Customer Reviews

Revolution Within: A Fresh Look at Supernatural Living

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The purpose of this book is to help believers understand and apply the provisions of the New Covenant (NC) while severing all ties with the Old Covenant (OC), which Edwards makes synonymous with the Law. While his handling of the NC is fairly accurate, his portrayal of the believer's life under the OC is not.

Edwards believes Christians should obey God's standards out of love for Christ, unlike OC obedience which he claims was obedience to a code, not a person. He further characterizes OC living as devoid of grace, true spirituality, meaningful service, and joy. Has Edwards ever read the Psalms? He believes that under the OC, only the giants of the faith were usually able to know God (prophets, priests, kings). All others could only know Him through external means. However, David was called by God while a shepherd boy because of his heart condition (I Sam.16). Many others such as Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, none of whom were high ranking people nor came to know God through external means, obviously had deep faith relationships with Him. God is made to be a capricious liar by Edwards' position since God says in Deut. 4:31 that anyone who seeks Him with all his heart and soul will find Him. This verse also indicates that OC believers were to seek God Himself, not simply obey a moral code.

Although God Himself initiated the OC, Edwards believes it shows only what man can do for God, a list of commandments to obey. He fails to mention that Abraham was saved by faith (Gen. 15:6) or that grace even existed under the OC. He believes love is the spiritual litmus test in the NC, unlike the OC, failing to mention that the two greatest commandments to love God and others were given as part of the OC. He also fails to mention that Micah reduces God's requirements to doing justice, loving kindness, and walkling humbly with God, not a system of do's and don'ts.

Edwards minimizes the ministries of the OC believers as depicted in Heb. 11 and II Chron.31:21, stating that OC ministry is lifeless and produces only death. This is because of his view that the Law and the OC are synonymous. However, while the OC is obsolete, the Law is not. Jesus came to fulfill it (Matt.5) and Paul says faith establishes it (Rom.3:31). They are not one and the same. Heb.9 relates that only the OC sacrifices, earthly tabernacles and purification rites are now obsolete, not the Law itself.

Edwards never mentions that the OC was given in the larger context of a pre-existing covenant of grace. OC recipients of grace through faith in God enjoyed circumcised hearts to love God with all their hearts and minds (Deut.30:6), as well as eternal salvation. Salvation through grace and love for God as a motivation for godly living is God's plan in both the NC and the OC.

If you feel strongly about the message of grace throughout the Bible from beginning to end, you will probably not appreciate this book.

This book and its companion, Experiencing God Within, are rich, soul-freeing studies. Many believers, I think, struggle with living the Christian life as a duty, trying to get it right. Dwight's easy to read book presents a different light as we respond to what God has done, is doing within us. In this book he points out how through Christ's transforming power our deepest desire, allbeit often buried, is to love and please God. We do not have to 'work it up' or manufacture it. All we need is provided as the gift of God --there in in us because of Christ's work --to be discovered and appropriated. Release, incredible freedom in Christ, lifting of the burden, and power to live; these are themes I've found here

The first reformation battled over the doctrine of justification (by faith). If there is to be a second reformation, it will probably be over the issue Edwards deals with in this book...sanctification. Now that I am a Christian, how do I go about my life? We tend to fall into the same old patterns of striving to "keep doing our list" as he points out, instead of living the same way we began in Christ, by grace through faith (See Galatians 3, and Eph. 2:8-10). Book is practical and helpful...refreshing.

Have you ever kept "trying" harder only to keep failing? Have you ever wondered why your life seems to be focusing more on self but, becoming less and less fulfilling? Have you ever wished you had freedom and ability to enjoy God more and experience true rest? Maybe, like me, you are ready for a revolution within. Edwards' book addresses these issues in chapters such as "Falling in Line with your True Design" and "The Journey to Radical Dependence". This book put a fresh light on God's nature and the absolute power He provides. Okay, enough of the "sterilized reviewing". This book has changed my life and my focus. It's been freeing beyond belief to be able to depend on God rather than "self effort". It's been freeing to learn who I really am in Christ. There's a new power I've discovered. And that discovery has truly caused a revoultion within.

If you're looking for a book to help you learn to be real with God in your faith, this one is great!! It will make you think about who a christian is in Christ and it will make you want to be more genuine in your faith. I highly recommend it.

In this book, Edwards uses many allegories to explain what happens when God changes a person's heart (theologically called "regeneration"). He directs the book at people who profess Christianity but who are not experiencing victory over sin, a sense of God's forgiveness, strong devotion to Christ, illumination of God's Word, nor sanctification (being made more distinct from the world).

Edwards' main point of his book is that if his readers have made a one-time profession of faith in Christ, God has already changed their hearts, even though it doesn't seem like it. Compare that teaching to Dwight's ancestor Jonathan Edwards' comments on professing Christians: "Some sinners flatter themselves that they are already converted. They sit down and rest in a false hope, persuading themselves that all their sins are pardoned; that God loves them; that they shall go to heaven when they die; and that they need trouble themselves no more" (The Vain Self-Flatteries of the Sinner). Jonathan Edwards goes on to urge the professing Christian to seek God, in faith asking for a new heart. In contrast, it would seem Dwight would use modern psychology, attempting to build the reader's self esteem, by telling the professing Christian that he already has a new heart.

In Revolution Within, Dwight addresses professing Christians who don't understand basic elements of the gospel: justification by faith alone, absolute forgiveness from sins on the basis of Christ's blood, and turning one's life completely over to Christ, trusting Him to change and guard one's heart.

All this having been said, Dwight's explanations of the essential gospel elements mentioned above are excellent and worth reading, both for the believer and non-believer. My only quibble is with his addressing those who don't experience forgiveness, devotion to Christ, or a sense of grace in Christ's New Covenant, as being born again (regenerated). Believers experience forgiveness because they trust in Christ for forgiveness; Believers are devoted to Christ because they trust Jesus to supply their every need; Believers know they are saved by grace through faith. That is salvation; that is regeneration.

This is a life changing book. The critical difference for Christians is in how we perceive God. Is He our co-pilot, or is He THE pilot? The book clearly states Mr. Edwards correct position - correct theologically and exigetically! However, I do have one complaint - thereby giving this book a rating of 4. On page 184 he says, "This love communicates loudly and clearly, 'You do not have to change in order to maintain my love for you.'" This statement is fundamentally true. We are commanded to love our neighbor as ourself. However, our prayer and desire is that each person we know DOES change into the new creation God wills them to, through the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ! And not just a basic, one time change. But - as Mr. Edwards has so vividly portrayed in this book - become a person who "disappears" into humility and meekness, as our Lord Jesus demonstrated in His life on earth.

The foreward by Dr. Larry Crabb is enough alone to justify the purchase of this book. However, the author delves into many interesting topics to start the revolution within. From the topic of release in chapter one to the parable of two trains leaving the same station but going to different destinations, the author describes how to achieve a life-changing experience with God to apply the life-changing experience to your life, your intimacy, your ministry and finally, your community.

This book is an interesting and good book to read, we see that the author realizes that many of us want to be like eagles, but live like prairie chickens. Many of us want to fall down and confess our sins, but fear that if we did confess our sins, we would never come back to life again. Most importantly, the author writes from a perspective that every believer in Christ wants to do good, but faces the battle of the flesh warring against them. This book does a great job in helping the believer obtain identity, purity, power, and disposition to achive liberty, community, ministry, and intimacy with Christ.

In "Revolution Within," Pastor Dwight Edwards (a descendent of Puritan pastor and author, Jonathan Edwards) details what actually happens when a person places trust in Christ. Martin Luther, the Protestant Reformer, emphasized the justification that happened the moment of saving faith. Edwards emphasizes the regeneration that happened at that same time.

In justification, a Christian receives a new "nurture"--freedom from the penalty of sin and forgiveness that welcomes the believer into the loving, fatherly arms of God. In regeneration, the Christian receives a new "nature"--a new heart cleansed by the blood of Christ and empowered to experience growing victory over sin.

The message of "Revolution Within" is vital for every Christian. Too many believers are taught that they are forgiven (which is an eternally wonderful truth), but remain ignorant of the equally marvelous truth that they are also changed internally. Edwards calls this "new covenant living" (based upon many Old Testament promises and New Testament passages).

"Revolution Within" offers a fresh look at supernatural living. It's a look that is both biblically sound and relationally practical.

Reviewer: Dr. Robert W. Kellemen is the author of "Soul Physicians: A Theology of Soul Care and Spiritual Direction," "Spiritual Friends: A Methodology of Soul Care and Spiritual Direction," and the forthcoming "Sacred Companions: A History of Soul Care and Spiritual Direction."

One of the best books I've read in years on the fundamentals of the Christian life. Thesis is that living the Christian life is impossible aside from God. God cannot help you live the Christian life, He must live it through you.

Great book. Teens at our church are using the book in Sunday school, and they are enjoying it, and learning from it. The book stands in sharp contrast to books teaching techniques on how to improve your Christian life through self-help steps and cookie cutter techniques.