Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners by John Bunyan Book Review

Started Reading 2025.04.28

Finished Reading 2025.04.30

Whoa. That’s the first word that came to mind after finishing this staggering work of spiritual autobiography. John Bunyan does not offer the reader a polished narrative or an arm’s-length reflection on faith — he invites us directly into the trenches of his soul. And what a battlefield it is.

Grace Abounding is raw, real, and relentlessly honest. Bunyan’s account of his conversion and call to ministry is so real, I am almost tempted to re-read this again. He writes this less like a tidy testimony and more like a stream of his conscience, in his doubt and his spiritual warfare. He holds nothing back — his agonies of sin, his torment over assurance, his deep wrestling with the weight of the gospel. This is not the sanitized version of Christian life. This is what it looks like when grace digs deep.

What makes this book so gripping is how real his struggle is. Yes, Bunyan lived in 17th-century England, but his internal war with sin, guilt, and assurance could have been written yesterday. It is easy to identify with Bunyan when he calls himself the “chief of sinners.” He speaks to every believer who has ever stared into the mirror and seen failure, hypocrisy, weakness — and then wondered if God’s grace could really reach that far down.

Spoiler: it can. I am reminded, as reading this, that the Scriptures have been there since Jesus walked the earth. So, John Bunyan being in the 1600's has the same (depending on translation) Scripture that I have today. AWESOME!

But it’s not just a book for the brokenhearted Christian — it’s a mirror for the preacher. As a pastor, I felt this book in my bones. Bunyan doesn’t just describe the pain of his personal sanctification, he also describes the weight of proclaiming a gospel he himself is learning to trust. His pulpit was wrestling mat, and for me - that's how I feel. Reading this, I saw my own fears, my own insecurities, and my desperate dependence on Christ reflected in his words.

This is a book that leaves no room for spiritual ego. It strips away pretense and leaves the reader with two clear truths: we are far worse than we think, and God’s grace is far greater than we can imagine.

If you want to know what grace really feels like in the life of a sinner — especially a sinner called to preach — then take up and read. You’ll walk away humbled, undone, and strangely encouraged.