Scan barcode
A review by rliu793
The Prodigal Prophet: Jonah and the Mystery of God's Mercy by Timothy Keller
5.0
Excellent book (as always by Keller) on the idols in our hearts as well as how our relationship to God's Word should transform our relationships to His people and His grace, all — of course — using the book of Jonah as the foundation.
Keller emphasizes how with both the pagan sailors and the Ninevites, the Gentiles' response to Jonah's preaching was more appropriate than Jonah's response to God's call, once again driving home the point that because of common grace, (in New Testament terms) Christians aren't any better than non-Christians and ought to have compassion for the lost - regardless of differences in race, political party, sexual orientation, social status, or any other grouping - rather than look down at them self-righteously or excluding them as "Other". After all, we were all very much "the Other" to Christ, and yet he still came down from heaven to save us.
Along the same lines, he also reasons that any tendency to write people off as "Other" begins with an insufficient rooting of one's identity in Christ and that even finding our identities in the "amount of love [we] have in Jesus" instead of the love God has for us is unstable (175). (So of course, problems of excluding individuals or groups as "Other" can apply even within Christian circles, which I know I've certainly been guilty of even if somewhat subconsciously, oof.)
Keller does also point out positive responses and hints of heart change from Jonah, along with sooo many other great observations and analyses - would recommend this book to just about anyone!
Keller emphasizes how with both the pagan sailors and the Ninevites, the Gentiles' response to Jonah's preaching was more appropriate than Jonah's response to God's call, once again driving home the point that because of common grace, (in New Testament terms) Christians aren't any better than non-Christians and ought to have compassion for the lost - regardless of differences in race, political party, sexual orientation, social status, or any other grouping - rather than look down at them self-righteously or excluding them as "Other". After all, we were all very much "the Other" to Christ, and yet he still came down from heaven to save us.
Along the same lines, he also reasons that any tendency to write people off as "Other" begins with an insufficient rooting of one's identity in Christ and that even finding our identities in the "amount of love [we] have in Jesus" instead of the love God has for us is unstable (175). (So of course, problems of excluding individuals or groups as "Other" can apply even within Christian circles, which I know I've certainly been guilty of even if somewhat subconsciously, oof.)
Keller does also point out positive responses and hints of heart change from Jonah, along with sooo many other great observations and analyses - would recommend this book to just about anyone!