Death by Love Book Review

Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears have produced an immensely helpful and deeply theological book in Death by Love: Letters from the Cross.  The book is formatted as a series of counseling scenarios in which Pastor Mark is hearing someone’s story and situation.  Then, Mark writes them a letter, pointing them from their situation to Jesus, emphasizing a different aspect of the benefits of the death and resurrection of Jesus.  Finally, at the end of each chapter there is a question and answer section, similar to other books Driscoll and Breshears have teamed up on like Vintage Jesus.  While working through numerous life situations such as abuse, addiction, legalism, bitterness, and betrayal, Mark pastorally helps the people he is counseling see Jesus as their substitute, their victory, their redemption, their sacrifice, their propitiation, their expiation, their atonement, their ransom, their example, their reconciliation, and the perfect revelation of God.  

Why Did Jesus Die?

Consider one man's opinion of Jesus - "I could accept Jesus as a martyr, as an embodiment of sacrifice and a Divine Teacher but not as the most perfect man ever born.  I was not ready to accept that Jesus by his death and his blood redeemed the sins of the world."  These words belonged to Mahatma Gandhi who repeated praised Jesus as an exemplary teacher, but remained unwilling to believe his death paid the penalty for our sins.  Sadly, many today understand the cross as only a beautiful example of selflessness or as only a great victory.  While Jesus certainly is our example (Hebrews 12:3) and His death won victory over death (1 Corinthians 15), the heart of the cross must be that Christ died in our place for our sin as an atoning sacrifice.

The Bible's summary statements of the cross's significance and meaning can be fairly represented with the phrase "penal substitutionary atonement."  Let's explore what these words mean.