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(pulled this review off for a bit, adding it back now)

Disheartened read.

Reading JMC can feel like muscle confusion, which I appreciate. But I would not recommend this book.

It's not that his "rules" for the Christian life are not helpful. JMC's sincerity comes through, and I do believe he wants to see more growing in their holiness.In many ways, this book can operate like a practice-review, a harmless behavior-check. And to be clear, I think any Christian would benefit from implementing Christ-like behavior!

But what motivates such behavior?

How can one find the strength to be with Jesus, become like him, and do as he did? For JMC, it's sanctification by osmosis and imitation.

But osmosis and mimicry do not earn salvation.

One could implement all nine rules for the rest of their lives and still end up in hell.

JMC is concerned that we overemphasize the death of Christ and ignore the life of Christ. I fear that with glossing over the death of Christ JMC has blockaded some from obtaining the life of Christ. It's Christianity's shell without its heart.

Christ's death is more than just a pattern to model oneself after, it is the climax from which grace, mercy, and power for obedience flow.

You cannot have Romans 6-7 without Romans 3-5.

You cannot have 1 Corinthians 15 without 1 Corinthians 1.

You cannot have "The kingdom of God has come near" without "Repent and believe". (Mark 1:15)

You cannot have resurrection power without the blood of the crucifixion.

By themselves, JMC's nine rules are no better than Islam's five pillars, Buddhism's eightfold path, or even the Ten Commandments.

We preach Christ crucified. And it's penal substitutionary atonement that pardons us, cleanses us, and enables us to walk in obedience with him.

William Cowper's Love Constraining to Obedience nails this:

"No strength of nature can suffice
To serve the Lord aright:
And what she has she misapplies,
For want of clearer light.

How long beneath the Law I lay
In bondage and distress;
I toiled the precept to obey,
But toiled without success.

Then, to abstain from outward sin
Was more than I could do;
Now, if I feel its power within,
I feel I hate it too.

Then all my servile works were done
A righteousness to raise;
Now, freely chosen in the Son,
I freely choose His ways.

‘What shall I do,� was then the word,
‘That I may worthier grow?�
‘What shall I render to the Lord?�
Is my inquiry now.

*To see the law by Christ fulfilled
And hear His pardoning voice,*
Changes a slave into a child,
And duty into choice."