Jun 09, 2009

From Eternity to Here (book review)

I think that part of the problem with our religion is that it's a religion. I don't believe Christianity was ever supposed to be a religion. It's like a sunset; to receive it's true beauty and meaning it must to be viewed from a mountain top or someplace far away. Viewing it up close is impossible.

frank I've been reading Frank Violas book "From Eternity to Here" and I think he's got an excellent mountain top perspective of christianity. Rather than focusing in on the little rules and regulations or the rituals and fine points of theology, Frank takes a thousand steps backwards and describes a spiritual sunset that is both romantic and inspirational.

Using three different metaphors, Frank walks the reader through a different picture of God intention with human beings.

This book is for people who are having trouble "getting it" or understanding that they belong to Him. When you see the bigger picture, everything suddenly falls into place and all those little religious concerns and worries dissolve into nothing. The bigger picture can only be seen through heaven's perspective and I don't believe that most people have it. "From Eternity to Here" is a that perspective.

I think that Christians today would read this book and say, "Well when you put it that way.....I know I'm loved."

I had the oppertunity to participate with almost 60 other bloggers in a promotion for this wonderful book. We were allowed to ask two questions to Frank about his book and theology. Below are the questions I asked along with Frank's answers.

#1 When you talk about the many brethren and how we are now the body of Christ, are you saying that even our personalities should be conformed to His image, or is there room for individuality? Was God looking for "clones" of Jesus in every respect or does He delight in different personalities?

Great question. God never seeks to take away our individuality, but He does desire to take our individualism to the cross.

Why? Because the Lord is after a bouquet of flowers, not simply a bunch of individual roses.

Consider the analogy of a father who has seven children. One Christmas day, he gives his oldest son a trumpet. He gives his youngest son a trombone. For his oldest daughter, he gives a violin. He gives another child a drum kit. Another he gives a bass. Another he gives a flute. And another he gives a piano.

Each child learns to play their instrument. The years pass, and each loves playing their individual instruments. It's a joy to them.

Years pass by and one day the father sits down with all of his children and says, "I am so happy you have mastered your instruments. Each instrument was given to you as a free gift. And I'm glad that you have come to enjoy and treasure your gifts.

But I didn't give you these instruments to enjoy by yourselves. I'm creating an orchestra that will produce music that this world has never before heard. And I've invited you to be part of it. That is why I gave you these gifts.

And so it is with our Lord. The gift of eternal life is not for ourselves. God wants an orchestra in every city. He wants a building, not a collection of individual living stones. A body, not a collection of individual limbs and appendages. He wants a corporate expression through which to reveal His glorious Son. And this requires the loss of our individualism and independence.

#2 If God's purpose has always been to glorify Christ and make Him the first born among many brethren, what would have happened if Adam had not sinned? How would Christ have been glorified as He is today?

I believe that Adam would have partaken of the tree of life. And so would have Eve (I don't believe this happened before the fall, hence the reason why the tree of life was cut off from them).

By eating from the tree, God's uncreated and eternal life (which was contained in the tree) would have been dispensed into them. And they would have lived by that life. That life is the life of God Himself, and it would have been made visible through their lives. The earth, then, who have been filled (multiplied) with the image of God, which is Christ. Humanity would have been the earthly echo of the Trinity, for humankind would have been living in community all over the earth and expressing the Son of God - God's image - together.

That's ultimately what God wanted. Let us (a corporate God) create them (a corporate humanity) and let them bear my image and fill the earth with it (multiply).

The tree of life was the secret to fulfilling that purpose. For that reason, the tree reappears in the Person of Jesus Christ and again in Revelation 21 and 22.

If you would like to read what other bloggers are saying, feel free to cut and past the links below.

OTHER BLOGS PARTICIPATING IN THE "FROM ETERNITY TO HERE" BLOG CIRCUIT

Today (June 9th), 58 blogs are discussing Frank Viola's new bestselling book "From Eternity to Here" (David C. Cook, 2009). The book just hit the May CBA Bestseller List. Some are posting Q & A with Frank; others are posting full reviews of the book. To read more reviews and order a copy at a 33% discount, go to Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Eternity-Here-Rediscovering-Ageless-Purpose/dp/1434768708/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233609867&sr=1-4

For more resources, such as downloadable audios, the free Discussion Guide, the Facebook Group page, etc. go to the official website: http://www.FromEternitytoHere.org
Enjoy the reviews and the Q and A:
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Out of Ur - http://blog.christianitytoday.com/outofur/archives/2009/05/viola.html
Shapevine - www.Shapevine.com (June newsletter)
Brian Eberly - http://www.brianeberly.com
DashHouse.com - http://www.DashHouse.com/
Greg Boyd - http://www.gregboyd.org/blog/
Vision Advance - http://vision2advance.blogspot.com/ r />David Flowers - http://ddflowers.wordpress.com
Kingdom Grace - http://kingdomgrace.wordpress.com
Captain's Blog - http://www.captainestes.blogspot.com/
Christine Sine - http://godspace.wordpress.com
Darin Hufford - The Free Believers Network - www.freebelievers.com
Zoecarnate - http://zoecarnate.wordpress.com
Church Planting Novice - www.churchplantingnovice.wordpress.com
Staying Focused - http://kimmartinezstayingfocused.wordpress.com/
Take Your Vitamin Z - www.takeyourvitaminz.blogspot.com
Jeff Goins - http://jeffgoins.myadventures.org
Bunny Trails - http://bunny-trails.blogspot.com
Matt Cleaver - http://mattcleaver.com
Jason T. Berggren - http://blog.jasonberggren.com/
Simple Church - http://www.simplechurchjournal.com/
Emerging from Montana - http://wordofmouthministries.blogspot.com/
Parable Life - http://www.theparablelife.blogspot.com
Oikos Australia - http://www.oikos.org.au/blog/
West Coast Witness - www.WestCoastWitness.com
Keith Giles - http://www.Keith.Giles.com
Consuming Worship - http://www.consumingworship.org
Tasha Via - www.tashavia.blogspot.com
Andrew Courtright - www.andrewcourtright.blogspot.com
ShowMeTheMooneys! - http://www.showmethemooneys.com/
Leaving Salem, Blog of Ronnie McBrayer - http://leavingsalem.wordpress.com/
Jason Coker - pastoralia.missionaltribe.org
From Knowledge to Wisdom - http://isthistheway.typepad.com/
Home Brewed Christianity - http://www.homebrewedchristianity.com
Dispossessed - http://kblog.kevinjbowman.com
Dandelion Seeds - http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Dandelionseeds
David Brodsky's Blog- "Flip the tape Deck" - http://flipthetapedeck.blogspot.com/
Chaordic Journey - http://jeffrhodes.wordpress.com
Renee Martin - http://www.reneemartinmusic.com/profiles/blog/list
Bob Kuhn - http://organicchurchnola.wordpress.com/
Living with Freaks: www.livingwithfreaks.com
Real Worship - http://therealworshipleader.com
Fervent Worship - http://ferventworship.blogspot.com
Julie Ferwerda Blog - www.JulieFerwerda.com / www.OneMillionArrows.com
What's With Christina?! - http://w2christina.blogspot.com
This day on the journey - http://guychmieleski.blogspot.com
Live and Move: Thoughts on Authentic Christianity - http://liveandmove.blogspot.com/
Spiritual Journey With God - http://www.elvineve.blogspot.com/

Dries Conje - http://www.echurch.co.za / http://www.thejesusfeed.com / http://www.bookdisciple.com.
Journey with Others - http://journeywithothers.blogspot.com
On Now to the Third Level - www.080808onnowto.blogspot.com
Christine Moers - www.welcometomybrain.net
Breaking Point - http://marybethstockdale.wordpress.com
Hand to the Plough - http://www.handtotheplough.com.au
Jon Reid - http://jonreid.blogs.com/oneanother/welcome-pilgrim.html
Weblight - www.blog.worldwidewebservices.se
Irreligious Canuck - http://www.irreligiouscanuck.com
D. L. Webster - http://gzmproductions.com/dlwebster
Searching for the Whole-Hearted Life - wholeheartedlife.blogspot.com

Comments

myso

Jun 09, 2009

I liked God's Honest Truth more. I needed it more. It spoke to my heart more than Frank's book. I needed something without Bible verses. I just needed a hug from God who doesn't care about anything but His child. But Frank's book is great. I loved the part where he spoke about Mary Magdalena and Jesus. The Bible lacks tone. And often the wrong tone is used to read it. Frank reads the Bible with the right tone. Letters kill, Spirit gives life. Words speak to the head, tone speaks to the heart. These guys speak about God with the right tone. I love the fact that God is not selfish, don't you? So many folks think He is selfish.
Silas

Jun 10, 2009

Thanks for the commentary and all the links Darin.
Jill

Jun 16, 2009

The Church desperately needs to hear this message. We need to reorient ourselves to line up with HIS eternal purpose and desires, and in the process I believe our deepest longings-and mission-will be fulfilled as well.
David

Jul 13, 2009

My frustration is that any suggestion that we need to apply the "right tone" to the biblical narrative leads to the accusation that I am making extra-biblical assumptions - which MUST be dismissed because they can't be validated. So disheartening.