Here is the rest of my review for Don't Waste Your Life. Whereas Part 1 was a summary of some of the main ideas of the book, this second part will focus in on just 3 ideas that I found interesting and elaborated on in my review.
Although Piper makes many great points in this book, there are a few that stood out above the rest. First, the journey begins in boasting in the cross of Christ. This is where Piper began, and this was the first point that stood out. He said, “If we desire that there be no boasting except in the cross, then we must live near the cross––indeed we must live on the cross” (55). It is easy to go to church on Sunday, attend the worship service, listen to the sermon, and get excited about living for Christ. It is easy to be moved emotionally and to become ready to cling to the cross. Sadly, many people go out the next day and forget what they learned in church just hours before. Are they really clinging to the cross of Christ or are they just going through the motions? To boast in the cross, Piper says that “we must live on the cross,” which means that we must put to death the things of this world (55). We cannot say that our desire is to glorify God at church if we are not willing to make that sacrifice outside the church walls.
To be effective in our ministry in the world we cannot be of the world. The world recognizes hypocrisy, and if someone claims to be a Christian while participating in the same sinful activities that the world participates in, then what message does the world receive? They see a bunch of egotistical religious fanatics who do not actually live what they say they believe. Therefore it is crucial that anyone who desires to live a life that points to and glorifies God must remove themselves from the temptations of this world. Personally, this will ruin my reputation as a Christian, and if I am leading a church someday, it will also ruin that church’s reputation in the community. There is too much at risk for Christians to be straddling the line between these two completely different lifestyles. Being on the cross means dying to the world in order that we might be more effective in reaching them.
This leads to the next significant point. To die on the cross of Christ and ultimately die to the world is a huge risk. In portions of the world where Christianity is illegal, this is a much greater risk than we face in America; however, it is still a risk in our American culture. Adults could lose jobs or not be hired because of their faith. Teenagers might experience isolation at school because of what they believe. Families might be ostracized from the community because of what they stand for. Furthermore, America’s future could hold religious persecution. We do not know what the future might hold for Christians, but we must decide now what our faith means to us. In accepting Christ, are we actually willing to die for Him?
Piper walked through a series of biblical examples that illustrated men and women who were willing to risk it all for God. From David’s faith in battle to Esther’s boldness to enter into the king’s presence, from Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s willingness to be thrown into a furnace to Paul’s willingness to suffer many afflictions, these people considered the cost and still chose to follow God. Do we really consider what our faith in Christ might cost us or do we take it as our way out of Hell? Many Christians in America have forgotten that serving Christ will lead to some form of suffering, and they tend to think of suffering as punishment. If we are truly holding to the cross of Christ, having died to this world, they are going to retaliate. They are not going to willingly sit by and let us completely destroy the way they live. They do not want to be told that they are wrong. This leads to conflict and ultimately suffering.
No matter how much suffering comes in our lives, however, we must realize that it is most definitely worth it. We must all come to the point to where we are willing to risk it all for Christ. It is a continual process, and I do not believe that I am there yet. As I continue to grow in Christ, I pray that I will learn what it means to truly follow Him. I pray that I will be willing to risk it all, because even in the American setting, following Christ will be risky. Through my continual growth in Christ, I also pray that I can help lead others in the future to learn what it means to follow Christ in this manner as well.
All of this culminates in the third and final significant point. Many people today feel like witnessing should be left up to the church leaders. They make a division between the secular workplace and the spiritual workplace. Some do not understand how they can incorporate their faith into their secular work environments. Even the word secular causes many to believe that they should quit their jobs and find a more “holy” workplace. Piper reminds his readers that “the vast majority of Christians are meant to live in the world and work among unbelievers” (134). So if a Christian is willing to take the risk to live for Christ and die to the world on the cross of Christ, then they will find that they can still work in the world without actually being of it. This attitude will open up doors for ministry that they might not have ever seen before.
I may never actually know what it is like to work in the secular work environment except for the few part time jobs I had as a teenager. If I do end up working in a church someday, I will not be in this “secular” work environment; however, I can still encourage others to use their workplace as their mission field. God has placed people in these different places for a reason, and they may be the only person able to reach the unbelievers in that particular company or business. Dying to the world does not mean resigning from a job; instead, it means letting go of sinful practices while still being a positive influence for Christ in this sinful world.
So what is a life not wasted for Christ? Piper argues that it is a life that is willing to take the risk to live for Christ no matter the cost. It is a life that will be willing to die to the world while finding all of their joy in Christ. It is a life that is willing to reach out to the lost world and offer the love of Christ to them. If Christians sit around and enjoy the “American Dream” and do not have a passion to share the Gospel with the lost world around them, then they are wasting their lives. Piper’s point is quite clear, convincing, and well supported throughout his book. Too many people are wasting their lives in the Church today. May this book be a charge to all Christians to not waste their lives but instead live for Christ.
Matt
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