Jesus Outside The Lines: A Way Forward For Those Who Are Tired Of Taking Sides, by Scott Sauls
[Note: This book was provided free of charge by Tyndale Publishing House in exchange for an honest review.]
As someone who reads a fair amount of books relating to Christians and political issues [1], this is exactly the sort of book I look forward to reading when I do. Instead of being a book that seeks to place God’s politics in alliance with a particular earthly political worldview, this book offers precisely the sort of approach I take, at least in theory, when it comes to my own political worldview. That view emphasizes the totality of God’s ways–free enjoyment of sexuality within biblically sanctioned marriage, chastity outside of it, however difficult that is to keep up–respect for children in the womb and the poor and exploited outside of it–recognition of our shortcomings but firm adherence to God’s ways–a deep understanding of the grace that God has given us and a corresponding graciousness to others. This is a book that avoids false dilemmas or pitting parts of the Bible against itself, and focus on the obligation of love to God and love of fellow man, created in the image of God. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
I am not familiar with the author or his work, and I was a bit put off when starting to read it because of all of the glowing praise (almost ten pages of it before the book’s introductory material even begins), but having read the book I can only add my own praise to the considerable praise already quoted within. The book is well organized, looking at Jesus’ focus on love outside of our Christian tribe, and the love Jesus had for unbelievers, and even his enemies. It speaks movingly about the longing that God has for all to repent and turn to him, and for the passionate struggle that believers have against the darker areas of their nature, and the agony that we suffer as a result of being broken people in a fallen world full of darkness and suffering. It does not take the easy way out, but affirms dignity and responsibility, pointing to our need for grace and to be bearers of grace and encouragement to others.
There are a lot of excellent and moving quotes [2] that fill this book, some of them original to the author, who has a direct and heartfelt and passionate approach, and some of them the result of excellent research by the author in such subjects as political divisions, abortion, social justice, personal faith and churchgoing, tithing, greed, encouragement and critique, accountability and compassion, hypocrisy and honest struggling, sexuality (including the problem of singlehood), hope and realism, the importance of gaining our esteem from God, and what it means to be a good example of a Christian. This is the sort of book to not read and set aside, as some are, but rather the sort of book to devour with one’s Bible at hand, to reflect on, to ponder, and to apply as best as one is able, prayerfully and with a humble heart.
[1] See, for example:
Book Review and Musing on: The Foundations of Christian Scholarship
[2] See, for example:
“Can you imagine the world without all these people? Can you imagine what the world would be like if we allowed Hitler (or anyone else) to decide which people are useful and which ones are not? Like Gabe Lyons, my life is so much richer and fuller because of the people with special needs who are in it. Because I, too, have special needs. We all experience brokenness and cope with need. We all need to see how the power of God is made perfect through weakness.” p. 34
“Volf and Thurman are saying the same thing: if there is no final judgment, then there really is no hope for a slave, a rape victim, a child who has been abused or bullied, or people who have been slandered and robbed or had their dignity taken from them. If nobody is ultimately called to account for violence and oppression, then the victims will not see justice, ever. They will be left to conclude the same thing that Elie Wiesel concluded after the Holocaust stripped him of his mother, his father, his sister, and his faith: “I was alone, terribly alone in a world without God…Without love or mercy.” If we insist on a universe in which there is no final reckoning, this is what we are left with.” p. 110
“Those who are serious about following Jesus must do more than lift a finger to alleviate the burden of aloneness in our midst. Every person–married or unmarried–must have people in their lives for support, companionship, intimacy, and human touch. We must ask the radical question of what it will take to ensure that every unmarried person as access to friendships as deep and lasting as marriage and as meaningful as sex. We must also ask what it will take for our communities to effectively cultivate such friendships.” p. 145
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