08 Conclusion: Abiding in Jesus

08 Conclusion: Abiding in Jesus

The conclusion wraps up exploration of the Christian life by reflecting on a life-giving metaphor that Jesus himself employed in comforting his early followers as he prepared them for his imminent trial and crucifixion. Jesus encouraged his first followers to “abide” in him by continuing in close, personal relationship with him. This sort of intimate relationship involves trust in who Jesus is and dependence on what only he can provide. Trust and dependence of this kind is characterized by obedience to his teaching, peace, joy, and abundant life. Because we are not the source of life, we must depend on Jesus rather than ourselves for life, peace, and all else needed to walk in a manner worthy of our calling to follow him.

07 Living an Integrated Christian Life

Chapter 7 summarizes the ways that living an integrated life places Christ at its center. Such a life does not happen by default in the world, which exists in a state of brokenness. Jesus perfectly displayed what an integrated life looks like as God originally intended when he created humanity in his image. Although Christians will never be able to reflect Christ's image with flawless consistency, they can nevertheless grow in reflecting his image. An integrated Christian life practically demonstrates a focus on Jesus in the spiritual, social, academic, and vocational dimensions of life. It also reveals an intentional desire to align the words and works of a person's life. In other words, Christians desire to see their beliefs increasingly impact their behaviors so that their conduct reflects their core beliefs.

06 Christ’s Values in Your Vocation

Chapter 6 describes the ways that Jesus’s call to follow him extends to the workplace and to our respective vocations. Vocations represent vital opportunities to glorify God by serving others. Jesus intends to be Lord of our homes, our communities, and even our work. As the Son of God, he offers a God-sized vision for our vocations that will result in his glory and our good. Strong economies, healthy organizations, and virtuous people are foundational to vibrant communities and thriving societies. Realizing these ideals depends substantially on arriving at true understandings about who we are and how we are meant to live in this world.

05 Christ’s Values in Your Academic Discipline

Chapter 5 explores what it means to be “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14–16) as educated Christ followers who engage in various academic disciplines. Jesus calls those who follow him to seek and to find their purpose in him as they explore the vast riches of the world he has made. Faith, properly understood, should not stifle research, suppress dialogue, or inhibit investigation. Rather, Christians believe in order to understand more fully, and by doing so, they expect to see the power of God at work in the lives of individuals and in the restoration of communities. By connecting faith and learning in these ways, they participate in the rich Christian tradition that has been described as a matter of faith seeking understanding.

04 Christ’s Values in Your Life

Chapter 4 outlines the ways that connecting Christ's values to daily living should define the path toward Christian maturity. The way of Jesus connects the Christian to full dependence on the reality of this life revealed by the Spirit in the Bible. Building a life of faith requires daily commitment to hope beyond the limits of current challenges and circumstances, seeing the opportunities of the present in light of the rule and reign of Christ. Such living faith and abiding hope pulls the Christian to love the people, place, and time where Jesus calls the church to exist. The new life received by faith in Christ demands true justice, the protection of the weak, and patient restoration of life as God intended it to be.