Embracing Grace

"The Gospel is more like a piece of music to be performed than a list of ideas to endorse."With those words Scot McKnight launches the reader in to an extremely helpful and often times much needed reminder of what the Gospel of Jesus Christ actually entails. This book represents a clear synopsis of the overall narrative of Scripture, which allows the reader to make sense the message and actions of Jesus within a context of the developing story.For McKnight, the Gospel is about the restoration of cracked eikons. McKnight begins with the story of Genesis, which is where any explanation of the Gospel must begin. For too often the Old Testament has been discarded as the history of Israel, containing only archaic laws and commands, which were clearly replaced by the ministry of Jesus. McKnight traces human beings need for the Gospel all the way back to the garden of Eden, where human beings are created in the image of God [Genesis 1], and are subsequently cracked [Genesis 3], and in need of restoration.Jesus represents the true eikon, the one in whom all things are contained. In Jesus we see a true reflection of what it looks like to be human. From the Genesis story we also see a clear reflection of what the Gospel is all about. The death and resurrection of Jesus provide restoration of not only the cracked eikon, but also of the entire world. The Gospel is bigger and greater than we have made it out to be, involving not just our own personal salvation, but the restoration of the entire world.The reality of judgment must also be faced when speaking about the restoration of cracked eikons. Exclusion is the way in which McKnight chooses to speak about the reality of judgment for those who choose to reject the restorative power of the Gospel, and instead choose their own path. In the garden Adam and Eve were excluded from fellowship with God, and allowed to pursue their own selfish ambitions, we too face the same sort of choice. We are free to choose our own path apart from God, only to end up excluding ourselves from God's restorative justice. All of this, McKnight rightly points out, happens in the context of community.McKnights chapter on theories of the atonement is worth the price of the entire book. The atonement accomplishes so much that no single theory can possibly contain it. McKnight carefully walks through different theories of the atonement, pointing out the teachings of each one, and the validity each one possesses for a well-rounded theology of the cross. Any student of theology would do well to read McKnight's chapter on the atonement. If more pastors were to glimpse the broad brush with which McKnight understands the atonement preaching on the Gospel would improve exponentially.An excellent read, I highly recommend it for any serious student of theology.

I'm a little late in reading this book from Scot McKnight, but I wanted to add my two cents worth of review to what others have already said.Scot presents the Gospel as community. He does a great job of bringing to light new concepts for us in the "Western" church as to the fact that The Gospel is not an individualistic life style but a Community lifestyle. We in the "West" are to into ourselves. The Gospel is not just about us as individuals, it is about how the church should provide a growing loving community that meets the needs of all who walk through their doors.In Philippians 2 the Apostle Paul states that we should humble ourselves and consider others as more important than ourselves. Unfortunately the "Western Church" has fallen into a consumer mindset, i.e. what does the Gospel have for me. Instead we should be asking what does the Gospel ask me to do in response to God's lavish love? How can I serve the Lord by serving others.Chapter 8, Stories of the Gospel Story, is my favorite chapter. In this chapter Scot tells us about five different stories of the Gospel. These five stories express the Gospel from these five viewpoints, recapitulation, ransom, satisfaction, substitution and example. You really need to just read through it to understand how each shares about the Gospel work and gives us a great foundation on how we should live our lives.BUT, the most telling quote of the whole book for me also came from Chapter 8. Scot states that the early theologian Irenaues "put it all together in a formula that is impossible to improve: 'our Lord Jesus Christ, who did, through His transcendent love, become what we are, that He might bring us to be even what He is Himself.'" Read that a few times and let it sink in. I think that Scot is right this formula can't be improved on, it captures the essence of the Gospel.This is book is short, to the point, and will make you think. I know you will enjoy it, unless of course you think the Gospel is just an individualistic thing that only applies to you and that there is no need to look out for the welfare of others.We are saved by grace through the work of Jesus Christ on the cross.Enjoy!

This book challenged me and widened my heart about how big the gospel is without all the exaggeration and invective one too often finds in the works of all the young cool folks trying to 'repaint' the Christian faith. (I'm only 35 myself and sing in punk bands and that sort of thing - so that's not a grumpy old man comment). McKnight wisely brings together Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Protestant Evangelical traditions into a robust gospel that is about Community, Society, and Sinners - all of which are being redeemed and righted through Jesus' Incarnation, Cross, Resurrection, and Reign. Not that it makes him infallible but it helps to know he's a trained historian and theologian too, again unlike some of the voices making big claims about how to rightly read our Bibles in light of their ancient context.Three criticisms would be: 1) his primary definition of 'sin' as 'individualism' is certainly original (vs. say the traditional view of the heart of sin being 'pride') but to me, not entirely convincing. 2) he is wise to embrace the many 'stories of atonement' rather than only one to the exclusion of others, but I think he needs to give far more weight and beauty to 'penal substitution'. 3) Mr Rogers!!?? I appreciate the point McKnight was trying to make, but Mr Rogers is just too ingratiatingly tepid a character for this reader to take seriously as a sustained illustration of Christ-like character. Maybe that's just me!I look forward to reading more Scot McKnight and would recommend him to others.