The Truth About Grace
By John MacArthur
It’s a quirky misfortune when it comes to basic concepts of our faith like grace, forgiveness, and salvation. We kind of know what they are, but we stumble all over ourselves at times in an effort to define them. 
Or, we sadly mis-define them, twisting and deforming “grace” until it suits our own opinion and makes life easy and comfortable, but hardly righteous and Godly.
So, when John MacArthur tells us from the very title of the book that he’ll be telling “The Truth About Grace,” I was intrigued. It especially caught my attention because I have a massive tome on grace sitting on my bookshelf that I’ve never fought my way through. MacArthur’s book, however, is more like a booklet. The book is brief (only around 100 pages) and to the point, no frills or fancy storytelling. It’s neither a theological treatise suitable only for seminary grads nor a light-hearted jaunt through the New Testament.
It’s a handbook for Christians who want to understand the truth about the faith we profess. It’s challenging and may step on the toes of those who prefer a more legalistic religion, as well as those who think grace excuses any and all behaviors, and proponents of what MacArthur terms the “cheap grace” of repeating a prayer being adequate for salvation. With an extensive discussion on the distinction between faith-based works and works-based faith, it’s a fantastic companion to the book of James, which is how I used it in my small group.
It’s also quite timely, addressing many of the misunderstandings about grace we can find anywhere from our church pulpits to our seminary classrooms and television preaching.
(I’ve received this complimentary book from Thomas Nelson Publishing House through the Book Sneeze program in exchange for a review. A positive review was not required and the views expressed in my review are strictly my own.)
