Becoming Worldly Saints
Can You Serve Jesus and Still Enjoy Your Life?
by Michael E. Wittmer
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Pub Date Feb 03 2015 | Archive Date Aug 22 2017
Zondervan Academic | Zondervan
Description
If following Jesus involves a life of sacrifice and suffering, is it wrong for a Christian to seek purpose and joy in this world?
Many Christians sense a tension between their desire to enjoy life in this world--the beauty of God's creation, the rich love of deep relationships with others--and the reality that this world is fallen and broken, in need of redemption. How can we embrace and thrive in the tension between enjoying creation and promoting redemption? By living out our God-given purpose.
As "worldly saints" created in the image of God, we are natural creatures with a supernatural purpose—to know and love God. Because we live in a world that is stained by the curse of sin, we must learn to embrace our nature as creatures created in the image of God while recognizing our desperate need for the grace that God offers to us in the gospel.
Writing in a devotional style that is theologically rich, biblically accurate, and aimed at ordinary readers, Mike Wittmer helps readers understand who they are, why they are here, and the importance of the story they tell themselves. In Becoming Worldly Saints, he gives an integrated vision that shows how we can be heavenly minded in a way that leads to earthly good, empowering believers to seize the abundant life God has for them.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Paperback |
| ISBN | 9780310516385 |
| PRICE | $15.99 (USD) |
Average rating from 12 members
Featured Reviews
Chris H, Reviewer
Can a christian have the best of both world? Michael Wittmer says yes! And he makes a strong case for it within this book.
Far too often, christians think that they have to choose between either enjoying the world or serving Jesus wholeheartedly, Wittmer however shows us that this either/or dichotomy is false. Wittmer does this by giving Christian the meta-narrative of the whole bible in 4 acts, creation, life, fall and redemption.
Within creation, Wittmer helps us see the purpose of creation. He talks about what it means to be created in God’s image, what is man’s purpose here on earth and also why everything we do here on earth matters to God. Wittmer reminds the readers that we are not to have a platonic understanding of the world — to see fleshly/physical things as “lower” than spiritual things. Instead, Wittmer points out that both are created by God, and can be used to glorify Him, there’s nothing inherently wrong with what is physical. What is wrong is the sin that is in the world and that is in us. Which is what he brings out in the next section.
Wittmer then brings the readers to what the fall is, and it’s effect on creation. Thereafter, he brings the readers to the redemption plan of God. Within this section, Wittmer then talks about what it means to live in a fallen world for christians. He talks about how christians are called to be int he world but not of the world and what it means for us to be “redeeming” the creation world that we live in. Within this, he also talks about the 2 kingdom perspective and the Kuyperian kingdom perspective. He shows the issues between the two perspectives and then proposes his own alternative view that sits between the two. Personally, I found this section most enlightening and enjoyable. I have not read much about both of these kingdom perspectives but Wittmer has given me a good concise introduction to it and has whet my appetite for it.
Overall, I found this book talks not only about theological issues, but at the same time brings about practical implications and applications into the reader’s life. I have found the thesis of the book refreshing and thought-provoking. If you are a christian who wants to live a faithful christian life in this day and age, I encourage you to give this book a read.
Rating: 4 / 5
Disclaimer: I was given this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
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