"The Riddle of Grace is literate, lively, and - perhaps above all - lovely. Scott Hoezee has written a book that shines with the light of God's beauty and care, a light that cleanses, attracts, and heals. This deft and candid work manages simultaneously to inform and bless. Bravo!" - Cornelius Plantinga, Jr., author of Not the Way It's Supposed to Be: A Breviary of Sin
"I admire Hoezee's courage in facing some very thorny issues: the scandal of grace, the stubborn gracelessness of much religion, the conundrum of church discipline. Drawing from sources both theological and literary, he brings to these issues wisdom, honesty and, above all, his own manner of grace." - Philip Yancey, author of Amazing Grace and The Jesus I Never Knew.
Amid a deluge of books on the topic of grace, this volume breaks new ground. Although Scott Hoezee's book aims to remind us again of what it means to be saved by grace, it is even more concerned to explore what it means to live graciously as a result of that salvation.
Hoezee first probes the Scriptures to discover the biblical underpinnings of the doctrine of grace. He then wrestles with a key dimension of the gracious life, namely, living gratefully. He explores the gospel threads that weave together grace and the resulting distinctive life of the Christian. Next, Hoezee moves out of a specifically church context into a broader realm - understanding God's grace and then living the gracious life in today's capitalist society. Hoezee reminds us that though we live in a society of achievers, grace remains freely given by God. He also has much to say about the impact of grace on business principles. Finally, Hoezee tackles the touchy matter of church discipline.
This highly inspirational volume is intended for any thoughtful Christian who wants to be both informed and transformed by God's "amazing grace."
Scott Hoezee is pastor of preaching and administration at Calvin Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He is also coauthor of Flourishing in the Land: The 100-Year Journey of Christian Reformed Missions in North America.