The Life You Were Reborn to Live - by Gary Thomas (Hardcover)

About the Book

In The Life You Were Reborn to Live, bestselling author Gary Thomas helps us name the dissatisfaction we feel with the Christian life and then guides us in dismantling, one by one, the twelve most common deceptions that keep us from the deep and rewarding faith God promises.

Book Synopsis

Twelve lies are holding you back from the life God already promised.

You love God. You read the Bible. You try to do the right things. So why does your faith still feel dry, frustrating, or stuck? You're not alone and it's not because you're doing Christianity wrong. It's because you've been believing lies about what a "good Christian life" is supposed to look like.

In The Life You Were Reborn to Live, bestselling author and pastor Gary Thomas exposes twelve subtle but powerful deceptions that quietly drain joy and block intimacy with God and shows you how to replace them with freeing truth straight from Scripture.

The 12 Lies That Keep You Stuck:

1. Restlessness--believing you'll find peace only when life changes.
2. The Need to Control--thinking you can fix what only God can.
3. Family First--idolizing loved ones instead of trusting God with them.
4. Isolation--choosing independence over the healing power of community.
5. Self-Centered Salvation--making faith about you instead of Christ.
6. The Need for Comfort--equating blessing with ease.
7. The Demand for a Sin-Free Life--trying to earn what grace already gave.
8. Apathy Toward the Church--rejecting the very place God designed for growth.
9. A Materialistic Worldview--seeing only the visible and missing the supernatural.
10. The Allure of Earthly Splendor--chasing applause instead of purpose.
11. A Sense of Entitlement--confusing what it means to be rescued.
12. Complacent Ignorance--dismissing the small, steady work of wisdom in your everyday life.

This isn't another checklist for spiritual growth. It's an invitation to unlearn. To dismantle the false beliefs that keep you from the abundant, joy-filled life God has already placed within reach.

If you've ever thought, "I'm doing everything I'm supposed to, but I don't feel close to God," this book is for you. Because the new life Jesus promised isn't waiting "someday." It's waiting on the other side of the lies you didn't know you believed. Step into the life you were reborn to live. Starting today.

Review Quotes

Gary Thomas has a heart for God. He writes as one who longs to share with others what he has learned from his years of faithful Scripture study. This book is a masterful critique of the cliches, commonplaces, and even lies we often hear and too easily accept as true. Gary is unafraid to say what Scripture says, to challenge what everyone knows--and to do so with humility and compassion. This book will help those who long to serve Christ and be faithful members of the church. I highly recommend this thoughtful and biblically grounded study of specific and practical ways for each of us to clear our minds and set our feet firmly on the path toward intimacy with God.--Robert Sloan, president, Houston Christian University

Gary Thomas has written a helpful, wise, and biblically based book on the life we were reborn to live as Christians in intimacy with God. He emphasizes the need for dismantling twelve lies that impede our progress as Christ followers. Highly recommended!--Siang-Yang Tan, PhD, senior professor of clinical psychology, Fuller Theological Seminary; author, Counseling and Psychotherapy

I didn't know how much I needed this book. Gary's fresh approach to topics that aren't often broached, combined with his directness and grace, kept me turning the pages. We are in a cultural moment that needs wisdom--this book is aptly timed.--Sara Hagerty, bestselling author, Unseen: The Gift of Being Hidden in a World That Loves to Be Noticed

I've said this about Gary Thomas for years: Long after he's gone, his books will be considered classics in the Christian literary world. For as long as I've known (and had the privilege of interviewing) Gary, his greatest passion has been his oneness with God Almighty. A wellspring of wisdom, he perpetually seeks out the deep things of God. He is not content with platitudes and formulas; he searches for biblical truth and the redemptive life Jesus died to give us. In this book, Gary dismantles lies we've walked with, lived with, and seldom considered challenging. But these aren't your everyday lies. Gary explores wrong beliefs that center our Christian life around ourselves and make an idol out of our preferences. Lies in any form hold us captive and prevent us from living free, healed, and whole. If you're ready to shed the lies like an outdated winter coat, let the truths on these pages seep into your soul. A new life-giving season awaits.--Susie Larson, bestselling author; talk radio host; national speaker

In The Life You Were Reborn to Live, Gary Thomas does an exceptional job unpacking common lies that lead us away from freedom into bondage. As we identify these lies and then work to dismantle them, we can walk the path back to freedom. Acknowledging these lies is painful, but the freedom that awaits is worth it.--Kyle Idleman, senior pastor, Southeast Christian Church; bestselling author of Every Thought Captive

Like a map that highlights both well-worn paths and lesser-known trails, The Life You Were Reborn to Live invites readers to reexamine their journey of faith. While some may choose different routes than those suggested in this volume, this book serves as a compass for those seeking to navigate the complex terrain of the spiritual life.--Frank Viola (frankviola.org), author of The Untold Story of the New Testament Church and Insurgence

This insightful, practical, and at times shockingly countercultural book is filled with fresh truth in a time when deceptive spiritual agendas abound and seek to poison our lives. With rich theological depth and accessible language, Gary Thomas leads us on a journey of identifying false narratives and embracing God's vision for those reborn by the power of Jesus.--Rev. Dr. Kevin G. Harney, founder and president, Organic Outreach International; author, the Organic Outreach trilogy