Product Description

Jesus plus nothing. 100% natural. No additives. It's the truth you may never hear in church. The Naked Gospel is a chapter-by-chapter assault on the churchy jargon and double talk of our day. It puts forth a message that is simple but life-changing. With a fresh take on Scripture and unapologetic style, The Naked Gospel will challenge you to re-examine everything you thought you already knew.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6959 in Books
• Published on: 2009-09-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 240 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780310293064
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From the Back Cover
I found myself lying on the floor of my apartment, sobbing for hours on end: "God, I'm doing everything I'm supposed to do, and I still don't feel closer to you. In fact, I feel worse than ever! How could this have gone wrong? I can't see any way out. Help me."

As a university student, Andrew Farley found himself physically and emotionally addicted to street evangelism and Bible study. Yet despite his fervid behavior, he knew something was missing. That something was an understanding of the gospel that is stripped of the compromises and clichés of the modern church.

The Naked Gospel finds friends among those who are burned out on experience-chasing, ceremonialism, or legalism. It attacks churchy jargon and powerless ideas and puts forth a message that is simple but life-changing. With a fresh take on Scripture and unapologetic style, The Naked Gospel will challenge you and stir you to re-examine everything you thought you already knew.

About the Author
He co-hosts Real Life in Christ, a television program that airs on ABC-TV in the West Texas and New Mexico area. He is a tenured professor of Applied Linguistics at Texas Tech University, and lives in Lubbock, Texas with his wife Katharine and their son Gavin.

Customer Reviews

The Blessing of Freedom In Christ
A fresh, tender, superbly informed voice - a timely work - A well crafted message woven with the story-telling skills of a master knitter of the gospel, our lives, our Lord and what it really means to be free in Christ.

I needed to read this book. I know I have loads of company. Whether you may be exploring what it may mean to have a present-day relationship with Christ, a desire to know Jesus more intimately, suffocating in religion or smugly comfortable in your relationship with God - READ THIS BOOK!

As author Andrew Farley points out:

"Radically, the Bible teaches that humanity's main problemis not what we're doing. Instead, it's our lack of life as we do it." p.72.

This is a book about freedom - freedom from the shackles of man-made interpretations of what is required to live life as a Christian. Scripturally sound, Farley takes us on a journey - revisiting may of the fundamental tenets of the Christian faith - reminding us of the biblical, present day realities that many of us have unfortunately forgotten or replaced with other interpretations in our daily living as Christians . As Farley states:

"Too often, I see the church today functioning like any other morality-focused social group. It's time for us to wake up and realize that being born of the Spirit means we possess an amazing life within us. Because we're already different on the inside, we can live differently on the outside." p. 186.

Don't misinterpret what the quote above refers to. This is NOT a book about condemning the state of the church. It is written for a broad audience with immediate, enduring practical application to our lives.Furthermore, it is superb tool to share with those considering the Christian faith. A tremendous small group study book.

This book is a rarity. Most precious gifts are. I hope you will be blessed by it as I was. It's a book that I will revisit regularly now.

I felt somehow lighter after I finished this book. Distinctly unburdened. My prayer is that you will receive a similar gift from your reading of it.

Effective emphasis on grace v. works but there is no such thing as a naked gospel
The positive emphasis of this book is on the biblical message of grace v. works. Farley makes sure readers understand that Christians are not saved by anything they do ever but are saved completely and forgiven for sins by the work of Jesus. He cites the many Scriptures that drive home this Biblical message that Christians cannot gain salvation or acceptance with God by keeping the law or doing anything else to please God. Any person can only please God in Christ, so Christians can relax and rest in Christ. Farley effectively disabuses readers of any notion of gaining something from God by their own merits. He makes it clear that Jesus has completed all of the requirements for sin forever. This is the core message of the New Testament that I think is the core message of the church in most places.

He also makes good points reminding Christians that we are "in Christ" and Christ is in us. He effectively articulates that a Christian is a new creation in Christ. As a new creation our sinful natures are dead and buried, and we are born again from above not in sin but in the righteousness of Christ. He explains the basis for being justified through grace by faith and being adopted as God's children in Christ. These are important teachings that I would hope Christians would be familiar with and accept.

Farley suggests that his interpretation of Scripture is the true, pure "naked" gospel..."the truth you may never hear in church." This is a troubling introduction to a book on Scripture. First of all the idea that he has a proprietary grasp of the real interpretation of Scripture is a bit arrogant and divisive. Is this really such a secret message that the typical Christian pastor/priest does not know it and preach it? That would be the implication of Farley that I think is a prideful stretch. Secondly, the idea that he is teaching a "naked" gospel that is a totally objective view is a fallacy born from the Enlightenment. He approaches Scripture with his own subjective and contextual interpretation, just as any individual does. The Scripture itself was born from within the Christian tradition of the early church. To imagine that now we must interpret it apart from a Christian tradition, so that it is "naked," is an error behind the rampant individualism and enculturation of the western church. We think we all have the right interpretation of Scripture and end up reading it to conform to our cultural norms and trends.

I think Farley's interpretation of Scripture regarding Christian ethics leads to Christians being able to live comfortably without conviction (a word that doesn't apply to Christians according to Farley (162-163) or contrition. So Christians can end up living like the rest of the culture, except they are guilt-free and pious thanks to a teaching that accepts once-and-for-all forgiveness and has a low view of on-going repentance, contrition and conviction of sins for Christians.

For Farley, the cross is in the past, and Christians are beyond it and free to live according to their wants. Farley writes, "God won't make us do things we don't want to."(196) Once Christians confess their sins and receive forgiveness, they are no longer convicted of sins and would have no urging to repent and return to the cross, confessing sins and seeking forgiveness and cleansing of sins. Farley emphasizes the sainthood of Christians while overlooking the fact that we are still sinners and should therefore return daily to the cross in repentance and contrition. (See "On Being a Theologian of the Cross" by Gerhard Forde) Farley's teaching offers a Jesus who is "compatible with our humanity, no matter where we live and no matter what our daily lives involve."(196) The Holy Spirit doesn't convict Christians of sin according to Farley, because conviction is only for unbelievers. Once we are saved, we are no longer convicted of sin. If we feel that way, the devil is accusing us or we are being legalistic (164). At most, we may make adjustments to our life due to sorrow or discontentment with our behavior.

Farley claims that the Law has "no place in the life of a believer." (233) The implication from his book is that the Law is equated to the entire Old Testament and Jesus' moral teachings and commands. I think readers might come away with the idea that Christians can disregard the Old Testament or treat it as a quaint book of history or archaic laws. I think this ignores Jesus' teaching that the Law, Psalms and the Prophets reveal him and all that he fulfilled. (Luke 24) The Law has a significant place in the life of a believer, not as a measure of merit, but as a revelation of God and his image of a holy life. Prior to the writing of the New Testament, the early Christians taught from the Old Testament how Jesus is Lord and Christ.

The arguments that Farley makes for Christians disregarding the Law and Old Testament can lead to a method of situational ethics susceptible to satanic deception, our lusts and the cultural norms or to charismatic yet misguided personalities. This is why historic Christianity rejects the idea of a "naked" gospel in favor of the entire Bible interpreted in the context of the early church traditions, creeds, councils and apostolic teachings. Without taking these seriously, the church is susceptible to heresy and dissolution. I would suggest readers read "Evangelicals and Tradition" by D.H. Williams.

I think Farley's teachings are contrary to liturgical practices of the church that would include confession, repentance and forgiveness in their daily or weekly prayers. In fact, Farley asserts that the Lord's Prayer is NOT for Christians but for those who were under the old covenant (160). The context of the Lord's Prayer, the Sermon on the Mount, would also be considered as under the Old Covenant rather than an ethical teaching for Christians; Likewise, the first chapter of 1 John, including 1 Jn 1.9, is for unbelievers and not for Christians according to Farley (152). This interpretation by Farley of the Lord's Prayer is at odds with Christian practice and interpretation going back to the earliest post-apostolic church that prayed it three times daily (see "The Didache"). His interpretation is also at odds with Jesus' further teachings (Mt 6.14-15 & 18.23-35; Mk 11.25).

I think Farley is responding in an extreme way of living according to his own modern day law (81). Unfortunately, Farley has preemptively maligned his critics by claiming that his "naked" gospel will always draw controversy from critics who can't accept the freedom he teaches because they are legalistic and stodgy (216). This is a symptom of the individualism of our culture that rejects criticism and claims that our own view is always right.

I think Farley has great intentions for this book, and I appreciate the reviews of those who benefited from reading it. I hope all his readers will take away the positives. He has included quotes from the book in the comments below in response to this review.

Life Changing
I am 50 years old and have spent a life time in churches doing and doing so that I could feel better about my relationship with God, the Naked Gospel taught me that my relationship with my God is not about me or my performance it is about God, it is about Jesus and what He did it is not about me. Dr. Farley writes in a way that scriptures that I have read for years with little to no understanding now make sense, it truly has been Life Changing.