Favor: Finding Life at the Center of God's Affection

by Greg Gilbert

Many Christians are under the impression that God's grace and his favor are two different things--that while his grace may be a gift, his favor is something we must earn. This misunderstanding has led to destructive teachings about "prosperity" and blessings, and ultimately to lives that feel unfulfilled and inadequate.
Pastor Greg Gilbert puts favor back in its rightful place, as God's gift through Jesus Christ. He shows how the favor that Jesus earned through his perfect life and sacrificial death becomes ours the moment we believe. Knowing we already have God's favor frees us to live joyous lives no matter what our physical or material circumstances.
For anyone who has felt beaten down by the burden of trying to earn God's blessings, this book will provide you with a strong start on a life of confidence in God.

Genres: Audiobook, Christian Living, Theology, Christian, Nonfiction, Discipleship

176 pages, Paperback

Published October 3, 2017

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Greg Gilbert (MDiv, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is senior pastor at Third Avenue Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky. He is the author of What Is the Gospel?, James: A 12-Week Study, and Who Is Jesus?, and is the co-author (with Kevin DeYoung) of What Is the Mission of the Church?.

Reviews

[Zach Scheller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Books like this are tougher for me to review - while I think the book is solid from a theological standpoint, it lacked some of the finesse in its writing and felt like a lot of the book was “filler” to make it a longer length. Not bad content, and parts made me think, but just not sure it was as content-heavy as I wanted.

[Christian Barrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is ultimately a call for Christians to remember who’s they are. The entirety of the book built around Gilbert calling Christians to recognize the union they have with Christ. From this foundation Gilbert works through how Christians are to live out their faith. This includes spiritual disciplines and the call to fight sin. A short, practical, and encouraging book for the life of the Christian.

[Caroline Jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

So fun to read a book by my pastor!!!

I was encouraged the entire book. In chapter 6 he applies God’s favor to anxiety which was so helpful. I will definitely recommend this book to friends!!

[DT · Rating 2 out of 5]

This isn’t a bad book. It’s full of gospel truths. However, it didn’t need to be written, and it’s sort of built on a false premise.

This book can be summarized in one sentence: We have God’s favour because Jesus earned it on our behalf.

Instead, he goes on for nine chapters rehashing the same details and fills it with personal stories that don’t really illustrate his points well. I agree with other reviewers who said it wasn’t very content heavy. He spent three pages recapping a two minute scene from the Lion King.

I was expecting a lot from this book, but about halfway through it’s clear he already made his most salient points. He acted as though he would reveal some big secret about God’s favour that those of us who do not believe in the prosperity gospel would he surprised to learn. This is what kept me reading.

I thought this book would be pro-prosperity gospel until I saw that it was endorsed by solid men of God like Jared C Wilson. It doesn’t take nine chapters to tell us God’s favour was only ever earned by Christ and yet Gilbert found a way to do it.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favor was an amazing read! I listened to the audiobook, but this is one I'd like to read in a print or Kindle copy so that I can take better notes/quotes...so many powerful truths and I loved reading it! Such a good read of God's favor and how it isn't something that can be earned. I loved the personal stories. Can definitely see myself rereading this.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Favor: Finding Life At The Center Of God's Affection by Greg Gilbert is a sobering look at not only how one should obtain God's favor, but also what blessings are waiting for those righteous ones who do. 

Destroying common perceptions of the concept of "winning one's favor", Greg explains that God's favor is not demonstrated by whether things are going your way or it seems as though the world is against you. Nor is it shown by how "blessed" you are on this earth through riches or other worldly measures. Instead, God's favor is an illustration of how He views you. If He favors you, then you are acceptable in His eyes. You are effectively welcome at His table and looked upon with perfect love in His eyes.

Sounds nice, right? But here's the kicker: Greg also reveals why God's favor must be earned and is not simply given freely to everyone. Only a perfect, sinless man can truly win God's favor. 

Using personal stories and scriptural references, Greg explains why we, as Christians, should eagerly embrace Jesus as our champion and let him lead us into God's favor. As if simply having God's favor wasn't enough, Greg also walks us through the blessings achieved by such a miraculous thing. Contentment. Peace with God. A new life. While you may think you understand each of these blessings, Greg opens our eyes to an entirely new understanding of what they truly mean when were focused on the eternity of a life with God instead of just our current earthly existence.

I found Greg's blunt honesty combined with a soft humor to be easy to relate to and a friendly voice of correction. I would recommend this book to any Christian who is seeking a fresh drink from the pool of God's love and a reminder of the magnitude of Jesus's sacrifice for us. 4/5 stars.

*Disclaimer: I received a complimentary print copy of this book from the publisher, Baker Books, for the purpose of this honest review. All opinions are my own.*

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: An exploration of experiencing God's favor on our lives, far greater than we can conceive, utterly dependent upon Christ, and leading us into the joyful worship of God.

Greg Gilbert thinks that many of us are either chasing after false notions of the favor of God, or repelled by the health-and-wealth preachers who promote these notions, and that as a result we may neglect the unfathomably rich gift of God's favor, a theme running through scripture. About these false notions, he writes:

"For one thing, the favor of God is almost always defined as divine blessings being poured out in a person’s life so that good things start to happen to them right away. Most of the
time, those good things take the form of financial blessings—debt reduction, increased income, surprise cash, unexpected windfalls—and the evidence of God’s favor in that person’s life is that they are able to live a certain lifestyle. It’s not just financial good, though, that’s said to come with God’s favor. A person will also have relational success with their spouse or children or friends, professional accomplishment at work, or even a new and unexpected personal charm that makes other people want to do kind things for them, even backing down and letting them have the best parking spot in the lot because somehow, in some way, they recognize that person is a child of the King. When those kinds of things are happening, the story goes, then the favor of God is all over you" (pp. 13-14)

Gilbert contends, in the words of C. S. Lewis, that this is like a child making mud pies in a slum because he or she can't imagine a holiday at the sea. God has so much more for us and he elaborates this in a study of God's favor in scripture, noting that critical to this is the idea of being acceptable to God. Favor is earned, yet the problem with this is that we are utterly incapable of earning this ourselves, contrary to the claims of health and wealth preachers who contend that the right prayer, or seed gifts will bring an avalanche of blessing. We have been rebels against God who fall short of the righteousness that gains God's favor. 

Thankfully, we have a "champion" in Christ--one who has won that favor for us through his life, death, and resurrection. The amazing thing is that through faith, we may be united with Christ, Christ in us and we in Christ. In him we have died, been raised, and we enjoy what he enjoys, the favor of God.

In the second part of his book, Gilbert goes on to delineate the blessings experienced by those who enjoy the favor of God. Far beyond what is promised by the health-and-wealth prosperity preachers, we enjoy contentment in an anxious world, the peace of those with a clear conscience, having been declared righteous by God, and enjoying life everlasting, where all that is left to death is to deliver us safely into God's arms.

He concludes the book with a rallying cry to fight against sin for who we are as the adopted and favored children of the King. He reminds us that we do not fight alone but in the power of the Holy Spirit, who indwells us and destroys sin in our lives down to its roots. He holds before us a life as epic adventure as we live into our destiny as people of the King.

In one sense, there was nothing new here. What Gilbert does here is simply preach the gospel, a gospel that is often lost in our moral, therapeutic, self-help culture where we think of God's blessings as a kind of quid pro quo for all that we contribute to God's cause. Down inside, this is all unsatisfying, and we sense we need something far more profound than we can gin up on our own. As I read Gilbert, I found myself reflecting again with how good is this story of God's favor to us in Christ. As I did so, I kept thinking of this verse of the Katherine Hankey/William G. Fischer hymn, "I Love to Tell the Story":

I love to tell the story
For those who know it best
Seem hungering and thirsting
To hear it like the rest

Indeed, what Gilbert offers here is the "old story," one I've heard since childhood. Yet I found myself hungering, and thirsting, and delighting as I read Gilbert's account of that story of God's favor in Christ--far better than prosperity preaching and self-help dreams. 

____________________________

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Are you in God's favor? Often we think about favor as the purview of the super saint. We cast ourselves at the mercy of God, but it is the prayers of 'a righteous man' that 'avails much.' Or we think of the favor of God as some health and wealth, prosperity gospel promise. If we seek first the kingdom, all these things will be added to our bank account. 

Greg Gilbert is senior pastor of Third Avenue Baptist Church, author (or co-author) of several resources for Crossway's 9marks series ( resources for one of those manly men church movements). He explores the concept of favor in the aptly titled: Favor: Finding Life at the Center of God's Affection.

Gilbert places the concept of God's favor back in a theological frame. If you are in Christ, you exist, and subsist, in God's favor. You didn't earn it. God gave you his favor through Jesus, whose perfect life and sacrificial death earned us God's favor the moment we trust in him, and live in growing intimacy with Him.

The book divides into two sections. In part 1, Gilbert explores what the favor of God is and how to get it? In chapter 1, he describes God's favor as being pleasing to Him (25), having an intimate, personal relationship with God (26), being a recipient of God's blessing (30-32) and being acceptable to Him (33-35).  Chapter 2 and 3 probe our inability to win God's favor because of our sinfulness. Chapter 4 describes how Jesus won for us God's favor through his life, death and resurrection, and chapter 5 how we enter into God's favor by our union with Jesus:

Have you realized that God's favor is not some cherry on top of the Christian life that only the really good Christians get? I hope so. I also hope you've discovered that the favor of God is not something you will ever be able to win for yourself, that your only hope of getting it—of being well pleasing to God—is to be united to the One of whom God said, "This is my beloved Son , with whom I am well pleased." Rest in Jesus, dear Christian. Your salvation is secure in his strong hand. God is pleased with you, and he will cease to be pleased with you only when he ceases to be pleased with his own Son. (96).

In part 2, Gilbert explores the benefits of God's favor: contentment (chapter 6), peace with God (chapter 7), the blessings of new life (chapter 8) and our adoption as sons and daughters of the King (chapter 9).

In a lot of ways, Gilbert is giving us old-school evangelicalism here. God's favor is God's grace and the ensuing blessing. Like grace, we can't earn God's favor. We experience it as we live in relationship to God through Christ.  As I read through the latter part of this book, I thought especially of Paul Little's Know Why You Believe (IVP, 1966), which apart from being an 'apologetics book,' extolled the benefits available to us in Christ. The language of favor, may be a different way of talking about it, but the message remains unchanged.

I give this book three and a half stars. ★★★½

Notice of material connection: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review

[Veronica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a eye-opening book that was a great reminder of who I am in Christ. First, Gilbert explains what the Bible says favor really is and what it isn't. He reminds us that Jesus went through hardship, he was poor, he was mocked, so why should we expect our life to look any different? We may or may not get physical blessings but our focus should be on our relationship with God, not on what we can get. Then he points out that we have to be worthy, but only Jesus is truly worthy. He really explained well how far we are from being acceptable. It's easy sometimes to justify our behavior by saying I'm not doing something as bad as this other person, so we can feel pretty good about ourselves. But when you compare yourself to a holy God, suddenly that's a different story. It's not just about actions or thoughts; it's about our motives and reasons. So Jesus took our curse on himself and died but then conquered death by rising again. He took our sin; we get His righteousness, which means we get God's favor!

Then he talked about having peace with God and how you shouldn't let shame or guilt keep you enslaved to sin when you've been set free and are forgiven. God looks at us and sees Jesus. I liked the examples he told of Martin Luther and Louie Zamperini, the man in Unbroken, about how they found peace with God. Finally, he encourages us in our battle against sin, strategies and reminders for the fight. I liked how he used a lot of Scripture to explain his points; it was also pretty easy to read. It helped me understand better how God actually views me and was a great reminder that I am a daughter of the King!

I received this book free from Baker Books in exchange for an honest review.

[Oak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Authors often write about the many attributes of God: His omniscience and omnipotence, His love and forgiveness. But authors write less about God’s favor. In Greg Gilbert’s book Favor: Finding Life at the Center of God’s Affection, Gilbert explores the favor of God, whether it is earned or unearned, and how Jesus is the winner of God’s favor.

My favorite chapter was “United to Christ, Favored by God,” particularly the section that discusses how Christ is in us and we are in Christ. I also liked the chapter “The Blessings of Contentment,” which delivers this inspiring thought: favor brings contentment. All in all, Favor is an encouraging book, and Gilbert writes with warmth. He shows how God’s favor and His grace may be the same thing.

*I received this book for review*

[Claire Wrobel · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite passage from the book: We love one another and we try to show that love in tangible, immediately obvious ways, whether it’s rejoicing with those who rejoice or weeping with those who weep...They usually assume that participating in other’s joys will wind up being easier than bearing other’s burdens or sorrows. Sometimes that’s true...but it turns out, that it’s not always easy to participate in someone else’s joy, either. Especially when the joy you’re supposed to celebrate is one you wanted for yourself, but didn’t receive. That’s when it gets hard. That’s when it requires grave. To rejoice with those who rejoice.

[victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had a wonderful writing and compelling to read with all the most of the story are very timely, deeply encouraging to the journey of discovery with a spiritual and biblical quest to find some good, clearly answer in the processing to eternal blessings to the favor of God. I highly recommend to everyone must to read this book. “I received complimentary a copy of this book from Baker Books Bloggers for this review”.

[Carter Hemphill · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book moves from a description of the concept of God’s favor that had been misapplied by the prosperity gospel, but the author moves into a deeper dive into how we are saved, forgiven and living free under grace and absolved by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. The narrator did a great job keeping the topic interesting and engaging. One of the best Christian non-fiction I’ve read/heard this year.

[Brandi Breezee · Rating 4 out of 5]

God’s favor is not earned (well, at least not by you). Being in God’s favor does not mean everything goes your way. You are favored by God because you are in Christ. You have God’s favor in Christ. It’s not something you gain or lose. It’s something you have whether or not things in this earthly life are favorable. And in God’s favor, God’s glory and your good is accomplished.

[Lovely Loveday · Rating 4 out of 5]

Favor is a very insightful read for anyone who has felt beaten down by the burden of trying to earn God's blessings. This book is full of reflection and scripture that is easy to read.

[Zachary Hanje · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, refreshing book!

[Blake Western · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book on the meaning of "grace" and what that means in the Christian's life. It is a good corrective to many popular understandings of the concept.

[Clayton · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good reminder if who we are in Christ and how we do not need to earn God’s favor. Easy read and ok application stories. Not too deep theologically.

[Pig Rieke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I only listened to this one on Hoopla.

“But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD” (Genesis 6:8). The idea of God’s favor has been unfortunately appropriated by proponents of the prosperity gospel. Yet, the Scriptures posses a consistent theme of God’s kindness, grace, and mercy to undeserving sinners. Greg’s work looks to recapture this idea and fight against misconceptions.

[Travis]

Greg Gilbert. Favor: Finding Life at the Center of God's Affection. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2017. 178 pp. $9.85.

I’m growing to love the writings of Greg Gilbert. His work with Mark Dever devoted to helping us understand church health is highly valuable. His little book, What is the Gospel, is a wonderful tool in helping believers to understand a simple presentation of the true faith. And now Gilbert has produced a solid book on helping us to know how to understand, gain, and enjoy the favor of God.

In Favor, Gilbert takes on the false understandings of the favor of God that are often put forth by prosperity preachers and legalists worldwide. Then Gilbert shows how the gospel of Jesus Christ is the only way to the favor of god. As in What is the Gospel, Gilbert speaks to us clearly and relatably about the way of salvation in Christ. Then Gilbert spends half of the book showing us the glorious benefits of life in the favor of God.

As a pastor, I would quickly recommend this book to a variety of people in the church. Gilbert’s writing is so engaging and simple that any believer of any level could read and benefit from the book. Believers struggling with contentment or guilt could gain from the insights of the text. This book would make a fine tool in the toolbox of a biblical counselor who wants to help a person see that the gospel, and not our performance, is the source of our receiving favor from the Lord. Even non-believers who assume they must work their way into the favor of God could benefit from the clear gospel at the beginning of this work.

Are you struggling to actually believe that God loves you? Read this book. Are you wondering if your failures in the past are keeping you from the goodness of God? Read this book. Are you foolishly thinking that you have earned something good from God by your good behavior? Read this book. Are you wanting to know how to communicate the gospel of Christ and the sweetness of his Favor? Read this book.

• I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Nicholas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favor by Southern Baptist pastor Greg Gilbert is written to try to show the true purpose and meaning of the term “favor of (with) God.” Gilbert makes a strong case in this book that the biblical term has sadly been co-opted by the “health and wealth” preachers and authors to mean some kind of special rewards or blessings that God bestows on those Christians who demonstrate exemplary “faith” and “works” to earn God’s special attention and delight. But Gilbert strongly argues in the first section of the book called “Favor With God and How to Get It,” that the description provided by the “health and wealth” preachers is directly counter to what the Bible says God’s favor truly is. In short, God’s favor is already demonstrated for every believer, because God’s favor with Christians in based on His favor toward His Son, Jesus. So, the really good news of the Gospel is that we have nothing to earn or do to get special attention or affection from God, because Jesus has already earned all of that for us through His earthly ministry of living a perfect human life, and His sacrifice on the Cross and subsequent Resurrection. This truth was strongly taught by the Reformers and all conservative biblical scholars since. Gilbert makes this point understandable to laymen by using Jesus’ own description of the “vine and branches.” As taught by Jesus in the Gospel of John, and as expanded on by the Apostles Paul and John especially; a branch has no life on its own apart from the parent vine. But when the lifeless branch is grafted in to the healthy vine, those branches take on the same life and fruit-bearing abilities of the Vine — Jesus.

Then in Part Two, Gilbert describes the main benefits that Christians will find by really recognizing and living out the truths of the Bible in regards to being united to Christ. Chapters in this section cover benefits like contentment, peace with God, new Life, and the power to fight for our own souls and those of others as favored sons and daughters of the One True King.



Favor is a short book of less than 100 pages, but packs heaps of truths and encouragement on every page. While written specifically for both young and mature believers, pastors and ministry leaders will also find much here to use to strengthen their own faith and better feed the people God has assigned to them. Highly recommended.