234: One With Christ by Marcus P. Johnson

234: Johnson, Marcus Peter. One with Christ: An Evangelical Theology of Salvation. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2013. 240 pp. ISBN 978-1-4335-3149-1.

Dewey Breakdown:

• 200: Religion
• 230: Christianity and Christian theology
• 234: Salvation, soteriology, and grace

Marcus Johnson’s One with Christ is a philosophical text on how the life, deeds, works, and belief in Jesus Christ the Savior intermingle with the believer’s salvation. Soteriology—a subject completely new to me before this—is the study of salvation in a religious context. Johnson’s discussions of salvation exist in the Calvinist tradition and deals with the manner in which the Christian is spiritually joined with the Christ. This is not a easy or fun book to get through, but the author’s arguments offer a new perspective on an old dilemma. Johnson discusses the nuances of transubstantiation, the sacraments, church mysteries, and theology all under the context of personal salvation. It’s a religious philosophy book, so it’s a bit dense. The prose is scholarly but not overly righteous. I don’t see this one having a lot of mainstream popularity, but those looking for a deeper understanding of salvation and sin can give it a go. It will definitely get you thinking.