The Utter Relief of Holiness

From the author of Wild at Heart comes a book that, by contrast, seeks to tame the human heart by turning it from its evil ways and training it for holiness. In contrast to the prevailing presumption of culture that holiness seems boring or “necessary like flossing, a level of spiritually we might attain to one day,” Eldredge says “holiness restores human beings.” For those who feel guilt or a weight of past sins, the book includes instruction about how to confess, seek forgiveness, and receive cleansing in order to live the holiness of God. The tone is at times strident and preacherly, but sincere and based in the teachings of Christ. He rails against “convenient” doubt: “Take notice just how convenient ‘doubt’ is for you.... Doubt is not a virtue. Doubt is not humility. Doubt is doubt. It is unbelief. Jesus understands doubt, and he wants us to get past it, not embrace it for heaven’s sake.” Ever full of gusto and nerve, Eldredge is as strict and orthodox a pastor as A.W. Tozer, but with hiking boots and a zipline. (Jan.)