Broken People, Transforming Grace by Roy Hession
You need to read this book! Seriously, I don’t care who you are–a long-time church member, a new Christian, a preacher, an unbeliever enquiring about the Christian faith, a backslider–whoever you are and however you classify yourself–you need to read this book! Your greatest need, and my greatest need, is the transforming grace of God; and this book will shed light on the pathway to that grace. We are all broken people, whether we like to admit it or not–broken people in need of transforming grace–no matter where we are in life’s journey.
In his introduction, the author himself calls the book a “handbook to revival” and I can’t think of a better description. What happens in these pages is that the author takes ten “great words of the gospel”–words like Jesus, reconciliation, grace, forgiveness, cleansing, justification–and turns a spotlight on them in a way that makes everything crystal clear. This is not dry-as-dust theology–far from it! The amplication of these great words of the gospel is done in a way that will fully engage your mind, captivate your heart, and renew your spirit. There’s a high chance that you will experience some level of spiritual renewal as you carefully ponder these pages. Here is Hession’s list of “great words of the gospel”:
1. Good news…for Bad People
In this chapter Hession argues that the gospel is “good news” not good advice. Many churches today offer good advice, even great advice, but precious little good news. Good advice is great if you’re strong enough to be able to follow it; but every one of us is weak. In ourselves we are devoid of the moral and spiritual power needed to follow the good advice offered in our churches–we’re just born that way. The first step toward receiving the benefits of God’s good news is acknowledging we are broken (bad!) people.
2. Jesus…for the sinner
This is the greatest word of them all. The name Jesus literally means JEHOVAH SAVIOR. Jesus is the Savior God–the Savior of sinners. All the fulness of the Godhead dwells in Jesus and he’s available to every one of us.
3. Reconciliation…for the enemy
This is perhaps the best chapter in the whole book. The author shows that man is at enmity with God because of sin. He then goes on to show the extreme lengths to which God has gone (and still does) in order to be reconciled to man. He clearly shows that, while God is justly angry at sin, he is passionately in love with the sinner. He pursues the sinner. The overarching message is: GOD IS FOR US! So many times we are tempted to believe the lie that somehow God is not for us; if that sounds familiar to you, please read this chapter!
4. Grace…for the underserving
Grace is the undeserved love of God, with special emphasis on “undeserved.” Hession shows the almost unbelievable greatness of God’s grace; the difference between grace and love; the relationship of grace to the law; how God’s grace and truth work together; and the relationship of grace to repentance and also to holiness.
5. Without shedding of blood is no remission…the crux of the matter
This chapter outlines the crucial role of the blood of Christ in God’s master plan of redemption. What does the term “the blood of Jesus” really mean? The author examines a number of Old Testament types and teachings in order to shed a powerful light on this whole subject of the blood of Jesus.
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The other five words (really phrases) are:
6. Forgiveness…for the guilty
7. Cleansing…for the defiled
8. Justification…for the ungodly
9. Repentance…the essential key
10. Glorification…for the redeemed
So what are you waiting for? Buy Broken People, Transforming Grace now!
