The Trouble with the Truth: Balancing Truth and Grace

by Rob Renfroe

There’s a lot of talk today about “culture wars,” but these external conflicts are only a symptom of a deeper there is trouble with the truth. Beneath our differences about the values that should define our culture is a real disagreement about what is true. Those who hold to the traditional beliefs of the Christian faith find themselves at odds with a culture that no longer believes there are universal spiritual or moral truths that apply to everyone. And they grieve that the confusion about what is true is just as strong in the church.

The Trouble with the Truth explores the truth—why it’s in trouble, what the culture tells us about it, and why the church is so confused about it. In an engaging and compelling style, Rob Renfroe reminds us that the Christian life requires commitment to both truth and grace. Like a tightrope walker with a balance bar, we must learn to balance compassion for people and passion for truth, combining them in equal measure just as Jesus did. Readers will examine the essentials about truth and grace, understand the differences between a cultural worldview and a scriptural worldview, and discover how to be instruments of real influence and transformation in our time by following Jesus’s example.

A DVD featuring six interviews with the author and a full leader guide are available for group study.

144 pages, Paperback

First published May 27, 2014

Reviews

[Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Addressing many of the problems Christians encounter in navigating a culture where truth no longer has any basis in scripture but boils down to people choosing their own "truth" and being tolerant of anyone else's "truth." The writing is wise but also comes from a deeply compassionate and loving heart. Renfroe explains so well how Jesus embodied both truth and grace, and we should too!

[Laura Byrne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great

As usual Rob is clear and to the point. However, he makes the subject understandable and easy to understand. Love him.

[Jon Beadle · Rating 2 out of 5]

It isn't that I don't think Rob is an incredible leader and discipleship guru, but this book doesn't stir me the way his speeches do, and his take on truth is at first agreeable and then flat dualism, too static.

For one thing, being a postmodern doesn't necessarily sign one up for any substantive claims. Relativism originated in modernity, but even the idea of subjective truth, as it relates to thinkers like Kierkegaard and Tolstoy, viewed it as the universal inhabiting the particular. How could any christian disagree with that?

Lastly, he should have taken the last 20 pages and made that the primary emphasis of the whole book. Seeing how his evangelical beginnings took shape in his life was very fascinating. Write a book on that Rob!

[Denise Westlake · Rating 5 out of 5]

"You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its saltiness.. it is no longer good for anything" (Matthew 5:13). "People who follow Him should be like salt, bringing out the best in others and keeping the good in this world from becoming spoiled and rotten.

Balancing truth and grace is the biggest challenge for believers in our ever-changing culture. Renfro offers thoughtful suggestions for on-going steps in our way forward.

[Jay Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting look at the history of truth and Christians' challenge of presenting it in equal measure with grace

[Marcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life Changing...opened my eyes to so many thoughts! I will reread this book many times.

[Greg Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this thought-provoking book. Jesus perfectly modeled grace and truth in His life, and it is hard but important to learn from His example in how I live mine.