Book Review of "One Way Love"

I finished reading One Way Love by Tullian Tchividjian a week ago.  I have looked forward to this book and it did not disappoint.  I will be attending the Liberate Conference in February to hear from various speakers on this topic of God's One Way Love for us.

Because of the many great thoughts throughout this book, I have decided to post some longer passages for reflection over the next several weeks. 

Now, to the review.

If you read this blog, you know that Tchividjian is quoted often.  I have been stretched and blessed by his writing and videos.  One Way Love focuses on God's one way love towards us.  Tchividjian speaks about law and grace.  He concludes, and I agree, that the church understands that grace gets us saved, but then we believe it is up to us (our willpower, strength) to keep us saved. 

Throughout the book, Tchividjian explains the purpose of law and grace.  He has a great explanation of what each one accomplishes.  His use of Scripture and personal stories helps the reader understand what happens when we confuse the two.  Tchividjian does the best job I have seen teaching both without minimizing either one. 

You will walk away from this book knowing clearly God's amazing, powerful, unconditional love for you.  One Way Love will not only affect your understanding of God's love, but how important it is for us to share this type of love with the world.  People are exhausted inside and outside the church because they think they must earn or keep God's love by doing things.  Tchividjian shows how knowing and believing in grace will have results.  We do not need to threaten or guilt people into doing when they rightly understand law and grace.

Let us return to God's Word and seek the depths of grace and focus on that in the church and the world.  And yes, he knows the objections (grace makes people lazy and grace gives people license to sin) and he has a chapter to focuses on these objections. I recommend this book for people far from God as well as those who believe they have it together spiritually. 

Let me close with two quotes:

"It amazes me that you will hear great concern from inside the church about too much grace, but rarely will you ever hear great concern from inside the church about too many rules."

"We never outgrow our need for grace-ever. . . Thankfully, though our sin reaches far, God's grace reaches infinitely further."

I highly recommend this book.  Pick it up at Faith and Life Bookstore in Newton.  Return to the blog in the days ahead to see longer quotes to chew on.