Holy Subversion: Allegiance to Christ in an Age of Rivals
SUMMARY
Christians are too often guilty of pledging their allegiance to the influential principalities and powers of this age rather than to Christ alone. In Holy Subversion, Trevin Wax challenges such behavior by urging a return to the subversive lifestyle of the earliest Christians. Their proclamation and demonstration that “Jesus is Lord” directly opposed the Caesar worship of their day.
Today, Christians in the West must choose between Jesus and our “Caesars”: self, success, money, leisure, sex, power. What would it look like, asks Wax, if today’s church reclaimed the communal, subversive nature of the gospel, intentionally undermining all contenders for our devotion? How would the message that “Jesus is Lord” change our thinking about our jobs, our families, and our church participation? Here this gifted pastor-theologian offers help in taking our faith public, dethroning modern-day Caesars, honoring the Lordship of Christ, and understanding the church as the ultimate counterculture-an embodiment of Christ’s supremacy over all.
Holy Subversion from Crossway on Vimeo.
ENDORSEMENTS
“Trevin Wax faithfully sounds the call for world-changing, Christ-exalting Christian practice. By unmasking contemporary ‘Caesars,’ he reveals real dangers and points to pitfalls of which many believers are completely unaware. This book serves as a helpful reminder and competent guide to draw out the implications of true allegiance to Jesus Christ.”
—R. Albert Mohler Jr., President, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
“How should God’s American people put the lordship of Jesus Christ on display in their lives? Wax’s searching answer is biblical, basic, businesslike, and blunt.”
—J. I. Packer, Professor of Theology, Regent College
“Trevin Wax passionately tackles some of the most dangerous idols in our culture, and, unfortunately, in our own lives. Especially relevant now is his reminder to us of the way money can capture us and force us into submission. Not only in days of economic stress, but also in those of economic prosperity, we must be aware of money’s alluring trap and learn how to turn this resource into something that may be used for the kingdom. With judicious insights and clear writing on a number of issues, Wax challenges us to live subversively against the powers of this world.”
—Johnny Hunt, President, The Southern Baptist Convention
“Christianity is all about paradox. We lose our lives to gain them. We find life in crucifixion. We serve in order to reign. In his book, Holy Subversion, Trevin Wax takes up the question of how to be both a rebel—against the false authorities of this time—while simultaneously being submissive—to the divine authority of the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. This book is a helpful warning against both nihilism and cynicism.”
—Russell D. Moore, Dean, School of Theology; Senior Vice President for Academic Administration; Associate Professor of Theology and Ethics, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
“Simple yet succinct, Holy Subversion exposes the idols of modernity and provides the biblical arsenal needed for their complete destruction. Trevin Wax provides medicine for the heart in this short, powerful study. Read it and be blessed.”
—Daniel L. Akin, President, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
“Trevin Wax provides good advice on how to turn away from the idols of success, money, leisure, sex, and power.”
—Marvin Olasky, Editor-in-chief, World; Provost, The King’s College, New York City
“Using a definition of subversion as ‘pushing something back down into its proper place,’ Trevin Wax seeks to subvert the idols of our society—self, success, money, leisure, sex, and power—in a theologically responsible and challengingly practical way. These false gods must be thrust back into their proper place, and that subversion is precisely what the gospel of Jesus Christ—the message about the crucified and resurrected God-man who is Lord over all bogus lords—equips us to do. Wax wonders, ‘What would it look like today if we reclaimed the subversive nature of Christian discipleship?’ Read this fine book if you wish to live as the true Savior and Lord Jesus Christ would have you live.”
—Gregg R. Allison, Associate Professor of Christian Theology, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
“The Apostle John warns us to ‘keep ourselves from idols.’ Trevin Wax, in this incisive, convicting, and elegantly written book, considers the false gods that insidiously corrupt our lives. I was reminded afresh what it means to confess that Jesus is Lord and that glorifying God expresses itself in the concrete realities of daily life. What a joy to read a book that is theologically faithful and practically compelling.”
—Thomas R. Schreiner, Professor of New Testament Interpretation, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
“In Holy Subversion, Trevin Wax issues a wide-ranging invitation for believers to rethink what it means to be a Christ-follower in a culture that offers rival ways of thinking and living at every turn. Those who wrestle with this timely and biblically-based challenge will be called to nothing less than whole-hearted faithfulness in all areas of life.”
—David S. Dockery, President, Union University
“In the midst of much debate and uncertainly about the kingdom of God in the world today, Wax makes it clear that Jesus’ kingdom challenges our allegiances. Wax looks at issues of idolatry and strongholds that, one by one, show us how the gospel of the kingdom requires a new loyalty. Holy Subversion is a helpful and challenging book.”
—Ed Stetzer, President of LifeWay Research
“With Francis Schaeffer-like instincts and insight, Trevin Wax aptly identifies the idols of our time and compellingly calls Christians to live against the world, for the world. He blazes a trustworthy trail for those who yearn to make a long-lasting difference in the world by showing that Christians make a difference by being different; they don’t make a difference by being the same.”
—Tullian Tchividjian, Pastor, New City Church; Author, Unfashionable: Making a Difference in the World by Being Different
“There is the sense that something is wrong in the church, very wrong, and most prognosticators have been telling us what we need to do get back on track. Trevin Wax takes a different approach, a more radical approach—he calls us to come face to face with the ‘Caesars’ in our life. Only once we have understood the dire effect of these allegiances, as Wax shows, can we then hope to subvert the kingdoms vying for our localities. Holy Subversion makes clear the contours of the sacred revolution which is ours to undertake.”
—Nicholas Perrin, Franklin S. Dyrness Chair of Biblical Studies Associate Professor of New Testament, Wheaton College; author, Lost in Transmission? What We Can Know about the Words of Jesus
“Today we live in a land of self-made men who love to worship the creators of their success. Sadly, this very same attitude has crept into the church. Quite rightly then, Trevin Wax challenges us to see what it means to confess Jesus Christ as Lord: to embrace and rejoice in the sovereignty of Jesus Christ over all things. But this book is not about the doctrine of Jesus’ lordship; it is about how you live out Jesus’ lordship in every sphere of your life. In an age where there are many ‘gods’ and many ‘lords’ biding for our allegiance, Trevin Wax calls the church to throw down these idols and to order their lives according to the story, symbols, and values of the Lord Jesus Christ. He encourages us to get our knees dirty by bowing to Christ and to get our hands dirty by serving him. This is a book that every serious follower of Jesus should read and heed.”
—Michael F. Bird, Highland Theological College/UHI Millennium Institute
“Trevin Wax deftly uses Scripture and his cross-cultural experience in Romania to convict North American Christians of the subtle ways that we conform to our culture’s idols. His tough love inspires us to surrender to Jesus’ ownership of the world, and his bold plan for change shows us how. This book forces each of us to reconsider the most important question of our lives: whether Caesar or Jesus is Lord.”
—Mike Wittmer, Professor of Systematic Theology, Grand Rapids Theological Seminary; Author of Heaven Is a Place on Earthand Don’t Stop Believing
“In Holy Subversion, Trevin Wax engages both the church and the world with clarity and conviction. With great insight into the heart of the apostolic gospel, Wax highlights the profound impact of early Christians’ complete allegiance to Jesus of Nazareth as Savior and Lord over all aspects of personal life and society. True Christianity, contends the author, dethrones the Caesar of our day and enthrones Jesus Christ as the only Savior and Lord over all life. This is a timely and prophetic book for our generation. I highly recommend it to pastors, evangelists, missionaries, Sunday-school teachers, and all believers in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ’s life, death, and resurrection and the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit, according to the inspired and infallible Word of God, represents the foundation for the author’s call to contemporary Christians to the ‘Ephesians Road,’ that is, to live and labor with undivided loyalty for the glory of the one and only Master of time and eternity, Jesus Christ.”
—Paul Negrut, President, Emanuel University of Oradea, Romania
“In this book, Trevin Wax returns us to a God-centeredness displayed in the Scriptures. He reminds us that faithfulness is more important than success, humility more desirous than fame, and that Christian unity can be achieved even in the face of great diversity. I highly recommend this for anyone seeking an authentic relationship with the God who transforms our lives, our passions, and our world.”
—Christian George, author, Sex, Sushi, and Salvation: Thoughts on Intimacy, Community, and Eternity>
“Trevin Wax delivers a sober challenge for the church to live up to her lofty calling. By God’s grace, may Christians heed his warning and follow the narrow path prepared by Jesus. Perhaps we will then see the fruit of the Spirit’s transforming power in our midst.”
—Collin Hansen, editor at large, Christianity Today
“The bridge between the biblical world and ours is a two-way path. Most travelers start from the Here-and-Now world and, equipped with the tools of exegesis, step back in space-time into the There-and-Then world. Trevin Wax makes a bold proposal for a journey in the opposite direction. What would it be like if the biblical authors were to step into our own world? How would Moses, David, Paul, or even Jesus proclaim God’s message if they were living today? The author’s creative and persuasive proposal invites the readers to ponder what they might plausibly hear if the biblical imperative against idolatry were given to us today.”
—Radu Gheorghita, Professor of New Testament, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
“This book reads like a series of very good sermons. There is pastoral wisdom, balance, and conviction in these pages. Trevin Wax helps us remember what really matters.”
—Kevin DeYoung, Senior Pastor at University Reformed Church in East Lansing, Michigan.
REVIEWS
Bob Kellemen, Discerning Reader:
In a mere 130 pages of text (excluding the front and back matter), Trevin Wax has walked us through a practical theology of salvation, discipleship/Christian living, and evangelism. In the spirit of the Puritans, he shows us the way of the world and loads our conscience with guilt. Also in the spirit of the Puritans, he clarifies the way of the Word and lightens our conscience with grace. He is a subversive–a holy subversive.
Trevin Wax’s book is small, short, and unassuming. Like a hand grenade. And like a grenade, it packs quite a wallop… Grenades don’t have to be pretty to work, of course, even to work mightily. And maybe this book isn’t so much a grenade but a smart bomb, one that is Scripture-rich in such a way that is reads us, illuminates the Caesars we hail, and drives us to eliminate them. This book on subversion is a subtle sabotage in itself.
I found myself feeling like I was being dismembered by a chainsaw while at the same time being gently reminded that Christ loves me and that He is better than worldly success or the false sense of safety and achievement that comes from worldly accomplishments. This should be a book you get today, or at the latest, day after tomorrow.
As I read each chapter, I found myself marking lots of pages. Wax has the ability to be simple and profound at the same time. This is my favorite type of writing: one that blends theological insight with sharp pastoral application. Wax reminds me of some of my favorite Puritan writers, not so much in his writing style as in his ability to apply the gospel to life. They called the Puritans “physicians of the soul” because they were good at diagnosing and remedying ailments of the soul. That’s exactly what Wax does in this book.
I can’t adequately express how excited I am about this book. It’s well written, substantive, and prophetic in its application. If you’re looking for a clear, readable text on discipleship, one that will help you to search and destroy the idols in your soul, look no further.
It is a book that challenges assumptions. It is a bold book. It is a prophetic book. It is a call for God’s people to be alert to the spiritual dangers lurking in the commonly approved social priorities of this world and to rejoice in the holy provisions of God.
What I found in Holy Subversion had the quality of Trevin’s blog, in that there were no wasted words. Everything in there was meaningful and intentional; logical, well thought-out, and well put together. But I also found it to be really, really readable. I appreciate that a lot.
I enjoyed this book. The author made me think about idols that creep upon us before we know it. His perspective on success and money were especially helpful. I give this book a gold star.
One of the strengths of the book is a gospel balance. He continues to bring us back to the work of Jesus Christ in history for us to motivate our living. Where he is practical he is careful not to lose this balance.
Holy Subversion is a great book to help people in evangelical Christian circles understand the bigger picture of the gospel, that it is joining Messiah in his good works and that this in no way is putting ourselves “under the Law” in Pauline terms. Wax’s short and simple book is also a great way for us to understand how to communicate the idea of holistic salvation.
If we apply the the balm that is in these pages, it will change who we are as individuals and as a community of believers. This book was a classic before the ink dried on the first page.
Holy Subversion is biblical, practical, and timely. I often found myself pausing to reflect while keeping a pen in hand to underline. I would highly recommend this book to anyone seeking to live out the allegiance of Christ in a world of modern idols.
This is a good book to give to a new Christian because of its size and its topic. It provides a good structure for a new Christian to evaluate the issues that we face in this culture. But it is also a good book to give to a seasoned Christian who has not considered the way some of our modern luxuries have turned into idols.
One major reason I like Wax’s book so much is that he avoids easy reductionism. There are some who hear the cry “Christ, not Caesar, is King” and they merely politicize it. “Tell Caesar Obama (or Caesar Bush, or Caesar Whoever) that we aren’t going to stand for his claims to power any more!”, as if they can co-opt biblical truth to serve their political interests, and rarely look at their own lives to see if Jesus is truly King.
Avoiding legalistic demands on one hand and liberal license on the other, Wax weaves through the issues, deftly applying biblical truths to real life.
I found each chapter to be convicting and challenging, as well as encouraging and pastoral. While such a book could easily slide into legalistic morality, Wax is careful to keep the gospel—that we are insufficient and inadequate on our own to effect any sort of victory over any of these temptations and instead require the power and the grace available only through Christ—at the forefront.
Trevin shares some real insights into being a Christ-follower in our modern culture. This book will challenge you to give your first allegiance to Jesus, no matter what pretender “Lords” our society follows.
I was fortunate to be able to read an early manuscript of this book. When I did, I was blown away by the content! Trevin offers keen insight into how we can live a Christ-exalting lifestyle in the midst of the “Caesar’s” of our day. When you are said to have “Francis Schaeffer-like instincts and insight,” the bar has been set fairly high. Wax easily lives (and writes) up to those standards.
Holy Subversion
is a quick and accessible read. However, don’t let it’s length or accessibility fool you. Trevin’s message is powerful and a must-hear for this American generation.
Readers will find themselves challenged and encouraged. More than that, they will find that they are left with a profound sense of worship because of who Jesus is and who He created them to be.
Trevin Wax has written an outstanding primer to the Church’s task of bearing faithful and effective witness to the Lord Jesus Christ in North America. Lucid, brief, reflecting the best of contemporary scholarship, his book would be an excellent small group or study group resource. The issues he treats are precisely those we most need to face yet those that are among the difficult for us to face.