Jesus changes everything

DISCIPLESHIP MATTERS
Dying to Live for Christ
By Peter Maiden
IVP. 157 pages. £8.99
ISBN 978 1 783 593 552

Cheap grace is a danger for the church.

This lies at the heart of Peter Maiden’s book. He is concerned that we do not compartmentalise God; acknowledging God on a Sunday, but forgetting him on a Monday. It is a challenge not just to those who are nominal in their faith but a challenge to all believers to live consistently and completely for Christ. He makes it clear that God is sovereign over everything and as such we should submit the whole of our lives to him. This is a book full of encouragements and rebukes but the lesson is clear: living for Jesus involves living a transformed life, not because of duty, but because of a restored relationship with God.

Principles and practicals

The book is structured into two sections: ‘transformed’ and ‘all of life’. The first part outlines general principles for all believers, establishing what it means to be a believer, to have a relationship with Christ and to obey the call to take up our cross and follow him. It urges us to live according to our new identity as children of God and to serve God fully in the power of the Holy Spirit using the gifts he has given us. Each chapter covers one of these subjects and is full of examples from the author’s own life and ministry as well as from others involved in mission both in the UK and overseas. At the end of each chapter there are questions for reflection and a list of other books that deal with the issues raised in more depth.

The second half I found less helpful than the first, as it briefly skimmed over topics such as sex, money, time, work and mission; it was very ambitious to try and cover so much and this is acknowledged by directing readers to further resources in each chapter.

This would not be my ‘go to’ book on discipleship – as Maiden acknowledges, Bonhoeffer is hard to beat – but it will be a useful resource to read with new Christians. It lays out very practically how acknowledging Jesus as Lord changes everything, and Bonhoeffer’s words echo through this book: ‘When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.’