April 18, 2024
Dr. Jason K. Allen, president of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and College, has written a book that is a must-read for everyday disciples. The title is Being a Christian: How Jesus Redeems All of Life. The book is practical, applicable, and very readable. The book would be particularly good for your church to give to new members, particularly new believers.
Allen begins the book by telling about the Vivion House on the seminary campus that was originally built in the 1870s, burned to the ground, and rebuilt in the 1940s. The Allens decided that they would make the Vivion House their home, but it had not been occupied for decades and required some renovation.
The Midwestern president thought at first the renovation would require some cosmetic repairs, but soon discovered the restoration would exceed all initial estimates.
Allen stated, “As I reflected on the Vivion House renovation, I see a Gospel analogy – an analogy that has proven true in my life, and will in yours. I see an analogy that reminds me of the scale of spiritual transformation God works in our lives, and the comprehensive way Christ changes us.”
The author indicated that when he became a Christian as a teenager he expected his life to change, but what he thought would be a behavior modification turned out to be a spiritual transformation. He explained, “I knew Jesus died to redeem me, but didn’t quite understand he’d died to redeem all of me.”
Allen deals with the implications the Gospel has on one’s life and asserts that the Gospel not only saves us from the penalty of sin, but from the practice of sin and the pain of sin.
Included in the book are chapters on the Gospel and your past, your marriage, your family, your time, your money, your work, your recreation, your mind, your church, and you. Since at my age time is running out, I rejoiced to read what Allen included about redeeming the time and the resolutions Jonathan Edwards made about employing his time to the greatest advantage.
Young adults contemplating marriage and all engaged in a marriage relationship should read what Dr. Allen has to say about God’s divine plan for marriage and what makes a good Christian marriage. His chapter on “The Gospel and Your Family” is worth the price of the book.
It appears that our society has desecrated the Lord’s Day and even church members have become very inconsistent in their observance of the Christians Sabbath, but Allen challenges us to honor the Lord’s Day and simplify our lives.
John MacArthur, pastor of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, CA, has written the foreword for the book and declares, “Many people give lip service to Christianity as the religion with which they want to identify, but comparatively few lives have truly been transformed by Christ and the Gospel. Wrong ideas about the Gospel abound in our generation. The low spiritual state of so many western evangelical churches is the result of all that confusion.”
Being a Christian is an excellent book and worthy of your attention. The book may be purchased on Amazon, in LifeWay and Christian bookstores, as well as Barnes & Noble.
