Stone Pinckney How People Change A Book Review July 13, 2021 Change is difficult and with the wrong starting point, lasting change is simply not possible. How People Change is the kind of book that only comes from years of counseling people from a biblical foundation of having faith in Christ’s work to make you a new creature precedes the ability to faithfully live as one. The authors wrote this book to address the “gospel identity amnesia” they see prevalent in the church today. Bookshelves filled with theological truths are not making their way into the messiness of life. This book is a bridge from doxology to practical theology when it states, “Often there has been too much of a separation between theology we say we believe and the world we struggle in every day. The purpose of this book is to bridge that gap.” The authors teach that true change happens at the heart level and the real trials of life are the arena in which true growth or the lack of it is displayed. While an impressive theological library can hold weight, and intimate fellowship with believers is valuable – our first, foremost and foundation of our hope must be in Christ alone. Learning more about God and his goodness without being changed happens far too often, the authors state, “God speaks earthly holy words in order to change you, not just to give you more information.” The emphasis on growth is demonstrated as we begin to follow general, common storylines these counselors have seen in their ministries. This includes the married couple drifting apart, a begruntled church member feeling undervalued, work being idolized at the neglect for family, and more. These real-life stories are helpful in showing how the gospel can be both unacknowledged as the solution and simultaneously the one hope each person needs to courageously face their situations. The way the stories of life are broken down is a main premise of this book. Each situation is analyzed through the lens of Scripture, specifically Jeremiah 17:5-10 as “It captures the major elements of change in daily life: Heat-Thorns-Cross-Fruit.” Essentially the Heat are the battles we face in daily life through both blessings and temptations, Thorns are the ungodly responses, the Cross focuses on the goodness of Christ as the means of change and Fruit is when people respond in a godly manner to whatever life throws at them. An important point the authors derive from the text is God’s focus on our hearts and not merely our behavior. Christ desires to be the reason we change and only through a restful trust and active obedience in: his finished work, our new identity as children of God and a known destination of heaven is this possible. A few reasons why this metaphor is successful includes: the “biblical realism” that life will constantly tempt us to go our way and deny the truths of Scripture, the “personal evil” within us that doubts God’s goodness, the thorns of temptation and suffering that reveal what’s going on inside of our hearts and not what’s simply in our church notes journal. A key takeaway from the imagery of Heat-Thorns-Cross-Fruit is this: the reasons we sin are because of what’s inside of our hearts, not what’s happening around us. Therefore, the only way to change and begin to live a godly life is to focus on changing ourselves not our circumstances. The book is a great launchpad for this heart examination needed to identify where we fall short through diagnostic questions following several chapters and examples of common ungodly responses to the heat of life. As false beliefs that keep us trapped are identified, we are then able to mine the truths of God’s Word to find empowering Gospel truths. The cross gives us the foundation and the anchor for God to begin using the heat in our lives to bear fruit that glorifies him and grows us in Christlikeness. One major theme of this book is having our eyes as believers set on eternity. This is woven throughout the book in a compelling manner and avoids the pitfall of making eternity the only hope while we simply slog through this life. Christ came to give us life abundantly while on earth and the authors emphasize this when saying, “Christian joy is not about avoiding life while dreaming about heaven. It is about taking an utterly honest look at all earthly life through heaven’s lens. There we find real hope.” We see through the finished work of Christ our only hope in this life and the next, this fact can embolden us to live for him now, knowing that we will be with him soon and forever. Plus before he departed he told his disciples that he has all authority – this fact alone can give us perseverance. For how differently do teams play when victory is guaranteed? How different should Christians live knowing that our Savior will win? This is a superior read for believers who aspire to grow in their own personal holiness and be better counseling friends to those on their own journeys. This book is based on the gospel, yet the focus for this book is sanctification and how change takes place. It would be a helpful read for new and seasoned believers as it’s rooted in our identity as followers of Christ. People change based on what they believe about themselves and about God. People don’t change based on what they know they should or shouldn’t do. My pastor illustrated this during a recent staff meeting. He taught us the vital importance of distinguishing the indicatives (what’s true) from the imperatives (how we should live) in the Bible. Believing Christ died for us precedes our ability to die to sin. We must know that God is a good Father that takes care of his children before we can live in untroubled trust of his provision. This book is rich with heart-analyzing questions that can lead to godly sorrow and joyful discontentment that adores God yet refuses to be satisfied with our current spiritual maturity. This combined with God exalting truths are the essential sources that lead to change at the heart level, evidenced by change at the behavior level.
