The Ragamuffin Gospel, by Brennan Manning is the most liberating spiritual experience I have ever read. Manning has a fresh take on grace that my soul has been longing to hear for a very long time. I'm not sure if I agree with the term "ragamuffin" because the Bible is very clear that we are all wretched sinners. Ragamuffin implies that we are generally good with rough edges. However, this does not change the message that God's love for us is beyond anything we could ever think or imagine. If we live in his love there is enormous amounts of healing and victory over sin. Not once does he mention morality. Grace is not governed by rules. If there were rules and regulations to it, it would cease to be grace. Don't listen to the critics of this view of grace. Too often we hear the gospel of Jesus + "fill in the blank here". This could be anything from not drinking, or baptism, or whatever else you think you have to do to get into right standing. Justification is by faith alone. Manning underscores this over and over again throughout the book. If you are tired, beat up, and tired of living life subscribing to a list of rules of dos and don'ts, stand under the fountain of grace.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Book Review: The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning
The Ragamuffin Gospel, by Brennan Manning is the most liberating spiritual experience I have ever read. Manning has a fresh take on grace that my soul has been longing to hear for a very long time. I'm not sure if I agree with the term "ragamuffin" because the Bible is very clear that we are all wretched sinners. Ragamuffin implies that we are generally good with rough edges. However, this does not change the message that God's love for us is beyond anything we could ever think or imagine. If we live in his love there is enormous amounts of healing and victory over sin. Not once does he mention morality. Grace is not governed by rules. If there were rules and regulations to it, it would cease to be grace. Don't listen to the critics of this view of grace. Too often we hear the gospel of Jesus + "fill in the blank here". This could be anything from not drinking, or baptism, or whatever else you think you have to do to get into right standing. Justification is by faith alone. Manning underscores this over and over again throughout the book. If you are tired, beat up, and tired of living life subscribing to a list of rules of dos and don'ts, stand under the fountain of grace.
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4 comments:
I own his other book Ruthless Truth if you would like to borrow it to read as a follow up. I still haven't read it. After the intensity of Ragamuffin Gospel I needed a break, haha. It's been a very long break, but you're welcome to borrow it if you want.
Oops... i meant Ruthless Trust, not truth.
At the request of a friend whom I respect I delved into the Ragamuffin Gospel with my typical "teacher's attitude" regarding a new author, movement or dogma. I found much that many will like about this book, especially those whose commitment to the teachings of The Christ is superficial. There is much to make one feel good about themselves and little to encourage one to strive for a deeper relationship with our Lord. While reading I was taken with memories of one of my previous pastors who stated unequivocally that just because my Mom and Dad were saved, my salvation wasn’t automatic; that just because I attended church my salvation wasn’t assumed; that just because I read the Bible didn’t mean I was “born again”. I have difficulty with the concept that forgiveness and grace comes before repentance. I have even more difficulty with the concept that God is neither a disciplinarian nor a judge of man’s actions. This is contrary to New and Old Testament scripture. When combined with Manning’s clear lack of understanding of scripture (taken in context as opposed to single verse examples) which is demonstrated on many occasions, I must reject the philosophy presented. This is another of those “feel good”, Universalists manuscripts that attempts to convince us that if we accept ourselves as we are, God will also. Unfortunately for those who praise this book, the truth is that either the teaching is all true or it’s false. Salvation is not composed of accepting the sacrifice of Jesus plus anything else. Repentance must come before forgiveness or salvation is a farce and we all have missed God.
I appreciate the comment, Mike. I am sorry it took me so long to get back to you. I would agree with most of what you said. This book came at a time in my life when I was beat down by sin and tired of being displeasing to God. I felt like I could never live up to the commands that he made of me. For me, this book was a breath of fresh air in the deep end of legalism. I cannot, however, agree with this being a feel good book. If one is truly a believer in Christ, the grace extended to us produces repentance. It's God's kindness to us that leads us to repentance, not the other way around. The faith to believe in grace and the cross is even a gift (Ephesians 2:8-9). While a wildly quoted verse, it is one of the most misunderstood. Repentance is necessary for relationship with Christ, but repentance is not what justifies us before God. Repentance is a right response to the grace extended to us after we come to faith. The flow chart, as I understand it, would go like this: Grace, Faith, Repentance and turning from sin.
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