It’s a purposeful play on words. We already possess an ego, and most of us in Jekyll-and-Hyde fashion have something of an alter ego. Mr. Groeschel proclaims that we Christians need an altar ego transformed by Christ.

He begins by discussing how we focus on our reputation. In most cases, that is not who we really are, nor who the Lord wants us to be. We have worked so hard at maintaining what he calls our “false self.” This, he says, must be sacrificed to our new identity in Christ. He explains this in 4 chapters.

This is helpful in that the Lord knows we aren’t what we project, and deep down, we know it too. It makes for a public and a private life. This is not what we were made for. As he says repeatedly, “You are not yet who you are supposed to be.” Galatians 2:20 backs up his premise that Christ lives in me and that is the real me now. Let’s live in that light!

He explains that we we may have to shed labels that have attached themselves to us in the life we have lived. He speaks of being labeled “tightwad” and easy it is to fall back into old ways with the excuse “that is just who I am.” I suppose the labels we put on ourselves are the most damaging. Christ, we must always remember, changes everything.

At times I thought he was going to run to the power-of-positive-thinking mantra, but he pulled it back to our being overcomers in Christ. His discussion of how we are God’s ambassadors was a challenging perspective.

Part 2 on “Sacrificing Cultural Relativity for Eternal Values”, also done in 4 chapters, really calls for us to have more character in terms of patience, integrity, honor, and gratitude. This section doesn’t really deal with Christ transforming us as much as moral teaching and enticements to be more of the person we should be.

Part 3 encourages us to be bold in behavior, prayers, words (really good), and obedience. This succeeds in some measure in tying together the other 2 parts.

The book is an easy read that you can digest quickly. Some might think he tells too many stories that make him look like a really great Christian, but that would be a matter of taste. Still, this book could be a help to people.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.