SURPRISED BY GRACE: God’s Relentless Pursuit of Rebels -Tullian Tchividjian (2010)

The primary objective of Tullian Tchividjian is clear in his book, Surprised by Grace.  His aim is to celebrate, delight in, and magnify of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Some readers might be caught by surprise in this little book that chronicles the story of Jonah but places the lion’s share of attention on Christ.  For this reason, Tchividjian’s work should be applauded for rightly emphasizing the gospel in Jonah – the same way the gospel should be mined in every Old Testament book.

The author notes, “Only the gospel can truly save you.  The gospel doesn’t make bad people good; it makes dead people alive (emphasis mine).  That’s the difference between the gospel of Jesus Christ and every other world religion.  All the others exhort their followers to save themselves by being good, by conforming their lives to whatever their worshiped deity is.  But the gospel is God’s acceptance of us based on what Christ has done, not on what we can do.”

Surprised by Grace is a remarkable book that stands out and exalts Christ and is a vivid reminder that God is on mission purposed to send Christ to rescue sinners and shower his mercy upon everyone who believes.

3.5 stars