Kevin DeYoung. The Hole in Our Holiness: Filling the Gap between Gospel Passion and the Pursuit of Godliness. Wheaton: Crossway, 2012. 160 pp. $9.28.
Kevin DeYoung is a pastor, author, blogger, and solid thinker whose stuff I love to read. His book Just Do Something is one of my favorites on the topic of discerning God’s will. Now DeYoung has once again penned a solid, rich, and helpful work in The Hole in Our Holiness.
I heard Kevin DeYoung speak at Together for the Gospel 2012, and found his message wonderfully convicting. He challenged us to love grace, but to not forget that God’s word also calls us to take action, to obey God, as part of our own sanctification. So, when DeYoung published a book explaining and expounding on this concept, I was extremely glad to get a chance to read it. I had high hopes. I was not disappointed.
DeYoung teaches with clarity and depth on the topic of sanctification, our growth in Christ. His premise is, as stated above, that God calls his children to obey him and to join him in the work of sanctification. Of course DeYoung understands that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone; however, he also knows that the New Testament is full of commands from our Lord for his followers. The simple truth being communicated here is that we are saved by grace alone, but we obey as an outworking of that salvation for God’s glory and our good.
If the book has a weakness—and one is not easy to find—it would be that the language or the content can get heavier than light readers might want. DeYoung has put together some pretty long lists of commands or Christian attributes that God calls us to. Those who are looking for a fluffy piece on strengthening their faith might find such heavy-lifting difficult. DeYoung also quotes puritans, which can lead to convicting thoughts delivered in stilted prose. But, honestly, I cannot call either of these things a weakness.
DeYoung’s book is simply a good piece of work reminding us that, as believers, we do not continue in sin simply because we are under grace. There is no call for us to stop trying and just assume God will make us stronger. God commands our obedience, and works in and through us to accomplish it; yet we must take action and be disciplined.
I happily recommend DeYoung’s book, and the excellent Christian Audio recording read by Adam Verner, one of my favorite Christian Audio narrators. I received a free audio copy of this work to review as part of ChristianAudio.com’s reviewers program in exchange for an honest review.
Pastor Travis Peterson 