37 of 42 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
For we must ALL appear before the judgement seat of Christ..., September 26, 2006
This review is from: Driven by Eternity: Making Your Life Count Today & Forever (Hardcover)
If you have ever wondered what exactly Paul meant when he wrote those words in 2nd Corinthians 5:10, this is exactly the book to explain it to you.
It should be noted that Bevere is not presenting anything "new" in this book, but the message of the book has been so neglected in the past quarter century that many readers will think it is new. The central theme is that everyone, even Christians, will appear before Christ to have our lives judged. In that moment, our eternal future will be sealed...and what will be our fate?
The concepts that are presented in the book are challenging and the intent is to try and get people to truly examine themselves in the light of what scripture reveals on the topic of eternal rewards and punishments. The greatest portion of the book is spent exploring the topic of the judgement of Christian believers before Christ. (Yes, folks...even Christians will have their lives examined to show what kind of servants they were...)
Bevere illustrates many of the concepts in this book by using a brief allegory of a fictional land called Affabel. The allegory briefly outlines the lives of six charachters named:
Independent
Deceived
Faint Heart
Double Life
Selfish
Charity
Each charachter's life patterns are briefly examined, and then the allegory turns to the judgement of each individual before King Jalyn, an allegorical figure meant to mirror Jesus.
At first, I was put off by the concept of using an allegory in a book meant to discuss Christian teaching, but after considering the scope of what Bevere was trying to accomplish, I believe it was a very clever idea. The allegory helps to transport the reader into a throne room similar to the one spoken of in The Bible, and shows the judgements that will take place there.
The words Jalyn uses in judging the lives of the six charachters are nothing more than paraphrased quotes from the teachings of Christ in The Bible. Citations are given whenever a scripture is used so that the reader can look up the reference for themselves.
The rest of the book spends time detailing the concepts illustrated by the allegory and discusses them in depth, again with more scripture being used to demonstrate that what is presented in the book is also presented in scripture.
Driven By Eternity is a book that every Christian should read and take to heart. The concepts presented in it will challenge you and cause you to, as scripture puts it, "Examine yourselves, as to whether you are in The Faith. Test yourselves!" 2nd Cor. 13:5 NKJV
If the message of the book is taken seriously, it can profoundly impact the life of the reader in a positive manner, albeit a corrective one. It is great for individual study and it is also a superb basis for Sunday School classes, discipleship training programs, and group studies.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
25 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Driven too far, April 17, 2009
This review is from: Driven by Eternity: Making Your Life Count Today & Forever (Hardcover)
Let me start off by saying I'm inspired by and appreciate John Bevere's ministry. I've found nearly all of his books to be both challenging and well written. It is good and sadly all too rare these days to find a "charismatic" who is well grounded and not too "flaky" in his faith. So by my having a few issues with this particular book I am in no way trying to be negative with John's overall teaching.
( And by the way I have actually bought and read this book. :))
At heart, the issue I struggle in Driven By Eternity is the confusion between judgment and rewards for service (faithfulness) and Judgment and rewards for salvation. I realize that the lines between the two are easily blurred. We do stare into a clouded mirror in trying to understand what heaven and the judgment seat of Jesus is really like . But I do feel as an evangelical, there has to be a clear doctrine that we are "Saved" by faith alone, we will never be "good/faithful/dedicated" enough. Even as a "Christian" we lay down our deeds at the cross and rejoice because Christ paid the price. But I sensed for weeks after reading this book a feeling of condemnation and despair, because the way it is written believers get thrown into the dark tower (hell) for what they had or hadn't done in their lives. Only the ones who were next to perfect get to go to heaven. And this, though well intentioned is not correct.
The book has two parts, the first is dealing the story of Affable where the rewards and punishment of heaven are written in a parables type fashion. The second or latter half deals with the living a lifestyle based on a believers final destination. Having an Eternal value system and perspective if you like. Where "driven" shines and is excellent; is in the challenging of our faith towards rewards and commitment. But I feel john confused this aspect of heaven with salvation.
It is easily done, as there are certainly 'difficult" passages to understand. Especially where Jesus speaks in the bible about rewarding and condemning people for their deeds in this life. (Foolish and wise virgins etc). And I certainly don't even pretend to have a clear blueprint of how heaven truly works. i.e. who's the true church, who gets a mansion for the intentions of their heart etc .
But there is a clear message that Jesus died for our sins, so it is by Faith we enter heaven. Yes we'll have to give account for every word and deed done somehow, but our entry is not according to how "good' we've been. The bible does seem to indicate that some people will only just make it(i.e. they'll have the smell of fire on them) 1 Cor 3.15; but they will be saved. Somehow the unfaithful children will suffer loss, but they will still be children of God (and hence get to live in God's house-heaven). I am defiantly not a Calvinist and believe in once saved always saved stuff. ( If anything closer to the Armenian school). But I feel Bevere did overstep his case, that by pushing the need for repentance to the Kingdom standard, he neglected Grace and forgiveness.
We are not under condemnation (Romans 8) but grace. And as I have stated before, trying to figure out "works" and "faith" is a difficult complicated business. Unfortunately John's book doesn't really give much help in balancing the two, it ultimately comes down heavy handed on the "Be ye Perfect" side. When you can apply this to working out your salvation with fear and trembling, it's great. But when it comes to resting on the work of the Cross it's in error.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing, May 18, 2006
This review is from: Driven by Eternity: Making Your Life Count Today & Forever (Hardcover)
I loved "Drawing Near" and it truly changed me; however when John makes the point that any number divided by infinity is zero I was profoundly impacted, and the fact that we will be judged not according to what we did but according to what we were called to do has given me an eternal perspective that I am confident will help me to make the second half of my life more focused and effective.
Thank you John for your boldness and obedience.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
