Bob
George has written Growing in Grace, Complete in Christ,
and Living Above Your Circumstances. He
is the counselor and teacher on "People to People." His passion is to
communicate God's grace to hurting people.
Bob
George has written Growing in Grace, Complete in Christ,
and Living Above Your Circumstances. He
is the counselor and teacher on "People to People." His passion is to
communicate God's grace to hurting people.
After
a brief personal testimony on the exhaustion of Christian service, George
provides a preview of the book's premise: the goal is to experience the freedom
available from knowing the God of the plan (rather than hoping from freedom in
God's plan). Chapter 2 addresses the fact that the mind must constantly be fed
truth to process things through a "truth" frame of reference; emotions will
respond to what the mind supplies them. Chapter 3 focuses on a correct
understanding of a saving relationship with God--the necessity of life in Him, not
simply acknowledgement to the fact of Jesus' purpose and death. And that life
is only available in Christ, and for the purpose of having a relationship with
God. Chapter 4 is about growing in faith by maturing past our sin-prone flesh
into increasing Christlikeness and realizing this maturing process occurs in
the here-and-now, and indeed must occur (he uses an excellent example of the
canning process to depict this). Chapter 5 contains a great quote: "It is an
emphasis on the cross and forgiveness of sins to the exclusion of teaching
people about sharing Christ's resurrected life that really leads to
complacency." Here George is discussing the resiliency of Christ's saving
work--understanding eternal security will lead to a truly holy life, not license
to sin. Chapter 6 is about the Christian recognizing himself as a child of God,
as objects of affection rather than failures to be scorned, and that nothing
can interrupt or eliminate that relationship. Chapter 7 concentrates on the
issue of acceptance--that professions of love are meaningless unless backed up
bay the promise of acceptance. "If you are a true Christian, then you are as
righteous and acceptable in the sight of God as Jesus Christ." Chapter 8
discusses the transference of head knowledge about the love and grace of God to
heart knowledge. It is about recognizing the death to our past and the new life
we now have in Christ, about exchanging an identity of sin for an identity of
truth. Chapter 9 is about the relationship between law and grace--the issue is
God's acceptance. Chapter 10 addresses the only way to true purity in the
Christian life--knowing Christ. This is what teaches the believer that running
back to sins after salvation is absurd. Chapter 11 focuses on God's identity as
one of love; we are to exemplify this love in our hearts and in our
relationships. And we are meant to understand that learning to love Christ is
the source of powerful, successful living. "When the Bible says that we aren't
under the law any more, it doesn't mean that we are left without standards. We
are actually under a higher standard, called in the Scripture 'the law of Christ' and
'the law of liberty.'" Chapter 12 is about living in faith: knowing it is not a
feeling, an intellectual agreement with doctrine, or a power to manipulate God
(presumption); it is a decision of the will. Faith is not the power itself; the
subject of faith (Christ) is. Faith enables love for God, and love for God leads
to dependency on God, which leads to obedience to God. Chapter 13 addresses the
promise of God to give abundant life to those who really want it; they
demonstrate this desire in their desire to grow in grace. We may undergo
difficulties in life, but we will never burn out on it--His yoke is easy and His
burden is light. "We Christians hardly consider the fact that the God who
created this universe lives in us and wants to use our bodies every day of our
lives!" The conclusion deals with the renewing of the mind--"looking at
ourselves and our circumstances from God's perspective rather than from man's
perspective." He then quotes Galatians 5:13: "For you were called to freedom,
brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but
through love serve one another."
An
outstanding book! I didn't really get that the book had any direct relevance to
evangelism, unless it is expected that we will use this book to disciple new
believers. If that's the case, I don't know if I could think of a better one.
The principles being discussed are good for believers at all levels--old and
young, experienced and novice. It's one of those books that probably ought to
be read once a year or so by all believers--just to keep us honest about what
we're about.
As a music minister, I find
great applications available. First, everyone needs to understand that the only way
to worship God in a fitting way is for Him to be in control--George's reference
to the parable of the vine is the real capstone for any doctrine of worship.
Secondly, we must be reminded that teaching in any way occurs not as a result
of our own training (not that we can't learn anything or impart what we have
learned), but in pointing people to Christ as their example. He will bring out
far better worship and Christian living from them than any human training we
might concoct. Thirdly, and most importantly, he stresses the primacy of
Christ--we have a new identity, and it is in God through His Son. All activities
are empowered from this ultimate source of Life.