THE PRESSURE’S OFF
By Dr. Larry Crabb Jnr.
CWR. 240 pages. £8.99
ISBN 1 85345 378 1
Over the years many of us have benefited immensely from Larry Crabb’s approach to biblical counselling. His well-grounded understanding of human nature as presented in the Scripture, his presentation of the way in which we develop ‘protective layers’ and the search for significance and security have provided valuable and lasting insights. It therefore came as both a surprise and disappointment to read Crabb’s latest book in which he claims to have discovered ‘a new way to live’.
The ‘old way’ is the way of ‘striving’ which results in ‘enslavement’. It is described as the way of Moses; following principles in order to procure blessings and keeping at it. This is the ‘law of linearity’. The consequence, according to Crabb, is self-inflicted pressure. This way of life is programmatical; follow such and such a way and blessings will come, deviate and they won’t. On the other hand, the new way is described as the new way of Christ which is the desire to be near to God. This is achieved by pleading mercy, discovering grace and experiencing rest. The result is that the pressure is off. The law of linearity is replaced by the law of liberty.
