Book Review: One Way Love by Tullian Tchividijan

Grace is God's unmerited favor to His people. Grace is getting what you do not deserve. Grace is also God's Riches At Christ's Expense (G.R.A.C.E.). These are the three popular definitions of grace that I heard as a new Christian. If we were to take these three definitions and combine them into one definition, it would sound something like this: "Grace is God's favor which no one can earn that is nothing we deserve all because of Christ's expense." Okay, it is more like a working definition.

I fear the church does not understand grace as it should. We sing about it. We preach it from our pulpits as well as teaching it in Sunday School/Small Groups. However, I think some in the church do not understand grace, much less, live the grace of God. They still live by the letter of the law thinking they can keep God happy based on their performance. Grace teaches us that we cannot perform for God to love and accept us, but it is through Jesus and his perfect performance that allows God to love and accept us.

Grace is the subject of Tullian Tchividjian's latest book, One Way Love. Tullian is the pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, and is one of the many grandsons of Billy Graham. One Way Love is a call for the church to return to the grace of God. A call to remember that we are all bad people who are in need of grace. Tullian says, "The hub of Christianity is not 'do something for Jesus.' The hub of Christianity is 'Jesus has done everything for you'...Don't get me wrong-what we do is important. But it is infinitely less important than what Jesus has done for us" (pg. 21).

Tullian stresses that grace is dangerous and scandalous which is why religious people do not like grace because it takes the ball from them and gives it to God. We need to be people that remembers the gospel and what it says about us. We are wicked people who stand guilty before a holy God and can do nothing to take that wrath off of us. The gospel reminds that God gives us grace based on the perfection of Jesus. We live in a performance based society which says "perform well, you will get the best out of life." Grace says, "Jesus performs well for you and God will give you His best for all eternity."

This was a delightful book to read. I have always been blessed by Tullian's writings and this book is a great book on the grace of God that will make a good small group study. There have been many books on God's grace, but not many are gospel-centered and will lead you to the gospel. This book is gospel-centered. I highly recommend it.

Thanks David C Cook for letting me review this book.