Putting Amazing Back into Grace: Embracing the Heart of the Gospel Paperback – October 1, 2011

I have been re-re-reading "Putting Amazing Back into Grace" by Michael Horton and am stunned once again! Any book that can capture your thoughts the third time around and make you expand on those thoughts is a book that you can really enjoy over and over until the binding wears out. The way I'm reading the book this time is reminiscent of the way I read "Desiring God" by John Piper about a year ago, chapter by chapter.It is a slow, methodical process and one would think that reading a chapter more than once before moving on would get monotonous, but not so. This is my favorite way to read anything of substance.When an author presents something radical and new to me, I pour over it and look at the evidence given. I consult other works that I trust and ask questions of those whose opinions I have learned to respect. I also look to these sources for objections. When I was told about the Doctrine of Grace, my first thought was, "Of course one is saved by grace as soon as he takes the necessary steps toward grace." Trusted brothers in Christ patiently presented a grace to me that was much more amazing than what I had believed before.The radical idea that I don't have to jump through any hoops! The belief that God is active at every level of our being, including the important parts! The concept that the atonement was not even a partial failure! These are the kinds of things I wrestled with until this doctrine was presented to me.I read and learned, but had some nagging questions about it all. And then came a book review by Tim Challies. I immediately decided to purchase this title.After one quick reading of this book, it all began to really make sense to me. The Reformed faith is not some legalistic holier-than-thou faith, contrary to the way that some practice it. On the contrary, it is a faith that despises legalism as the very reason the Reformers broke from the church was for their concerns with rules being added to the word of God. The Doctrines of Grace are nothing if you don't recognize the fact that sin is not found in the world per se, but within yourself. In light of much of today's teaching that humans are basically good people who have a myriad of options toward redemption (assuming the need for redemption is expressed), the doctrine of a self who is tainted by sin, both original and personal, is one that humbles all. Nobody has the right to act pious, as if their outward showing could fool God!This book is the straw that broke the camel's back and caused me to turn away from self-redemption. I came to realize that no measure of retribution to God could begin to pay my debt. I also came to understand that an outwardly pious attitude is an affront to our Lord and Savior who did not leave any debt for me to pay.This book offers so many reasons for my recommendation that I cannot list them all here. If you have questions about any of the major doctrines of the Reformed faith, this book brings the doctrines of the Reformation down to the lower shelf where anyone can understand their logic.

My parents gave me this book before I headed to a Christian college down in Florida, and to be honest, I really didn't want to read it at the time. I really didn't care what I believed in doctrine wise and I felt that if I was heading down to a college that had different doctrinal beliefs, I would just ignore it.However, I ended up reading the book over time. Michael Horton does a wonderful job laying out the predestination doctrinal belief: he doesn't use fluffy words or high language that the readers can't understand. He's very conversational and breaks down the doctrine into a language in which all the readers can understand.But I liked this book more than that. This book gave me insight into what belief I had been raised up: one thing that I have learned as a Christian is that my parents' faith couldn't be my faith. I had to personally believe and take on my own faith. In the same way, I had to do the same with the doctrine of predestination. This doctrine is hard to grasp at times but when you look at your own personal life, it all makes sense. Horton clearly says that God chooses us because we would have never chosen Him because of our hearts. Our hearts are always striving to do evil and evil takes place in the dark which means we don't want to be exposed and we don't want to go to God because He will expose us for who we really are. The book states this but then goes on to say that Jesus simply takes us: He personally works in our hearts to accept Him.Other Christians think that this view is just horrible: they wonder why God would do such a thing? Why would He predestine some people to heaven and some to hell? Horton answers this question by saying that God is God and to have Him just simply choose some of us is AMAZING GRACE. We as humans don't deserve anything but hell but He has chosen some of us to save. This isn't cruel; this really is AMAZING GRACE. At the end of the book are a lists of Bible verses relating to this doctrine which I find helpful.This book is really awesome. It helped me look back at my life and see how God simply chose me. It gave me insight about never losing my salvation and how sovereign God is and how much He is in control of this whole world. Overall, it benefited me.

Our men's reading group is taking this on as our next challenge, helped by our own retired bishop. What a great book, full of the gospel. Bishop John is doing a fantastic job helping us understand it all and strengthen our trust in God and his mercy. A terrific book which is well worth reading at least twice, but, remember, the subject matter is infinitely more important than the book itself!

Yeh best book on grace that I’ve read so far. Unlike Philip Yancey’s book, this is Bible based and God centred’

It is making me really think about my situation with the Lord Jesus.It is also quite easy to read, unlike other Christian books I have read.

OK book, although not life changing for me. I've had a lot of issues in my life at that time and was looking for help in various Christian literature; however, I have found little help if any at all.