Book Review: God's Word for Today...The World by John Stott

The question was asked not too long ago in our church, why does not what happen in the world shock us anymore? It is a good question that left me to ponder on for a time. My simple answer to that question is that we do not have a Biblical worldview of the world. We all know God loves the world (John 3:16) yet we are not to love it (1 John 2:15). We need to have a better understanding of the world through the concept of the Bible.

John Stott, in the final book of the "God's Word for Today" series takes a look at the world and how Christians are to interact with it. The world is the old, fallen community, as Stott wrote, while the church is the new, redeemed society. The church is to be distinct from the world because we have been redeemed from the penalty of sin. One way Stott equips believers in this book is looking at the uniqueness of Christ. The world will look at Jesus differently. Christians have the opportunity to tell the world that Jesus is Lord, the One who died for the sins of man, and not just a historical figure.

As we come to understand the world, we will understand our mission which is what Stott addresses next. We see God is a God of mission and that mission continues today. We see it in the Old Testament as well as the New Testament and in our current setting today. Stott goes on that say the mission is not just words but works. Yes, sharing the gospel does come with works, but we must do works to show that we are believers. Do not misunderstand this as social gospel because social gospel will care more about the body than the soul. We must find a healthy balance of those two things in order to reach the world. Finally, we see the mission of Christ in the world. He came to seek and save the lost. The Word became flesh so that we might be brought to God.

This might not be a effective book on a Biblical worldview of the world, but it is a start as we see God on mission in the world from the past to our present day.

Thanks InterVarsity Press for letting me review this book.