GBC Book Highlight

January, 2023


The Gospel for Real Life by Jerry Bridges
Jerry Bridges (1929-2016) was a gift to Christ’s church. He has left us with
several works that have served to edify and strengthen countless believers in the
faith. The Gospel for Real Life is one of those treasured works. As the title clearly
asserts, this is a book about the Gospel and its place in the everyday life of the
believer. It is a book intended to display for us a sampling of the “unsearchable
riches of Christ” (Eph 3:8) that have been lavished upon us by our gracious God,
so that we might be filled with gratitude and spurred on to loving obedience to our
Savior.
In a clear and practical way, Bridges highlights doctrines such as the active
and passive obedience of Christ, penal substitutionary atonement, justification
through faith alone, and union with Christ. The strength of this work is its
clarity–these doctrines are made accessible without sacrificing depth–and its
practicality–these doctrines are brought to bear on the way that we think and live.
The most compelling aspect of this book for me personally is the way it directs my
attention to Christ, not only for assurance that He has accomplished my salvation,
but also for motivation to pursue holy living in response.

Here’s a sampling just to whet your appetite:

The death of Jesus was a complete and full satisfaction of divine justice for
all who trust in Him. At the cross there is no tension between justice and
mercy; instead, they meet in full harmony. Justice suf ers no violence and
mercy has full expression. In fact, not only has justice suf ered no violence, it
has been honored and magnified. It has exacted its penalty and been
completely satisfied. Therefore, as believers we can rejoice in the abundant
mercy of God through Christ, while at the same time fully honoring the
inviolate nature of His holy justice.

The Gospel for Real Life is Jerry Bridges at his best. I heartily commend it to
your reading, and I would add, this would make a great book for reading at the start
of a new year. There are two copies available for checkout in the church library.