True Spirituality by Francis A. Schaeffer

In the second half of the book, Schaeffer shows how true spirituality involves freedom in this life from the results of the bonds of sin.

But not only ready to be used in this present space-time world, but ready to enjoy it, as the creature: ready to enjoy it in the light of its createdness by God ready to enjoy it, yet seeing it as it is since the Fall. Rejected, slain, raised: now we are ready to be used. Now there can be spirituality of a biblical sort. He summarizes our connection to Christ’s rejection, death, and resurrection this way: What does this mean for the Christian practically? According to Schaeffer, “It certainly means this: that in our thoughts and lives now we are to live as though we had already died, been to Heaven, and come back again as risen.” 3 Schaeffer gives us a powerful and thoroughly biblical picture of true spirituality. Moment-by-moment, we’ve been “raised up with Christ” (Eph 2:6). Resurrection makes true spirituality possible. In the same way that Christ’s death gave way to His resurrection, our spiritual death gives way to our spiritual resurrection. Instead, he reminds us that “…if we want to know anything of reality in the Christian life, anything of true spirituality, we must ‘take up our cross daily.’” 2 Schaeffer is helpful here because he doesn’t overlook the difficult aspects of the Christian faith in favor of the easier ones. Thus, Schaeffer demonstrates the centrality of death in living the Christian life. The order- rejected, slain, raised-is also the order of the Christian life of true spirituality: there is no other.” 1 Schaeffer points out how this command runs parallel to the life of Jesus: “Here Jesus takes the order that was so necessary for our redemption in the unique substitutionary death of the Lord Jesus Christ, and applies it to the Christian’s life. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.”

Jesus commands us to die.Īs He challenged the disciples in Luke 9:23-24, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Following our new birth, a wonderful paradox arises. Schaeffer first shows us how spiritual birth unites us to Christ’s death and resurrection. Recently re-released by Crossway, Francis Schaeffer’s classic work, True Spirituality, provides a profound and useful guide to the Christian life. Having been made new, we are not just called to live but called to live as a Christian.

Spiritual birth marks a new way of life for the believer. If not for the one, we wouldn’t be alive and if not for the other, we wouldn’t have become Christians. Physical birth and spiritual birth are the two most important events of our lives.

There was a day-a moment-in which God “made us alive” (Eph 2:5) spiritually. Just as our physical lives begin at birth, the Christian life begins with our spiritual birth.

True Spirituality by Francis A. Schaeffer