The Hole in Our Holiness, by Kevin DeYoung

Kevin DeYoung, a Michigan pastor, has established himself as a young traditionalist.  Unlike many of his peers, who want to "emerge" or "re-vision" the church, DeYoung hangs on to tradition and orthodoxy in his vision of what church should be.  Don't misunderstand: I mean that as a compliment, and DeYoung defends that position well.  (See also my review of his earlier book, Why We Love the Church.)

In The Hole in Our Holiness: Filling the Gap Between Gospel Passion and the Pursuit of Godliness, DeYoung is once again looking backward, trying to recover something that seems to be lost on the church of today.  "The hole in our holiness is that we don't really care much about it."  Teaching about holiness is rare or watered down to the level of moralism or self-help.  The church today, as rule, has failed "to take seriously one of the great aims of our redemption and one of the required evidences for eternal life--our holiness."

Some of the emphases of modern evangelicalism have detracted from a focus on holiness.  I applaud the new social awareness evangelicals have shown in addressing poverty, abortion, creation care, human trafficking, and other concerns.  But as DeYoung points out, "you will find few explicit commands" in scripture telling us to care for social needs, "but there are dozens and dozens of verses that enjoin us . . . to be holy as God is holy."

By the same token, modern evangelicals like to talk about friendship with Jesus, saying that Christianity is not about religion but relationship.  I agree, and I think DeYoung does too, to a certain extent.  But as he points out, "It sounds really spiritual to say God is interested in a relationship, not in rules.  But it's not biblical.  From top to bottom the Bible is full of commands.  They aren't meant to stifle a relationship with God, but to protect it, seal it, and define it."  DeYoung turns to C.S. Lewis for insight on what it means to delight in the laws of God.  It is a "delight in having touched firmness, like the pedestrian's delight in feeling the hard road beneath his feet after a false short cut has long entangled him in muddy fields."

Lest you think DeYoung lays on the guilt throughout the book, I assure you he doesn't.  He holds out hope for believers, specifically our hope in Christ.  A life of holiness is to be who we were made to be as new creations.  Christ living in us gives us the ability to do that which God demands.  And cultivating holiness is done by "boring and out-of-date" practices: "The way to grow in your relationship with Jesus is to pray, read  your Bible, and go to a church where you'll get good preaching, good fellowship, and receive the sacraments."

The Hole in Our Holiness is not an easy read for Christians comfortable in their worldliness.  But what a great reminder of the truth of who we are and a challenge to be who we are.  DeYoung writes, "Do not strive after holiness because you cower in dread of God.  Strive after holiness because you are confident you already belong to God."  Even though you may not feel like it, if you are a believer you are holy.  God has made you holy.  DeYoung gives some direction for us to delight in and live in that holiness.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy.