{"id":8789,"date":"2014-12-28T21:28:38","date_gmt":"2014-12-29T02:28:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/meganstrange.com\/?p=8789"},"modified":"2014-12-28T21:28:38","modified_gmt":"2014-12-29T02:28:38","slug":"book-review-the-hole-in-our-holiness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/meganstrange.com\/?p=8789","title":{"rendered":"Book Review: The Hole in our Holiness"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Hole-Our-Holiness-Paperback-Godliness\/dp\/1433541351\/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1419819168&amp;sr=8-4&amp;keywords=kevin+deyoung\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-8790\" alt=\"hole-holiness\" src=\"https:\/\/meganstrange.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/hole-holiness-300x200.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/meganstrange.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/hole-holiness-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/meganstrange.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/hole-holiness-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/meganstrange.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/hole-holiness.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em>&#8220;The Bible could not be any clearer. \u00a0The reason for your entire\u00a0salvation, the design behind your deliverance, the purpose for which God chose you in the first place is holiness.&#8221;<\/em> Kevin DeYoung, <em>The Hole in our Holiness<\/em><\/p>\n<p>This past summer I read <em>Crazy Busy<\/em> by Kevin DeYoung and reviewed it <a href=\"https:\/\/meganstrange.com\/?p=8413\" target=\"_blank\">here<\/a>. \u00a0I quickly looked forward to reading another of DeYoung&#8217;s book as I really enjoyed his writing style&#8230;but more importantly, his commitment to using Scripture throughout his writing in a way that points the reader to Jesus rather than to DeYoung.<\/p>\n<p>I picked up <a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Hole-Our-Holiness-Paperback-Godliness\/dp\/1433541351\/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1419819168&amp;sr=8-4&amp;keywords=kevin+deyoung\" target=\"_blank\"><em>The Hole in our Holiness<\/em><\/a> a few months ago and then life got busy&#8230;sort of ironic when you consider the first DeYoung book I read! \u00a0I grabbed a few books to read over Christmas break and was eager to jump in to <em>The Hole in our Holiness<\/em> and I&#8217;m sure glad I did! This book pushed me straight into God&#8217;s word as DeYoung encouraged the reader to preach the gospel to themselves anytime they need encouragement to pursue holiness in all things.<\/p>\n<p>I highlighted several things while reading and have posted my notes below&#8230;this book is highly recommended!<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The hole in our holiness is that we don\u2019t really care much about it. \u00a0Passionate exhortation to pursue gospel-driven holiness is barely heard in most of our churches.<\/li>\n<li>My fear is that as we rightly celebrate, and in some quarters\u00a0rediscover, all the Christ has saved us from, we are giving little thought and making little effort concerning all that Christ has saved us to. \u00a0Shouldn\u2019t those most passionate about the gospel and God\u2019s glory also be those most dedicated to the pursuit of godliness? \u00a0I worry that there is an enthusiasm gap and no one seems to mind.<\/li>\n<li>If you dislike a holy God now, why would you want to be with him forever? \u00a0If worship does not capture your attention at present, what makes you think it will thrill you in some heavenly future? \u00a0If ungodliness is your delight here on earth, what will please you in heaven, where all is clean and pure? \u00a0You would not be happy there if you are not holy here.<\/li>\n<li>We don\u2019t take the Great Commission seriously if we don\u2019t help each other grow in obedience.<\/li>\n<li>God chose us for salvation in eternity past and sent Christ to save us in history and gave us the gift of faith by the working of the Holy Spirit in our lifetimes so that we might be holy.<\/li>\n<li>The Bible could not be any clearer. \u00a0The reason for your entire\u00a0salvation, the design behind your deliverance, the purpose for which God chose you in the first place is holiness.<\/li>\n<li>Mere\u00a0rule keeping is not the answer because holiness cannot be reduced to a little ethical refurbishment.<\/li>\n<li>Holiness looks like the renewal of God\u2019s image in us.<\/li>\n<li>Holiness looks like a life marked by virtue instead of vice.<\/li>\n<li>Holiness looks like a clear conscience.<\/li>\n<li>Holiness looks like obedience to God\u2019s commands.<\/li>\n<li>Holiness looks like Christlikeness.<\/li>\n<li>We see in Jesus the best, most practical, most human example of what it means to be holy. \u00a0He is our model for love (John 13:34), our model for humility (Philippians 2:5-8), our model for facing temptation (Hebrews 4:15), our model for steadfastness in the midst of suffering (1 Peter 4:1-2), and our model for obedience to the Father (John 6:38, 14:31). \u00a0We see\u00a0all the virtues of holiness perfectly aligned in Christ. \u00a0He was always gentle, but never soft. \u00a0He was bold, but never brash. \u00a0He was pure, but never prudish. \u00a0He was full of mercy but not at the expense of justice. \u00a0He was full of truth but not at the expense of grace. \u00a0In everything he was submissive to his heavenly Father, and he gave everything for his sheep. \u00a0He obeyed his parents, kept the law of God, and forgave his enemies. \u00a0He never lusted, never coveted, and never lied. \u00a0In all that Jesus Christ did, during his whole life and especially as his life came to an end he loved God with his whole being and loved his neighbor as himself.<\/li>\n<li>The Bible clearly teaches that holiness is possible. \u00a0This is good news, not bad news. \u00a0You have permission to see evidences of grace in your life. \u00a0You are allowed (and expected) to be obedient. \u00a0You will never be perfect in this life. \u00a0You cannot do anything to earn God\u2019s love. \u00a0But as a redeemed, regenerate child of God you don\u2019t have to be a spiritual failure. \u00a0By the mercies of God you can \u201cpresent your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship\u201d (Romans 12:1).<\/li>\n<li>2 Corinthians 3:18 says, \u201cAnd we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. \u00a0For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>It\u2019s easy to become convinced that we can never change or that God is ready to kick us to the curb after we\u2019ve screwed up in the same way for the millionth time. \u00a0But don\u2019t listen to yourself; preach to yourself. \u00a0Go back to the gospel. \u00a0Remember that there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). \u00a0Remember that the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you (Romans 8:11). \u00a0Remember that you are a child of God, and if a child then an heir (Romans 8:16-17). \u00a0Remember that nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39). \u00a0God gives more grace (James 4:6). \u00a0Draw near to him, recognize who you are in him, and keep on working to cleanse your hands and purify your hearts\u00a0(James 4:8).<\/li>\n<li>Let us say with Paul, \u201cI worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me\u201d (1 Corinthians 15:10).<\/li>\n<li>The pursuit of holiness is not a quixotic effort to do just what Jesus did. \u00a0It\u2019s the fight to live out the life that has already been made alive in Christ.<\/li>\n<li>It\u2019s not for nothing that Jesus expects his followers to ask for forgiveness as a regular part of their prayers (Matthew 6:12). \u00a0Repentance is a way of life for the holy child of God.<\/li>\n<li>Holiness is the sum of a million little things\u2014the avoidance of little evils and little foibles, the setting aside of little\u00a0bits of worldliness and little acts of compromise, the putting to death of little inconsistencies and little in descriptions, the attention to little duties and little dealings, the hard work of little self-denials and little self-restraints, the cultivation of little benevolences and little forebearances. \u00a0Are you trustworthy? \u00a0Are you kind? \u00a0Are you patient? \u00a0Are you joyful? \u00a0Do you love? \u00a0These qualities, worked out in all the little things of life, determine whether you are blight or blessing to everyone around you, whether you are an ugly spiritual eyesore or growing up into a good-looking Christian.<\/li>\n<li>God wants you to be holy. \u00a0Through\u00a0faith he already counts you holy in Christ. \u00a0Now he intends to make you holy with Christ. \u00a0This is no optional plan, no small potatoes. \u00a0God saved you to sanctify you. \u00a0God is in the beautification business, washing away spots and smoothing away wrinkles. \u00a0He will have a blameless bride. \u00a0He promises to work in you; he always calls you to work out. \u00a0\u201cThe beauty of holiness\u201d is first of all the Lord\u2019s (Psalm 29:2). \u00a0But\u00a0by this grace it can also be yours.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp; &#8220;The Bible could not be any clearer. \u00a0The reason for your entire\u00a0salvation, the design behind your deliverance, the purpose for which God chose you in the first place is holiness.&#8221; Kevin DeYoung, The Hole in our Holiness This past summer I read Crazy Busy by Kevin DeYoung and reviewed it here. \u00a0I quickly looked [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,14,35,16,23,28,17,32,34],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8789","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bible-study","category-book-review","category-creative","category-family","category-generosity","category-integrity","category-leadership","category-marriage","category-truth"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/meganstrange.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8789","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/meganstrange.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/meganstrange.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meganstrange.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meganstrange.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8789"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/meganstrange.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8789\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/meganstrange.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8789"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meganstrange.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8789"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/meganstrange.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8789"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}