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As an introduction to spiritual formation, it’s an accessible invitation to beginners and lifelong followers of Jesus. It will come as no surprise to most of my goodreads companions to see I have rated yet another JMC book 5 stars. It’s by Spirit and truth that we’re transformed into the image of Jesus, but the reciprocal is also true. The good news is that there are simple, practical ways for Christians to approach this challenge – and they don’t have to do it alone.
I am, admittedly, more progressive in social views and theology than Comer, but I do welcome intellectual critiques of modern liberalism (which are actually my favorite parts of the book). Comer founded a church in Portland, so his cultural environment is far more progressive than - say - your Southern Baptist preacher living in Texas. Alex Lim is a certified book reviewer and editor with over 10 years of experience in the publishing industry. A Roman legion consisted of approximately 4,200 infantry and 300 cavalry, which may indicate the scope and intensity of his demonic possession.
His pastoral heart is evident, and it's a refreshing antidote to the very two dimensional Culture War stuff out there which is devoid of an awareness of how spiritual battles are fought (Eph. love, sacrifice, loyalty to family and friends, humility, joy, compassion, all of which required their denial of fleshly desires. JMC is culturally relevant while providing incredible resources from church leaders throughout history, psychologists, doctors, thought leaders, and so on. Christians should distinguish between primal desires, like lust, and superior desires, like the desire to love and follow God.
It also offers spiritual practices for Christians to adopt and suggests some possible ways for churches to adapt to post-Christian culture. The book is divided into three sections, each covering three main enemies of the soul: the world, the flesh, and the devil. Most of these tangents and asides are fascinating, but I think he sometimes struggles to connect them to the point he's trying to make. This and changing attitudes to sexual behavior are just two examples of the gap between secular culture and traditional Christian values.Outside of that, I feel like a seminary education kind of made this book a little less profound than I was expecting, but still very good and practical. Comer wrote this book in the Making Sense Of God world, and has the ability to communicate these aspects of our current moment well. When a person makes a habit of immersing themselves in scripture, they replace the devil’s lies with God’s truth – and eventually rewire their brains.
Our animalistic appetites and self-gratifying pleasures may feel natural to the body, but they are fundamentally opposed to God’s ways. Having previously reviewed ' The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry' by this author, I was keen to see what his latest book had to offer, and I was not disappointed.
The battle is not just out there in the surrounding culture, with its secularism and alternative faith systems. At the same time, I want to come home from work and have “me time” to binge watch Netflix until bedtime. Affairs begin slowly, through a series of actions – such as the decision to make a flirtatious comment to another person. In this challenging context, Christians should rely on spiritual practices such as quiet prayer and reading scripture; meanwhile, churches should become stable, close-knit communities to help Christians stay on the right path.
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