A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life

Let people call our age irreligious and atheistic!<br /><br />Cause I disagree…<br /><br />We live at the dawn of a NEW world, a NEW life!<br /><br />Let me explain...<br /><br />William Law wrote this book in a jaded age when folks were just GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS of religious observance. A beginning of sharp religious decline.<br /><br />The folks Law addresses didn’t even SEE they were only falsely sanctimonious and basically hypocritical, because they were only ACTING as if they were believers.<br /><br />But their lives were becoming empty.<br /><br />But the good thing about William Law is that he cut through their layers of illusions, and told them their lives could be MUCH, MUCH deeper and satisfying. <br /><br />You see, Law was just addressing the believers. <br /><br />In his day, as in ours, many of them had lost their Devotional Centre of Gravity.<br /><br />You know, life without a Centre is pretty discouraging. Without a Centre, we tend to drift - not knowing where we are going.<br /><br />But once we find our Centre, we’re fine again. It may take a while, but it HAPPENS. That’s what Law is trying to show us.<br /><br />Now, I look around me and see a whole new generation of avid seekers who have swept the old assumptions off the table and started afresh!<br /><br />Take a listen to New Christian Heavy Metal &amp; Hip-Hop. It RIPS THE KNOB OFF your Android. Or get a load of Progressive Christian Podcasts these days… just Born Again preaching? No. This stuff MAKES YOU THINK.<br /><br />We’re no longer a Nation of Churchgoers. We’re not used now to comforting words of Reassurance.<br /><br />It’s an Age of Disquiet. Kids are used to VOICING THEIR CONCERNS: People are Dying everywhere. <br /><br />Who’s LISTENING?<br /><br />THAT - in part what what dear old William wanted to accomplish - is where we ARE. At a Crossroads. <br /><br />So Where do we TURN?<br /><br />Though William Law would never have gone so far as to throw the Baby out with the Bathwater, as the media would have us do, he MEANS to start us AFRESH… as these progressive Apps do.<br /><br />And somehow, I don’t think the new generation RESISTS that.<br /><br />The new generation, if it’s not going along with this crass modern world of appearances, has a Heart. <br /><br />And what you are in your heart is what you TRULY are.<br /><br />THERE you will find meaning.<br /><br />Because so many young people belong to a vibrant, hopeful part of this generation that believes good things can be accomplished in a bad world, I see lots of hope for them.<br /><br />But you know what? That hope, for kids, is only the first step to finding a secure refuge from the evils of this world! <br /><br />Along with its friends love and faith, it is just the FOUNDATION for the ONLY kind of durable yet always-threatened peace that is remotely possible in this sorry cynical place.<br /><br />But one day the hopeful kids of this world will grow up. And later see their dreams and visions threatened and perhaps even tossed into the air by the relentless, stormy gales of middle age. Happened to me…<br /><br />What then?<br /><br />Why, they’ll need hope in Real Goodness BEYOND the storm!<br /><br />And that’s no joke. Old age sweeps aside ALL our illusions and one day we’ll ALL be there.<br /><br />But it can never sweep aside the One who watches over us, and constantly calls out to us.<br /><br />And saves us.<br /><br />William Law is right!<br /><br />REAL things are so rare, that we can’t afford to pass them by.<br /><br />The important thing, as young kids now know so well, is NOT how you appear in public…<br /><br />The important thing is how you appear in private… to GOD.<br /><br />And THAT’s why William Law is still relevant!

William Law's A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life is the most profoundly challenging, insightful and logical book I have ever read pertaining to my daily life as a Christian. His arguments for the purpose of and motivation for devotion to God (in its many forms) have impacted me in a way that I never would have imagined. I found myself challenged by every chapter and contemplative throughout. Law's arguments touched me intellectually, logically, emotionally, and spiritually. This is not necessarily a book of strict doctrine but it reveals to the reader the core of his or her actions, good or bad. He writes that if any part of our lives is owed to God in devotion, ALL parts are, otherwise we mistake the nature of God (or religion). <br /><br />While some may feel that this book sets unattainable standards, I believe that the heart of Law's arguments should truly drive Christians to examine how they are living their lives and what that lifestyle demonstrates about the state of their hearts and minds. The magnitude of Law's "call" perhaps only seeks to accurately grasp the magnitude of a life lived fully for Christ, in which case, it is indeed unattainable without the help of the Spirit. For all of the strength and breadth of Laws's arguments, I think one would be hard pressed to deny the logic fortifying Law's conclusions or the spiritual motivation behind them. <br /><br />On top of the raw challenge of what Law writes, I highly recommend reading this for the beauty in which Law communicates his "call." Written in the 1700s, this book has a unique, old-fashioned rhythm and variety of vocabulary that is unrivaled in anything I have read thus far. This work is not only a feast of content but of form as well. The artfulness of Law's writing, I feel, practically ushered in all of the hard-hitting challenges in such a way that I was constantly turning the page from both a compulsion to be encouraged spiritually and to be amazed by his literary style. I found his writing to be, at times, repetitive; but after gleaning such profound insight from a sentence or paragraph stated only slightly differently from the paragraph before, I resolved to read each section carefully for whatever nuanced morsel that I could take away. Just as I thought, after a couple pages of reading, that perhaps THIS chapter wouldn't hold as much impact as the ones before, I would be struck with a simple phrase, analogy, character story or piece of logic that made me laugh at the thought that Law's insight would run out before the pages of this book did. <br /><br />I highly recommend the reading and re-reading of this book for any Christian would wants to take a serious look at their life and commit to the "serious call" that exists on that life as a follower of Christ.

I will give this great book and honest review at a later date.

William Law's "A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life" (1728), deeply influenced the chief actors in the great Evangelical revival in England, George Whitefield and John and Charles Wesley. I first read it while a ministry student in college and have re-read it several times since. It is on my personal list of top 10 life-changing books. A sample of Law is the following on prayer:<br /><br />"Prayer is the nearest approach to God and the highest enjoyment of him that we are capable of in this life. It is as much your duty to rise to pray as to pray when you are risen. And if you are late at your prayers you offer to God the prayers of an idle, slothful worshiper who rises to prayers as idle servants rise to their labor.<br />What conquest has he got over himself? What right hand has he cut off, what trials is he prepared for, what sacrifice is he ready to offer to God, who cannot be so cruel to himself as to rise to prayer at such a time as the drudging part of the world are content to rise to their labor?"<br />

The Real Version: <br /><br />But before I give a direct answer to this, I desire it may also be inquired, how it comes to pass that swearing is so common a vice among Christians? It is indeed not yet so common among women, as it is among men. But among men this sin is so common that perhaps there are more than two in three that are guilty of it through the whole course of their lives, swearing more or less, just as it happens, some constantly, others only now and then as it were by chance. <br /><br />This version:<br /><br />Before I give a direct answer to this, I want to ask why it is that profanity, including taking God's name in vain, is so common a sin among Christians. It is now just as common among women as it is among men. Some swear regularly, some let these words slip out almost as if by accident, and some have a different set of language for when they are in a church and when they are not.<br /><br />The Real Version:<br /><br />It is for want of this intention that you see men that profess religion, yet live in swearing and sensuality; that you see clergymen given to pride, and covetousness, and worldly enjoyments. It is for want of this intention, that you see women that profess devotion, yet living in all the folly and vanity of dress, wasting their time in idleness and pleasures, and in all such instances of state and equipage as their estates will reach. For let but a woman feel her heart full of this intention, and she will find it as impossible to patch or paint, as to curse or swear; she will no more desire to shine at balls or assemblies, or make a figure amongst those that are most finely dressed, than she will desire to dance upon a rope to please spectators: she will know, that the one is as far from the wisdom and excellency of the Christian spirit as the other.<br /><br />This version:<br /><br />It is for this reason you see even clergymen given to pride and covetousness and worldly enjoyments. It is for lack of this intention that you see women who profess devotion to God, yet dress in the latest fashion and styles in order to please themselves and others rather than God, who waste their time in idleness and pleasures and who prefer popularity and fashion more than holiness and modesty. If a woman's heart was full of intention to please God in all things, she would find it as impossible to swear and dress immodestly as to get drunk or steal. She would no longer desire to stand out at social events or dress in the latest and most worldly manner. She would no longer wear short skirts and dresses or tight clothing simply because others do. She will want to impress God and not others. She will be more concerned with fitting in with the Word of God than with her co-workers and friends. She will know that the one is as far from the wisdom and excellency of the Christian spirit as the other. How Christian women can dress in spandex or yoga shorts and pants and think they are pleasing God is difficult to understand. It is simply that many professing Christians do not really have the intent to please God in all that they do, say, watch, or wear.<br /><br />--- My review --- <br /><br />I had suspicions that this book had been radically altered with a lot more than just updated language throughout the first chapter. So when I saw "spandex and yoga pants" early in chapter two, I had to step back and check this. Fortunately, there are plenty of places that offer the complete text of A Serious Call online. In even a cursory glance it became immediately clear that pretty much every paragraph was not just slightly changed to reflect a change in language but drastically altered. Some times those changes are small and would barely be noticed. For example, in the second paragraph of the second chapter "not yet so common among women" has been changed to "just as common among women". Other changes are ridiculously obvious. Paul Miller throws in entire new paragraphs and goes on rants that do not exist in the original. Finally, PM seems to have excised everything William Law wrote on mysticism in this book.<br /><br />So if you are here because you picked up it was free for kindle... delete it. There are plenty of copies you can get for free online. Or, if you must read it on kindle, then splurge on the $0.99 version. Even such a short way into this, it is clear that PM is drastically changing the meaning and intent of the original work. Also, I suspect he is a misogynist. Also, the language of the original is not nearly so difficult as to require a "revised and updated" version. It isn't Chaucer.

As a 17 year old new Christ follower I was blessed to have a pastor who wasn't afraid to encourage me jumping in at the deep end. If memory serves, this was the third book he loaned to me and it helped set a fearless course out into learning from 2000 years of Christian wrestling with God.

Did, and will, not finish. William Law was unable to keep me from dozing off.

Simple but so profound!! It definitely stepped on my toes numerous times because it put so many things into true perspective. Our purpose is to live for the glory of God and that requires a constant spirit of devotion. It requires charity to those that we don't think deserve it (because we don't deserve the charity that God shows us). It requires not neglecting our Christian calling, a calling that all receive, regardless of occupation. Clergy are not to be considered more pious or righteous than we are as God holds us all to the same expectations of devotion. He speaks of humility, Divine love, and respect for God's creation and children (we are contrary to Christ if we despise anything that He loves).<br /><br />There were just so many great statements in this that I was glad I had the Kindle version where I could highlight points that I want to easily refer back to. As an example, "If man will boast of anything as his own, he must boast of his misery and sin; for there is nothing else but this that is his own property." Christians have no problem stating that everything good that we have comes from God, but seldom do we think that all we truly have that is not from God is our own misery. It was statements like this that really made me think of many things in a new light.<br /><br />At times, the book was difficult to get through. It was written in the 18th century so occasionally I got bogged down in his wording of things, and sometimes Law simply repeats the same thought in multiple chapters. However, he creates "characters" to serve as examples, and I liked how he did that. Those portions were much easier to read and understand his point. For anyone that desires to grow into a deeper understanding of his/her relationship with God, I highly recommend attempting to tackle this one.

Written in 1728, this Christian classic serves as a helpful guide for living a more God-centered life. Apparently, even Samuel Johnson found it to be convicting and life-changing. <br /><br />This book often reminded me of Real Christianity by William Wilberforce (which I enjoyed more). Both books have versions that are edited and abridged for the modern reader, which is a plus. <br /><br />I have to say that parts of this book strike me as a bit legalistic, focusing on works over grace, but perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised that a book written by a guy named Bill Law would tend toward legalism?<br /><br />Of course that’s not to say he’s wrong in his prescriptions. Here’s one:<br /><br />“Prayer is the nearest approach to God and the highest enjoyment of him that we are capable of in this life. It is as much your duty to rise to pray as to pray when you are risen. And if you are late at your prayers you offer to God the prayers of an idle, slothful worshiper who rises to prayers as idle servants rise to their labor.“ <br /><br />Ouch.

A diatribe against nominal Christians. Even though I sympathize with much of what Law says, I find his way of saying it a bit tiresome. I was about to quit reading it and return it to the library but then I came across this line: "[The impious Christian] will sometimes read a book of piety, if it is a short one, if it is much commended for style and language, and she can tell where to borrow it." After that, I had to soldier on for 295 more pages.