Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers

Crossway, Dane C. Ortlund, 2020

In the year 1645, the Puritan pastor Thomas Goodwin answered the following question: What is the heart of Jesus towards sinners today? For doing so, he published a treatise entitled ‘The Heart of Christ in Heaven.’ Inspired by this Puritan work, the author of Gentle and Lowly revisits the subject and achieves a unique work worthy of being read on its own.
One of the most common accusations against Calvinism is that it is highly intellectual and not warm enough. This book proves the opposite. Dr. Ortlund has succeeded in bringing the Puritans’ wisdom and passion while considering the most relevant theological issues to answer that question. And yet he does so while writing in a clear tone and addressing the entire congregation and not just pastors. Furthermore, the way the author defends his thesis is deeply rooted in the Word of God.
This book reminds us that Christ’s heart for his people today is exactly the same as the one that led him to take our nature. It is the same that led him to obey the Father in everything and ultimately die on a cross. This book reminds us that we can find as much love and compassion in Jesus today as we would have if we had walked with him while he was with us. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to reclaim Christ as their first love or fall more deeply in love with Him.

I want to thank Crossway for providing me with a review copy of this book.