Christmas is not too far off and so thinking about the right gift is even nearer. May I suggest one? Pastor Tim Keller's 2008 New York Times bestseller, The Reason for God, would make a substantial Christmas gift this year.
Keller has a unique gift in giving clear and cogent answers to difficult questions skeptics ask about the Christian faith. He is especially gifted in showing religionists of all stripes, even church-going theologically conservative Christians, the vast difference between religion and the gospel of Jesus. Some chapter titles to whet your appetite: There Can't Be Just One True Religion (Ch. 1); Christianity Is a Straightjacket (Ch. 3); Science Has Disproved Christianity (Ch. 6); Religion and the Gospel (Ch. 11). If you are looking for a meaty gift for another Christian or that beloved committed skeptic, this is it. Here's a snippet from chapter 11:
The primary difference [between Religion and Gospel] is that of motivation. In religion, we try to obey the divine standard out of fear. We believe that if we don't obey we are going to lose God's blessing in this world and the next. In the gospel, the motivation is one of gratitude for the blessing we have already received because of Christ. While the moralist is forced into obedience, motivated by fear of rejection, a Christian rushes into obedience, motivated by a desire to please and resemble the one who gave his life for us.The best price I've found online for the paperback edition of The Reason for God is $9.36 at www.monergism.com. Monergism also has great shipping rates. Follow the bookstore link at the top of the page. Grace & peace, John
Another difference has to do with our identity and self-regard. In a religious framework, if you feel you are living up to your chosen religious standards, then you feel superior and disdainful toward those who are not following in the true path. This is true whether your religion is of a more liberal variety (in which case you will feel superior to bigots and narrow-minded people) or of a more conservative variety (in which case you will feel superior to the less moral and devout). If you are not living up to your chosen standards, then you will feel far more guilt than if you had stayed away from God and religion altogether.
When my own personal grasp of the gospel was very weak, my self-view swung wildly between two poles. When I was performing up to my standards--in academic work, professional achievement, or relationships--I felt confident but not humble. I was likely to be proud and unsympathetic to failing people. When I was not living up to standards, I felt humble but not confident, a failure. I discovered, however, that the gospel contained the resources to build a unique identity. In Christ I could know I was accepted by grace not only despite my flaws, but because I was willing to admit them. The Christian gospel is that I am so flawed that Jesus had to die for me, yet I am so loved and valued and that Jesus was glad to die for me. This leads to deep humility and deep confidence at the same time. It undermines both swaggering and sniveling. I cannot feel superior to anyone, and yet I have nothing to prove to anyone. I do not think more of myself nor less of myself. Instead, I think of myself less. I don't need to notice myself--how I'm doing, how I'm being regarded--so often" (The Reason for God, 180-81).
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