My newest book has been out for a couple months now. If you have been thinking of buying a copy to read, this post will help you learn more about my book, The Atonement of God.
There are quite a few places on the internet that have posted excerpts and reviews of the book, and there are also several locations which are selling it.
Reviews and Excerpts from The Atonement of God
- “Victory over Death” at Teaching Non-Violent Atonement
- “Victory over the Devil” at Zach Hoag’s Blog
- “Atonement of God” Excerpt at Clarion Journal
- “Atonement of God” Excerpt at Christianity Without Religion
- Interview with Chuck McKnight
- Wesley Rostoll Review
- Wayne Jacobsen Review
- Michael Wilson Review
- Dr. Kevin Ruffcord Review
- Reviews on Amazon
If you write a review or publish an excerpt of the book and want it listed here, please let me know!
Places to Buy The Atonement of God
- Amazon (for the Kindle and for Paperback books)
- Barnes & Noble (for the Nook)
- Google Play Books (for Android devices)
- iTunes Bookstore (for Apple devices)
- Kobo (for a Kobo eReader)
Buy the Paperback in Bulk
If you have read the book and want to buy paperback copies in bulk to give away or to study with friends, you can do that right here:
Hey Jeremy I really appreciate your writing as I have seen so far! If your interested I would like to talk about having you on our podcast in the near future. I think you would provide great value and insight to our audience. If your interested let’s talk more here soon!
Sure, that might be good. What is your podcast?
The Life Uncut Show… You can find in iTunes and at eeklee.com
I highly recommend to all Christians that they consider this view of the atonement.
Thanks for the kinds words, Peter!
A question on non-violence.
You walk into your home and find a man, a stranger, “hurting” your wife. It just so happens you have a bat in your hand as you were just playing softball . This man has his back to you and so has yet to see you . You have a clear swing at the guy, do you take the swing?
I have some guesses as to what I might do, but until I am actually in that situation, I do not know. I imagine that that if I got home today and this were happening, I would beat the guy to a bloody pulp.
But putting that hypothetical aside for now, here is what I DO know … these sorts of hypothetical questions are often used to discredit any teaching about non-violence. Once we see that non-violence has difficulty responding to these sorts of hypothetical questions, we then decide that non-violence is impractical for life in general, and don’t even try to practice it. We decide that violence is the way of the world and the only way to survive.
For me, the best approach is to not be guided by hypotheticals, but to be guided by Jesus and practice non-violence as well as I am able in the real day-to-day situations I encounter. This is what Jesus calls me to do, and what He perfectly practiced in His own life.
Edit: After leaving this comment, I searched Google for a better answer, and found this excellent post by Brian Zahnd: http://brianzahnd.com/2014/07/hitler-invaded-house/
So no one has an answer with what to do with evil people? How about doing what God says–get rid of them. God considers life so precious that the only payment for taking a life is a life.
Google “crime rate in Singapore” for an example of the deterrent effects of the death penalty. Not that they run a biblical society but they operate a biblical principle and their people are thus safe for doing so.
“When the sentence
for a crime is not quickly carried out, the hearts of the people are
filled with schemes to do wrong” (Eccl. 8:11)
The Death Penalty: Godly or Ungodly?
Anyone, Christian or non-Christian, who looks at the world today
clearly sees the indescribable evil that permeates it. Each person has
within himself the potential for great evil, and many people choose
to be wicked, which always ends up being at the expense of someone
else. Thankfully, we do not have to live in a world overrun by evil
and crime.
The Bible has guidelines and commands that, if followed,
would make our world a safer and more pleasant place to live.
Everyone knows that the world would be a better place if the
people committing the heinous crimes in society were stopped. But
how?
Many different solutions have been offered, and the Bible
also offers solutions. One of the biblical solutions to violent crimes
is the death penalty.
The Bible supports the death penalty in both
the Old and New Testaments. In fact, according to Scripture, the
death penalty is perhaps the most important key to having a just
legal system and a safe society. The death penalty was not invented
by man to solve a social problem.
God commanded it so that the
men, women and children who make up our society can live their
lives free from fear. Today, society’s alternative to the death penalty
is that truly evil people are “housed” (jailed) at great financial and
social cost to the very people they have wronged.
Furthermore,
without the deterrent that the death penalty provides, many people
are emboldened to do evil they would not otherwise do.
You can read more here http://www.truthortradition.com/articles/the-death-penalty-godly-or-ungodly
Hopefully, this will always be just hypothetical for all reading this but the fact and reality is that throughout the ages this scenario and similar ones have come about time and time again.
The reason I pose this question is not to advocate and defend violence but to point out that we live amongst evil people in this world that cannot be reasoned with and have no interest whatsoever in right living according to the standard set by a loving God.
It is not evil to swing the bat with all your force to protect your dear wife but I do believe it may be evil to stand by and watch her be harmed when you are in a position to stop an evil act.
I read the response by Brian Zahnd. He apparently has never met a truly evil person and does not realize evil people must be dealt with and stopped.
One day we will live in world where only God’s will is done and with no evil people ,where the word violence may not even be mentioned but this is not that world.
Nobody has ever advocated to just stand by and watch our loved ones get harmed. We must respond! Of course we must. But the question is “How are we to respond?” Is violence really the only proper response to violence? Doesn’t Jesus invite us to a different way?
And by the way … Brian Zahnd’s hypothetical response to the hypothetical situation is not as far-fetched as it may sound … check this out as one example: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/25/rick-warren-purpose-driven-life-ashley-smith_n_2741976.html
What do you think would have happened if Ashley had responded to the murderous rapist with violence? She likely would have been raped and murdered…
How do you propose we deal with evil people that cannot and will not be reasoned with ?
What Ashely Smith did that day cannot be put in a box as a solution that will work every time for every person who is in that or similar situations. Thank God it worked for her that day.
I will say it again.There are very evil people in this world. Some are very violent, some only resort to violence when their selfish desires are obstructed.Others are evil in non-violent ways.
How are these people to be dealt with?
Emilio, This is an issue that most of us have thought about many times, especially men who have families they may need to protect. We’ve all heard the questions about what we would do if someone broke into our house and threatened us or our families and similar scenarios. Obviously this could happen to any of us, but rarely does. We have lived in very high crime inner city neighborhoods and several times had people either break into our house or attempt to break in while we were home, but we found non-violent ways to deal with the situation. Think a large very protective dog. The most violent confrontation, which occurred many years ago when a man tried to grab my wife, didn’t turn out as he had planned when our dog defended my wife. He was only slightly injured and we never saw him again.
We have numerous friends who are or have been in law enforcement. I’ve asked most of them if they’ve ever had to shoot anyone or even club anyone with their batons. I’ve seen some of the videos where police shoot people because they’re running away or have their hands in their pockets and similar things. Our law enforcement friends however, to the person, have told us they’ve never had to shoot or use their batons on anyone. They said they have found other ways to handle violent people. They say killing someone is their last resort. They think it seriously affects most officers who do it. Additionally, they tell us that many “violent” people are mentally ill, high on some illegal substance or are trying to use the officer to help them commit “suicide by cop” (which is grossly unfair to the cop, just as it would be grossly unfair for you or I to commit suicide by stepping in front of a semi driven by a father who is just trying to make a living for his family).
In my opinion, I doubt most of us really know what we would do if confronted by a situation where our only option to stay alive or keep our family alive was to kill another person. In my former employment and in our current work with the homeless I have often dealt with violent people and so far have always found ways to calm them down instead of hurt them. Some of these were people who could “not be reasoned with.”
Sam
I see your point and agree that in the vast majority of cases non-violence is the right choice to avoid further conflict.
I just want an answer on how it is that evil people who want to by choice remain evil, be dealt with?
BTW,evil people are not stupid, they will ” calm down” or flee when confronted by a stronger force. They attack weakness with no pity when they are confident that they have the upper hand.
Emilio, That’s a difficult question to answer. I think it varies from case to case, person to person. Have I come across evil people? Yes, I have. Some in places you wouldn’t expect to find them. Fortunately I’m not face-to-face with all that many these days, and don’t have enough information to comment on how to deal with Isis and similar organizations. From what I read, they think we’re the evil ones.
Even though it may appear otherwise, I believe God is still ultimately in control. Most of us wish he would do something to deal with the evil that surrounds us, and he will, in his time, and what we would call “soon.” In the meantime we can ask for his protection when we face evil, and his wisdom when confronted with a situation that needs an immediate response from us, such as someone assaulting our family or even a stranger.
Emilio, I have been thinking about your question (“I just want an answer on how it is that evil people who want to by choice remain evil, be dealt with?” ), hoping to be able to formulate a somewhat cogent response. Of course this is merely my opinion:
A common response in our world to evil people is to eliminate them, which often means kill them, or at the very least lock them away for the remainder of their lives. If the person has injured or killed another person, locking them away for at least a long time may be the best course of action. We should not ignore them, which allows them to continue to harm others in the future.
Many times there is a middle ground between eliminating them and ignoring them. That middle ground may demand more from us and could potentially place us in more danger, but it also has the potential to not only neutralize the violent person(s), but in the best of circumstances can bring about positive changes in their life(lives) while it is eliminating their danger to others.
In the theoretical case of discovering that a man has broken into our home and is attacking our wife, even then there is probably something we can do other than kill him. We may have to hit him over the head with a board or shoot him in the leg to neutralize him before we call the police to take him to jail. Sometimes it may be possible for us to stop him without bashing or shooting him.
In the case of violent, evil political leaders, or violent & evil groups such as ISIL, we can do what we can to neutralize them. Responding to them with more killing and violence will never end the killing and bloodshed. The cycle will continue. Recent history shows that. If we understand that responding to them with killing and violence may came back to bite us, as in our family, friends or countrymen may eventually end up dead when the compatriots of those we killed respond with killing us, perhaps we will have reason to rethink our actions.
Mr. Myers…
I am thoroughly enjoying your book and hope to finish it today. There is a lingering question or 2 that I have that will probably be addressed so I will leave that for later. It is truly hard to put down but life breaks into my reading time. I purposefully put aside this morning to get through to the end. The ‘crucivision’ concept in viewing my theology and understanding the non-violent atonement of God fit together so perfectly. I have already started living from that perspective and it is truly remarkable, freeing me to love and forgive because God did so first and foremost.
I am so glad to hear it! Thanks for reading the book. Feel free to leave questions here or on Facebook or wherever seems best for you.
I was a bit concerned about The Rapture comment but now see there was nothing to fret!
OUTSTANDING BOOK! Thank you for helping me understand “Crucivision” and the “Non-Violent Atonement”. Together, they help it all make sense and fit so well into my personal thinking about God. I am encouraged to be truly free to love and forgive, because God has always loved and forgiven without condition, because Christ exemplified this grace on the Cross, and because the Holy Spirit is in the midst of all life, continuing to show the way through people like you.
This guy really slams Calvinists … does he include Presbyterians in the slamming?
I don’t believe so… he does not threaten my theology.
Deb, slams Calvinists? Do you mean in the book? I mention John Calvin on page 24, but other than that, say nothing about Calvinism….
Sam, Thanks for the kind comment! Glad you enjoyed the book. If possible, it would be great to have you leave your comment on Amazon as well as a review?
Redeeming God on it, brother!
That’s wonderful Sam Mayer! The book sounded interesting. When I hit the link to the author, I just saw some really angry posts about Calvinists … not sure where that came from. As a Presbyterian PK, my dad studied both Biblical Greek and Hebrew and when you and I do Bible study at First Presbyterian, we do look at the historical and cultural context of scripture. We are a representative form of gov’t and not “tradition down” like what the angry posts said. Left me really confused about this guy.
My dad was kind, loving, didn’t name call, accepted all, and we Presbyterians have a history of the reform tradition … constantly growing in faith …. Who did you meet in Dallas? Some PCA’s? That sect has yet to get over the Civil War, much less angry dogma.
Hi Deb. I apologize if the posts sounded angry. I am not angry, nor did I write the post in anger. That’s one of the problems with online communication. Tone of voice doesn’t come through the text very well…
I, like most of the Calvinists I meet, just want to have conversations about Scripture and theology with others so that we can all encourage one another to become more and more like Jesus.