Gospel Wakefulness
Jared C. Wilson
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In Gospel Wakefulness, Jared Wilson teaches on how the gospel should not just be something we intellectually acknowledge but something that should captivate us and stir us to passionately live in light of it.
I really liked this book. I’ve been in Christian settings where the gospel becomes something that gets you in the door of faith after which you move onto more “practical” aspects of Christian living. The book provides an excellent correction to this attitude. He argues that being awake to the magnificence and significance of the gospel will help us become more sanctified and help us love God more while preventing us from falling into hyper-spirituality or legalism where we feel we constantly must be proving ourselves to God.
I was also thankful to see sound and sensible advice about the differing ways living passionately in light of the gospel may look for those with different temperaments or experiencing depression as harm can sometimes be done by expecting everyone to fit a particular mould.
While there is some deep stuff in the book, it isn’t hard to read. Wilson is a compelling writer and uses a lot of testimonies and illustrations. My only critique is there possibly could have been a little more on how to pursue gospel wakefulness. However, that doesn’t detract from the excellent stuff that is there.
I doubt any of us are as captivated as we could or should be by the gospel so I think we could all benefit from this book.
Review copy courtesy of Netgalley and Crossway
