Foster, Richard J. , The Challenge of the Disciplined Life: Christian Contemplations on Money, Sex & A ; Power ( New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1985 ) , pp 260.
The Background Information on the Writer
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Richard J. Forster is an writer in the Quaker tradition of several bestselling books, including Celebration of Discipline, Streams of Living Water, and Prayer, which was Christianity today ‘s book of the Year and the victor of the Gold Medallion Award from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association. He has been a professor at Friends University and curate of Evangelical Friends churches. He is besides the laminitis of Renovare ( Renovare exits to animate and back up people in developing an integrated and fulfilled life as a adherent of Jesus Christ ) .
He was married to ‘Carolynn ‘ in 1967 and has two kids, ‘Joel ‘ and ‘Nathan ‘ and they now reside in Denver, Colorado.
The Summary of Content
As it is revealed in the rubric, the three issues are constructs that world has come together with them for a long. There are no more words that can be explained than these three words precisely and clearly. No 1 can non be free and assurance in forepart of these words in this universe. It might be tied to all three issues or some people might demo their failings in peculiar one.
Then now, allow us hold a expression at three spiritual points of position that what Richard Forster is seeking to state.
Money
First, the Mammon which is the stuff graven image that it is often discussed with God. The bible declares the money as a ‘Mammon ‘ , gives a religious and personal quality, and gives adjectival ‘unrighteous ‘ ( Luke 16:9 ) in forepart of money. The money to Jesus Christ means it is idolatry that we must turn against for heading toward him because the money resolutely has almightiness upon us. Therefore, the Bible does non merely knock approximately unrighteous money, but besides gives a rigorous warning to people who gained wealths seriously such as a rich adult male ( Luke 16:19~31 ) in the fable of the Rich adult male and Lazarus and a rich husbandman ( Luke 12:13~21 ) who might hold been honest and difficult working.
The writer prescribes about the money that money is religious being and describes about visible radiation and dark side of money. It does non merely depict superficially, but it is talking realistically in the scriptural facet.
He emphasises to utilize money for a intent of the land of God instead than merely running off from it. To utilize money instead than served. It is emphatic get the hanging against money. Then, what can we make in respect to command and get the hang against the money? It will hold to larn to command money throughout giving which is contemptuous behavior about money.
The light side of money nowadayss God ‘s grace and surprisingly, this is the manner of bettering relationship between God and us. God said that ‘use worldly wealth to derive friends ‘ ( Luke 16:9 ) . We have to cognize about the toxicant affair of money clearly. However, we have to suppress money and utilize it for the uneconomic intent instead than declining money.
Sexual activity
Second, it is the period of overruning of sex without inquiring inquiries today. There is no topographic point anyplace in the street for our eyes because of every sort sex entreaty every bit good as Television and Internet. The writer says that the issue of our times these yearss is non because of excessively much accent on sex, but on the contrary, it is caused by non to be emphasised plenty to cover with sex. It is a affair of class that the sex can destruct us if non to be careful and moderate by its feature. However, we miss blessing of sex, which is given to us as a gift due to our distortional eyes.
The sex, which is non the enemy of Spirituality is a friend. The Genesis admits our sex, and the Song of Songs blesses it. However, the wickedness has distorted the sex. Therefore, the Christians ‘ challenge is to unbend our apprehension of sex and permute into the perfect visual aspect of sex throughout distortional visual aspect of sex. The rule of matrimony in conformity with God ‘s will, should look out for other people ‘s felicity and ourselves, and contribute to constructing the land of God on this universe. The sex is a great and blessed gift in all respects those who married.
Power
Finally, he is stating about the power. As is by and large known that the money is similar power in this universe, and the money, power and sex is all related to the corruptness deeply.
The power of the universe appears devastation of the relationship due to differentiation between the strong and the weak. This destructive power cut off the equal relationships and it appears that one homo being reigns over one another. On the other manus, the originative power is completed from functioning that we discover the creativeness from the illustration of Jesus, who personally served to decease for us. The originative power which recovers broken relationships and raises up each other, is displayed from the facet of helping.
On the positive side, the originative power gives life, joy and peace. ‘It is freedom and non bondage, life and non decease, transmutation and non coercion ‘ . The originative power is religious and the power returns from God.
Evaluation
Does the writer trade with both positive and negative side of issue?
The writer is stating both sides about the money and power. In regard of the power, he looks upon the originative power as positive side.
What is the unique, of import and interesting point of this book?
First, the alone point is that it is stating about the money, sex and power. There are no more words that can be explained than these three words precisely and clearly. That is why this book is interesting.
Who should read this book and what constructs of this book can be applied to ministry?
The money, sex and power is of import and meaningful subject that it is non merely Christian but besides all people. Christian may experience like a tabu about these three constructs but can non populate without it. Richard Foster analyses the money, sex and power which gives people a significance and delivers God ‘s messages clearly.
Decision
We are on occasion populating under the many enticements, and sometimes we are non cognizant that what it is right and incorrect to be involved in a moving ridge of the universe and valves. Then most Christians ‘ reaction is one of two that either they forget the truth under the things of the universe, or they treat things as corruptness and immorality and strongly deny them.
For this ground, the writer Richard Foster is profoundly covering with three countries which people easy fall into enticement that anyone is easy to perpetrate a wickedness.
The money and power is all given from God and these are neither good nor bad. However, there are certainly two different sides on them. It is difficult to hold with, but there must be evil force in at that place. By cognizing this affair, when utilizing good side, we could utilize money and power sagely that is given to us.
The lone sex has no evil portion. This is God ‘s approval to allow to us. However, it is experiencing that many people give a excessively much significance and dressed ore on holding a sex or non because the Satan may likely be interested in deteriorating our gift which is given from God.
The money, sex and power, these three issues will be of import value to command us. The money threatens a pocket, the sex threatens a sleeping room and the power threatens our relationships. In this period of enticement that it is ne’er discerned what is right and incorrect, this book is utile and necessary so.
