RD Norman writes as someone who longs for others to taste the saving grace of God. Searching for words to describe God’s grace, he goes beyond ‘amazing’ to call grace ‘phenomenal.’ This book is all about how God saves us. Who is this God who saves us, and what does God do in order to save us? Taking these two questions in tandem, Norman looks at salvation from three points of view — what God the Father does, what God the Son does, and what God the Holy Spirit does. In a brief and accessible way, Phenomenal Grace presents salvation as something that originates in God’s eternal purpose, is obtained by Jesus, the divine Son, and reaches particular fallen sinners by the irresistible work of the Holy Spirit. It touches on profound theological truths as well as very practical questions such as the experience of salvation. Continually, Norman invites and encourages us to join in adoring worship of such a gracious God. RD Norman’s work is highly commendable on at least two levels. First, he lays a Trinitarian framework for his teaching. The doctrine of the Trinity is the foundational doctrine of Christianity, and yet too often it is minimised or ignored. Norman sets a good example of seeking to relate all other truths to the self-revealed Trinity of Holy Scripture. Second, the book is written with a deep concern for ‘applied truth.’ The author always points the lesson of how biblical truths are meant to be inwardly digested and practically lived out. As Scripture says, the gospel gives us ‘the doctrine which is according to godliness’ (1 Timothy 6:3). May the God of truth and holiness bless this book to its readers. — Nick Needham, tutor at Highland Theological College andauthor of the series 2000 Years of Christ’s Power. In his new book, Phenomenal Grace, Robert D Norman has captured the essence of this remarkable attribute of God. This book is engaging, clear, provoking, and best of all, biblically accurate. I am confident that Robert’s careful exposition coupled with his God-honouring content will provide each reader with great hope both for the present and the future as much as it has for me. — Dr Gary Fleetwood, Professor of Theology, Covington Theological Seminary
