The Sweet Dropper

But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world (Galatians 6:14). Jesus’ death on the cross is the place where the justice, love, mercy and wisdom of God are most clearly displayed. The depth of our sin and the heights of God’s love cannot be grasped apart from the cross. Mark Driscoll, founding pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington, and Gerry Breshears, professor of theology at Western Seminary, have co-authored a book that seeks to apply the work of Christ to the real-life mess of people’s lives in their new book Death by Love: Letters from the Cross (Crossway, 2008).

Death by Love has an intriguing format. Each chapter begins with a brief profile of a real person whom Driscoll has counselled. Then follows a pastoral letter to that person in which Driscoll and Breshears apply biblical teaching about the person and work of Christ to the issues of sin and grace in that his/her life. The chapter concludes with an “Answers to Common Questions” about the theology presented in the letter. A look through the table of contents reveals a list of painful sins and problems:

Introduction: We Killed God: Jesus Is Our Substitutionary Atonement

“Demons Are Tormenting Me”: Jesus Is Katie’s Christus Victor

“Lust Is My God”: Jesus Is Thomas’s Redemption

“My Wife Slept with My Friend”: Jesus Is Luke’s New Covenant Sacrifice

“I Am a ‘Good’ Christian”: Jesus Is David’s Gift Righteousness

“I Molested a Child”: Jesus Is John’s Justification

“My Dad Used to Beat Me”: Jesus Is Bill’s Propitiation

“He Raped Me”: Jesus Is Mary’s Expiation

“My Daddy Is a Pastor”: Jesus Is Gideon’s Unlimited Limited Atonement

“I Am Going to Hell”: Jesus Is Hank’s Ransom

“My Wife Has a Brain Tumor”: Jesus Is Caleb’s Christus Exemplar

“I Hate My Brother”: Jesus Is Kurt’s Reconciliation

“I Want to Know God”: Jesus Is Susan’s Revelation

Appendix: Recommended Reading on the Cross

Driscoll speaks to each situation with candor and compassion. He is not afraid to say hard things. Best of all, he skillfully applies the person and work of Christ to each person’s needs: overcoming bitterness, rejecting self-righteousness, dealing with heinous sins of others, putting away malice and bitterness, turning away from sexual sin and addictions. The one theological objection I have is in “My Daddy is a Pastor,” a chapter written to his youngest son Gideon. He encourages his son not to take faith for granted (which is good) but does so in the context of a doctrine he calls “unlimited limited atonement.” Driscoll confuses the question of the power of the atonement with question of its design. He wants to safeguard the Reformed doctrine of “limited atonement” from the charge that it leaves no room for a sincere offer of the gospel to everyone without distinction or for a reconciliation of the world by the cross, but his explanation seems more confusing than enlightening.

Even with that bit of theological quibbling, I would recommend Death by Love without hesitation. It has given me fresh courage to speak of Christ and his finished work with greater boldness into the mess of people’s lives. It has refreshed my personal communion with God by enlarging the shadow of the cross in my own life. Take, and read, my friends.