Fascinating! Whether he’s teasing out or trumpeting loudly, Clive Bowsher makes John’s take on participation or union with Christ come alive. So successful is his presentation that at its end you find it as essential to the overarching understanding of Christianity. How were we not always talking about it? Why was John shelved while Paul was paraded when they should have been walking the streets of our minds arm in arm?

As much as I love this series, and it is a treasure, I wonder if this volume had better been served in a more popular setting. Unfortunately, mostly theological junkies read this series (count me in that peculiar group) and the subject here needs a larger circle. For the record, many Christians could markedly grow were they to read this series, yet platitudes and self-confidence growth hormones are the trending proclivities of palettes today.

Mr. Bowsher knew who would read this book too. That, strangely enough, is my only criticism of the book, though it is an exceedingly minor one. At times, it seemed that Mr. Bowsher wrote for Mr. D.A. Carson instead of me. Or maybe those grading his dissertation. Still, that was only a little speed bump on the way to the goodies.

I’m not going to rehash this book as you just need to read it. When you do, settle in and enjoy the ride to learning the phrase “in-one-another”. Watch him connect the idea to the interrelatedness of our Triune God. Then watch yourself brought into it. The vistas on that scenic route will take your breath away if you’ll use the pull-offs and take the long look.

On the technical side, he will work in turn through key passages in both John’s Gospel and his First Epistle to carefully construct his premise. All the necessary undergirding, too, is there and built soundly.

I guess I don’t have to summarize that I highly recommend this book as surely you intuited that already.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.