[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-detail-115187-en":3,"doc-seo-115187-105":30,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":92},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",{"doc_id":7,"user_id":8,"nickname":9,"user_avatar":10,"doc_module":4,"category_id":11,"category_name":12,"doc_title":13,"doc_description":14,"doc_content":15,"file_id":16,"file_url":17,"file_type":18,"file_size":19,"view_count":11,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":20,"is_downloadable":20,"audit_status":20,"page_count":21,"language":22,"language_code":23,"site_id":24,"html_lang":23,"table_of_contents":25,"faqs":26,"seo_title":27,"seo_description":14,"update_tm":28,"read_time":29},115187,13056712833777,"Logic","https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_29158cc5080c5b710cf443261637dec0",9,"Religion & Spirituality","Called to Be Saints - An Invitation to Christian Maturity - Gordon T. Smith","Called to Be Saints: An Invitation to Christian Maturity develops a theological invitation to understand what it means to be a mature Christian. The introduction frames three key questions—origin of the Christian life, the goal or telos of maturity, and the means of formation. It argues that maturity is shaped by union with Christ and guides readers through theological vision, spiritual practices, and vocational and social implications for Christian living. The book serves the full church community, from youth to seniors, offering a guide worthy of the calling.","CALLED TO BE  \nSAINTS  \nAn Invitation to Christian Maturity  \nGordon T. Smith  \nInterVarsity Press  \nP. O. Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426 [World Wide Web: www.ivpress.com](World Wide Web: www.ivpress.com)  \nEmail: [email@ivpress.com](email@ivpress.com)  \n©2014 by Gordon T. Smith  \nAll rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from InterVarsity Press.  \nInterVarsity Press® is the book-publishing division of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA®, a movement of students and faculty active on campus at hundreds of universities, colleges and schools of nursing in the United States of America, and a member movement of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students. For information about local and regional activities, write Public Relations Dept., InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA, 6400 Schroeder Rd., P.O. Box 7895, Madison, WI 53707-7895, or visit [the IVCF website at www.intervarsity.org](the IVCF website at www.intervarsity.org).  \nScripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.  \nWhile all stories in this book are true, some names and identifying information in this book have been changed to protect the privacy of the individuals involved.  \nCover design: David Fassett  \nInterior design: Beth Hagenberg  \nImages: church tiles: © Cole Vineyard/iStockphoto  \nISBN 978-0-8308-6489-8 (digital)  \nISBN 978-0-8308-4030-4 (print)  \nfor joella  \nContents  \nIntroduction 9  \n1 Called to Be Saints 13  \nThe Need for a Compelling Theology of Holiness  \n2 Union with Christ 37  \nThe Essence of the Christian Life  \n3 Holy People Are Wise People 63  \nAn Invitation to Sapiential Holiness  \n4 Called to Do Good Work 89  \nAn Invitation to Vocational Holiness  \n5 Learning to Love 127  \nAn Invitation to Social Holiness  \n6 Joy and the Ordering of the Affections 153  \nAn Invitation to Emotional Holiness  \nAppendix A: Congregations and Transformation 181  \nThe Church and the Call to Spiritual Maturity  \nAppendix B: Christian Higher Education 215  \nA Passion for Wisdom and Spiritual Transformation  \nName Index 251  \nSubject Index 253  \nScripture Index 255  \nAbout the Author 257  \nMore Titles from InterVarsity Press 258  \nIntroduction  \nThis is an invitation to think theologically about the Christian life and to ask, what does it mean to be a Christian? More specifically, what does it mean to be a mature Christian? In order for us to have a complete theology of the Christian life—to address matters of the Christian life and Christian spirituality effectively—we need to find substantive answers to three questions  \nFirst, what is the beginning of the Christian life? What do we mean by conversion and initiation into Christian faith? What does it look like  \nand feel like to come to faith in Christ? Second, what is the character of Christian maturity? If conversion is a beginning, comparable to infancy, what does it look like to be mature, to grow up in one’s faith? Here one would consider the goal or objective—the telos of the journey in Christ And third, what is the approach and means offormation so that we grow up in our salvation? How does a person newborn in Christ grow and mature in faith? A comprehensive theology of the Christian life—of religious experience from a biblical perspective—would address all three questions: the beginning, the end or goal, and the means by which one moves toward maturity  \nThere is a growing number of publications on conversion and initiation into Christian faith Indeed, I have contributed a few publications myself to this question 1 And the third question on spiritual formation and practice has also received a great deal of attention But it seems to  \n1Gordon T. Smith, Beginning Well: Christian Conversion & Authentic Transformation (Downers Grove, ","cbCaia751QZdJjTb","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaia751QZdJjTb","pdf",2511805,1,259,"English","en",105,"# Introduction\n## Three questions for Christian maturity\n# Called to Be Saints\n## The Need for a Compelling Theology of Holiness\n# Union with Christ\n## The Essence of the Christian Life\n# Holy People Are Wise People\n## An Invitation to Sapiential Holiness\n# Called to Do Good Work\n## An Invitation to Vocational Holiness\n# Learning to Love\n## An Invitation to Social Holiness\n# Joy and the Ordering of the Affections\n## An Invitation to Emotional Holiness\n# Appendix A: Congregations and Transformation\n## The Church and the Call to Spiritual Maturity\n# Appendix B: Christian Higher Education\n## A Passion for Wisdom and Spiritual Transformation\n# About the Author","[{\"question\":\"What is the central question behind Called to Be Saints?\",\"answer\":\"The book focuses on what it means to be mature in faith—the goal or vision of the Christian life and how believers grow into it.\"},{\"question\":\"What three questions does the Introduction use to structure Christian theology of maturity?\",\"answer\":\"It asks about the beginning of the Christian life (conversion and initiation), the character and goal of maturity, and the means of formation so believers grow toward salvation.\"},{\"question\":\"How does the book connect maturity with union with Christ?\",\"answer\":\"The defining emphasis of the second chapter is that Christian maturity is maturity “in Christ,” shaping both spiritual discipline and the understanding of the Christian life.\"}]","Called to Be Saints - An Invitation to Christian Maturity - Gordon T. 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