, Ryrie sets forth a clear exegesis of the issue of exactly 'what it takes' to be saved. He responds with integrity, balance, and grace to the Lordship salvation view. Any serious born again Christian should ponder over this book. Most notable is his exegesis of the passage on the rich young ruler which lordhsip advocates take as a prime text for their view. Very grateful for this work.
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Summary: A Great Book
Review: Unlike so many of his critics, Charles Ryrie with grace and class demonstrates in "So Great a Salvation" why salvation is a free gift received by simple faith alone in Christ alone. He demonstrates this biblically and theologically. In addition, he explains why the terminology used in explaining the Gospel is so important. Charles Ryrie also looks at the implications of "lordship salvation." He demonstrates convincingly in this book, that "lordship salvation" does not make sense biblically or theologically. He examines many of the straw man arguments that lordship teachers like to use with regards to Free Grace teaching and many of the misnomers used to label Free Grace teaching (eg. "easy-believism", "cheap grace"). Ryrie also brings up key questions for the reader to ponder. For example, when he once was interacting with those of a lordship persepective he asked this question to them about a hypothetical person who wanted to be saved but smoked and knew it was bad for him, "Can he not be saved until either he gives up smoking or is willing to give up smoking? (page 113)" The reader then can see that if the answer is "yes", then one has introduced a condition other than faith in Christ to receive the gift of eternal life. Yet, unfortunatley, this is what those of a lordship salvation perspective teach. I found this book to be a great up in clearing up much of the confusion surrounding the Gospel.
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Summary: Unbelieveable
Review: Welcome to the world of Charles Ryrie and Zane Hodges, where one can be a Christian without being a disciple of Christ, where repentance is nothing more than a change of mind about who Jesus is (i.e. repentance without ethical or moral dimension), where one can invite Jesus to be Savior while expecting Him to check His kingly crown at the heart's door. In an effort to preserve the graciouness of grace, Ryrie and Hodges neuter the power of God's grace upon the human will, viewing biblical repentance and faith in the LORD Jesus as a "human work." Ryrie and Hodges miss the core issue of original sin - the desire to be "like God" (Genesis 3), to be the boss of one's life. This is without a doubt the poorest piece of "theology" I've yet read from one who purports to be a conservative scholar. So disappointed with the lack of biblical quotation or support, after reading it, I trashed my long held "Ryrie Study Bible." If you decide to read this book anyway, you owe it to yourself to read John MacArthur Jr. or Richard Belcher's defense of the so-called "Lordship Salvation" position. (i.e. Salvation according to Jesus and the Apostles). Better yet, read the New Testament. I cannot fathom how anyone could come to Ryrie and Hodges conclusions by simply reading the Word.
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