Christian Life

A Dogmatic Exploration of the Christian Life

What is Christian life? Although we often use this phrase, we rarely take the time to understand its theological basis. In this volume in Zondervan Academic’s New Studies in Dogmatics series, theologian Kelly M. Kapic reflects on Christian life: its foundation, its nourishment, and its goal.

Kapic contends that Christian life is, first and foremost, one that is lived in response to the love of God. But to properly frame this love, Kapic contends we need to consider divine and human agency. What we discover is that not only did the triune God first love us, but the incarnate Son also first loved God for us. And now we respond to God’s love as those who have been united to Christ and his people by the Spirit. Shaped by the community of faith, especially through corporate worship, Christians thus participate in this love of God and neighbor. What is true of the whole discipline of theology is thus reflected in Christian life: Christ is its foundation, Christ is its source of nourishment, and Christ is its goal.