Recommended ( )

http://www.wordandspirit.co.uk/blog/2009/06/28/book-review-death-by-love-mark-dr... ( )

Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears, a knowledgeable Bible professor, have compiled a masterpiece in their second collaborative effort, "Death by Love". This book packs the punch readers have come to expect of cutting-edge Driscoll. This collection of letters addresses some of our culture’s most common maladies with Scripturally-based explanations of Christ’s work for us by His death on the cross, both on Earth and in Heaven.

As always, Driscoll generously sprinkles his explanations with hundreds of specific Bible references. This author is passionate about Truth and has a gift for bringing Christ’s work alive in poignantly relevant stories. His letters, each an independent chapter, address issues such as child abuse, terminal illness and even spiritual complacency through a lens which allows the reader to uniquely see how Jesus answers, with His death and resurrection, their specific concerns.

In this work, Driscoll and Breshears offer an easy-to-understand theology on meaty doctrines such as expiation, justification, and revelation. For example, in a letter to his friend “Thomas”, a man driven by sexual addictions, Driscoll draws from I John and II Peter clearly demonstrating his friend’s slavery to physical cravings, lust and pride. He then shows Thomas the beautiful power of the cross to redeem us from the curse of the law, the power of Satan, our sinful flesh, and being dead to God. The author brilliantly moves on to show us how Jesus redeemed us to life in Heaven with God, Jesus’ return, and a resurrected body.

One of my favorite chapters was Driscoll’s letter to his 18-month-old son, a convincing discourse on “unlimited limited atonement”. In this letter, Driscoll skillfully weaves his unique perspective on atonement, a combination of Calvinist and Arminian views. Driscoll and Breshears challenge their readers to take a look at free will and God’s election, in harmony: “Jesus’ death was sufficient to save anyone and, subjectively, efficient only to save those who repent of their sin and trust in him.”

"Death by Love" quite possibly contains the clearest, most understandable, explanations I’ve ever read on all that Christ’s death and resurrection accomplished. These authors are able to explain the cure to our modern-day sins and show us the ultimate example of Love with the unchanging Truth of the cross. "Death by Love" infused me with fresh hope in Jesus’ promise that He has already defeated Satan and death! ( )