I love reading and sharing Christian books here at Living Our Days—and with friends in real life. My goal is to put resources in my readers’ hands to help them become more confident followers of Christ and students of God’s word. I want to see the truth clearly so I can say it clearly.
The past decade has brought about changes in Christian publishing that have complicated my process of selecting books to read and review. One sifting question has served me well: “Is this book offering gospel hope or is it just another self-help book?” My boot straps are tired from all the years of pulling, and I don’t want to inflict that on my readers.
A book offering gospel hope leans into and embraces the tension between the work of the Spirit and the effort of the believer. While it is true that salvation is entirely of faith, it is also true that following Christ is not for the faint of heart. As usual, Paul says it best:
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
In one sentence, Paul assures his readers that they can’t work off their sin problem or work their way into God’s favor. Then, he immediately reminds them that believers have custom-made assignments, “good works” which we perform not to become part of God’s family, but because we are already his children.
Books that lead you to believe that you have to eat a certain way or vote a certain way or follow a particular exercise plan to be acceptable to God are sharing a false gospel. Their authors assure you that if you think positive, powerful thoughts, you can build a perfect business/ministry/family life. Any author or teacher who promises a successful, pain-free life by following “these ten easy steps” is sharing a false gospel.
You can see why this has become a matter of concern for me, but it’s nothing new. All the New Testament writers spoke out against false gospel messages. One of the most pervasive in Paul’s time was Rome’s message of salvation by conquest and peace through power.
In choosing books to review, one sifting question has served me well: “Is this book offering gospel hope or is it just another self-help book?”
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In Nero and Paul, Kathie Lee Gifford has teamed up with historian Bryan M. Litfin to juxtapose the two gospels that drove two powerful and determined men who lived parallel lives in the first century. I was already familiar with Paul’s timeline, but knew very little about Nero other than his reputation for brutal oppression. I was surprised to learn that because of the influence of Seneca, his mentor, his early reign was characterized by fairness and cooperation. Sadly, he spiraled into depravity, deceit, and bloodshed, taking his own life at the age of thirty.
Gifford follows the two parallel timelines, dipping with discretion into archaeological data and historical records to fill in details and dates not provided by Scripture. When Paul declared his appeal to Caesar, the two stories converge, and it appeared at first that Nero would have the last word. “Unfortunately for Nero, the content of his ‘gospel’ stood diametrically opposed to the one Paul had received from God. These two gospels were on a direct collision course—and, in the end, only one of them would endure for all time.”
The book has the feel of a discussion as content is interspersed with commentary in a conversational style between the two authors. Gifford shares freely from her own story as well, demonstrating that her knowledge of “Paul’s gospel” is far more than academic. Discover how the gospel of grace triumphed in this fascinating read about Nero and Paul.
Discover how the gospel of grace triumphed in this fascinating read about Nero and Paul. @KathieLGifford @WPubGroup
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Holding You in the Light,
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Grief comes to everyone sooner or later, and whether it’s the death of a loved one or the loss of some cherished aspect of our life or identity, God’s Word is crucial for grieving well. Past hurts have a habit of snagging our hearts in unexpected moments, but God provides abundant grace to help the believer move through grief without getting stuck and without wasting the opportunity to walk more closely with the Lord who lightens our darkness.
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Disclosure: I am an Amazon Associate, which means that whenever you purchase a book I’ve shared here through the link I provide, I’ll receive a very small commission. It doesn’t cost you more, and I only share books here that I can wholeheartedly recommend.
Many thanks to W Publishing (an imprint of Thomas Nelson) and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book to facilitate my review, which is, of course, offered freely and with honesty.
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