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Charis: God's Scandalous Grace For Us (2014)

by Preston Sprinkle(Favorite Author)

4.61 of 5 Votes: 1

ISBN

0781407885 (ISBN13: 9780781407885)

languge

English

genre

Nonfiction

publisher

David C. Cook

review 1: Full disclosure: Preston is my cousin. My mom is his dads oldest sister. But that isn't the reason I love this book. It was published at a time when someone I love needed to hear this message. So I sent him my copy and purchased several others. I hadn't even finished the book at this point. It's that good. Do you know someone who doesn't feel worthy of God's love? Someone who feels ashamed and can't shake their 'flannel graph theology' to hear the truth of how God really feels about them?I highly suggest this book for anyone who has a twisted belief system of Biblical truth. For anyone who grew up in a church that preached legalism and pharisaical mumbo-jumbo. (Sorry, I thought mumbo-jumbo was less offensive than what was going through my mind at the time.) This... more book may reach their shame-filled heart and break through the hardness that has built up keeping them from freedom.You may be asking yourself, why is this book so much different than the other countless books on grace? While I haven't read them all, this book is different for a few reasons: One…it is approachable. It speaks the language of the youth today. But yet, for this 56 year old his words rang true for my experiences as well. Secondly, Preston does a great job of walking us through the major stories of the Bible, pointing out the hideous behavior of some of the Bibles great heroes, through the lens of God's love for mankind. It's pretty much an 'in your face, no holds barred' reminder of the truth: There's nothing you can do to make God love you any more than he does right now.One of the copies I purchased I had to purchase through Barnes and Noble. The person I was sending it to is in prison. The only way an inmate can get books are through approved vendors. Several weeks later I received a letter from this young man. He sits in prison finally accepting God's love for himself. Yet, something in the words that Preston wrote uncovered more hope for his life. I love being an instrument of helping people feel love.In our world today there are so many broken and wounded people. They hide from God, others…themselves. As a follow of Jesus I want to promote the heart of God, the work of Jesus at the cross and show others how the Holy Spirit today is working to help us understand, live and grow in the relationship with God that brings contentment, joy, happiness, love and freedom.Preston's books is a fabulous tool in this effort.
review 2: In his book Charis: God's Scandalous Grace for Us, author and Bible professor Preston Sprinkle calls readers to see the Old Testament in a new light, tracing God's grace throughout the Old Testament story. It's a refreshing and sometimes eye-opening look at what God's grace really is. If you're looking to recapture the beauty and mystery of God's scandalous grace, don't miss out on Charis. Rather than reading morally (looking for examples to live by), Sprinkle encourages readers to read the Old Testament theologically, asking, "What do I learn about God and His character?" He shows readers how to put God at the center of their Bible reading instead of humans.Charis looks at characters like Adam and Eve, Abraham, Judah, Tamar, Moses, Rahab, Samson, Ruth, David, Hosea, and even a few New Testament characters like Mary the mother of Jesus and Mary Magdalene. By looking at all the broken, sinful, and messed up characters in the biblical narrative, Sprinkle helps readers see that "Divine grace is God's relentless and loving pursuit of His enemies, who are unthankful, unworthy, and unlovable."Sprinkle goes on to tell readers, "You can't make God love you. God loves you because of who He is and because of what Christ has done. His love is not based on what you do, or what you don't do."While he helps readers grasp how truly scandalous God's grace is, Sprinkle also warns against taking it for granted or treating it too lightly, saying, "If we never hug a harlot, befriend a beggar, or forgive our enemy seventy time seven, then we confess grace with our lips but mock it with our lives."With such a huge focus on grace, some might be concerned that Sprinkle presents an unbalanced view of grace. This is not true, though. In the epilogue, Sprinkle illustrates that obedience is not grace's enemy and shows readers how obedience is a actually a by-product of grace.The cover alone draws readers in with "Charis" tattooed on two hands. If that's not enough to spark readers' interest, check out some of the chapter titles:Creator,Tent, King,Whore,Tattoo,Manger, andThug.This is a must-read for anyone new to the Christian faith or anyone who wants to recapture the joy of their salvation. Basking in God's scandalous grace will inspire, refresh and moisten the most shriveled soul.About the AuthorPreston Sprinkle is the vice president of Eternity Bible College's extension site in Boise, Idaho. He coauthored the New York Times bestseller Erasing Hell with Frances Chan and is the author of the recently published book Fight: A Christian Case for Nonviolence. He resides in Idaho with his wife and four children.* I received a copy of the book from NetGalley for this honest review. less

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