Revisiting 'The Imitation of Christ'

By Chuck Colson
Christian Post Guest Columnist
Sun, May. 04 2008

Before there were marketing phenomena like the Purpose-Driven Life and The Prayer of Jabez—each selling millions of copies—there was a little devotional book that went through 6,000 editions and spread all across the world. It was written by a monk in 1418 and centuries later played a significant role in the conversions of both John Wesley and John Newton—and no doubt in the salvation of many thousands of others we will not know until we are in heaven.

The amazing thing is that The Imitation of Christ by Thomas á Kempis, featured in the latest edition of Ken Boa’s “Great Books Audio” series, has as much for us to gain from it today as it ever has in history.

The book takes its title from its opening chapter, where the author tells us it is not enough simply to hear the Gospel. Instead, he says, “Whoever wishes to understand fully the words of Christ must try to pattern his whole life on that of Christ.” That idea of embodied faith runs throughout this classic devotional work. So á Kempis goes on to say, “Indeed it is not learning that makes a man holy and just, but a virtuous life makes him pleasing to God. I would rather feel contrition than know how to define it.” the rest image