Idolatry is serious in the eyes of the Lord, because in idolatry we abandon the gospel as our first love and begin to treasure and cling to something else as our reason for living. In his helpful book Gospel Treason Betraying the Gospel With Hidden Idols Pastor Brad Bigney writes to tell his own story of struggle with idolatry and how he came to a deeper understanding of the Gospel. During a particular season in his life he and his wife started to see a biblical counselor. He states that during this time “things began to change radically. Not that he introduced us to the gospel—we had both been Christians from a young age. I was the pastor of a local church; we still read our Bibles and prayed; neither of us had knowingly abandoned the faith—but we had replaced our Savior with idols, and these became the driving force in our hearts. We had fallen into the trap that God warned his people about so many years ago when he said in Jer. 2:13, “for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.”
Gospel Treason is organized around three parts. The first part of the book explores the question of “So what’s the problem?” by examining how idolatry starts with the Gospel drift, wrecks havoc in your relationships and changes your identity. Part two follows up part one with focusing in on the solution to idolatry. Here the author encourages us to examine ourselves in light of the Bible’s teaching about idolatry and turn from idolatry to Jesus Christ. The final chapter asks, “What would an idol-free life look life?” Here the author makes five points: First that when we repent of idolatry you’ll start to really get free. Second, you’ll have a revival of gratitude for the Gospel. Third, you might see clearly for the very first time. Fourth, you’ll feel more conviction of sin. Finally the author teaches that when we repent of idolatry your passion and love for God will soar.
Whether you’re a new or seasoned Christian Gospel Treason will challenge you to consider and evaluate your life before an all-knowing God. Self-examination is never fun, but it is important. The author doesn’t resort to “examining ourselves” so we can be introspective and thus focus on our sin, but rather points to the One in Jesus who satisfied the wrath of God and who longs for us to turn from our idols to Himself and reflect more of His grace to the world. Through using real-life stories and examples, Bigney shows us how the idols we might not even recognize can still have devastating effects in our lives.
This book will help readers to identify their idols, understand how they lead us to commit treason against the gospel, and finally repent of them and root them out forever by turning to the only One who can fill our every need. This would be a great book to use for small group study, for one on one discipleship or even to build a sermon series around.
Title: Gospel Treason: Betraying the Gospel With Hidden Idols
Author: Brad Bigney
Publisher: P & R (2012)
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the P& R book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah. He is a writer, editor, and speaker living in beautiful Southern Oregon. Dave is a lover of Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology. He serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries, the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine, the Host and Producer of Equipping You in Grace Podcast, and is a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word. He is the author of The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age (G3 Press, 2022), and Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024). You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, or read his newsletter. Dave loves to spend time with his wife, going to movies, eating at a nice restaurant, or going out for a round of golf with a good friend. He is also a voracious reader, in particular of Reformed theology, and the Puritans. You will often find him when he’s not busy with ministry reading a pile of the latest books from a wide variety of Christian publishers. Dave received his M.A.R. and M.Div through Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
