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Faith That Pleases God: You Don't Need to Strive for What You Already Have

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Bob George states that the average Christian today lives out his Christianity like the Galatians did. So many Christians look to religion to provide and maintain spiritual life, depending on self-effort, continuous repentance,and confession of sins to gain God's approval and acceptance. Small wonder that so many believers are struggling in their walk and feeling condemned. Bob George has written a challenging book to guide the Christian towards new covenant living, where grace leads to a joyous, holy lifestyle and where Jesus Christ is honored and glorified in every area of life. He has an interesting chapter on 1John 1:9 which offers some startling and captivating insights. I liked the author's straight-forward writing style and his use of stories from his personal experience to clarify his message. I found this book to be very encouraging and I highly recommend it.

A previous reviewer has stated that Bob George's new book is dangerous theologically. Well, no, it isn't; however, it does depart from contemporary American theology. Over the last, what is it 1800? 1900 years? The Christian church has picked up a great deal of theological baggage (Gnostic teachings, legalistic trappings held over from Judaism, Greek concepts of the universe, etc). American theology hasn't done any better. We have a tendancy to "translate" the Christian texts into our own language, and many times we got it wrong.
Bob George is a modern day Martin Luther; his words cut through the trappings of organized religion in order to get at the core message of the Christian church--Salvation through Faith in God and his Grace. His message is not theologically dangerous, it is theologically sound because it is the core message of the Christian religion, one that Christians have forgotten in their efforts to ... I don't know what: know more? get more grace (whatever that means)? be a better Christian? I'm not sure, I've never understood. Bob George's message is perfect: Our faith in God's Grace is enough. A bit scary, because we all want to DO something more; however, THAT desire to do more, know more, go beyond is more dangerous theologically. Read Bob George--he's no literary marvel, but that's not needed here, just solid core Christian theology. No more, no less.

To people who have been in church all of their lives, this book may seem a little unusual at first. However, Bob George has a very grounded view of salvation and once you read this book and the light comes on, the Bible will read much differently for you. I received a much clearer understanding of what God did for us and now I know why my feeble attempts at living the "Christian life" were not enough. I was doing it all wrong. I was relying on my own efforts instead of depending on what Christ had already done for me so long ago. I also recommend that you read Classic Christianity. It will open your eyes.

Are you tired of living your "Christian" life like it's a spiritual and emotional rollercoaster? Do you want to know more about the Christ that lives in you? Mr.George points to Him, the one who completes us and makes us into His perfect image. One statement he made was that we beg in life for what we already have in Christ. This is an awesome book! Very similar to the Grace Walk series by Mr.McVey.

This book has opened my eyes to Biblical scripture like no other book I've read, not compermising the righteousness of Christ, it shows how you can find real peace and true freedom as a Christian.Classic Christianity: Life's Too Short to Miss the Real Thing

This work is the first one I have read by Bob George. Before moving to this book's greatest shortcoming, I'd like to mention its greatest strength. George here gives a very strong message of God's grace for the believer in Christ. For people who have been struggling with a legalistic view of Christianity, his words are like a deep drink of cool water to parched and thirsty lips. There are many Christians who will benefit enormously from his emphasis on the centrality of God's grace in the life of one who is born again.

The greatest shortcoming of this work is that it has little if any regard for church history and theology. In the opening pages, George describes the message he felt God was impressing upon him early in his Christian development:

"'Bob, your mind is like a blackboard covered with all sorts of religious information. . . . Bob, today let's erase the whole thing and start over. I don't care what the Baptists or what Campus Crusade has taught you, or your pastor, relative or friend. I want you to erase it all and start over again, allowing Me to teach you. Are you willing?' I answered, 'Lord, am I ever!' 'Good,' God said, 'Now, open your Bible.' As I did, over the course of the next several months, God began to teach me the fullness of His grace -- starting with the very basics." (Pages 30-31)

The rest of this work describes the garbled view of grace that George learned in his private, exclusive tutoring from God. Because he places a high priority on the integrity of the Scriptures, the bulk of what he says rings true. He loses however, the clarity and consistency that would have resulted from openness to the Biblical theology and teaching from other believers. Three examples of this deficiency are his shallow remarks on sanctification (mainly forgiveness of sin), intercessory prayer, and predestination.

In short, George's work has a very powerful, positive psychological effect on someone who has experienced little of God's grace. Theologically however, his words are sorely lacking in the clarity and the consistency that learning from other believers throughout church history would have provided. The danger is that uninformed Christians who read his book will follow in the same footsteps of his isolated spiritual development.

For all the people choosing to read this book, it would be wise to remember that George is writing as a Christian counselor, not as a theologian. To develop any sort of doctrinal system based upon these views would be very risky business for believers.

Bob George is known for his erronous views of 1 John 1:9 and confession of sin. He has a very unbiblical view of the Lordship of Christ (non-Lordship) and has a confusing view of eternal security. His ministry, People to People, presents itself as a Christian counseling organization designed to help set Christians free from bondage yet often leaves people confused and more out of touch with true Christianity than before.

In this book, FAITH THAT PLEASES GOD, George presents what he believes is a biblical view of true faith and essentially that is: do nothing and just rest in the knowledge of what Jesus has already done for us. He says any other view is legalism. I noticed that this is his key word for anything tied with obedience such as prayer, fasting, evangelism, or holiness. George likes to take passages such as 1 Corinthians 10:23-24 or Galatians 5:1 and teach that a believer can live anyway they desire. To suggest otherwise is legalism in his mind.

The book has many negatives that are common in George's other writings as well. First, George seeks to undermine the effect and power of sin in the life of the believer. George teaches that a believer never need to confess their sins again once they are "in Christ" by faith. Yet Scripture teaches the contrary. Sin can destroy the believer (Romans 6:23; Galatians 6:7-9; 1 John 2:6-9). The Bible teaches that our sins are forgiven at initial salvation (Luke 23:42,43; Acts 10:43-48; Psalm 103:12) but not all our sins after our conversion otherwise Romans 8:13; 2 Cor. 7:1; Gal. 5:19-21; 1 Tim. 5:22; and Rev. 3:4 (just to name a few) would make no sense. Furthermore, Jesus Himself taught that our future sins are not automatically forgiven (Matt. 6:14,15). 2 Peter 1:9 refers to past sins so Peter must not have the "all forgiven" mindset.

Secondly, George undermines perseverance. What is the point of persevering if I am eternally secure? George would offer a confusing answer by saying that those who do not persevere were not saved in the first place based on a faulty view of 1 John 2:19 (which deals with false teachers, not false Christians in the context). Yet if I seek to persevere in faithfulness to Jesus then I am a legalist yet if I don't then I am not truly saved in the first place? There is no logic in this. The Bible clearly teaches that we are to persevere (Luke 8:21; 9:23-25; 11:28; Acts 14:21-22; Romans 6:1-23; 8:12-13; 11:20-22; 1 Cor. 9:24-10:21; 15:1-4; 2 Cor. 1:24; Gal. 3:1-4; Php. 2:11-15; Hebrews 2:1-4; 3:6-19; 4:1-16; 5:8-9; 6:4-20; 10:19-39; 11:13-16; 12:1-39; James 2:14-26; 4:4-10; 5:19-20; 1 John 1:5-2:10; etc.).

In conclusion, George's put is not a "reformational" book. It does little to help the believer. Nearly 80% of the callers to People to People want to discuss habitual sin yet George denouces confessing sin (1 John 1:9) and never advises believers to pursue holiness (Hebrews 12:14-15). He offers no Scriptural teaching on perseverance in true obedient faith. He often quotes Scripture but avoids texts that he disagrees with.

For a better study of true faith see Daniel Corner's THE BELIEVER'S CONDITIONAL SECURITY.