Deeper: Real Change for Real Sinners (Union)
Overview
Experience Real Change through Dependence on Christ.
The Christian life is defined by growth. Few question the call of the Bible to grow in godliness, but the answer to exactly how this happens is often elusive.
In his newest book, Deeper, pastor and author Dane Ortlund takes Christians into the deep structures of biblical teaching on how they grow in grace—most fundamentally, by enjoying all that is already theirs in Christ. Ortlund brings believers into the fullness of Christ, the emptiness of self-reliance, and their need for union and communion with God. This book makes the case that a believer’s sanctification does not happen by doing more or becoming better, but by going deeper into the wondrous gospel truths that washed over them when they were first united to Christ. Each of its 9 chapters encourages readers to fix their gaze on Jesus in the battle against sin, casting themselves upon his grace.
This is a Logos Reader Edition. Learn more.
- Encourages readers to fix their gaze on Jesus in the battle against sin
- Makes the case that a believer’s sanctification does not happen by doing more or becoming better
- Examines the structures of biblical teaching on how they grow in grace
- Introduction
- Jesus
- Despair
- Union
- Embrace
- Acquittal
- Honesty
- Pain
- Breathing
- Supernaturalized
- Conclusion
Top Highlights
“One common reason we fail to leave sin behind is that we have a domesticated view of Jesus.” (Page 21)
“In that book Scougal says that some Christians think we grow through purer behavior, others through sharper doctrine, and others through richer emotions, but real change occurs through this reality: the life of God in the soul of man.” (Page 17)
“You will not change until you get straight who Jesus is, particularly with regard to his surprising tenderness. And then spend your whole life long going deeper into the gentleness of Jesus.” (Page 34)
“The severity of our condition dictates the depth and seriousness of the medicine we know we need. If you view your sinfulness as a bothersome headache more than a lethal cancer, you will see tepid growth, if any.” (Page 40)
“But he who is both Lion and Lamb is both transcendent and immanent, both far and near, both great and good—both King and Friend. I am asking you whether the Savior is your dearest and truest friend.” (Page 27)
- Title: Deeper: Real Change for Real Sinners
- Author: Dane C. Ortlund
- Series: Union
- Publisher: Crossway
- Print Publication Date: 2021
- Logos Release Date: 2021
- Pages: 186
- Era: era:contemporary
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Reader Edition
- Subjects: Sanctification › Christianity; Spiritual formation
- ISBNs: 9781433573996, 9781433574023, 9781433574009, 9781433574016, 1433573997, 1433574020, 1433574004, 1433574012
- Resource ID: LLS:DPRRLCHNRLSNNRS
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2023-02-16T20:45:59Z
Reviews
2 ratings
Patrick
10/7/2023
I did not care for Otrland's last book Gentle and Lowly, and with this one he continues to have fine theology but terrible execution just like the last one. There really are some gems of points about the need to continue to hold the importance of justification as not just a one-time thing and dimensions of pruning as opposed to suffering ala James 1. Also, that Christianity cannot be piecemealed out to individual doctrines. However, my goodness, can you write a lot and say nothing. Ortland's prose again is filled with platitudes and not just once or twice per point but several times. There is a lot of "Christianese" in here. He also wrangles in those in Church history. He brings in three people and has to provide you with stories to the quotes he's mining (and not stories that add to what they're saying) to make one point. Fluff writing occurs around good points and the structure suffers for it. By the end of the book you may have gotten some good points (which there absolutely are here) but it took a lot of cotton candy eating to get there. In the final pages (p172-173) he summarized the purpose of each chapter of the book and even that is peppered with it. Chapter 4 is about "drinking down his undeserved love" or Chapter 6 "receive the anguish of this life as the gentle hand of God to help us rather than to punish us". Again, the points are good but you need a toothbrush to get out all that sugar. Deeper, is the name of the book because one has to get about halfway through this book to really start to find elements on the "how to" go deeper. The workbook is also, essentially, questions that are easy enough to ask yourself and could have been added to the book to make it one thing. Again, I tend to be in the minority with Orland's writing but this is a pass. Final Grade - DSteven Blader
12/26/2021