Books I've read recently - True Spirituality
I just finished reading "True Spirituality" by Francis Schaeffer. It was an excellent book even though it is a little divided in its purpose. I bought this book awhile back primarily because I liked the subtitle "How to live for Jesus moment by moment" (seemed desirable : ) and I liked everything I've heard about Schaeffer. The book has some remarkable insights that are incredibly relevant to today (this is the 30th anniversary edition) and even a little before his time. Despite its short length (158 pages) its not a particularly quick read as Schaeffer is a deep man and this simple book about living for jesus in every moment contains quite a bit of theology in it. Schaeffer is not content to simply offer how a Christian should live he goes to the theological reason and shows why. This may be a positive thing or a negative thing depending on how your mind works. If you're not a thinker have somebody go through and highlight the application paragraphs because they're worth reading even for the least philosophically inclined Christian. A strength of the book is Schaeffer's focus on living for Christ in this moment. He encourages the reader not to only think 'long term' or in broad sweeping statements and brings it down to the real question "Are you doing what Christ would have you do right now, at this moment in time?" any other discussion is ultimately pointless. Our plans for the future or intentions can all be brought down to the question "Is this the thing I should be doing, right now?" (1)
Schaeffer's emphasis on the personal nature of our relationship with God and its impact on our relationship with other people is the most revolutionary and forward-thinking of the topics in this book. Schaeffer has much in common with the emergent church movement in this respect. His call to focus on and love people not as a broad sweeping generality but as individuals sounds a lot like what people from this generation are saying. Schaeffer states that since God's dealing with us is not primarily legal and is never mechanical our dealings with other people can't be either.(2) God comes to us on an individual basis in a personal way. He comes to us and loves us. Since our job is to be a demonstration of the nature of God in this world our dealings can never become based solely on conversion or impersonal. We, Christians, must be personable and loving to every person we come into contact with. God does not talk to us simply so that we will turn to Him (He chases even those He knows will never turn to Him) we cannot deal with people on the basis of how they treat us, what we can gain from it, or even just to lead them to Christ. It must be more than that. Our "loving the world" cannot be a broad, sweeping statement...it must be an individual, every person we meet kind of thing.
The problem Schaeffer has is a good one. He deals with the theology behind Christian behavior. This is not conducive to a wide audience grasping this message that needs to be heard but is wonderful for those of us who like to think about things that don't necessarily ever have to cross our minds. Its a good read but the practical "do this" stuff is buried beneath loads of thought which is not necessarily what is described on the book jacket. Just so you know going in. Pick it up, its worth reading you may even learn a little theology on your way through. (Theology=the study of God...its ok, even worthwhile, to learn things about God sometimes.)
Finally I leave you with a sample
Schaeffer is examining Romans 6:14-21 and dealing with.
(1) 70.
(2) 131.
(3) 73.
Schaeffer's emphasis on the personal nature of our relationship with God and its impact on our relationship with other people is the most revolutionary and forward-thinking of the topics in this book. Schaeffer has much in common with the emergent church movement in this respect. His call to focus on and love people not as a broad sweeping generality but as individuals sounds a lot like what people from this generation are saying. Schaeffer states that since God's dealing with us is not primarily legal and is never mechanical our dealings with other people can't be either.(2) God comes to us on an individual basis in a personal way. He comes to us and loves us. Since our job is to be a demonstration of the nature of God in this world our dealings can never become based solely on conversion or impersonal. We, Christians, must be personable and loving to every person we come into contact with. God does not talk to us simply so that we will turn to Him (He chases even those He knows will never turn to Him) we cannot deal with people on the basis of how they treat us, what we can gain from it, or even just to lead them to Christ. It must be more than that. Our "loving the world" cannot be a broad, sweeping statement...it must be an individual, every person we meet kind of thing.
The problem Schaeffer has is a good one. He deals with the theology behind Christian behavior. This is not conducive to a wide audience grasping this message that needs to be heard but is wonderful for those of us who like to think about things that don't necessarily ever have to cross our minds. Its a good read but the practical "do this" stuff is buried beneath loads of thought which is not necessarily what is described on the book jacket. Just so you know going in. Pick it up, its worth reading you may even learn a little theology on your way through. (Theology=the study of God...its ok, even worthwhile, to learn things about God sometimes.)
Finally I leave you with a sample
Schaeffer is examining Romans 6:14-21 and dealing with.
"...It is possible for me, as a Christian, to bring forth the child of someone else instead of my rightful lover, instead of my bridegroom [Christ]...As an illustration, imagine a married couple of one race, both of the one color of skin. Suddenly, the wife brings forth a child clearly of another race. All the world would know that she has been unfaithful to her proper mate. So it is with us. If I as a Christian am not bringing forth the fruit that one would expect, the fruit of Christ, there is spiritual unfaithfulness on my part. There is spiritual adultery in my life. And when we see it this way, the word unfaithful takes on a very special and clear significance, for faith is the instrument by which we bear the fruit of our risen Christ. So the word faithless has a very pointed meaning. If I do not have faith toward Christ, I am unfaithful toward him, and this is
faithlessness"(3)
faithlessness"(3)
(1) 70.
(2) 131.
(3) 73.
