Misunderstanding or mis-placing the importance of God’s grace in our lives. We see and understand it as our eternal salvation, but leave it out of everyday life. The recently re-released, Transforming Grace, by the late Jerry Bridges helps us see it in its fullness. That we don’t base our relationship with God on our performance – but on his love for us.
It allows us to see just how inexhaustible and generous God really is.
Transforming Grace, from the Jerry Bridges gives a strong understanding of grace and how it should guide our Christian lifestyles. The book is filled with several credible examples and quotes and includes a thorough study guide that helps leaders to guide others in their understanding.
Grace – A Solution for Bankruptcy
In Romans 3:10-12, we see our declaration of our spiritual bankruptcy. Unfortunately, many of us tend to think of that bankruptcy as a temporary condition. We don’t see it as a permanent and absolute thing. It’s not a matter of saying we are in debt, wipe us clean, and let us try again. There is no trying again for the spiritually bankrupt. It’s forever when it is absent of God’s transforming grace.
As Bridges shows throughout the book, Transforming Grace is the entire Christian life from start to completion lived on a basis of God’s grace to us through Christ. It is being justified by it, living a Christian life based on it, and ultimately God’s glorification based upon it.
By applying ourselves and learning to live under the reign of God’s transforming grace, love, liberty, and law will get rightful place in our lives. It will guide us to be loved and to love one another. In short, it frees us from the swamplands of legalism.
Bridges takes us full circle, from recognizing our spiritual bankruptcy, living by god’s transforming grace, and then extending that same spirit of grace to others.
The Layout of Transforming Grace
Pro: The book includes thirteen chapters spanning “The Performance Treadmill” to “The Generous Landowner” and “Appropriating God’s Grace.” All chapters are constructed with the depth of Bridges’ knowledge containing evidence and quotes from several credible resources. Though it does get repetitive in some places, his teaching is informative, thought-provoking and provides much substance for deeper reflection and meditation. The book also has a great good discussion guide that would normally require a separate purchase. It’s thorough and organized to help leaders facilitate group study and conversation,
[special]The concept of the Christian life is often thought to be a grace-works-grace sequence. However, Bridges shows, through Transforming Grace, that the entire Christian life from start to completion is lived on the basis of God’s grace to us through Christ. That is being justified by grace, living a Christian life based on grace, and ultimately God’s glorification based upon grace.[/special]
Jerry Bridges (1929-2016)
Jerry Bridges was an acclaimed author and a beloved conference speaker. His books have sold millions and have been published in twenty languages. He was on staff of The Navigators for more than sixty years and served in the collegiate missions department, where he was involved primarily in staff development but also served as a speaker resource to the campus ministries.
See Also: A review of The Blessing of Humility