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Done.: What most religions don't tell you about the Bible

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You are more than a body; you will live forever somewhere; And God is on the divine rescue mission to make sure your "forever" is safe with Him! If you enjoy being loved; if you enjoy gifts; if you care about where you will spend forever; and if you want to know the true message of the Bible, then you must read this book. Where will you spend forever? You owe this question some investigation.

114 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 5, 2005

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About the author

Cary Schmidt

37 books28 followers
Cary Schmidt is the senior pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church of Newington, Connecticut.

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5 stars
453 (44%)
4 stars
224 (22%)
3 stars
189 (18%)
2 stars
79 (7%)
1 star
64 (6%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
3 reviews
April 24, 2017
Worth the read but disagree with the end

I agreed with the majority of this book and the authors perspective early on in the book. I think there is too much of an emphasis on doing and not as much on what Christ has done. Even within mainline Christianity, it seems there is a lot of focus on what we do that makes us acceptable to God. We cannot be acceptable to God based on anything we do because God is Holy an we are not.

However, chapters 9 & 10 was where I disagree with his conclusion. If you take his conclusion from the end of Chapter 8, everyone would be saved becaue Christ paid for everyone's sins. He says at the end of Chapter 8 that God did all he could do. The implication is that now it's up to me. God is reaching out hoping we will believe but if we don't there isn't anything God can do. We, in essence, are the ones in control. However, if Jesus paid for all of our sins, it seems that would apply to our unbelief as well. Either Jesus paid for all sins or he did not. While I 100% agree that the gift Jesus offers is available to everyone, it is different than saying that Jesus already paid for your sins you just need to accept it. It appears to make salvation hypothetical if you do not believe.

He also provides examples of God making the gift available but it's up to us to accept it. He uses Christmas presents, and walking up and offering someone $1,000. You can offer those to people but the other person needs to accept it. However, I think that those examples contradicts what he says in the conlcusion where he brings up verses like Eph 2:1 that states we are "dead in our trespasses and sins." A dead person cannot accept a gift. A dead person needs to be made alive first (which is what Eph 2:1-10 clearly states.) The implication is that God has made everyone alive in order to accept or reject the gift. But if a person is already made alive then what would cause them to be eternally separated from God? Romans 8 makes clear we are either spiritually alive or spritually dead. The last few pages of the book make it seem like there is a middle ground. This is what I would disagree with.

Again, all in all this is a decent book and worth the read.
Profile Image for Norman Cook.
1,790 reviews23 followers
December 31, 2013
It is interesting that my final book of the year is entitled Done. A well meaning relative gave this to me to read and I fully intended to give it my best shot. But by page 3 I just could not get past the author's axioms and therefore knew I would not be able to agree with his conclusions, so I cut my losses and stopped reading.

From the Introduction: "There must be a purpose--a reason for it all.... There must be more than just birth, life, death, and an endless evolutionary cycle randomly headed nowhere." No, there doesn't have to be more than that at all.

Again from the Introduction: "You know you were created because your world shows intelligent design." I know no such thing. As far as I can determine, the universe shows absolutely no intelligent design.

From Chapter 1: "If you're nothing but a body, then all you really have to look forward to is death. How could anybody really be happy if that's all the future holds? If that is to be the ultimate final destination of your life, why would anything else matter?" These are straw-man arguments. I am happy. I can be happy because I know my life matters here and now, and that my legacy with my family, friends, and the world will make a difference.

Again from Chapter 1: "If you are more than a freak biological accident, then you are created. If you are created then you have value to your Creator. He made you for a reason--a purpose. You have significance and meaning--and life is more than random events strung together by fate." This is another unsupported axiom. I don't know if I'm more than a biological accident, but I have no evidence to suppose I'm not. As far as I can tell, life is indeed a series of random events.

This book, and most religious books I've encountered, make the same mistakes in logic. This is largely because religion is not logical. Religion is a philosophy that cannot be proven or disproven by logical arguments.
181 reviews1 follower
October 10, 2022
Excelente libro

Muy bien elaborado, simple en el vocabulario pero profundo en las enseñanzas de una realidad simple pero tan difícil de aceptar y que es el regalo más grande que puede recibir el hombre
2 reviews
June 18, 2019
Once saved always saved.

This book sums up the topic of salvation very neatly. I would highly recommend this book to someone who has a desire to be saved.
Profile Image for Matthew Gasperoni.
165 reviews4 followers
April 28, 2024
I came across this book today and decided to give it a read. I am always on the lookout for books that are concise and clear on the Gospel, making it easier for me to recommend or share with others. This book effectively covers, albeit briefly, the Creation, Fall, and Redemption narrative. It touches on Sanctification, emphasizing the importance of being part of a Bible-believing church, a community, engaging with the Word of God, and committing to prayer. I also appreciated the additional apologetic points that shed light on the reasons behind our beliefs and the need to trust in them.

I am confident that anyone who approaches this book with an open heart will grasp the clear presentation of the Gospel and the significance of embracing it. The author's message was clear, and I can only hope and pray that others will also recognize the transformative power of the Gospel.

Why 4 stars instead of 5? While I would have preferred more emphasis on the conclusion, follow-ups, and the process of Sanctification, the minimal coverage was still present. Ultimately, the focus was on highlighting what has been achieved by Christ (and the exclusive path He calls us to) and urging readers to respond decisively to the call of God.
Profile Image for Kaitlyn Frutiger.
59 reviews
June 24, 2020
Interesting book about salvation... even though I’m already a Christian, I think it was good for me to read this book. It gave a little more detail, I guess you could say, to how non-Christians think when they’re from different backgrounds etc. My only problem I had with it was that I feel like he could’ve included a bit more detail... he cut off a few verses early and I felt like he was kind of pulling it out of context. Overall it was a decent book!
Profile Image for Jessin Stalnaker.
67 reviews7 followers
December 30, 2023
The presentation of the Gospel delivered in a direct, yet gentle manner. A poignant reminder for those who believe and a drawing power for those who do not.
Profile Image for Christina Lawson.
39 reviews
September 3, 2025
Great little book with clear explanations of the Bible and the Gospel message that are very helpful to use when talking about religions and the Gospel in general conversation.
Profile Image for Alexandria Avona.
152 reviews1 follower
September 8, 2025
Jewish beliefs clearly trying to work their way into Christian material. Clearly don't believe in and respect Christian intelligence. Absolute no, especially as the state of Israel is dependent on a largely Christian United States military budget. Absolute no to insidiously use the money to hurt Christians. That said, not ok for lack of Christian unity, "I'm the pro-Semitic Christian, unlike blah blah blah". Narcissistic comparative, also an absolute no. Jewish court precedent based traditions trying to take shots at abolition. Absolute 0 comprehension of abolition where you derive the factors that lead to the crime, usually neuroscientific as well as economic first and foremost every time, and then social-cultural or social sickness features that some unconsciousnesses learn and pick up on faster than others the usual suspects. I'm struck also by the striking lack of scientific analysis in old Nazi "character" based eugenics journals about students from different types of classes. There's great record keeping of behavior, but the explanations are just "the dog ate my governance homework" level just saying it's just who they are with literally 0 analysis of the different economic factors, cultures and backgrounds like an actual scientist would do. It blows my mind when someone keeps records that suggest a scientific mind, but then the actual macrosystem analytical work is just "feed the police dog the homework and say it's their fundamental character". They just come off miserable and like bad parents without the oxytocin required. Instead they're just like "NOPE, round em up with 0 intelligence" without even basically chipping at a lasting solution to where that crime came from in the first place. Police dogs eating their governance homework again because it's "too hard" as usual. Just an absolute flunk there. Isn't it funny? Actual, confirmed Nazi material and Jewish anti-abolition material flunk on this point in the exact same way. That is just hilarious. Don't take shots at abolition which is probably as radical Christian as it gets. There's nothing wrong with trying to integrate, but not insidiously and disrespectfully of Christian intelligence. Outside of the disrespect of that, where Face to Face doesn't show disrespect but considers the problems on their own terms without trying to insidiously corrupt them disrespectfully from the inside. That said, this shows very strong comprehension how being as good as your word is critical and that paying in full is an act of courage and commitment which I think is true and we should challenge ourselves to that, within reason of macrosystem competence that requires more forgiveness than not because nobody is intelligent enough to predict and capture all these features and only a narcissist would even attempt to manipulate these huge geosystems without a care to potential irreparable damage. However in the end I'm with Kierkegaard that I think there is an infinite supply of excuses to be a coward and reasons to be brave at any point, ultimately it is the difference between the faithless and the faithful. There will always be an endless supply of material backing either act of faith, in the end it's about your character. Sometimes it's really not possible but that's less often than those weak of will make it sound, and that's on their unattractive character. That shouldn't be enabled, and that shows a strong comprehension of that. However, there are reasons, such as homicide attempts, financial abuse, trafficking, etc., which often have been happening in increasingly faithless increasing religious wars. Even Canada, once the bastion of social medicine that acknowledged war as cancerous (most cancer prone genes have an excessive history of war; war is cancerous, if not cancer itself in the long run) is now easily falling into anger, rage, narcissism and war. That's a real downgrade, and it's concerning, because Nord Stream 2 showed a similar downgrade happening in Germany as well relying on extracting of natural resources and other people's generativity in a parasitic way; both of these were previously considered first world, which is like the adult of economics suddenly downgrading to the teenager of economics. In either case, this material shows a strong comprehension of trust as credit building in being as good as your word. However there is clearly a eugenics element where spirit is being conflated with genes because that's how they experience the world and they don't realize other people are treated very differently and it's not spiritual at all. Not their fault, but they do need to be illuminated. Definitely stank of Jewish crap trying to find a Christian rationalization for trafficking at several points, I have literally heard Zionists say "it's fine to treat Christians however, to make money on them, they're goyem" like they're cattle or something. It's not fine. It's not ok, literally at all. It's just rationalization. For example like "if my friend suddenly forgave all my credit card debt". Was it possible for her to pay for it herself? Nope, that's isolating yourself from God never to be heard from again to pay your own way. Absolute no on cutting a woman off from her community for paying her own way avoiding men who want to potentially traffick her. It's written by a man but it's very incompetent to women's issues how abusers try to work their way in with these kind of things like "gift baskets won't forgive your debt". There are people that will see someone cares, get attracted to them, put them in debt, and essentially commit sexual battery saying it's to get them out of debt just because when they saw how sweet the person was they wanted to and planned an illegal way to have sex with them. This stinks with the rationalization of all that, especially the line that "God decides how you will pay your debt" and it seems that this is from men. This is just straight up gaslighting. Then saying if she pays her own way without men swinging in to pay manufactured legal issues, which is essentially r*pe, then God will cut her off. That just sounds like a trafficker isolating their victim. Stunk really hard of all that, but I think the author was in earnest and someone had been chipping at them at a long time to gaslight them. Not their fault, it's the gaslighter's fault for not respecting their religion and intelligence.
243 reviews1 follower
April 17, 2021
In a world that is filled with different belief systems, it can be confusing to know which one is right! Cary Schmidt sums up all belief systems into two categories: DO or DONE! DO says, act this way/ follow this and you will receive this - DONE says, it's already been finished - just enjoy the relationship. "DO" is a prison that keeps you in bondage - never knowing when you have done enough while "DONE" is resting in the work that Jesus did. Very easy read, also really good! It shows why Jesus said "Come unto me all ye who are burdened and heavy laden and I will give you rest." People want so badly to have eternal life and be in heaven -but there is only one way (through Jesus by faith).
Profile Image for Linda.
2,174 reviews
March 27, 2019
Currently, there are over 7.7 BILLION people living on this planet. They seem to have a variety of worship systems, and yet there are really only TWO religions: DO and DONE.

DO is Man's attempt to make himself (or herself) right with God: DO this, don't DO that, follow these rules, (yada, yada, yada) ...

DONE is what God has already accomplished to bring Mankind into reconciliation with Himself. IT IS FINISHED! NOTHING else is needed!

If you want to know the difference between DO and DONE, read this book IMMEDIATELY!
111 reviews10 followers
December 23, 2019
This book is excellent for anyone searching for THE TRUTH OF GOD'S WORD. It is written with many examples to help your understanding between the burden of religion and the freedom in God's paid-in-full gift to those who believe and trust on Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour.
It is a great witnessing tool !!!
45 reviews
March 21, 2014
Eye opening

I have always had faith in my heart but recently we began going to a church that we love which has pushed my faith to a diff level. I have really begun to want to "know" and understand God's word. This was incredibly helpful.
Profile Image for J.
12 reviews
October 9, 2015
Es un excelente libro para aquellos que batallan por entender la razón de tantas contradicciones entre religiones o sectas. Es una ilustración clara de la única forma de llegar al Señor. Lo recomiendo a personas no creyentes y a creyentes.
Profile Image for Jacob Phillips.
11 reviews
January 7, 2018
I think this is a really good book for any Christian. It has helped me see what the bible is trying to teach me and understand my real goal,journey,and purpose with God. I think it will help you to if you are interested in reading this.
Profile Image for NB.
11 reviews
October 17, 2019
I wasted my time.

Preposterous, delusional, delusive, full of nonsense, lacks logic, arguments and evidences, it is a clear fanatic, radical and extremist piece of pseudo-literature.
Profile Image for Daniel Mann.
129 reviews4 followers
May 13, 2021
An excellent, short book to give to anyone that you are seeking to lead to Christ. This book is very helpful in explaining salvation by grace through faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross.
18 reviews
January 3, 2025
My grandma gave it to me so I read it. It’s short and uses circular, manipulative reasoning to quickly try and indoctrinate the reader. Christianity is great but this is the kind of content that pushes intelligent people away from it
Profile Image for Christian Jerez Noboa.
12 reviews1 follower
April 10, 2015
Una magistral explicación sobre la gracia y la misericordia de Dios. Por encima de lo que el ser humano quiera o pueda hacer, cuando ya todo está hecho por Jesús.
225 reviews
January 31, 2019
Written in an easy to,read style with excellent practical applications.
Glad a friend recommended it,
Free on Amazon.
Profile Image for Caleb Godoy.
3 reviews
May 17, 2020
Awesome reminder

I like the reminder of the gospel. I will recommended for the gospel preaching lesson and for no God believers.
Profile Image for Gwen.
61 reviews
October 21, 2024
I picked up this book because I am trying to grow and understand my own personal faith (it didn't hurt that it's also a quick read that's free on Kindle Unlimited).

As someone who is trying to grow in her relationship to God, the idea of Do versus Done religions is interesting. I was fortunate enough to grow up in a church/community that taught about an all-loving God, so I personally do believe that God loves us. However, in a world that often uses religion to tear down others, it can be hard to not hear the people who insist we have to fight for God's love. It was nice to see a line drawn between the two opinions in this book.

As I said, this book is pretty in line with my own personal belief system, so I appreciated the content. I fully understand why it wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea.

I was admittedly very underwhelmed with the end of the book, though. As others have said, the end could have had more detail and seemingly ended abruptly. I also personally didn't like that it seemed to be an advertisement for his other books, but I suppose that's not a big deal. I know other authors do it as well; it just threw me off particularly here because of the content.

Overall, a 4/5 because it was insightful but lost steam at the end.

This was a very quick book that I'm glad I picked up. I always find it difficult to recommend religious books to others because I don't know their beliefs and I do not want to be disrespectful. What I will say is that if you are curious about this book, it probably won't hurt to read it.
Profile Image for Patricio.
224 reviews
May 1, 2020
Es el libro más deshonesto que he leído sobre religión y espiritualidad.

Se fundamenta en que no tienes que "hacer" nada para tu salvación por que Cristo lo ha "hecho" todo por ti (la vieja discusión de la salvación "fe versus buenas obras") citando varios argumentos bíblicos. Lo que la autora -que es una pastora Bautista- convenientemente omite, es que la misma Biblia habla de las cosas que el creyente tiene que "hacer" -o que implican hacer- para su salvación: Lucas 22:19, Filipenses 4:8-10, 1 Corintios 11:24-25, 1 Tesalonicenses 5:21, etc. y sobretodo si uno se fija en el Salmo 50 (51) "la" acción del creyente agradable a Dios es el arrepentimiento.

Si durante todo el transcurso del libro te dice que tu no tienes que "hacer" nada para tu salvación por que Cristo lo ha "hecho" todo por ti (de ahí el título de "Hecho") ¿Entonces por qué tienes que contactarte con la Striving Together Publications? Siguiendo la lógica (?) de esta gente, si para mi salvación no necesito una iglesia (lo más) ¿para qué diablos necesito una editorial? (lo menos). Convengamos que 'contactar' necesariamente implica un hacer.

En resumen. un panfleto publicitario barato teológicamente mediocre con un título muy "marketero".
Me siento estafado.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Natasha Winter.
23 reviews
June 10, 2024
I got this book from a friend, and was curious “what most religions don’t tell you about the Bible.” Despite the title, this book was mostly an argument for Christianity, particularly this author’s ideas about it.
Overall, I thought it was a heartfelt evangelical book. It was directed toward new Christians, and while I have been taught the things written about in this book all my life, I enjoyed seeing his arguments as well as questioning and finding evidence for and against parts I didn’t completely agree with. The reason it only gets four stars is because some of the analogies are lacking and I don’t think the argument was strong enough to convince someone to convert. Despite the flaws, Schmidt wrote this to share his faith, and he did so in a way that was quick to read and easy to understand.
Profile Image for Michael.
10 reviews
February 2, 2020
The message is great, but the writing style was just a bit. off. I was listening to most of it text to speech, and the way the writing broke between discussing the Bible, and breaking the "you" wall with "Friend, did you know that ..." It would have been much better if the personal application wasn't so randomly sprinkled in.

Maybe it had something to do with those claims of friendship were from that "pre-alexa" Kindle Touch voice suddenly calling me friend after telling me how bad sin is. I'm sure it was rightly placed when it was a sunday morning sermon, but in print and audio book, those excursions just distracted from the content. So, as long as you read it text, It's a good message.

Profile Image for Evan Steele.
432 reviews8 followers
April 11, 2021
The book is competent explanation of our need for God and the path the Bible lays out for our being made right with him.

The King James is used for the frequent verses inserted into the text and that takes away from a lot of the flow. A modern english Bible would be a great improvement to what he was trying to do here.

It technically does what the author set out to do. Nothing special or exceptional here.
Profile Image for Hanna Kanso.
54 reviews
September 3, 2024
I really loved this book! It filled me with all the love and emotion that stems from knowing Jesus. It changed my perspective on my faith and how much burden I place on myself. It has already been done for me! That’s not to say you can do whatever you want without consequences, but what we want changes when you walk with God. This is a great little book to give to anyone with the slightest interest in Christianity. God is good and loves us all, we just need to accept it
Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews

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