Saints, Sufferers, and Sinners: Loving Others As God Loves Us by Michael R. Emlet uses real life examples of how to love one another through counseling and relating to others as Saints, Sufferers, and Sinners. Foremost, we must find our identity in Christ, as an adopted son/daughter of the living God. While in the midst of suffering and sin struggles, we may struggle to see ourselves as saints, but this is an already-but-not-yet identity. Emlet rightly shows that it is part of our current identity as believers in Christ, but also points us towards the final glory to be revealed in us. Throughout the book, Emlet uses examples from his counseling background to vividly express the biblical truths he is proclaiming. He doesn’t just proclaim biblical truth, but he illustrates it.
Ongoing struggle with suffering or with sin must be understood in this basic context of our new identity as children of the living God. We are saints who suffer. We are saints who sin. But we are saints nonetheless at our core.
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The book is organized in a five parts. Parts 1 and 5 serve as the book ends that cast a vision why these three categories matter. Parts 2-4 are each on a different aspect of loving others through seeing them through the lens of this three-fold identity. Each of the 27 chapters are short and easily read during a short devotion time, or consumed as a full discord at one time. The primary audience is to the church, especially those desiring to walk with others in one another ministry and those interested in biblical counseling. It is vital resource of the elemental truths necessary to care for one another in the church.
Sometimes, sitting in silence with a sufferer is exactly what is needed, even in the context of a more formal ministry setting. And sometimes we will simply say, “Jesus knows your pain” without quoting Hebrews 4:15. We need wisdom to know when to speak and what to say to those in the midst of great suffering. We often struggle to do this.
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Being attentive to where God is at work in a person’s life (approaching them as saints) and knowing people well enough to feel the weight of their suffering (approaching them as sufferers) builds gospel-saturated relationships. But if the extent of our one-another ministry is affirmation and consolation, then (as important as those ministries are) we are missing a critical aspect of loving others… Sin is our deepest problem as human beings.
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I really enjoyed reading Saints, Sufferers, and Sinners. It gave me a great perspective to view others through, especially as a saint. Overall, I think this is a great book and a helpful resource for the church. It helps others enter into the beauty found in the mess of helping one another. Emlet’s heart for the sinner and suffer shows as well as his wisdom in engaging in the difficult conversation that ensue. The illustrations had a way of drawing you in to the personal struggle of others. Though, there were times I felt the chapters seemed a little disjointed. I agreed with the points he was making, I just did not understand the flow. Others times, I would prefer Emlet further clarify the point he is trying to make. This may be due to the introductory nature of the book and the desired audience.
If our basic posture toward people is one of mercy, and if people see us being humble and honest about our own sins, then when we correct others, it will feel like a caring act of love to them.
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Saints, Sufferers, and Sinners: Loving Others as God Loves Us By Michael R. Emlet |
I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review. The opinions I express are my own and I was not required to write a positive review.