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4.16 AVERAGE
4.16 AVERAGE
JD Greear is the lead pastor of The Summit Church, an evangelical church based in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. In this book, Pastor JD unpacks the difference between traditional religion and the Christian gospel.
Key Takeaways
Religion is based upon performance: "I obey; therefore, I am accepted.” The gospel says: "I am accepted, therefore, I obey".
Growth in Christ is never going beyond the gospel, it is always going deeper into the gospel.
Obedience that does not flow from love ends up being drudgery - for us and God. The gospel turns drudgery to delight. We are changed from slaves who have to obey God to children who want to obey God.
Religious change doesn't work because you are laying religion onto a heart that is captivated by other things. And whether you say it or not, you will resent God holding you captive to do things you otherwise would not want to do.
When something becomes so important to you that it drives your behavior and ccommands your emotions, you are worshipping it. The!Hebrew word for “glory”(kabod) means “weight.” To give something glory in your life is to give it so much weight that you can't live without it.
Things become idols when we assign them “God-type” weight. We may not prostrate our bodies before them, but we prostrate our hearts.
At their root, our sins are driven by the fact that we desire something more than we desire God.
Religious change targets the acts of sin without addressing the idolatry that prompted that sin in the first place. True religion is when you serve God to get nothing else but more of God.
God’s approval is the power that liberates us from sin, not the reward for having liberated ourselves.
The law produces Pharisees; the gospel produces Christians; transformed not by a command of Jesus, but by an experience with Jesus.
When you meet God in the story of Jesus, you get swept up in a story of cosmic drama and beauty and are forever changed.
Gospel change is the Spirit of God using the story of God to make the beauty of God come alive in our hearts.
Doctrine helps describe the God we must see; application helps us see how to love the God we have seen.
Hell is what hell is because God is who God is. Hell is the result of sin against an infinitely beautiful and glorious God. Hell is not one degree hotter than our sin demands that it be.
The way we stop sinning is not by being told over and over again to stop, but by seeing the majesty and glory of God in our hearts. The reason we can't say no to temptation is not that our desires for those things is too large; its because our desire for God is too small.
Our relationship problems are really gospel problems. Jesus said: when we are wronged, we should “turn the other cheek.” But in Jewish thought, the cheek was the symbol of relationship; kissing someone's cheek was the sign of peace and fellowship. “Striking someone’s cheek” meant that you are attacking the relationship. Jesus says, “Turn your other cheek to them.” In other words, re-offer the relationship to them.
Principles of gospel centred generosity:
1. God gives excess to some so they can share with those who have less
2. Jesus’ radical generosity provides a model for how radically generous we ought to be
3. We must be guided by the Holy Spirit in what sacrifices we are to make
4. God delights in our enjoyment of His material gifts
5. God, not money, should be our primary source of beauty and security
6. Wealth building can be wise.
Spiritual disciplines can turn to legalism if you don't get the gospel.
The gospel is not good advice on how to live; it is good news about what God has done.
Our most important “doing” is actually “believing."
The gospel prayer:
- In Christ, there is nothing I can do that would make you love me more, and nothing I have done that makes You love me less.
- Your presence and approval are all I need for everlasting joy.
- As You have been to me, so I will be to others.
- As I pray, I’ll measure Your compassion by the cross and Your power by the resurrection.
Conclusion
One of the best deep-dives into the gospel I have ever read. The gospel prayer might be worth the price of the book alone. Phenomenal read.
Key Takeaways
Religion is based upon performance: "I obey; therefore, I am accepted.” The gospel says: "I am accepted, therefore, I obey".
Growth in Christ is never going beyond the gospel, it is always going deeper into the gospel.
Obedience that does not flow from love ends up being drudgery - for us and God. The gospel turns drudgery to delight. We are changed from slaves who have to obey God to children who want to obey God.
Religious change doesn't work because you are laying religion onto a heart that is captivated by other things. And whether you say it or not, you will resent God holding you captive to do things you otherwise would not want to do.
When something becomes so important to you that it drives your behavior and ccommands your emotions, you are worshipping it. The!Hebrew word for “glory”(kabod) means “weight.” To give something glory in your life is to give it so much weight that you can't live without it.
Things become idols when we assign them “God-type” weight. We may not prostrate our bodies before them, but we prostrate our hearts.
At their root, our sins are driven by the fact that we desire something more than we desire God.
Religious change targets the acts of sin without addressing the idolatry that prompted that sin in the first place. True religion is when you serve God to get nothing else but more of God.
God’s approval is the power that liberates us from sin, not the reward for having liberated ourselves.
The law produces Pharisees; the gospel produces Christians; transformed not by a command of Jesus, but by an experience with Jesus.
When you meet God in the story of Jesus, you get swept up in a story of cosmic drama and beauty and are forever changed.
Gospel change is the Spirit of God using the story of God to make the beauty of God come alive in our hearts.
Doctrine helps describe the God we must see; application helps us see how to love the God we have seen.
Hell is what hell is because God is who God is. Hell is the result of sin against an infinitely beautiful and glorious God. Hell is not one degree hotter than our sin demands that it be.
The way we stop sinning is not by being told over and over again to stop, but by seeing the majesty and glory of God in our hearts. The reason we can't say no to temptation is not that our desires for those things is too large; its because our desire for God is too small.
Our relationship problems are really gospel problems. Jesus said: when we are wronged, we should “turn the other cheek.” But in Jewish thought, the cheek was the symbol of relationship; kissing someone's cheek was the sign of peace and fellowship. “Striking someone’s cheek” meant that you are attacking the relationship. Jesus says, “Turn your other cheek to them.” In other words, re-offer the relationship to them.
Principles of gospel centred generosity:
1. God gives excess to some so they can share with those who have less
2. Jesus’ radical generosity provides a model for how radically generous we ought to be
3. We must be guided by the Holy Spirit in what sacrifices we are to make
4. God delights in our enjoyment of His material gifts
5. God, not money, should be our primary source of beauty and security
6. Wealth building can be wise.
Spiritual disciplines can turn to legalism if you don't get the gospel.
The gospel is not good advice on how to live; it is good news about what God has done.
Our most important “doing” is actually “believing."
The gospel prayer:
- In Christ, there is nothing I can do that would make you love me more, and nothing I have done that makes You love me less.
- Your presence and approval are all I need for everlasting joy.
- As You have been to me, so I will be to others.
- As I pray, I’ll measure Your compassion by the cross and Your power by the resurrection.
Conclusion
One of the best deep-dives into the gospel I have ever read. The gospel prayer might be worth the price of the book alone. Phenomenal read.
This is the first book I've read by J.D. Greear; I had no idea he could write like this. I'll definitely be reading more of his books in the near future. It's an easy read, yet contains an incredible amount of information. It's a serious book, but not so serious that it feels like a depressing lecture. Nor is it so lighthearted that you feel as though you can't take anything the author is saying seriously. Along with discussing pretty big topics, there's elements of humor and sarcasm thrown in as well. Gotta love that.
There's a fine line between super serious and lighthearted & funny. This book is the perfect balance between the two. Some of my favorite books are incredibly serious, so much so that you basically have to read a chapter, comprehend it for a day or two, and continue the cycle. I find that this one contains the same amount of power and depth, yet it is a much easier read. It by no means falls short. J.D. Greear portrays the beauty, truth, and power of the gospel in the most amazing and unfiltered way. This book made me laugh, cry a couple times, and reminded me of what's really important.
All throughout Gospel, J.D. Greear is constantly pointing to Christ and exalting Him. He writes about our God in such a beautiful way that you can't help but be in awe. Lots of times when reading a book discussing heavy topics (many times that the author is against), it seems like straight legalism. I will say it now, legalism is non-existent in this book. The author has found a way of writing about these things that is not legalistic, Christ exalting, and truly amazing. I've learned so much from this book, it is definitely worth anyone's time.
There's a fine line between super serious and lighthearted & funny. This book is the perfect balance between the two. Some of my favorite books are incredibly serious, so much so that you basically have to read a chapter, comprehend it for a day or two, and continue the cycle. I find that this one contains the same amount of power and depth, yet it is a much easier read. It by no means falls short. J.D. Greear portrays the beauty, truth, and power of the gospel in the most amazing and unfiltered way. This book made me laugh, cry a couple times, and reminded me of what's really important.
All throughout Gospel, J.D. Greear is constantly pointing to Christ and exalting Him. He writes about our God in such a beautiful way that you can't help but be in awe. Lots of times when reading a book discussing heavy topics (many times that the author is against), it seems like straight legalism. I will say it now, legalism is non-existent in this book. The author has found a way of writing about these things that is not legalistic, Christ exalting, and truly amazing. I've learned so much from this book, it is definitely worth anyone's time.