Customer Reviews

The Gospel for Real Life: Turn to the Liberating Power of the Cross...Every Day (with Study Guide)

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Jerry Bridges is one of my favorite authors. He is so clear. He is so personable. He is Christ-centered and gospel-centered in everything that he writes.

I find today that many Christians do not understand how the gospel relates to every day living. The gospel saves us. We all know that. But, what does the gospel have to do with my life today? Bridges helps us with that.

The book will help you to enjoy the gospel. We sometimes skip over many of the incredible doctrines related to salvation. We don't savor the truths. We don't LOVE the truths. Our study of salvation is merely academic. After each chapter of Bridges' book, you will want to have your own little celebration with God. You will want to set the book down, and pray to your great Savior.

As I said before, one of Bridges' strengths is his clarity. This is especially important when it comes to the gospel. Can you explain the gospel clearly...from the text of Scripture? Bridges will help the truths to be clear in your mind so that you are better equipped to share them with others.

Do you find yourself having a 'ho-hum' attitude about your salvation? A 'take it or leave it' attitude? Do you yawn a lot when you read what the Bible says about justification or adoption? Those truths are amazing! Those truths are what should motivate you to live a life of worship to God.

With Bridges' you will celebrate your life with Christ.

I bought this book after someone recommended Jerry Bridges to me. I found this book a very basic, easy to read guideline to Covenant theology, namely the aspect of Salvation and the Christian Life.

Bridges Encourages believers to embrace the reality of Christ's finished work on the Cross, understand the meaning of reconciliation and Adoption by God, and no longer live with the knowledge and regret of past failure. Among the interesting points in the book is Bridge's interpretation of the word *propitiation* (which I fully agree, and believe it will satisfy the demands of modern, Reformed theologians). Chapters 5-9 contain the heart of the book as well as the heart of the Gospel. Bridges is able to take deep thought from modern and older reformers and put them into Everyman language.

Final Analysis: This book is basic. It contained no new truth, it just retold it in different terms (which is important). If you are familiar with the Catholic/Protestant debate over Sola Fide, then this book will not add anything new to the argument that both sides have not already heard. Try to find the book cheaper and it would well be a Sunday read which you could probably finish in a day. The book is aimed at those who are liveing their livies in quiet desperation. Only when we fully realize what Christ actually did on the cross will we ever truly live.

Jerry Bridges is an experienced Bible teacher and a member of the Navigator Collegiate Ministry Group. In The Gospel For Real Life: Turn To The Liberating Power Of The Cross... Every Day, Bridges offers a powerful testimony concerning human sin, God's terrible wrath, and the transcendent redemption offered by Christ on the Cross. Promoting the Gospel as directly relevant not only for the afterlife, but life today, The Gospel For Real Life is visionary, passionately charged with faith and hope, and vitally important reader for Christians of all denominations and backgrounds.

A previous reviewer mentioned that there was nothing new in this book but I heartily disagree. Tim Keller has said that the gospel "is a living power that continually expands its influence in our lives, just as a crop or tree would grow and spread and dominate more and more of an area with roots and fruit." Bridges is not mereley explaining doctrines in plain terms here. He is laying out the foundation for the successful Christian to walk and rest daily upon. The gospel for real life!

As he says in the book "to the extent that we understand and believe the truth regarding justification, we will experience a subjective peace--that is a sense of peace within our souls." That means we will want to experience every aspect of it, conform our wills to it, and offer it as an explanation to those in need of it.

This book has mighty implications and should be read and implemented thoughtfully!

Jerry Bridges is one of my favorite authors. His writing is always clear, concise, saturated in Scripture and very edifying. The Gospel for Real Life is certainly no exception. Bridges gives his straight forward and simple thesis in the preface: "This book is not meant to be a theological treatise. To borrow an expression from the collegiate world, it is intended to be `Gospel 101.'"

Bridges' burden in the book is to help the Christian reader fully understand the gospel so that they can preach the gospel to themselves, everyday. Why? Because he is convinced that there are many sincere Christians in the church today who have a deep, troubling, yet private anxiety about their relationship with God.

He tells of a ministry colleague of his who "recently confessed that he felt overwhelmed and anxious even in the midst of fruitful ministry." He quotes Richard Lovelace to articulate the problem: "below the surface of their lives [they] are guilt ridden and insecure...[and] draw the assurance of their acceptance from God from their sincerity, their past experience of conversion, their recent religious performance or the relative infrequency of their conscious, willful disobedience." Where does this come from? Bridges contends that it flows from an inadequate view of the gospel.

Therefore, Bridges seeks to unfold the riches of the gospel of Christ in 15 chapters, discussing gospel essentials such as the depth of our sin, justification, atonement, Christ's sacrifice, reconciliation and the imputation of Christ's righteousness, just to name a few. He finishes the book with a final chapter (chapter 16) focusing on our responsibility to take this glorious gospel to the world. This responsibility, however, is not a duty to be done out of slavish fear or mere obligation, but an act of loving obedience in response to the glorious grace revealed in the gospel-the gospel that he labored to help the reader understand in the previous 15 chapters.

Personally, I have already read this book twice and I plan to read it again. It is very refreshing and strengthening. It keeps me away from the tyranny of trying to earn my righteousness and from the soul killing power of legalism. It is a simple book, and, as Bridges explains, not a theological treatise. But God help us if we think we are "beyond" such things. This is a book for baby Christians and seasoned theologians alike because it brings us back to where we are to constantly remain: relying fully on Christ and His gospel.

this is the most thorough and understandable explanation of the Gospel I've ever heard. jerry bridges is a great man of God who obviously has lived his life and studied the Scriptures in such a way as to know these truths deeply! this book is insightful to mature believers, thorough to young believers, and explicit and clear to the seekers...great for anyone!

Churches need this book. Bridges writes about very weighty theological topics in a very succinct and simple manner. It has been said that to really grasp something is to be able to communicate it simply. Bridges must really understand the gospel. Through beautiful story-telling, pointed analogies, and soul-stirring metaphors Bridges makes deep truths easily understood.

The principle behind this book and its Christ-centered, gospel-loving nature will make this a timeless classic. It causes the reader to want more. More of the gospel and more of our Savior. It reminds us that the gospel is meant for every day. To truly apply the principles in this book would revolutionize our individual lives and our churches.

What I Disliked:

"Dislike" is probably too strong of a word. One of the greatest qualities in this book is also one of its most distracting. The simplicity of this book can cause the deeper reader to get a tad bored. The material is wonderful and Bridges writes in such a way to combat that. It is probably more a reflection of my own heart and not being in awe of the great work of Christ as I ought to be as it is Bridges writing. Nonetheless, the reader does have to stay focused. This book is better read reflecting on a chapter at a time. Unless of course it is new material, then soak it up and read it three times over.

Should You Buy This Book?

Yes. Pastor's buy a few for your congregation. Lead a study on this. It does have a study guide in the back. This would be very fitting for a small group. Buy one and live by it.

Jerry Bridges is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. He writes in a way that is clear and understandable. Respectable Sins is one of his books that convicts me just by being on my shelf. This time I have his book The Gospel for Real Life. Less conviction, more encouragement.

This book is all about reminding the believer of the message that saved them. But, he also goes beyond that. Bridges reminds us all that the gospel is not just for the converts. Every Christian at every stage in their sanctification needs the gospel every single day. The Gospel for Real Life is the perfect reminder.

Bridges is clear on the Gospel. He is also clear that it is something that we need everyday of our lives. I found something else that I thought was an excellent quality of this book: warmth. He is not heavy-handed or harsh. His words do not communicate frustration that you're not already understanding this. Instead, he graciously and generously encourages you to turn to the loving, grace of God in Christ everyday.

This would be an excellent book for personal or group study. My copy includes a study guide at the end that would make for great personal meditation time or small group discussion.

NOTE: To comply with regulations of the Federal Trade Commission I would like to state that I have received a complementary copy of the aforementioned text as compensation for my review.

Let me start with the author's main objective and then notify you how I got there: The cross and its effectual work on the believer.

Jerry Bridges is very dependable and readable popular Christian author. His writing is easy to understand and always provides edification for the new believer and the mature Christian. I like his style and the content of this volume is resplendent, yet doctrinally sturdy.
He opens with: "To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood..." (Revelation 1:5).

He delivers numerous short chapters on:
- Why the Cross?
- Justice satisfied
- The scapegoat
- Paul's great exchange
- Sanctification
- Confident assurance
and many more important chapters on salvation (imputation, justification, works flowing from grace in all those who are justified. All streaming from the effectual work of the cross on the believer.
Wonderful for personal, marital, and family devotions. Chapters are precise, uplifting, and brief.

Makes a great present for new Christians.
God Does Exist!: Defending the faith using presuppositional apologetics, evidence, and the impossibility of the contrary

"Gospel For Real Life" is one of those rare books which take you back to the wonderful truths of the Gospel and motivate you immensely to lead a Gospel-centered life. The book really challenged my so-called professed Christian beliefs and helped me to return to the most fundamental truths of the Gospel that should be the foundation of every Christian life. Often, we as Christians get so much lost in the worldly affairs that we do not have the time to ponder upon these truths, let alone apply them in our lives. Our hearts gradually become so attuned to the workings of the world that we tend to move away from the liberating power of the Cross of Christ. That's why the book calls for a need to preach the Gospel to yourself daily by presenting the Gospel truths in simple, clear terms so that your eyes are fixed on the Lord who alone can sustain you. The book has been written in non-technical way without using any heavy theological language so that even a lay person can grasp the amazing truths of the Gospel. Irrespective of one's standing before the Lord, whether he is a mature believer or a new one, these truths continue to stir and overwhelm your heart.

I have very much benefited from it in my Christian walk by learning as to how to apply these wonderful truths in my life. It is the kind of book which you would like to read again and again. I am sure all believers shall reap benefits by reading this gem of a book.