Authentic Christianity: A Fresh Grip on Life

All I can say is THANK YOU to Ray Stedman and those that have helped edit and put his teachings into book form. Ray Stedman was used mightily by the Lord in order to accurately teach the Word.

This book presents New Testament figures, especially the Apostle Paul as very, very human; yet connected to God in a way that produces amazing success in the mist of his own personal shortcomings, failures and weaknesses. You rarely see biblical truth sorted out like this, and presented so well. Highly recommend to any searching Christian, or non-Christina alike.

This annointed book really stirs up fresh faith from inside out and open my eyes to see the Truth i need. Using the Holy Bible as the source, late pastor Ray C. Stedman instilled new revelations and interests for the words of God. Glory to Jesus!

Frankly, I was a bit perplexed by the previous review, since I didn't see much in it about the actual BOOK being reviewed! I do agree that "getting at the truth" is important. Ray and Elaine had four daughters, not five. I will leave the rest alone. But Authentic Christianity responds to the very concerns Mr. McCluggage mentions. Ray himself wrote, "Clearly, authentic Christians present an enigma to the world because their lives consist of a series of paradoxes. The authentic Christian is in a highly vulnerable position, stretched between God and man." Such are the natural difficulties of the ministry of reconciliation. As we reach up and out we are being stretched, we are not yet what we will be. When Ray Stedman died in 1992, Christianity Today printed a tribute to him. One commentator in that article stated, "In Ray's book Authentic Christianity, he tells the story of Paul's escape from Damascus by being let down over the wall in a basket. Ray commented that Paul was useless to God until he became a basket case! He adds that we also are useless until we are 'utterly bankrupt before some demand of life, and then discover it to be a blessing,' because it forces us to 'depend wholly on the Lord at work in you.' When I read that I thought, 'It may be that no one has ever lived a life that was fully yielded to Christ, but Ray Stedman came very close'." "The truth" about Authentic Christianity is that it is an exposition of Scripture, not an autobiographical piece, and should be evaluated as such. Concerning Ray Stedman's skill as a communicator, J.I Packer made the following comment, "Throughout the Christian centuries, from Crysostom and Augustine through Luther, Calvin, and Matthew Henry, to Martin Lloyd-Jones and Ray Stedman, working pastors have been proving themselves to be the best of all Bible expositors." Authentic Christianity grew out of a series of Ray's sermons presented at Peninsula Bible Church in Palo Alto, CA. It is an in-depth study of one section of Paul's second letter to the Corinthians (2 Cor 2:14-6:13). This is not a book about Ray Stedman at all, but an "unwrapping" of the genuine purpose, simplicity and joy of true Christianity as described in God's Word. This book is written in Ray's typical exegetical approach, working through the text, passage by passage, weaving in helpful vignettes, quotes, and other precious tidbits, and gentle but clear challenges to application. In his preface, Ray described authentic Christianity as "that life-changing experience of being intimately connected with Christ at the very core of your being". First published in 1975, but every bit as powerful today, Authentic Christianity proclaims the liberating truth of Scripture, that Jesus died FOR us so that He might live IN us; a life strong enough to face the demands, so attractive and compelling that others are drawn to seek it's Source. This is a book worth reading, delightful and encouraging, written by a man whose life

This book will change your outlook on authentic christianity. made me re-evaluate where i am in my own life