My answer to the question above is, “maybe – but probably not”.
Charles R. Swindoll wrote an excellent book called The Grace Awakening. In it, he dedicates over 200 pages to explaining the grace of God, as found in the Bible, that’s available to all of us.
There were times, while reading the book, that I thought he went a little too far. That is, he does not mention justice (a biblical view) to the extent that I believe is warranted when teaching the Bible holistically. That said, my view on this may just be because the concept of grace, as he explains it, is a relatively new concept for me. As with many who grow up in conservative churches, it’s easy to default to a “rules-oriented” approach to faith. So, this book, at times, feels like it falls off the middle road on the side of faith. And that’s not a bad thing- especially when it’s being read by people like myself, who fall off the road on the other side. If anything, it provides a counterbalance that give me the chance to find center.
If you tend toward legalism (or not) and care to know what the Bible teaches about grace- and want practical applications for your life, consider picking up a copy of this book. I highly recommend it.
I took my time reading it. I read a chapter at a time, then put it down for a while and came back to it later to read another chapter. There were, as noted above, chapters that felt “too gracious.” But I pushed through theses, allowing myself to disagree with the claims- for the time being, and then taking some time to think about my reasons for disagreeing with what Swindoll said. So, if you pick up this book and find that it feels extreme at times, keep going! The net result may pleasantly surprise you.
Have you read this book? What did you think of it?
If you read it in the future, please circle back and let me know your thoughts and reactions.
With Wills 