The Complete Green Letters

by Miles J. Stanford

The five books of Miles J. Stanford have been loved by many people for the insight they provide into true spirituality. Now for the first time all five titles are available in one volume, the complete

Genres: Christian, Theology, Christianity, Christian Living, Faith, Nonfiction, Spirituality

336 pages, Paperback

First published December 25, 1983

Reviews

[Nathan Eilers · Rating 5 out of 5]

1st review: Stanford's work is a tour de force of the Christian faith. Using the promises of the Bible, Stanford systematically shows the believer what squi's position in Christ is and what that means in the everyday walk with the Lord. The truths in this book are foundational, transformational, and empowering.

2nd time through: I still cherish this book as a means of showing just how powerfully God has transformed the believer. Stanford is still the best writer I've found at articulating the identification truths, why they are so important, and how to manifest them in my day-to-day life (I've got a long way to go on that front). He also emphasizes the time element: it will take eternity to be molded into the image of Christ, but, fortunately, an eternity is exactly what we have.

The book does get a bit repetitive--it's a collection of essays after all. And Stanford has a tendency to rant at times. Still, it is one of the most valuable Christian works I've ever read.

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential lessons in spiritual growth. Hard reading at times, but extremely rewarding (wow, I've been reading this for almost two years *sweat*). I definitely did not understand everything that was being taught here, which might be due to my inability to understand (and lack of thorough theological training) or to some lack of clarity in the writing itself, but I am confident at the least that I have internalized the foundational truths this book sought to teach: that all Christian growth is based on positional truths and an increasing dependency on the realities of the cross of Christ rather than our own strivings. Essentially, if I could attempt to sum up, it is showing you how to apply Reformed soteriology to sanctification and directing you away from certain lies and false methods that are not scriptural.

I should note that the first part of this book - called "Principles of Spiritual Growth" - is the most clear and easy to understand part of the book. It's after it goes deeper that it starts getting difficult.

Extremely valuable - I can see myself reading this again, but for now, I am intent on a more careful study of the book of Romans to be taught these truths directly from the source.

[Becky Cochrane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will change your life. Read it!

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, a great book! My favorite section is the first one. He hits on very deep subjects in very simple ways, causing me to consider the ideas of faith, time, etc. in a new light. It may just be my spiritual immaturity, but I feel the book gets worse as it goes on. He may be hammering home his point, but parts feel redundant. He ends the book with some soap box moments that I felt took away from the power of the first section. Despite these negative qualities, I think this is a great book that can be helpful in understanding our (Christians') position in Christ.

[Brent · Rating 2 out of 5]

Slightly redundant, and actually quite bombastic in some of its theological claims that historical orthodoxy would disagree with. To Stanford, apparently for example, mortification and self-denial of sin is simply a man-made way toward holiness that will fail us. John Owen's "On the Mortification of Sin" is a little more impressive AND practical than this. Like I said, that's just one example. Wasn't impressed and was quite a drudgery to get through. If you want a practical book on holiness read a Tozer book or something. Tozer is better than this guy.

[Aaron Bashore · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most formative books I've ever read. If you are ready to grow, if you have been humbled by your own sin, if you think you are at the bottom, you need to read this book.

[Gregory Alterton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some years ago, a speaker characterized the gospel as this: "That Jesus Christ gave His life FOR us, in order that He might give His life TO us, so that He might then live His life THROUGH US." The promise of the gospel is that we who believe can now operate in the presence and power of the Spirit of Jesus Christ -- not doing our best for Him, but allowing Him to do His best through us, such that when an unbelieving world looks at us, they should see Christ living His life out through his followers, both inside and outside the church. This, if it became actual, would revolutionize evangelism as it would be based on projecting the life and spirit of Jesus Christ to the needs of people. As Paul writes in Gal. 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ -- [in Him] I have shared His crucifixion; it is no longer I who live, but Christ, the Messiah, who lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith - by adherence to and reliance on and [complete] trust - in the Son of God Who loved me and gave Himself for me."

THE COMPLETE GREEN LETTERS was one of the key books I've read which discusses what the "Christ in me" teaching means, and how it becomes a reality in the life of the Christian. If you're tired of traditional religion, see it as senseless, or have run out of steam because you have been led to believe that the Christian life is really lived by you and your sincere efforts, this book will likely be as much of a help and a revelation to you as it was to me.

[Cyndi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the most profound book for spiritual growth. You won't find this being taught in church. These are truths of "pure" grace. We grow in Christ like we are saved...all by pure grace and nothing we can do to deserve that. These truths are the ones that mature a person through suffering of experience and brings much comfort. Who are we in Christ, How are we placed in Him...positioned in Him, His working transforming us into His image taking time...a long journey on this side of heaven til He takes us home. How He died and we die with Him overcoming sin and having victory.
Trust me this will change your life as it did mine and kept me with my husband learning to have grace with him and he with me. You won't be disappointed...

[Staci · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know how to comment on this book. There are deep truths throughout the book, but the way it is written was hard for me to digest. I generally love most 'Union with Christ' teaching, but I struggled with this one... particularly the last section of the book which felt more like a rant against other streams of Christianity. I thought the tone took away from the initial purpose of the book. It's a pity, because I really believe the theological truth of identification. Would I recommend it? Honestly, there are quite a few other books on this topic that I would recommend first.

[Stephen Angliss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply put, the most impactful book I've ever read outside of the Bible.

Wordy, deep, and light on application, this is not for the casual seeker. If you struggle with assurance of salvation, or wonder what it actually means to grow spiritually, read this book.

God does not need us as servants, but He wants us as sons.

[Chris Barrans · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book for both those who are open to the Gospel and those who are interested in ministry. Miles also has a version of this book that's less than 100 pages. A valuable book to have in the arsenal to give to those who might be interested in Christianity and its foundational principles and beliefs for spiritual growth.

[Abigail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every Christian should read this. Very educational and easy to understand!

[Martha Lopata · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short chapters of 2-5 pages, 71 chapters...so poignant! Lots packed into these short chapters! You will be glad you are reading/have read this book made from 5 previously published works.

[Andy Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s all about our position in Christ.

[Tirsa Delgado]

Excellent read for all believers.

[Tim Wilkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I misplaced my copy and I am the worst for it. I had marked every page and underlined multiple sentences. Maybe it fell into someone else's hands which means they, too, enjoyed reading it.

[JR Boutwell · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was a lot of good stuff in it, but I found it a labor to read it all the way through.

[Cynthia Feenstra · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic tour de force in Christian devotionals. It primarily focuses on the Christian's identity in Christ. A bit heady at times, but worth the effort.

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a book recommended to me by a friend at a time when I was in need of some spiritual refreshment and growth in my Christian walk and I couldn't be happier with this suggestion. This book is all about spiritual growth for the Christian who has gown out of the milk of basic Christian doctrine and is looking to deepen their faith in Christ. The entire book, which is actually a compilation of five smaller works covering different aspects of spiritual growth, can be summed up in four words repeated throughout: "Not I, but Christ." Mr. Stanford points to scripture to make his case that, once a person has authentically repented and turned to Christ, the old, sinful man has been crucified with Christ and we have new life with the risen Christ. To Mr. Stanford, spiritual growth is about abiding in this identification truth and remembering our position with Christ is not to look up to Him from our perspective, but to look down from his position on ourselves as redeemed in Christ. It is not an easy transition, and Mr. Stanford rightfully points out that this process of identifying ourselves in Christ will take time (i.e. years) to fully understand and complete, but that it is in the hands of Christ and the Holy Spirit and not ours (thank God!). Two problems keep me from giving this five stars. First, this is not something to be read by a recently converted Christian. The need for spiritual growth, as Mr. Stanford points out, comes later when one is struggling to maintain the Christian life and is, more than likely, losing. Only then will the Holy Spirit come to reveal these truths to people. Thus this book might be wasted, even harmful, to neophyte Christians. The other problem with this book is the language. Mr. Stanford uses some of the language of the King James Bible, which he also quotes from liberally. Thus, the language of the book maybe difficult for some readers. Perhaps a future edition of this book could be edited to more modern language as has been done with recent editions of My Utmost for His Highest: Traditional Updated Edition by Oswald Chambers. But, if you've been a Christian for a while and you feel like your spiritual life is tuck in a rut, get this book and start reading it right away!

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first four sections of this book were quite good. I thought the language was a little dense, but the points Stanford makes about sanctification and position vs. condition in Christ were quite good.

However, the fifth section veered from this exposition of sanctification into critique of contemporary theology. Stanford insults and otherwise tears apart both reformed and covenant theology without putting forth any remedy for his complaints. He also insists that anti-dispensationalism is so false it's practically heretical and should be stamped out of existence. Being anti-dispensationalist myself, I naturally did not concur with his conclusion.

While most of his theology seems sound, Stanford's anti-Calvinist, anti-Covenant, pro-dispensationalist views took over the final part of the book. He gave no credence to any theologian or doctrine that might contradict his own views, and was quite condescending toward the idea that we as Christians are still bound by and should strive to follow any kind of law (which is basically his argument for dispensationalism in a nutshell). I would have been fine with this if he had gone into detail explaining what he believes, why he believes it, and what that means in our daily walk, as he does with the rest of his sanctification arguments, but instead the book ends with him condemning (or seeming to condemn) both the practices of Calvinism and Armenianism without putting forth any solution.

Look, I think that there are three things you need to believe in order to be a Christian: that you are in need of saving from sin and cannot do it yourself, that Christ died in order to save you, and that he rose from the dead and lives again in glory at the right hand of God. I think differences in theology are good, because they force us to examine what we believe and why we believe it and to truly understand what we believe and if it is defensible. What I don't like or think is good practice, is to tear down another system of belief and crush it into the ground without a thorough explanation of your reasoning for doing this. If you're not willing to go into detail about why and how what you believe contradicts what someone else believes and defend your position, then you have no business telling someone their beliefs are wrong. End of story.

So, while I think this is a good work on sanctification, due to the last section I cannot find it in my heart to ever recommend this book to anyone.

[Stevie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Continuation of Poignant Quotes:

The Spirit of God does not give immediate holiness of life by faith or any other means. True, His method of producing holiness is by faith, but it is through the process of growth. The Spirit matures the new life in Christ as He holds the old life in the position of death via the Cross. there are no shortcuts to maturity.

Sir Robert Anderson - "In proportion therefore as mind and heart are fixed on Christ, we may count on the Spirit's presence and power..."

To be filled with the Holy Spirit is to be filled with the life of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Spirit of Christ within is at work, and has been from the moment we were saved.

They do not realize the blessed fact that, ever since their new birth, the Spirit has been faithfully ministering within by taking them down into defeat that self might be revealed and repudiated.

[Dan Sr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very practical book about how to grow in Christ. Stanford has done a marvelous job of gathering substantial spiritual food for both new believers and those mature in Christ. Since the chapters are very short(~4 pages each)this book is a great daily devotional.

Stanford gets somewhat repetitious so the book gets very long. Because the content is good it is well worth the read even if one does not get all the way through.

I hope that someone rewrites this collection and condenses it down to about 1/5th of its size. If it were aimed at a lower reading level and had a little more balance, more believers could access the precious concepts.

[Brad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not very well written, but filled with a great deal of truth about the nature of sanctification. The author does totally overlook the importance of the Body of Christ (the church) in the process of sanctification and seems to promote a sort of "lone-ranger christian". Which is a grievous error indeed. While the writing is clunky and the quotes (of which there are many) are not well incorporated, they are very powerful. I would recommend this book to everyone (with the aforementioned cautions)as the truth found within is sorely missing from today's Christianity, and plays no small part in her manifold shortcomings.

[Wesley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had to read this for DSMN 520-Spiritual Formation at Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary. This is functionally a less helpful version of My Utmost for His Highest. Stanford certainly doesn't emphasize the practical side of Christian living very much, he just kind of beats you over the head with his theology day after day. Some of the other books we read for the class (Richard Foster's Celebration of Disipline, Gary W. Moon's Apprenticeship with Jesus, and Kenneth Boa's Conformed to His Image) are all infinitely better and I would give them much higher priority on my reading list.

[Michelle Fuqua · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book on the power and possibility of prayer. It is a timeless book that builds a case for the value of prayer in the life of a Christian. It offers some good suggestions for building a meaningful, impactful prayer life. I recommend this book for anyone who is interested in spiritual growth and development.

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this book, Miles Stanford covered numerous spiritual topics, and each topic is treated in a series of short chapters that give the book a "fragmented" feeling. Nonetheless, this book conveys a powerful message: All believers must understand, accept, and stand upon their POSITION in Christ rather than their CONDITION in life.

[Joshua · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a great book in my opinion. The "deeper life" as presented here is a fascinating idea that has its roots in Wesleyan thought and the Keswick Convention that doesn't seem to speak to me and can, at times, buck agains my understanding of biblical theology. Plus the book is disjointed and not edited well because it is actually five books stitched together. Just not a fav for me

[Theresa · Rating 1 out of 5]

I do not recommend this book or this author. Standford bashes what he does not know or understand. He perpetuates the division between denominations instead of bringing them closer. He needs to study the books of Acts more deeply and I recommend that he reads Living in the Spirit by George O. Wood.

[Joel · Rating 4 out of 5]

To be humble

[Jordan]

Absolutely great insightfulness on the doctrines of Scripture. Very dense.