I just completed Dane Ortlund’s book Deeper, and with it, I now have a clearer and settled assurance of what it means to grow in Christ from a thoroughly biblical perspective. The scriptural authority about union with Christ is what was necessary to come to rest on the topic. This is the third book I’ve read by Ortlund, and it was a delight to read and well worth the time and mental energy to pore over. The other books I’ve read of his were Gentle and Lowly and In the Lord I Take Refuge.
The book begins by addressing our shallow and domesticated view of Christ, which produces a condition many believers undergo: the reality of spiritual stagnation. Ortlund illuminates the thought that Christian growth is not merely about doing more, striving harder, or simply following rules. Instead, he emphasizes that authentic spiritual growth happens when we deepen our joy in Christ.
Ortlund writes about the common misconception that sanctification is just a matter of working harder to please God. He draws out theological and scriptural truths, encouraging readers to focus on their union with Christ—knowing and resting in the reality of who Jesus is and what He has done. The book is specific in that as we grow in our intent upon knowing Christ and our love for Him, our lives will naturally reflect growth in sanctification rather than through mere effort or obligation.
Throughout Deeper, Ortlund offers helpful insight into how believers can develop a richer relationship with Christ. In addition to practical guidance, he invites readers to reflect on the depths of the gospel, its place within the justification and sanctification of believers, and how it changes every area of our lives. The book further provides a refreshing perspective on spiritual growth, showing that the key to going deeper in our faith is not in the strain and futility of doing more but in looking upon Christ intently and enjoying Him as the treasure He is.
Ortlund orients readers to move beyond a shallow and domesticated view of Jesus, encouraging them to recognize His full authority and the depth of His love and grace. For example, he emphasizes that Christ doesn’t simply help us to be free from our sins but fully resurrects us from spiritual death. Similarly, in discussing Jesus’ friendship, Ortlund reassures readers that Christ embraces us at our most vulnerable state, even at the points of our greatest guilt and regret. He emphasizes that facing our despair leads us deeper into reliance on Christ as we recognize our inability to achieve holiness through our own efforts. Through this, he encourages readers to understand that growth in the Christian life often begins at the point of personal surrender and complete trust in God.
The Gospel and Justification
Concerning the provision of the gospel for justification and through the process of sanctification, a prominent chapter of the book titled “Acquittal” stands out. The gospel plays a central and transformative role in understanding the believer’s justification. Ortlund emphasizes that the gospel is the good news of Christ’s finished work on the cross, through which believers are acquitted—fully forgiven and declared righteous before God. The chapter stresses that this acquittal is not earned through human effort or moral improvement but is solely based on the grace extended through Jesus’ sacrificial death and resurrection.
Ortlund further highlights that the gospel is essential for believers to grasp the depth of their justification. When we truly understand the gospel, we realize that we no longer have to live under the weight of guilt or fear of condemnation. Instead, the gospel frees us to live with confidence, knowing that our status before God is secure because of Christ’s righteousness. This understanding of the gospel is what enables believers to grow spiritually, not by striving to earn God’s favor, but by resting in the finished work of Christ.
The gospel, according to Ortlund in this chapter, serves as the foundation for moving from guilt and shame into freedom and holiness. By internalizing the message of the gospel, believers can live out their new identity in Christ, trusting that they are fully acquitted and empowered to live lives of gratitude, love, and obedience. The gospel thus acts as the key to spiritual growth, transforming how we view ourselves and our relationship with God.
The Gospel and Sanctification
The role of the gospel during the process of sanctification is central and foundational. Ortlund emphasizes that the gospel is not just the starting point of the Christian life but the ongoing source of power and transformation in the believer’s journey toward holiness. He argues that sanctification is not about moving beyond the gospel but rather about going deeper into it. The gospel continually reminds believers of their identity in Christ, the sufficiency of His grace, and the finished work of Christ, which fuels true spiritual growth.
Ortlund’s view is that the gospel shapes the process of sanctification by reminding Christians of their justification—that they are already fully forgiven and accepted by God. This assurance allows believers to approach sanctification with freedom, knowing that they are not striving to earn God’s favor but responding to the grace they have already received. The gospel empowers them to obey, not out of fear or obligation, but out of gratitude and love for Christ. By keeping the focus on the gospel, Ortlund highlights that sanctification becomes less about self-effort and more about deepening one’s reliance on Christ’s work and the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Furthermore, Ortlund emphasizes that the gospel helps believers confront their sin without despair, knowing that their sin has been dealt with at the cross. The gospel reassures them that their failures do not disqualify them from God’s love, and it gives them the strength to repent and pursue holiness. In this way, the gospel is both the motivation and the means for sanctification, continually pointing believers back to the grace and power of God as they grow in Christlikeness.
Summary
In this book, the central message is that true spiritual growth does not come from doing more or trying harder but from going deeper into the truths of the gospel. Ortlund emphasizes that the Christian life is not about moving beyond the gospel but immersing oneself more fully in its reality. Through the book, Ortlund calls readers to understand that the power for transformation comes not from self-effort but from deepening their knowledge and relationship with Jesus Christ. The gospel, Ortlund argues, is the foundation for everything in the Christian life, and growing in holiness is about learning to rest more in what Christ has already accomplished.
“The gospel of grace not only gets us in but moves us along.”
The book walks through different characteristics of Christian growth, covering topics like understanding Christ’s nature, despairing of self-reliance, and grasping the reality of our justification in Him. Ortlund touches on critical themes like humility, recognizing our weaknesses, and understanding that sanctification is driven by God’s grace rather than human effort. Throughout the chapters, Ortlund presents a practical yet deeply theological approach to spiritual growth, inviting believers to trust more deeply in Christ’s work rather than falling into the trap of performance-based spirituality.
Deeper is a call to understand that spiritual growth happens as we go further into the gospel and embrace our union with Christ. Ortlund encourages readers to focus not on external markers of success or morality but on the internal work of the Holy Spirit. The book reassures believers that change is possible because of the transformative power of God’s grace, and it challenges them to let go of self-reliance in order to grow more fully into the image of Christ. Through this deeper understanding of the gospel, Ortlund believes that Christians will find the motivation, strength, and freedom needed for true sanctification.
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