MINDING THE HEART: The Way of Spiritual Transformation
Robert L Saucy
(Kregel Publications, Grand
Rapids , 2013).
Robert Saucy is an excellent Bible scholar and theologian.
He is also a very good writer who has produced an excellent study on the heart and the transformation of the believers’ life. While the book is founded upon and
contains strong theology, yet it is extremely practical and understandable.
He opens with the need of moving beyond salvation to
abundant living. The purpose of salvation is realized in growth—not simply
intellectual growth, but spiritual growth in exhibiting the fruit of the
Spirit. The heart is our true identity, our inner person. It is our essence. This
is an illuminating study of the idea of the heart in Scripture. Understanding the heart
helps us to see the need and desire for transformation. He takes on the journey
from the natural heart of man to the sanctified or transformed heart of the
believer. In doing so he does two things I appreciate: First, he warns us that
we still have to deal with the old, twisted, prideful heart. “The remnants of
the old disordered love of self remain.” He shows the heart is where our
intellectual, emotional, and volitional activities reside. Growth or change of
heart entails the relationship and cooperation with Divine and human activity. Transformation of
the heart begins and centers upon our relationship with God. He gives important
principles of this: That our activity
and God’s work are present in all spiritual growth. And that our activity in
transformation is totally dependent on God’s work. “God works in us to will and
do His good pleasure, but we must actually will and do His good pleasure in
working out our salvation (Phil. 2:12-13).”
Second, he gives us what can be identified as the keys for
transformation of the heart and spends time explaining each one:
- We
must renew the mind (
- Meditation on the Truth of God’s Word.
- The necessity of Community. He goes on to describe how this works.
He ends by reminding us that transformation is hard. Yet, we
“find rest for our souls even when the way is hard.”
This is one of the best books on the Christian life that I
have read in recent years. The study is “heart-warming,” stimulating, and
profitable. This is aided by sidebars on different issues of the heart, and end of chapter questions, designed to make one think. Worthwhile no matter where you are in your Christian life.
Sounds like a winner.I will get a copy when I get a few extra bucks.
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