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Cases for Christianity for Students
The Case for Grace: A Journalist Explores the Evidence of Transformed Lives
The Case for a Creator explored the scientific evidence for God;
The Case for Christ investigated the historical evidence for Jesus;
The Case for Faith responded to eight major objections about Christianity;
The Case for The Real Jesus refuted the current challenges to the Bible and Christ …
Now, in The Case for Grace, Lee Strobel crafts a compelling and highly personal experiential case for God, focusing on God’s transforming work in the lives of men and women today.
Writing with unusual candor, Lee draws upon his own journey from atheism to Christianity to explore the depth and breadth of God’s redeeming love for spiritually wayward people. He travels thousands of miles to capture the inspiring stories of everyday people whose values have been radically changed and who have discovered the “how” and “why” behind God’s amazing grace. You’ll encounter racists, addicts, and even murderers who have found new hope and purpose. You’ll meet once-bitter people who have received God’s power to forgive those who have harmed them—and, equally amazing, people mired in guilt who have discovered that they can even forgive themselves.
Through it all, you will be encouraged as you see how God’s grace can revolutionize your eternity and relationships… starting today.
The Case for Christ investigated the historical evidence for Jesus;
The Case for Faith responded to eight major objections about Christianity;
The Case for The Real Jesus refuted the current challenges to the Bible and Christ …
Now, in The Case for Grace, Lee Strobel crafts a compelling and highly personal experiential case for God, focusing on God’s transforming work in the lives of men and women today.
Writing with unusual candor, Lee draws upon his own journey from atheism to Christianity to explore the depth and breadth of God’s redeeming love for spiritually wayward people. He travels thousands of miles to capture the inspiring stories of everyday people whose values have been radically changed and who have discovered the “how” and “why” behind God’s amazing grace. You’ll encounter racists, addicts, and even murderers who have found new hope and purpose. You’ll meet once-bitter people who have received God’s power to forgive those who have harmed them—and, equally amazing, people mired in guilt who have discovered that they can even forgive themselves.
Through it all, you will be encouraged as you see how God’s grace can revolutionize your eternity and relationships… starting today.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published April 9, 2013
397 people are currently reading
3986 people want to read
About the author
Lee Strobel
225 books1,800 followersLee Patrick Strobel is an American Christian author and a former investigative journalist. He has written several books, including four that received ECPA Christian Book Awards (1994, 1999, 2001, 2005)[2] and a series which addresses challenges to the veracity of Christianity. He also hosted a television program called Faith Under Fire on PAX TV and runs a video apologetics web site.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 196 reviews
January 4, 2022
A fantastic first read for 2022.
Lee Strobel shared a handful of real stories from people who encountered God’s amazing grace in the midst of their sin and shame. It was beautiful. I cried at every story. He made sure to ask them deep questions about their sin and how they found forgiveness and redemption in Christ Jesus.
I would highly recommend this to anyone unsure if God’s grace is big enough to meet us wherever we are. It is. And He will.
Lee Strobel shared a handful of real stories from people who encountered God’s amazing grace in the midst of their sin and shame. It was beautiful. I cried at every story. He made sure to ask them deep questions about their sin and how they found forgiveness and redemption in Christ Jesus.
I would highly recommend this to anyone unsure if God’s grace is big enough to meet us wherever we are. It is. And He will.
April 30, 2016
Powerful read! Not a doctrinal book or theological book about grace. This is a book of stories of God's grace at work in the lives of people. These stories gripped me in an unbelievable way. The style with which Strobel weaves his own journey of God's grace along with about eight other stories is masterful.
I want to purchase a box of these books and give them away to many friends and family who would benefit. Read this book!
I want to purchase a box of these books and give them away to many friends and family who would benefit. Read this book!
December 24, 2014
Grace is probably the most misunderstood word because it is can be difficult to grasp the full beauty of grace in action. Grace can be turned into cheap grace, where we trample on what Christ did for us by taking sin lightly or take the grace from God but do not extend it to others. In turn, this can make us more legalist and hypocritical. In the Case of Grace, we share in the stories of a handful of people that have experienced and know the power of grace. Put in a book for us to stimulate our thinking about grace and how it can change our relationships with God and others.
The stories reflect lives changed by grace. They will leave you humbled and hungry for grace that only God can give in the Son. Each chapter is a testimony starting with Lee Strobel and the relationship with his family. The breakdown of the role of his father in his life was without grace. It is something we don’t think about, but our children need to know a healthy grace that loves and is disciplined. That encourages and gives children strength to go out in the world.
Chapter two is the orphan. It starts with JI Packer quote of “Our understanding of Christianity cannot be better than our grasp of adoption…of all the gifts of grace, adoption is the highest.” Adoption is being chosen when we are at our worst. The story of Stephanie Fast whose mother abandoned her in Korea when she was a toddler is heartbreaking. Her story is profound, ugly, and beautiful. Do you feel abandoned? Maybe not from your parents such as Stephanie’s’ story but maybe you can be an orphan of the heart. I love that statement. I think we all are until we bring our hearts to the one who we were created for. Love the Lord you God with all your heart, soul and mind. My God is an all-consuming fire.
Chapter 3-the addict. Grace is not tamed. Jud’s story of an addict turned pastor in Sin City Las Vegas. Ministering to those that he once was and sharing the grace that changed him. What Jud came to realize that it is not in perfection, or what we do or don’t do and the expectations we have of others and what we need from them, but expectations of God and his grace. In order to have those expectations, we need to know who God is and what he is not. Do we understand redemption?
Chapter 4 –the Professor-starting the chapter with a quote from Bono..”I’m holding out for grace. I’m holding out that Jesus took my sins onto the cross, because I know who I am, and I hope I don’t have to depend on my own religiosity.” Craig Hazen-the intellect with everything. Just like the young rich ruler that asked Jesus how might I be saved? When you have everything, how do you know you need grace? Hanzen in his journey came to realize that it is only in understanding the effects of sin. To understand the concept of grace, you really need to understand sin. The problem is we have lost the concept of sin.
Chapter 5-The executioner-From the Killings fields of Cambodia to the Harvest of Cambodia; Christopher LaPel family being torn apart, killed and imprisoned. LaPel story is where the boundaries of Grace lie. Where does LaPel strength lie? How LaPel came to Christ and how he came face to face with his executioner. How forgiveness became necessary and not just some to do or say. LaPel came to realize that if God is who he says he is, than grace itself is the character and attribute of God. It cannot be anything else.
Chapter 6-the Homeless-Cody Huff was the Prodigal Son. Digging out of the trash and coming to realization that he has hit rock bottom. How do you climb out of the pit? How many times do we look at people as problems needing to be solved instead of people that need to be loved? How often do I hoard grace?
Chapter 7-the Pastor..Brad Mitchell who had a thriving ministry, a great marriage and now stands before his congregation asking for forgiveness for his infidelity. His story is also his wife story as she had to come to a place of forgiveness and the realization that you do not get to choose what you can and cannot forgive. That forgiveness is a decision before it’s an emotion. How many times do we make our life-changing decisions based on our emotions? Brad’s wife Heidi put herself with Christ and his sufferings. She denied her “rights” and went thru the process of forgiveness while Brad went thru the process of repentance. In order for Brad to begin, he had to take full responsibility for his sin. No blame anywhere else. It is only thru full responsibility we can begin the healing and have true repentance. By going in front of the church with his full responsibility of sin, the sin died. There could be no gossip or speculation. This is church discipline and this is how the church grows healthy and strong. Brad fought the shame of what he did with what Christ did on his behalf. He says “But when I take on shame, then I’m saying that I’m not really purified, that the cross was a failure that Jesus’s sacrifice for me was lacking.
Chapter 8-The Prodigal. It opens up with this quote from Drew Dyck…”The Gateway to Grace is Repentance. We can’t truly appreciate God’s grace until we glimpse his greatness. We won’t be lifted by his love until we’re humbled by his holiness. This is the story of Luis Palau son Andrew. Luis Palau is well-known world-wide evangelist. It is a great reminder that our children need to establish their own faith and not the faith of their parents no matter how strong the faith of those parents are. Andrew had built his own kingdom of pleasure where he reigned supreme. He did not want God to control his life wholly. Andrew’s attempt to draw near to God came to the realization what it meant for God to control all areas of his life. We all struggle with this and if we don’t know this struggle, chances are we don’t care or acknowledge God.
Chapter 9-Empty Hands – this chapter opens with this quote...”When all seems lost, God’s grace is enough. When all seems lost, God’s grace is enough. God does not give a gift inferior to Himself” Augustine. This is Lee Strobel story when he found himself in a health crisis. The health crisis turned into an identity crisis. Our identity is tied to so many things…what we do, who we are, our desires. All this is our way of controlling our life when in reality we have no control.
I don’t like writing a long review; however, I wanted to share what these lives, these real people, these hurts, tell us about grace. Grace is a gift. Open it today. Share it with someone and Praise God for it.
A special thank you, Zondervan
and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The stories reflect lives changed by grace. They will leave you humbled and hungry for grace that only God can give in the Son. Each chapter is a testimony starting with Lee Strobel and the relationship with his family. The breakdown of the role of his father in his life was without grace. It is something we don’t think about, but our children need to know a healthy grace that loves and is disciplined. That encourages and gives children strength to go out in the world.
Chapter two is the orphan. It starts with JI Packer quote of “Our understanding of Christianity cannot be better than our grasp of adoption…of all the gifts of grace, adoption is the highest.” Adoption is being chosen when we are at our worst. The story of Stephanie Fast whose mother abandoned her in Korea when she was a toddler is heartbreaking. Her story is profound, ugly, and beautiful. Do you feel abandoned? Maybe not from your parents such as Stephanie’s’ story but maybe you can be an orphan of the heart. I love that statement. I think we all are until we bring our hearts to the one who we were created for. Love the Lord you God with all your heart, soul and mind. My God is an all-consuming fire.
Chapter 3-the addict. Grace is not tamed. Jud’s story of an addict turned pastor in Sin City Las Vegas. Ministering to those that he once was and sharing the grace that changed him. What Jud came to realize that it is not in perfection, or what we do or don’t do and the expectations we have of others and what we need from them, but expectations of God and his grace. In order to have those expectations, we need to know who God is and what he is not. Do we understand redemption?
Chapter 4 –the Professor-starting the chapter with a quote from Bono..”I’m holding out for grace. I’m holding out that Jesus took my sins onto the cross, because I know who I am, and I hope I don’t have to depend on my own religiosity.” Craig Hazen-the intellect with everything. Just like the young rich ruler that asked Jesus how might I be saved? When you have everything, how do you know you need grace? Hanzen in his journey came to realize that it is only in understanding the effects of sin. To understand the concept of grace, you really need to understand sin. The problem is we have lost the concept of sin.
Chapter 5-The executioner-From the Killings fields of Cambodia to the Harvest of Cambodia; Christopher LaPel family being torn apart, killed and imprisoned. LaPel story is where the boundaries of Grace lie. Where does LaPel strength lie? How LaPel came to Christ and how he came face to face with his executioner. How forgiveness became necessary and not just some to do or say. LaPel came to realize that if God is who he says he is, than grace itself is the character and attribute of God. It cannot be anything else.
Chapter 6-the Homeless-Cody Huff was the Prodigal Son. Digging out of the trash and coming to realization that he has hit rock bottom. How do you climb out of the pit? How many times do we look at people as problems needing to be solved instead of people that need to be loved? How often do I hoard grace?
Chapter 7-the Pastor..Brad Mitchell who had a thriving ministry, a great marriage and now stands before his congregation asking for forgiveness for his infidelity. His story is also his wife story as she had to come to a place of forgiveness and the realization that you do not get to choose what you can and cannot forgive. That forgiveness is a decision before it’s an emotion. How many times do we make our life-changing decisions based on our emotions? Brad’s wife Heidi put herself with Christ and his sufferings. She denied her “rights” and went thru the process of forgiveness while Brad went thru the process of repentance. In order for Brad to begin, he had to take full responsibility for his sin. No blame anywhere else. It is only thru full responsibility we can begin the healing and have true repentance. By going in front of the church with his full responsibility of sin, the sin died. There could be no gossip or speculation. This is church discipline and this is how the church grows healthy and strong. Brad fought the shame of what he did with what Christ did on his behalf. He says “But when I take on shame, then I’m saying that I’m not really purified, that the cross was a failure that Jesus’s sacrifice for me was lacking.
Chapter 8-The Prodigal. It opens up with this quote from Drew Dyck…”The Gateway to Grace is Repentance. We can’t truly appreciate God’s grace until we glimpse his greatness. We won’t be lifted by his love until we’re humbled by his holiness. This is the story of Luis Palau son Andrew. Luis Palau is well-known world-wide evangelist. It is a great reminder that our children need to establish their own faith and not the faith of their parents no matter how strong the faith of those parents are. Andrew had built his own kingdom of pleasure where he reigned supreme. He did not want God to control his life wholly. Andrew’s attempt to draw near to God came to the realization what it meant for God to control all areas of his life. We all struggle with this and if we don’t know this struggle, chances are we don’t care or acknowledge God.
Chapter 9-Empty Hands – this chapter opens with this quote...”When all seems lost, God’s grace is enough. When all seems lost, God’s grace is enough. God does not give a gift inferior to Himself” Augustine. This is Lee Strobel story when he found himself in a health crisis. The health crisis turned into an identity crisis. Our identity is tied to so many things…what we do, who we are, our desires. All this is our way of controlling our life when in reality we have no control.
I don’t like writing a long review; however, I wanted to share what these lives, these real people, these hurts, tell us about grace. Grace is a gift. Open it today. Share it with someone and Praise God for it.
A special thank you, Zondervan
and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Read
December 9, 20255 stars!
This might actually be one of my favorite of Lee Strobel’s books that I’ve read so far. So many of these stories and accounts and revelations resonated with me. Highly, highly recommend.
This might actually be one of my favorite of Lee Strobel’s books that I’ve read so far. So many of these stories and accounts and revelations resonated with me. Highly, highly recommend.
November 7, 2024
|| 4.5 ⭐️ ||
I’ve read several of Lee Strobel’s books by now, and this by far was the most encouraging to me. Most of his books approach evidence for the truth of Christianity from various angles, which have served to strengthen my faith; but this one focuses specifically on the testimonies of grace in various people’s lives. Many, if not all of the stories shared are what many would consider “too far gone” for Christ’s forgiveness, but that just enhances the astonishing grace that God lavishes freely on His children. These are some powerful stories and I really enjoyed reading them. It reminded me that even at my worst, God’s grace is abundant. I take that for granted far too often!
I’ve read several of Lee Strobel’s books by now, and this by far was the most encouraging to me. Most of his books approach evidence for the truth of Christianity from various angles, which have served to strengthen my faith; but this one focuses specifically on the testimonies of grace in various people’s lives. Many, if not all of the stories shared are what many would consider “too far gone” for Christ’s forgiveness, but that just enhances the astonishing grace that God lavishes freely on His children. These are some powerful stories and I really enjoyed reading them. It reminded me that even at my worst, God’s grace is abundant. I take that for granted far too often!
April 19, 2015
Grace is something I have struggled with to understand. Growing up Christian, it wasn't a concept that was explained or taught to me. Lee Strobel does a great job of showing examples of it and helping one to accept it. What a wonderful gift it is!
December 2, 2022
I didn’t know anything about this book before starting, but the writing was amazing. The storytelling was splendid. I could not put this book down. Strobel tells one story after another of how grace worked in different people’s lives.
March 2, 2017
This book made me so much more aware of Gods grace and how lucky we are to have it. Sometimes it is easy to take His grace for granted when the world is not falling apart around you, as it did in most of the stories within. I am determined not to take it for granted anymore.
The stories within this book were heartbreaking and inspiring. It is amazing to see these people reach lower points than I could imagine and then bounce back up once they discovered Gods grace.
The stories within this book were heartbreaking and inspiring. It is amazing to see these people reach lower points than I could imagine and then bounce back up once they discovered Gods grace.
November 7, 2017
I highly recommend asking yourself what the term grace means to you. I was in a bible study and we were talking about grace when I realized (or, more likely God shone His light of truth into my heart) that I was using the term and really wasn't absorbing it. I was bandying it about like something lightweight.
As with Strobel's 'A Case For Faith', this book is a collection of interviews- a story of the unlikely's experience with Grace. Some of these stories are so moving - in my case the first one "The Orphan" as well as Lee's own story - that they will stick. We are all searching for grace, are we not?
As with Strobel's 'A Case For Faith', this book is a collection of interviews- a story of the unlikely's experience with Grace. Some of these stories are so moving - in my case the first one "The Orphan" as well as Lee's own story - that they will stick. We are all searching for grace, are we not?
February 28, 2015
Grace is one of those concepts that is both easy and intricately complicated at the same time, so Lee Strobel's ability to examine all the different facets of grace (including some I'd not considered) by bringing in stories of God's awesome grace in people's lives and presenting them all in a clear, straight-forward way is a real talent.
God's grace, the "unmerited and unconditional gift of God's love that we can never earn or deserve", allows us to reach past flawed relationships with our own fathers, past the terrible cruelty that humans can inflict on others, and right to Jesus, the one man who modeled grace and embodied truth. The Prodigal Son, one of the most famous parables, is probably the one which most demonstrates grace, and even there we fail to understand it.
Strobel doesn't skip the awkward questions about grace, but faces them head-on: What about the generally good person? What about those who follow other religions?
For those who want to go further, the last quarter of the book contains Bible verses about grace, a large variety of questions for discussion, a list of helpful books, and the detailed references one would expect from a former journalist/lawyer.
This book is very readable, and remarkable for its simple honesty.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
God's grace, the "unmerited and unconditional gift of God's love that we can never earn or deserve", allows us to reach past flawed relationships with our own fathers, past the terrible cruelty that humans can inflict on others, and right to Jesus, the one man who modeled grace and embodied truth. The Prodigal Son, one of the most famous parables, is probably the one which most demonstrates grace, and even there we fail to understand it.
Strobel doesn't skip the awkward questions about grace, but faces them head-on: What about the generally good person? What about those who follow other religions?
For those who want to go further, the last quarter of the book contains Bible verses about grace, a large variety of questions for discussion, a list of helpful books, and the detailed references one would expect from a former journalist/lawyer.
This book is very readable, and remarkable for its simple honesty.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 20, 2017
I appreciate this book for its good writing craft and emotional qualities. When it comes to intellectual content, however; evidence, arguments and rational discourse, no such things are included. At the onset, the author's definition of grace presupposes the Christian God and the idea of original sin. Did I miss the precursor? From there on, the book is a collection of bald assertions, propped up by appeals to the readers' emotions via saturated and dramatised anecdotes. For credibility, the author seems to rely on that which he omits or diverts attention from, and his target audience's cognitive biases. While this book may evoke strong emotions with readers who already believe a God exists—Even I enjoyed the stories and drama for its own sake—It's utterly unsatisfying on an intellectual level. As such, although entertaining and educational on the mental contortionism that goes on in the mind of an apologist, this book exemplifies pure, unintelligible nonsense.
June 26, 2015
WOW! Strobel has done it--again!!! He has a special gift to communicate some very important things to the world regarding the most important issues in life. This time, its GRACE!
PREFACE:
Strobel includes various quotes from authors who wrote specifically on the topic of grace. In short, he says, grace is: "an unmerited and unconditional gift of God's love that we can never earn or deserve" (9).
He goes on to include Philip Yancey's definition: "We can never sink so far that God's grace will not reach us. At the same time, grace does not leave us there. It raises us to new heights" (9).
INTRODUCTION:
Strobel includes some of his upbringing that caused him to become who he became. In short, it includes the background to his conversion to follow Jesus. It all had to do with proving to his dad that he could do great things.
CHAPTER 1: THE MISTAKE
Includes a quote at the start from Sigmund Freud: "Psychoanalysis...daily demonstrates to us how youthful persons lose their religious belief as soon as the authority of the father breaks down" (15)
Lee goes on to share how, as his mom was on her deathbed, she admitted her dad said he was 'a mistake.' His parents had just raised 3 of his siblings and thought they would be experiencing the 'freedom' of an empty nest. But having another kid would change everything. This led to barely any communication taking place during his upbringing. He went to a Lutheran church growing up, but it was just to appease his parents. As he asked questions to the leaders, his atheism became more and more confirmed--just like so many others who were brought up in the church (i.e. Nietzsche, Hume, Russell, etc.). But those skeptics all had one thing in common: they all "felt abandoned or deeply disappointed with their fathers, making it less likely they would want to know a heavenly father" (18).
CHAPTER 2: THE ORPHAN
The quote at the start was by J.I. Packer, author of the Christian classic, "Knowing God," which said: "Our understanding of Christianity cannot be better than our grasp of adoption...Of all the gifts of grace, adoption is the highest" (21)
This chapter made my wife go grab a tissue for me. I couldn't control myself. The story was just heart-breaking.
The interesting thing for me is that for each of the people Strobel interviews in the book, he relates to within his own story. It's even more compelling because he makes it even more personal.
Something else that stood out was the woman's mentioned that a person might not be an orphan, but can be 'an orphan of the heart' (40).
Another thing stuck out when the woman said (when she was a child), "I'm their daughter, I'm their daughter, I'm their daughter! Oh, that's why I've been treated this way. That's why no one's beating me. That's why nobody's called me a toogee. I'm their daughter!" (36-37)
CHAPTER 3: THE ADDICT
Quote by Doug Wilson: "Grace is wild. Grace unsettles everything. Grace overflows the banks. Grace messes up your hair. Grace is not tame...Unless we are making the devout nervous, we are not preaching grace as we ought" (45).
This chapter included the story of former drug addict, now pastor in Las Vegas named Jud Wilhite.
He has a picture of the city with the phrase "Grace City" on the top (see Romans 5:20).
Jud shared how he connected to the church's misfits after he cried out to Jesus to save him. This started a long journey whereby he basically became a legalist (just like Strobel did as a pastor of Willow Creek Church). Religion, as described by Jud, is "following all the rules perfectly to keep God happy and condemning others because they aren't trying as hard as you. I got to the point where I was exhausted, frustrated, and miserable" (53).
Lee shared "I came to realize that God didn't love me because I made myself valuable through service; on the contrary, I was valuable because I was loved by God. I could stop working like a slave to justify myself; I just needed to recognize--and celebrate--my adoption as God's child." (55).
In Matthew 11:28, the word for 'rest' in Greek can also mean 'revive' or 'restore.'
'Hate the sin, love the sinner': "Unfortunately, a lot of Christians hate the sin and the sinner, and it has given churches a bad reputation. But C.S. Lewis made the point that we hate sin but love the sinner all the time--in our own lives. In other words, when we're judging ourselves, we always love the sinner despite the sin. We accept ourselves, even though we might not always like our behavior" (57-58).
"Corinth was the Sin City of it's day, sort of a tourist mecca. It was so identified with sexual immorality that Plato once referred to a prostitute as a 'Corinthian girl'" (58).
"If Christianity isn't true--actually, literally, really true--then grace is meaningless. It's just an empty promise or wishful thinking. All that's what's left is what theologian Richard Niebuhr called 'a God without wrath who brought men without sin into a kingdom without judgment through the ministrations of a Christ without a cross" (59).
Jud told his congregation "Look, if you're dealing with sexual sin in your life, you need to run from it--but don't run away from God" (59).
CHAPTER 4: THE PROFESSOR
Bono said, "I'm holding out for grace. I'm holding out that Jesus took my sins onto the cross, because I know who I am, and I hope I don't have to depend on my own religiosity" (63).
This session is with Biola professor Dr. Craig James Hazen.
"You see, in Christianity, God isn't just saying, 'I'm not going to punish you for what you've done.' That would be merciful, but he takes a dramatic next step by giving us something glorious--complete forgiveness and eternal life as a pure gift. It's like parents who catch their kids doing something wrong and they don't just let them off the hook, but they give them ice cream as well, because they love them so much" (65).
There's a technique that evangelist Ray Comfort uses. He quizzes people on whether they've really lived according to the Ten Commandments (which gets them to admit they are a sinner). (67)
Hazen shares how there is a similarity of the Prodigal Son story with Buddhism. "But the Buddhist story ends quite differently--the son has to work off his misdeads...toiling for twenty-five years, hauling dung" (68). [See Gene Reeves, trans., The Lotus Sutra, 2008, 142-5]
"What groups come closest? The cat school of bhakti Hinduism...the name comes from the image of how a mother cat uses her teeth to gently carry her kitten to its destination. The kitten can't do anything on its own; all the effort comes from the mother. So the idea in this branch of Hinduism is that you're fully dependent on the deity's discretion to carry you to enlightenment or deliverance from karma [which is different from Christianity]...First and foremost, it's not real. Christianity is a historical faith, rooted in reality. Second, it lacks the Christian concept of a personal God. And third, you can't have a robust theology of grace without a concept of sin from which you're being saved, and essentially that's missing in Hinduism" (69-70).
"Philip Yancey points out that if you raise a child with conditional love, then you will end up with a neurotic and insecure child" (73).
Illustration: "It would be like a salesman being told by his boss that he must meet his quota or be fired--but then never letting him know what the quota was" (73).
Summary of page 76: The 9/11 terrorists flagrantly did things against Islamic rules "like going to strip clubs and drinking alcohol" were not concerned this would weigh against them in the judgment. The mindset is 'I'm tired of working harder and faster to tip the scales in my favor, so I'm going to do one big act that's going to tip them for all eternity." Only two things promise this: dying during the hajj or jihad.
There is eternal security in 1 John 5:13.
To see what's written about Jehovah Witnesses and Mormons, see pages 78-82.
To see ways to possibly refute these religions, see page 85.
CHAPTER 5: THE EXECUTIONER
C.S. Lewis said, "To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you" (89).
Summary of the book so far: see paragraph 3 on page 89.
This chapter I will definitely be discussing with my classes I teach in Bangkok, Thailand. There is A LOT of relevance here concerning pastor Christopher LaPel and Kaing Guek Eav (now Comrade Duch), formerly of the Khmer Rouge in Phnom Penh.
CHAPTER 6: THE HOMELESS
Philip Yancey said, "Grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us more...and there is nothing we can do to make God love us less" (107).
This chapter on Cody Huff was on how he hit rock bottom digging in a dumpster outside of a pizzeria in Las Vegas. This came after years of hard drugs, theft, and numerous incarcerations. Soon after, he was invited to church and was given a hug by a woman who said, 'Jesus loves you.' This act of grace changed everything for him. Prior to this he felt so dumb, dirty, defeated and unlovable. Cody ended up responding to this grace-filled act. Now he is serving God wholeheartedly in Vegas by reaching out to all those who are living just as he used to!
CHAPTER 7: THE PASTOR
"To live by grace means to acknowledge my whole life story, the light side and the dark. In admitting my shadow side I learn who I am and what God's grace means. --Brennan Manning"
This chapter tells the story of pastor and wife Brad and Heidi Mitchell (www.buildyourmarriage.org). God used Brad a lot in building up God's churches across the U.S. However, the amount of effort and busyness contributed to the downfall of their marriage. This led to an affair by Brad and it tells how grace abounded even more (Romans 5:20) from each of their perspectives. Now this husband and wife couple are being used by God to restore and strengthen marriages across the globe. This sounds like it was very easy--it obviously wasn't and Strobel is invited into the grace-filled process of their recovery.
CHAPTER 8: THE PRODIGAL
"We can't truly appreciate God's grace until we glimpse his greatness. We won't be lifted by his love until we're humbled by his holiness. --Drew Dyck" (143)
Evangelist Luis Palau (www.palau.org/about/leadership/luispalau), who was used by God to assist Billy Graham on his preaching tours, has now reached 1 BILLION people due to his own festivals, books, and radio programs. Even though he has been blessed enough to reach out to so many people, the person he wants to connect with the most is his son, Andrew, who ran from his calling after his grandmother prophesied he would become a renowned evangelist. Andrew said the book of Proverbs described him perfectly as there are so many references to fools. Many experiences were shared as Andrew inched towards God, but they often fell short. This was due to 'cheap grace,' as German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer put it:
"is the grace we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace is...forgiveness without requiring repentance...[and] absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ living and incarnate" (The Cost of Discipleship, 44-45) (155).
Repentance changed everything and he ended up being used by the Lord by teaming up with his father.
CHAPTER 9: EMPTY HANDS
"When all seems lost, God's grace is enough. God does not give a Gift inferior to Himself. --Augustine" (163)
Lee Strobel describes a part of his life when he obtained hyponatremia (very low blood sodium state that leads to a series of more severe symptoms). Doctors said he was one step away from a coma and a premature death. However, his son, Kyle, who got his PhD from the University of Aberdeen in spiritual formation (conforming to the image of Christ) had a sit-down with him and asked some penetrating questions (obviously prior to the near-coma event). His son said we need to get rid of the 'false self': "You see, when we approach God, we unintentionally bring along a false self, because our identity is tied up in what we do and what we accomplish. We subconsciously hide who we really are in order to project an image to God--and to the world--that we're really in control. I want to help you strip that away" (167).
Kyle used these sources from his professor John H. Coe to pray with his dad:
1) http://www.redeemerlm.org/uploads/1/2...
('Prayer of Recollection in Colossians')
2) http://wheat-chaff.org/spiritual-deve...
('Prayer of Recollection')
EPILOGUE: GRACE WITHHELD, GRACE EXTENDED
"See to it that no one misses the grace of God" (Hebrews 12:15). (171)
This shares the outcome of his relationship with his father, as stated in the Introduction.
PREFACE:
Strobel includes various quotes from authors who wrote specifically on the topic of grace. In short, he says, grace is: "an unmerited and unconditional gift of God's love that we can never earn or deserve" (9).
He goes on to include Philip Yancey's definition: "We can never sink so far that God's grace will not reach us. At the same time, grace does not leave us there. It raises us to new heights" (9).
INTRODUCTION:
Strobel includes some of his upbringing that caused him to become who he became. In short, it includes the background to his conversion to follow Jesus. It all had to do with proving to his dad that he could do great things.
CHAPTER 1: THE MISTAKE
Includes a quote at the start from Sigmund Freud: "Psychoanalysis...daily demonstrates to us how youthful persons lose their religious belief as soon as the authority of the father breaks down" (15)
Lee goes on to share how, as his mom was on her deathbed, she admitted her dad said he was 'a mistake.' His parents had just raised 3 of his siblings and thought they would be experiencing the 'freedom' of an empty nest. But having another kid would change everything. This led to barely any communication taking place during his upbringing. He went to a Lutheran church growing up, but it was just to appease his parents. As he asked questions to the leaders, his atheism became more and more confirmed--just like so many others who were brought up in the church (i.e. Nietzsche, Hume, Russell, etc.). But those skeptics all had one thing in common: they all "felt abandoned or deeply disappointed with their fathers, making it less likely they would want to know a heavenly father" (18).
CHAPTER 2: THE ORPHAN
The quote at the start was by J.I. Packer, author of the Christian classic, "Knowing God," which said: "Our understanding of Christianity cannot be better than our grasp of adoption...Of all the gifts of grace, adoption is the highest" (21)
This chapter made my wife go grab a tissue for me. I couldn't control myself. The story was just heart-breaking.
The interesting thing for me is that for each of the people Strobel interviews in the book, he relates to within his own story. It's even more compelling because he makes it even more personal.
Something else that stood out was the woman's mentioned that a person might not be an orphan, but can be 'an orphan of the heart' (40).
Another thing stuck out when the woman said (when she was a child), "I'm their daughter, I'm their daughter, I'm their daughter! Oh, that's why I've been treated this way. That's why no one's beating me. That's why nobody's called me a toogee. I'm their daughter!" (36-37)
CHAPTER 3: THE ADDICT
Quote by Doug Wilson: "Grace is wild. Grace unsettles everything. Grace overflows the banks. Grace messes up your hair. Grace is not tame...Unless we are making the devout nervous, we are not preaching grace as we ought" (45).
This chapter included the story of former drug addict, now pastor in Las Vegas named Jud Wilhite.
He has a picture of the city with the phrase "Grace City" on the top (see Romans 5:20).
Jud shared how he connected to the church's misfits after he cried out to Jesus to save him. This started a long journey whereby he basically became a legalist (just like Strobel did as a pastor of Willow Creek Church). Religion, as described by Jud, is "following all the rules perfectly to keep God happy and condemning others because they aren't trying as hard as you. I got to the point where I was exhausted, frustrated, and miserable" (53).
Lee shared "I came to realize that God didn't love me because I made myself valuable through service; on the contrary, I was valuable because I was loved by God. I could stop working like a slave to justify myself; I just needed to recognize--and celebrate--my adoption as God's child." (55).
In Matthew 11:28, the word for 'rest' in Greek can also mean 'revive' or 'restore.'
'Hate the sin, love the sinner': "Unfortunately, a lot of Christians hate the sin and the sinner, and it has given churches a bad reputation. But C.S. Lewis made the point that we hate sin but love the sinner all the time--in our own lives. In other words, when we're judging ourselves, we always love the sinner despite the sin. We accept ourselves, even though we might not always like our behavior" (57-58).
"Corinth was the Sin City of it's day, sort of a tourist mecca. It was so identified with sexual immorality that Plato once referred to a prostitute as a 'Corinthian girl'" (58).
"If Christianity isn't true--actually, literally, really true--then grace is meaningless. It's just an empty promise or wishful thinking. All that's what's left is what theologian Richard Niebuhr called 'a God without wrath who brought men without sin into a kingdom without judgment through the ministrations of a Christ without a cross" (59).
Jud told his congregation "Look, if you're dealing with sexual sin in your life, you need to run from it--but don't run away from God" (59).
CHAPTER 4: THE PROFESSOR
Bono said, "I'm holding out for grace. I'm holding out that Jesus took my sins onto the cross, because I know who I am, and I hope I don't have to depend on my own religiosity" (63).
This session is with Biola professor Dr. Craig James Hazen.
"You see, in Christianity, God isn't just saying, 'I'm not going to punish you for what you've done.' That would be merciful, but he takes a dramatic next step by giving us something glorious--complete forgiveness and eternal life as a pure gift. It's like parents who catch their kids doing something wrong and they don't just let them off the hook, but they give them ice cream as well, because they love them so much" (65).
There's a technique that evangelist Ray Comfort uses. He quizzes people on whether they've really lived according to the Ten Commandments (which gets them to admit they are a sinner). (67)
Hazen shares how there is a similarity of the Prodigal Son story with Buddhism. "But the Buddhist story ends quite differently--the son has to work off his misdeads...toiling for twenty-five years, hauling dung" (68). [See Gene Reeves, trans., The Lotus Sutra, 2008, 142-5]
"What groups come closest? The cat school of bhakti Hinduism...the name comes from the image of how a mother cat uses her teeth to gently carry her kitten to its destination. The kitten can't do anything on its own; all the effort comes from the mother. So the idea in this branch of Hinduism is that you're fully dependent on the deity's discretion to carry you to enlightenment or deliverance from karma [which is different from Christianity]...First and foremost, it's not real. Christianity is a historical faith, rooted in reality. Second, it lacks the Christian concept of a personal God. And third, you can't have a robust theology of grace without a concept of sin from which you're being saved, and essentially that's missing in Hinduism" (69-70).
"Philip Yancey points out that if you raise a child with conditional love, then you will end up with a neurotic and insecure child" (73).
Illustration: "It would be like a salesman being told by his boss that he must meet his quota or be fired--but then never letting him know what the quota was" (73).
Summary of page 76: The 9/11 terrorists flagrantly did things against Islamic rules "like going to strip clubs and drinking alcohol" were not concerned this would weigh against them in the judgment. The mindset is 'I'm tired of working harder and faster to tip the scales in my favor, so I'm going to do one big act that's going to tip them for all eternity." Only two things promise this: dying during the hajj or jihad.
There is eternal security in 1 John 5:13.
To see what's written about Jehovah Witnesses and Mormons, see pages 78-82.
To see ways to possibly refute these religions, see page 85.
CHAPTER 5: THE EXECUTIONER
C.S. Lewis said, "To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you" (89).
Summary of the book so far: see paragraph 3 on page 89.
This chapter I will definitely be discussing with my classes I teach in Bangkok, Thailand. There is A LOT of relevance here concerning pastor Christopher LaPel and Kaing Guek Eav (now Comrade Duch), formerly of the Khmer Rouge in Phnom Penh.
CHAPTER 6: THE HOMELESS
Philip Yancey said, "Grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us more...and there is nothing we can do to make God love us less" (107).
This chapter on Cody Huff was on how he hit rock bottom digging in a dumpster outside of a pizzeria in Las Vegas. This came after years of hard drugs, theft, and numerous incarcerations. Soon after, he was invited to church and was given a hug by a woman who said, 'Jesus loves you.' This act of grace changed everything for him. Prior to this he felt so dumb, dirty, defeated and unlovable. Cody ended up responding to this grace-filled act. Now he is serving God wholeheartedly in Vegas by reaching out to all those who are living just as he used to!
CHAPTER 7: THE PASTOR
"To live by grace means to acknowledge my whole life story, the light side and the dark. In admitting my shadow side I learn who I am and what God's grace means. --Brennan Manning"
This chapter tells the story of pastor and wife Brad and Heidi Mitchell (www.buildyourmarriage.org). God used Brad a lot in building up God's churches across the U.S. However, the amount of effort and busyness contributed to the downfall of their marriage. This led to an affair by Brad and it tells how grace abounded even more (Romans 5:20) from each of their perspectives. Now this husband and wife couple are being used by God to restore and strengthen marriages across the globe. This sounds like it was very easy--it obviously wasn't and Strobel is invited into the grace-filled process of their recovery.
CHAPTER 8: THE PRODIGAL
"We can't truly appreciate God's grace until we glimpse his greatness. We won't be lifted by his love until we're humbled by his holiness. --Drew Dyck" (143)
Evangelist Luis Palau (www.palau.org/about/leadership/luispalau), who was used by God to assist Billy Graham on his preaching tours, has now reached 1 BILLION people due to his own festivals, books, and radio programs. Even though he has been blessed enough to reach out to so many people, the person he wants to connect with the most is his son, Andrew, who ran from his calling after his grandmother prophesied he would become a renowned evangelist. Andrew said the book of Proverbs described him perfectly as there are so many references to fools. Many experiences were shared as Andrew inched towards God, but they often fell short. This was due to 'cheap grace,' as German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer put it:
"is the grace we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace is...forgiveness without requiring repentance...[and] absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ living and incarnate" (The Cost of Discipleship, 44-45) (155).
Repentance changed everything and he ended up being used by the Lord by teaming up with his father.
CHAPTER 9: EMPTY HANDS
"When all seems lost, God's grace is enough. God does not give a Gift inferior to Himself. --Augustine" (163)
Lee Strobel describes a part of his life when he obtained hyponatremia (very low blood sodium state that leads to a series of more severe symptoms). Doctors said he was one step away from a coma and a premature death. However, his son, Kyle, who got his PhD from the University of Aberdeen in spiritual formation (conforming to the image of Christ) had a sit-down with him and asked some penetrating questions (obviously prior to the near-coma event). His son said we need to get rid of the 'false self': "You see, when we approach God, we unintentionally bring along a false self, because our identity is tied up in what we do and what we accomplish. We subconsciously hide who we really are in order to project an image to God--and to the world--that we're really in control. I want to help you strip that away" (167).
Kyle used these sources from his professor John H. Coe to pray with his dad:
1) http://www.redeemerlm.org/uploads/1/2...
('Prayer of Recollection in Colossians')
2) http://wheat-chaff.org/spiritual-deve...
('Prayer of Recollection')
EPILOGUE: GRACE WITHHELD, GRACE EXTENDED
"See to it that no one misses the grace of God" (Hebrews 12:15). (171)
This shares the outcome of his relationship with his father, as stated in the Introduction.
April 29, 2025
such a fast and easy read!! If you’ve read Case for Christ/Case for Faith—-this book was MUCH slighter and easier read (I wanted something to be a little less intensive)
I loved how this book used stories more as descriptions of grace rather than just defining it (though the definitions are there and spread throughout) I loved how Strobel used big stories and rather normal stories to magnify the grace to be able to give every reader something to learn from. My favorite interview conversation included Lee describing grace as—-
imagine you are a child and you disobey your parents. Mercy is not getting a punishment that you deserve, but grace is your parents giving you ice cream after your disobedience. (that was paraphrased)
but that is God! He doesn’t just take away the punishment, but He GIVES to His children abundance as well!
lovely read! recommend!!!
I loved how this book used stories more as descriptions of grace rather than just defining it (though the definitions are there and spread throughout) I loved how Strobel used big stories and rather normal stories to magnify the grace to be able to give every reader something to learn from. My favorite interview conversation included Lee describing grace as—-
imagine you are a child and you disobey your parents. Mercy is not getting a punishment that you deserve, but grace is your parents giving you ice cream after your disobedience. (that was paraphrased)
but that is God! He doesn’t just take away the punishment, but He GIVES to His children abundance as well!
lovely read! recommend!!!
February 15, 2023
Anugrah yang kita berikan kepada diri sendiri adalah Anugrah yang murahan. Menerima diri sendiri, tetapi tdk mengampuni diri sendiri. Berkata mempercayai Allah,tetapi tidak mau bertobat. Namun, berbeda dengan Anugrah yang diberikan Allah, Kasih Karunia. Diberikan Allah cuma-cuma sekalipun Ia tahu bahwa kita pun masih seringkali menyangkal Dia. Kasihnya itu memampukan kita untuk menerima diri kita ini, melepaskan pengampunan bahkan dipanggil kembali menjadi AnakNya yang kudus.
February 6, 2021
For those who really want to come to understand what God’s grace is all about, this book is a wonderful, short read that is still very impactful. Strobel shows how grace is found in the smallest and biggest places/changes we think of-and how God’s love for us overflows from the seams of our being and interactions.
July 9, 2019
Absolutely fantastic read! I couldn’t stop listening to the audiobook until it was over. I expected it to be dry and boring, but I was surprised to find it so interesting. I can’t wait to listen to some of his other books. Highly recommend!
March 29, 2022
I love the way Lee Strobel writes! Each story he shared in this book touched me and brought tears. I found myself feeling the love of God penetrate my heart as I read each encounter. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that wants to understand God’s grace for us better!
May 1, 2022
We all need reminders of grace. Very much appreciated much of what was shared.
May 23, 2024
Wat een mooi verhaal over genade, met verhalen die aanslaan.
June 9, 2025
Great book with some very powerful truths!
August 26, 2021
This book features different people's personal accounts and life changing experiences of God's grace in their lives, which made me tear while reading them. I also had a renewed sense of thankfulness for God's amazing grace!
April 18, 2015
Today is Good Friday, and I find it apt to write this review for this book. Lee Strobel has added one more book to his “The Case for …” series. This time, he examines the case of how people’s lives has changed due to the grace God has for them.
Similar to the books within this series, Strobel interviews different individuals, hears what they have to say. and presents their side of the story to the readers. However, contrary to his previous books, Strobel does not interview the “experts” of grace. Indeed, one will not be able to find any of such “experts” in grace. And so Strobel has instead. very helpful presented stories of people with varying backgrounds and upbringing. This makes the book accessible to everyone, since you might just identify yourself with one of the people interviewed within the book!
Each of these stories centred around how grace has changed them. All of them reads exactly like testimonies given by different individuals. They were not too detailed to bore the readers with unnecessary details, neither were they too brief to make it sound too generic.
I have found Strobel’s writing to be extremely readable and engaging, and this book has certainly not been a disappointment. I have been encouraged by what I have read within this book and has come away thankful to God for what I have read. I especially like his chapters on “The Professor”, “The Prodigal” and “Empty Hands”.
If you would like to have a book that is light reading, and has not yet decided on what to read, why not read this book? I’m sure you will find the stories you have read to be uplifting. Certainly a book that can be read by a young or old christian. This can also be a book that you might want to pass to a non-christian friend if he/she is interested in what good christianity is for.
Rating: 4.25 / 5
Disclaimer: I was given this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Similar to the books within this series, Strobel interviews different individuals, hears what they have to say. and presents their side of the story to the readers. However, contrary to his previous books, Strobel does not interview the “experts” of grace. Indeed, one will not be able to find any of such “experts” in grace. And so Strobel has instead. very helpful presented stories of people with varying backgrounds and upbringing. This makes the book accessible to everyone, since you might just identify yourself with one of the people interviewed within the book!
Each of these stories centred around how grace has changed them. All of them reads exactly like testimonies given by different individuals. They were not too detailed to bore the readers with unnecessary details, neither were they too brief to make it sound too generic.
I have found Strobel’s writing to be extremely readable and engaging, and this book has certainly not been a disappointment. I have been encouraged by what I have read within this book and has come away thankful to God for what I have read. I especially like his chapters on “The Professor”, “The Prodigal” and “Empty Hands”.
If you would like to have a book that is light reading, and has not yet decided on what to read, why not read this book? I’m sure you will find the stories you have read to be uplifting. Certainly a book that can be read by a young or old christian. This can also be a book that you might want to pass to a non-christian friend if he/she is interested in what good christianity is for.
Rating: 4.25 / 5
Disclaimer: I was given this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
January 4, 2019
En el Caso de la Gracia, Lee Strobel escribe un reporte convincente y muy personal acerca de la gracia, enfocándose en la obra transformadora de Dios en la vida de hombres y mujeres de hoy.
Él viaja miles de kilómetros para capturar las historias inspiradoras de personas cuyos valores han cambiado radicalmente y han descubierto el “cómo” y “por qué” tras la asombra gracia de Dios. Encontrarás hijos pródigos, adicto e incluso asesinos que han encontrado una nueva esperanza y propósito. Encontrarás personas que una vez fueron amargas, pero ahora han recibido el poder de Dios para perdonar a los que les han dañado e igualmente increíble, la gente sumida en la culpa que han aprendido que pueden incluso perdonarse a si mismos.
Una vez más puedo decir que Dios habló a mi corazón a través de Lee, recordando a cada momento que la Gracia es un regalo inmerecido que Dios da generosamente a todos, que por la gracia de Dios soy lo que soy como dice 1 Corintios 15:10. Dios es un padre amoroso que nos espera con brazos abiertos y oídos dispuestos a escuchar a TODOS sin importar lo que hemos hecho Él nos ama pero nos pide arrepentimiento, entrega y perdón.
Él viaja miles de kilómetros para capturar las historias inspiradoras de personas cuyos valores han cambiado radicalmente y han descubierto el “cómo” y “por qué” tras la asombra gracia de Dios. Encontrarás hijos pródigos, adicto e incluso asesinos que han encontrado una nueva esperanza y propósito. Encontrarás personas que una vez fueron amargas, pero ahora han recibido el poder de Dios para perdonar a los que les han dañado e igualmente increíble, la gente sumida en la culpa que han aprendido que pueden incluso perdonarse a si mismos.
Una vez más puedo decir que Dios habló a mi corazón a través de Lee, recordando a cada momento que la Gracia es un regalo inmerecido que Dios da generosamente a todos, que por la gracia de Dios soy lo que soy como dice 1 Corintios 15:10. Dios es un padre amoroso que nos espera con brazos abiertos y oídos dispuestos a escuchar a TODOS sin importar lo que hemos hecho Él nos ama pero nos pide arrepentimiento, entrega y perdón.
April 19, 2017
Every believer of Jesus Christ should read this book. This book made me wonder how easily many of us believers take the greatest gift we revived for granted, and get lost in the legalism of Christianity. The book contains many amazing testimonies of people who have embraced God's grace. I believe it will take you to a new level of understanding of what grace can do. The author states: "so Christianity is different, first because of grace; second, it's testable; and third, because it paints a picture that matches the way the world is, in a way that other religions don't." How shameful it is to receive the greatest gift no other religion can offer (for free), and not reflect it
in our daily living...
The book is written in a conversational form that it is so easy to read. By this book I also confirmed my belief the importance of sharing testimonies. How refreshing and encouraging to read about what God's grace can do through people. This book is a keeper for me!
in our daily living...
The book is written in a conversational form that it is so easy to read. By this book I also confirmed my belief the importance of sharing testimonies. How refreshing and encouraging to read about what God's grace can do through people. This book is a keeper for me!
April 24, 2015
Grace exploded
Grace, I've come to believe can not be described. Like the limitations of physics where we can only know space or time of an atom, so grace is inexorable.
Strobel brings forth an incredible array of anecdotes and stores to exemplify and encapsulate a part of grace. Some are typical rock bottom redemption stories, others are what happens to the "good son" in the prodigal son story.
Every story touched me profoundly and I found myself literally weeping at several. That grace can cause such intense reaction so profoundly reveals a glimpse of its power. It's restorative, redemptive and life altering change that cannot be explained other than the power of God.
Grace, I've come to believe can not be described. Like the limitations of physics where we can only know space or time of an atom, so grace is inexorable.
Strobel brings forth an incredible array of anecdotes and stores to exemplify and encapsulate a part of grace. Some are typical rock bottom redemption stories, others are what happens to the "good son" in the prodigal son story.
Every story touched me profoundly and I found myself literally weeping at several. That grace can cause such intense reaction so profoundly reveals a glimpse of its power. It's restorative, redemptive and life altering change that cannot be explained other than the power of God.
September 10, 2015
I had never read Lee Strobel before this book. A book group at my church was reading it so I thought I would pick it up. It was worth every penny I paid!
Each chapter addressed the concept of grace from a different perspective. Never have I thought about the grace of my God is so many different lights. As much as I love reading from chapter to chapter in a book, with this one I had to sit back and take in what I had just read. I felt incredibly humbled, loved, chosen, and constantly thinking "but for the grace of God..." Amazing!
I highly recommend this book to any grace addict out there. God's grace still amazes me!
Each chapter addressed the concept of grace from a different perspective. Never have I thought about the grace of my God is so many different lights. As much as I love reading from chapter to chapter in a book, with this one I had to sit back and take in what I had just read. I felt incredibly humbled, loved, chosen, and constantly thinking "but for the grace of God..." Amazing!
I highly recommend this book to any grace addict out there. God's grace still amazes me!
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February 5, 2017Confession.. Made me cry! And if you know me a little, you'd mistakenly think that no reading would make me! Anyway, I thought the first half was better than the second, mostly because the first chapter was so memorable. I found myself picking up this book whenever I could to read the next chapter. The idea of being orphans and being given grace to be adopted by our Heavenly Father rather than just forgiveness stuck with me from this book.
February 21, 2015
I loved this book! Lee shares some wonderful stories about the true meaning of grace. This book will stay with me for a long time! it also has a discussion guide, a section that has verses from the bible about grace, and other book suggestions that deal with the concept of grace in the back of the book. I would highly recommend this book!
February 9, 2016
This was an excellent book, with moving and instructional stories of grace. I have no reservations recommending it. Having said that, I will caution that if you have read Strobel's other "Case For" books, this is quite a different type of book. This book defines and gives examples of grace rather than offer evidence/arguments in Grace's favor. Still a great book.
June 13, 2017
Buen libro, excelentes evidencias de la Gracia de Dios, muy facil lectura y las historias te van enganchando.
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