Ray's Reviews > The Calvary Road

I have heard so much good things about this book from other books I just had to read it.

The main message is that we as Christians need to constantly ask the Lord to reveal to us our sins in his light, confess them, and be drawn closer to him through that process.

Overall, it did not disappoint. Even though the message is straightforward even "simple" at times, the conviction and honestness with which it was delivered makes it a worthwhile read.

The author's conviction and the forcefulness is this book's asset but at times in its zeal became overstated/sloppy in their theological preciseness. This is not to say I am Mr. know it all on theology, I am just speaking from my understanding and I am liable to be wrong, nonetheless, here is made me wonder:

1. The frequent labelling of shyness as a sin. Others have already commented on this.

2. "Sin is almost the only thing we have in common with everyone else, and so at the feet of Jesus where sin is cleansed is the only place where we can be one."

What about Eph 4:4-5 "4There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."

I get the author is trying to say that we CAN united on the fact that we are all sinners, I just felt it was bit overstated at the cost of not mentioning the unity in the Lord.

3. "Quite obviously, then, it is utterly impossible for us to be walking in any degree of darkness and have fellowship with God."

I think from the rest of the book the author would readily agree the basis of our fellowship with God is the Spirit enabled faith in the finished work of Jesus. But here, in this sentence, it almost sound like the it is grace + my complete and unreserved confession of all my sins, nothing hidden whatsoever (which is author's definition of "darkness", more on that later).

"For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves," Col 1:13 RESCUED, past tense.

"Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them." Eph 5:11 Here it seems it is possible to participate in the "deeds of darkness" (and our experiences certainly leaves no illusion that we are sin free!).

So it is "already and not yet", we have already been transferred from darkness to light, but we still need to choose to live in the light. It is entirely possible to be a true Christian and have unconfessed, unacknowledged, unaware sins. I agree with the author they are not good, confess them! But the BASIS of my fellowship with God is "does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly" Rom 4:5

4. "But more than that, the effect of such sins is always to make us "walk in darkness" - that is, to cover it up and hide what we really are or what we are really feeling. That is always the meaning of "darkness" in Scripture, for while the light reveals, the darkness hides."

Darkness is so much more richer and nuanced word than "ALWAYS" meaning hiding our sin.

Colossians 1:13 "For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves" Here darkness is the totality of sin/evil/devil, not just self denial.

Matthew 8:12 "But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." That darkness is NOT just a place of unconfessed sin, it is place of punishment.

In final analysis, I think a lot of author's points are excellent and God honoring, they are just bit overstated/sloppy in their theological preciseness.