Dual Citizens: Worship and Life Between the Already and the Not Yet (Hardcover)

~ Jason J. Stellman (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

I do not know of a book quite like this one. It is a devotional theology of the Christian life that is far richer than the standard fare. . . . Yet it is also a down-to-earth account of how the gospel and its public ministry of Word and sacrament provide the right coordinates for our pilgrimage. --Michael S. Horton

Product Description

The saints of old acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth (Hebrews 11:13b). This is no less true for Christians today; as Paul writes, "Our citizenship is in heaven" (Philippians 3:20a). But though we are on the road to that homeland, we are not there yet.

It is from this understanding of Christians as pilgrims wayfaring strangers on the road to their true home but living in the meantime in a foreign land that Rev. Jason J. Stellman has written Dual Citizens: Worship and Life between the Already and the Not Yet.

Stellman wrestles with the implications of the Christian's dual citizenship in the kingdom of God and the kingdom of man, showing that the great challenge for believers today is maintaining their distinctiveness as redeemed people. Believers are free to participate in culture (though the Bible guides the way they participate), but they must not so immerse themselves in it that they obscure their true identities.

Dual Citizens is a call for believers to see the present from the standpoint of the future, for doing so will enable them to see their lives, with all their trials and triumphs, as part of God's great unfolding story.

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Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Reformation Trust Publishing (August 31, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1567691196
• ISBN-13: 978-1567691191
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #97,252 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Encouragement for Sojourners, October 9, 2009

By	John A. Bird (Texas, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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Should the church change with the whims of culture in an attempt to be relevant? Or, should believers withdraw from and shun the world with all that it has to offer? Jason Stellman says no to both.

In Dual Citizens, Rev. Stellman argues for a pilgrim mindset. Christians live in the context of a "semi-realized eschatology," or between the "already and not yet." They are citizens of the earth and of heaven, and each of these citizenships should be manifested in its proper place.

Dual Citizens has two parts. In part one, "Christian Worship for Dual Citizens," the author says that it is when the followers of Christ come together to worship, rather than in the living of their daily lives, that they should appear the most different. "If ever there were a time for the saints to placard their counter-culturalism and absolute refusal to be identified with the tastes and trends of this passing and evil age, their `coming to Him' on the Lord's Day would be the time...As the saints leave their houses each and every Lord's Day morning and assemble with the rest of God's people...they are making a much louder statement to the world than a fish emblem on their bumper ever will."

Corporate worship belongs entirely to the heavenly kingdom. It is not meant to be the agent of political or cultural change. Likewise, the purpose of the Sabbath is not to strengthen a nation or bring it back to its "golden years." "Our heavenly citizenship transcends even the most powerful worldly allegiances to which we hold." Therefore, church worship should not be influenced by the community, culture, or world.

In part two, "The Christian Life for Dual Citizens," the author argues that outside of worship, Christians are free to take part in and enjoy the culture in which they live. "When God's people are a holy theocracy (and only then), they are commanded to withdraw from pagan religion and pagan culture, but when they are exiles and pilgrims, they are called to separate themselves only religiously, not culturally." Stellman makes it clear that the United States is not a "holy theocracy," nor does it (or any other nation) carry any "redemptive significance." Therefore, believers are free to enjoy God's earthly gifts. "Given our dual citizenship, we must not allow our desire to eat from the heavenly Tree of Life to prevent us from stopping to smell the roses of earth every now and then."

I appreciated Stellman's positions, especially concerning the church's call to be separate from the culture. When corporate worship is no different than a U2 concert, the biblical description of believers as pilgrims and sojourners becomes absurd. At the same time, Christians are permitted to enjoy the world that God created. He made the earth, roses, red wine, music, and art for our benefit. We don't glorify Him by spurning His gifts.

As a whole, Dual Citizens is edifying and enjoyable. Some of Stellman's arguments, however, are complex and hard to follow. And I failed to see a strong connection between some of the chapters--particularly the one titled "The Bragging Calvinist"--and the broader context of the book.

Believers with reformed leanings and an interest in theology will enjoy Dual Citizens most, while believers in the coffee shop of a mega church need it most. It is not your average book on Christian living, and it won't help you live "your best life now." But it is encouraging for pilgrims who are waiting for a better country, and for that reason I recommend it.


Jason Stellman is the pastor of Exile Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Washington State, and is a graduate of Westminster Seminary California. Dual Citizens is his first book.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Good Start from a Promising Author, November 16, 2009

By	Matthew R. Kuiper (Ketchikan, AK) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

"Human beings are supposed to feel restless and unfulfilled because we were not created to continue living a mere earthly and Adamic existence." (pg. 116)


Have you ever noticed just how many Christian fiction books there are out on the market about the Amish? It seems every Christian fiction author has to have a trilogy depicting the life of the Amish. People buy these books too. The reason why is because of how differently the Amish live from the rest of the world. This kind of life style especially draws the evangelical Christian crowd. There are a few reasons why this could be the case, we in general appreciate poor fiction, or we are enthralled by people who are just like us who are living in a very different fashion.
Often times during a reading of one of those Amish type books a Christian may find themselves saying "That is great that they live that way, but how should a Christian live? We have the truth shouldn't our lives be as radical as some of these Amish guys?"
Jason Stellman seeks to address this question in his book Dual Citizens: Worship and Life Between the Already and the Not Yet.
Stellman's chief concern in the book is to alert Christians of their precarious living situation. Currently we are living in the old world but in reality we are of a completely different nature.

Relevance of Christians attending church

"As the saints leave their houses each and every Lord's Day morning and assemble with the rest of God's people, both on earth and in heaven, they are making a much louder statement to the world than a fish emblem on their bumpers ever will (even one that is swallowing the Darwin fish with legs)." (27)

Enemies on the outside and the inside

"I would humbly suggest that when we paint our nation's domestic and foreign
policies with such a biblical brush, we are confusing our rhetoric as well as
our kingdoms. "The nations" who "trample the holy city" are not Saudis who
fly planes into our skyscrapers but the very aspects of our society (yes, ours) that
turn our churches into strip malls, our worshipers into consumers, and our God
into a commodity beholden to the ebb and flow of the market. (67)


Problems with the text

Stellman's font was difficult to read. If there is a next edition of the book it would be nice to have it in a larger font.
A stylistic error that I had problems with was that he wrote this in the same trendy way that a youth pastor would speak to his teens. The text is full of cultural connections. For example writing about "X-box" "first person shooter." Some might find them to be helpful and engaging I found them to be distracting.
Also some of his arguments were hard to follow. A lot of that can be excused due to this being his first book. We should not expect the same writing ability from him as we would from Poythress or Sproul.

Conclusion
Stellman does a great job of addressing issues that American churches need to answer. Idolatry is definitely infiltrating our churches and we are accepting it with open arms because our residential community is becoming content with having us around. I look forward to reading more from him in the future.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Intersection of Present and Future, October 27, 2009

By	Mike Robinson "Mike A Robinson" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book on applied eschatology is clear and reflective. Stellman, as a Reformed author, gently contends for a view that proceeds from the scriptural covenants and promises. He advocates a different position than my own, yet he tries to be fair to the sundry orthodox views. His style is reader-friendly as explains the hope that Christians already have and what they will ultimately attain. It is a thoughtful and engaging book that will challenge old-style dispensationalists, but will not convince them to abandon their doctrine. For those who hold to the already/not yet approach, this effort will help build your confidence. 193 pages, released in 2009.