Sunday, 28 December 2008
This pretty much sums up how I feel about this book. Incredibly frustrated - and not in the way that the title may suggest.
Josh Harris is so right about so much stuff - the bible backs up so much of what he opines - the only problem is that whilst he really doesn't want people to become legalists and he does state that for every person, the rules are different - he then goes and presents the rules that he has used to get through tough times. Many are good and universally applicable - such as accountability, but then there are others that are personal to Josh's walk - and the danger with a book such as this is that those who read it may then take his personal walk and try to impose it on their own - and once again, I'll say that Josh is obviously concerned about this potential problem and warns against it.
The problem is that the most liable people to read this are young Christians, who are still learning some of the basics of what it means to follow Christ. Then picking this book up, the danger is that the readers are liable to read every line and quote 'Josh says...' instead of learning what God is saying to them personally.
The best way to read this book is perhaps to read it with an older, more mature Christian, who can seperate the universal application from the specifics of Josh's own life - otherwise it is so easy to fall in to the twin bear-trap of legalism and pride.
We must always remember when reading books like this is that we are first called to follow Christ in relationship with Him, that we are justified through His work on the cross, and we are sanctified as we walk the path with Him. If these basics are understood at a heart level, then this book is arguably unnecassary, but if it still is, then the one basic concept that is vital is that you find an accountable Christian of the same gender who can work through these issues.
Worth a read? Yeah, I suppose - but just see it through the above filter and make sure you've got Christians in your life who can be honest with you - this will prevent pride seeping in and holding your heart.
1 comments:
hmm another book about relationships i see. the thing is about this subject is you get different views off different preachers so there is many ways of delaing with realtionships. the main and biblical side is marriage and if theres a future in the relationship.if not then its pretty pointless. but yure right nick about how peole fall into pride ive done myself.and its good to be accounted for. illhave to check this book out myself maybe, although the way youve presented it makes it less appealing haha.
- Danny
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