Book Review: Deeper: Real Change for Real Sinners
“We are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ…”—Eph. 4:15 ESV
Book Information:
Author: Dane Ortlund
Pages: 192
Publisher: Crossway
Year: 2021
Do you long to not just know more about God but to know God more intimately? If you have a dull ache, knowing there’s got to be more to the Christian life or maybe even feel a bit guilty that you’re not growing, then I’d highly recommend reading Deeper.
This volume is actually the second of a 4-book series that express and share the values of the cooperative ministries of Union: “delight in God, grow in Christ, serve the church, and bless the world.” Deeper focuses on the second value—growing in Christ.
Each of these books come in two versions—a full volume for church leaders, with a concise version that is more accessible to the congregation. Both of them cover the same material, with the full-length book quoting from Reformed and Puritan writers in the past. If this turns you off, the concise version would be a better fit.
What I appreciate about this book is that it connects the good news of our salvation in Christ through the gospel to very practical means of growth. However, it isn’t a list of do’s and don’ts. Rather, it is focused on the relational posture and dynamics that lead us to grow in intimacy with God.
I’ve noticed that some believers don’t like to dwell on their sin. If you think that sin is too harsh a topic for children of God, then you will probably not appreciate this book.
But as I’ve been discovering, this is why Jesus came. He came for people who are willing to admit they are sick. As Dane Ortlund himself notes, he is writing this book not because he has mastered these things but because he too is in need of change himself.
There is something freeing in admitting this. There is also something good: we begin to see ourselves rightly as we see God rightly—and then we can grow in the right direction in our relationship with Him.
As the author emphasizes, “…change is a matter of going deeper.” When we center ourselves in Christ alone, we don’t just evolve into a better version of ourselves. We become like Christ.
Our despair over our sin actually unites us to Him. This brings the glory of Christ into the ordinary. Reading the Word and prayer are no longer things we must do as good Christians but become habits as essential as breathing.
As we do, the Holy Spirit “supernaturalizes” us to “be a little walking portrait of heaven itself to everyone around you.” (p. 170) The deeper we rest in our union with Christ through the gospel, the more He has control of our lives.
How This Book Helped Me
Interestingly, one of the most encouraging things about this book is its gentle tone. Following the message of his previous book, Gentle and Lowly, Ortlund continues to remind us of the tenderness of our Savior. Though it is subtle, this gentleness was what made me want to grow in Christ even more.
As a girl who grew up with a lot of self-made rules and regulations, I created a very harsh kind of Christianity for myself. It may sound like the Bible, but it was not the true God of Scripture. So this book ministered to me on a deep level by re-introducing me to my Savior who is a gentle Shepherd.
As I began to see God rightly, this helped me to see myself rightly as well.
As He grew bigger, I “shrink” to the right size instead of trying to rule my own life with my own rules. I began to want to know what He desires, even if I don’t always delight in it. I began to see my desires change.
As I began to see myself rightly, I also began to recognize sin—and want to root it out. Even as I longed to root it out, this book reminded me that God is patient with me. He knows that this change will not be instantaneous, but one drop at a time.
Over time, the need to look like a good girl morphed into an awareness that I am not—but that is a good thing too. As I reviewed my heart with the help of the Spirit, I began to learn how to respond in godly grief and repentance. This is the motivation to replace my old ways with new ones in obedience.
This is a book to savor thoughtfully. Don’t rush it. Though each chapter could easily stand alone, they do build and progress, so take time to link them together.
Real change is possible. It might be slow, but as Ortlund observes, “Slow change is still real change.”
A Quote and A Question:
“If you feel stuck, defeated by old sin patterns, leverage that despair into the healthy sense of self-futility that is the door through which you must pass if you are to get real spiritual traction. Let your emptiness humble you. Let it take you down. Not to stay there, wallowing, but to shed the facile optimism that we so naturally believe of ourselves.”—Ch. 2, Despair
Ironically, one of the key motivators to growth is a sense of despair in regards to our spiritual state. People who lack this despair usually experience little or only superficial growth.
What is a sin pattern in your life that is hard for you to shed? Do you feel despair over it or have you accepted it as “just the way it is”?
If you feel despair that things will ever change, can you put into your own words how this might actually be to your advantage? Ask God to let it humble your heart and pray that He might lift you up in due time, stronger and more like Christ.
If despair does not describe your response to your sin, would you pray that He might help you grasp the true state of your soul if you remain in it? Ask Him to help you see yourself rightly before Him.
Additional Resources:
Gentle and Lowly: If you haven’t read this bestseller by the same author, this can help you to better know your Savior.
