Truth Matters, Life Matters More

The Unexpected Beauty of an Authentic Christian Life

De: Hank Hanegraaff

Narrado por: Lois Porter - foreword, Hank Hanegraaff

Is there more to the Christian life than what you’re currently experiencing? Leading Christian apologist Hank Hanegraaff has dedicated his life to defending truth, because truth matters. However, his life and ministry were radically transformed by this three-word phrase: life matters more.

In essence, Truth Matters, Life Matters More is two books in one. Because truth matters, Part 1 explicates the essentials of the Christian faith in a memorable way to equip listeners to communicate Christian truth. In Part 2, Hank explains why life matters more and how we can experience the height of human existence—union with God. Simply put, the map is not the territory. The menu is not the meal. We cheat ourselves of unadulterated union with Christ when we elevate the message above the Messenger.

Truth Matters, Life Matters More is a modern classic and the magnum opus of one of the great theological minds of our time. Prepare to discover the unexpected beauty of an authentic Christian life.

©2019 Hank Hanegraaff (P)2019 Thomas Nelson

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Hank Hanegraaff's Truth Matters, Life Matters More is a remarkable tapestry of vast historical and scriptural knowledge, woven from personal experience, chronicles of faith journeys, and marvelous spiritual insights that mesh to create more than a compendium of theology. Indeed, he pulls the strands together with deftness and devotion, such that they form a map, a sacred topography of the life in Christ. And as a good cartographer would do, Hanegraaff makes sure that the reader has all the keys and legends to read his map. He knows how to point the reader in all the right directions, but he also knows that it is grace that 'will lead us home.'" Fr. Alex Karloutsos, Vicar General of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America

"Truth Matters, Life Matters More is an extraordinarily wise and thoughtful book, magnificent in its scope and inspiring in its presentation. From the way to detect counterfeit religions (and the importance of doing so) to the true meaning of the all-important but poorly understood Orthodox Christian concept of deification, Hank Hanegraaff brilliantly elucidates the pure joy of living a life in fidelity to truth, and to Truth Himself, the Author of all life. I thank God for my fellow Orthodox believer and for his unparalleled guide to the wonderful happiness of living as a Christian." Robert Spencer, bestselling author of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (and the Crusades) and The History of Jihad

"In this moving and compelling book, Hank Hanegraaff recapitulates the apologetic themes that he has spent decades honing and defending—from human origins, to the reality of the resurrection, to the reliability of Scripture. But, more than that, he shows how this vital defense of truth must be part of the larger cause of uniting our life with the life of God. This is a theme that for too long has been missed by millions of believing Christians. Hank shows, with characteristic precision, how the traditional Christian idea of 'deification' is not some doubtful sidelight, but represents the culmination of the Christian life, and the source of Christian unity. Whether you've read all of Hank's books, or none of them, I urge you to read this one." Jay Richards, Ph.D., O.P., assistant research professor at the Catholic University of America, senior fellow at the Discovery Institute, executive editor of The Stream, and a New York Times bestselling author—his many books include the forthcoming Eat, Fast, Feast

Best book yet by Hank Hanegraaph!

This is a monumental work. Much better than expected. Strong and well developed. A must read!

Easily Helps Beginning Seekers Understand The Ancient Christian Faith

I’m 36 years old and converted to Orthodox Christianity about three years ago and I have been seeking a book that can help beginning seekers easily understand why they should convert to the Orthodox Christian Faith. This is that book I have been hoping for. I will be buying many copies and sending this audiobook to those that I believe are ready to learn about the ancient Christian faith. Thank you Hank Hanegraaff and the Christian Research Institute for making it easier on those of us wanting to teach western Christians and others about Orthodoxy!

Evangelical, Please Read! Abundant Life Awaits!

This is the most comprehensive book on the historic Christian Faith and the path to abundant life that I have ever read.

Dear Evangelicals, In Part 2 of the book (Life Matters More), Hank uses some language that may seem troubling at first, BUT do not miss the true meaning and heart of what he is getting at as he talks about Deification/Theosis. Simply put, this is union with God, becoming like God, being so infused and filled with His Energies that we truly become sons of God and partakers of the Divine Nature, as Peter puts it.

The language of the ancient faith may seem troubling on first listen, but if you care about Truth, the deeper you look and more you search, you too will find it to be Biblically and historically accurate. It is our Lord Jesus Christ who said “Is it not written in your law: “I said - you are gods”? And then Jesus goes on to say (paraphrased) that if the Scriptures themselves call men “gods” - of whom the Scriptures merely came through, how can you call it blasphemy that I call Myself the Son of God?

The historic church has always been very clear about the firm line and distinction between God’s Essence and His Energies. We partake in His Energies ONLY...and are never united with His Essence. We become by Grace, what God is by Nature. We are truly “Christ-ians”, little Christ’s, or as Jesus Christ and the Scriptures proclaim: "gods" (not God).

This is absolutely mind blowing stuff that is a mystery beyond our comprehension! We can taste Him right here, right now and enter in to His Life. Oh, the glory of what God is going to truly do with us when we receive our new bodies and become “like Him” on that great, dreadful, and glorious day when He judges mankind and then makes all things new! What joy to become one with Christ, as He is One with the Father!!!! (John 17)

The Kingdom of God is right here and right now in the Church established through the Apostles - the historic, Orthodox Christian Faith. The original Church of Acts is still standing firm against the gates of hell... just like our Savior promised! It has a well marked path and a track record of Life in Christ, through being part of the Body of Christ and taking the spiritual life seriously, soberly and so very reverently. The Orthodox Church invites all to encounter God in the never ending dance of love within the Trinity! If you feel you are missing something in your Evangelical, Protestant faith, you are correct. The fullness of the Faith is right here, spelled out masterfully by Hank.

Hank has put his whole soul out in the open in this work and deserves SO much credit for this courageous book in the midst of a religious climate in America that is so caught up in the spirit of this age and has lost so much of the historic Faith of the Apostles. I plead with you to listen with a heart wide open...please don’t judge without searching further! Don’t find yourself outside of the Church of the 1st-21st century that has defended the Faith with their blood and lives and has lovingly handed you the Bible, the creeds, the doctrine of the Trinity, the 2 natures of Christ, and on and on. Much Love! May God bless all of you and shine His face upon you.

Important read for all Christians

Hank covers a wide range of doctrine material, prompting us to think about the importance of what we do as Christians in every day life, and for calling all Christian to unite!

Powerful at multiple levels

In short, loved it. I feel enriched by listening and absorbing this book. Re-listened to portions already and will listen again to the entire book.

Listening to the author, his emotions come across as genuine and authentic. I’m grateful that it wasn’t hollow or as if acting.

Highly recommend this book.

Nobody's theology is perfect this side of Heaven and that's okay

I will update this review once I am done with the audiobook. So far, I like it but it has still left me wanting more. To make a seismic shift into Orthodoxy wasn't as elaborated as I thought. I am a Catholic (Byzantine)-gone-Protestant and I realize some of the holes in my theology. I, with an open mind, wanted to hear some of Hank's reasons for his newly found Orthodoxy.

He makes a convincing argument for Mary's perpetual virginity. However, he neglected to mention Paul calls James "brother of the Lord" in comparison to Peter and John in Galatians; specified as brother, not cousin (Galatians 1:19).

He uses the argument that he designated St. John as Mary's new son since she didn't have any other children, thus, proving Mary's perpetual virginity. Jesus says those who do the will of God are his brothers and his sisters (Mark 3:35) so, to me, the "This is your mother" in John 19:26-27 is a stronger indicator of that maxim than Mary's virginity. Else where in Acts, it says Mary was praying with the apostles along with Jesus' brothers (Acts 1:14).

I'm not writing this to put down the doctrine of the perpetual virginity of Mary. I love to be challenged so this simply demonstrates Hank may have not thought about the counter-Protestant reasons for not believing in it. But this is how we grow.

But it does highlight something I wish he did do in this book. Growing up Catholic, nobody could tell me what "Son of God" meant. I always had the impression that the term meant "God junior." It wasn't until I read "A Systematic Theology of the Christian Religion" by James Buswell that cleared it up for me.

I saw all that to say I wished Hank had spent more time on the Orthodox reasons for essential Christian doctrine instead of a defense of a non-essential doctrine of Mary's perpetual virginity. I don't even think Catholics agree that this belief is necessary for salvation.

I still love Hank! I'm a CRI guy because of Walter Martin and I support CRI. We have one area of disagreement but in the overall big picture of things, I do regard Hank a brother. But it shows me when Christians get excited about a new insight, they have the zeal to share it everywhere. It's no different than when i got saved in my teens.

I recommend the first half of the book so far, not because it appeals to my Protestant theology but for the way Hank's open heart speaks on the page. Speaking as a Protestant, Orthodoxy was the best thing to ever happen to Hank Hanegraaff and I regard Orthodoxy another branch of service in the great army of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Frustrating at many levels

I have been a long-time listener of Hank Hanegraaff and the Bible Answer Man broadcast. Hank is the real deal, a font of knowledge and truly the most humble of humble. It is this deep respect for Hank that makes his recent conversion to Eastern Orthodoxy so disturbing. Many of his most closely held beliefs, and those which has has forwarded on the air and in his writings for decades, he now abandons. While many of these are secondary issues - his abandonment of the immaculate conception as an example, and quasi deification of Mary - what is most troubling is the central thesis of "Truth Matters": that we are "gods". This is a notion foreign to the Bible. This thesis derives from Hank's unfortunate characterization of early Christian believers as being "Holy Fathers" and their man-made dogma as "Holy Tradition". In reality, the early, first Century believers were far from Holy, but rather were mere fallen, imperfect men who grappled with the difficult issues of early Christianity. Hank's embrace of "Holy Tradition" as co-equal with biblical Truth leaves me shaking my head and wondering what happened to the real Hank. But Hank does communicate his views with grace, and accepts the non-orthodox as brothers in Christ. Nonetheless, it is very difficult to swallow Hanks views on so-called "chrismation", "deification" of believers and so on. The non-orthodox listen might want to skip this one. And the foreword sounds like it was recorded in a bathroom. You can hear the speaker turning her pages as she reads them. Low production value. As a result of Hank's departure from biblical Christianity, I no longer listen to Hank's podcasts and have unsubscribed from his publication. This saddens me greatly, but Truth does matter. I am returning this audio book.