Book Review - Eternity is Now in Session by John Ortberg

Eternity is Now in Session: a radical rediscovery of what Jesus really taught about salvation, eternity, and getting to the good place

John Ortberg
Tyndale Momentum 2018

Reviewed by Diane Busch

In his usual understandable and relatable style, John presents enlightening insights about what Jesus taught about salvation, eternity and heaven.  I suggest that the eight-page introduction be used as an evangelistic training tool. So many people have the wrong idea of God, heaven, and eternal life.  Christ followers should have the correct Good News message to share with others.

You do not want to miss how John answers these questions: What if we stopped thinking about the gospel as simply the minimum entrance requirement to get into heaven?  What if we stopped thinking about eternal life as something we can only experience after we die?  What if we stopped thinking of Christians as people who “know about” God and instead focused on becoming disciples who are learning to “know” God?  What if salvation isn’t mostly about getting us into heaven but about getting heaven into us?

As a hiker and a recent visitor to the Blue Ridge Parkway, the section on a “mountain top experience” spoke to me:

“A Mountain is where heaven and earth come closest together. A mountain is where we go to see the earth around us from a new perspective. On a mountain we are elevated above our normal way of seeing. Obstacles that normally loom large are seen much smaller than we thought ... On a mountain we receive the gift of vision...  A mountain is the place of awakening to a reality that we often can’t see in the valley.” "Spiritual awakening begins with an experience of God, when we become aware of his presence."

John explains how salvation is a journey, not a one-time event.  "Salvation is never just salvation from.  It is always also salvation for.”  "Our greatest need is not to be saved from what might happen tous but to be saved from what might happen inus; not from where we might end up but from who we might become.”  He writes about what it means to be a disciple and that discipleship is a whole-life endeavor.  "Participation is the essential ingredient in Christianity."

I recommend this book to all Christ followers and those seeking to know more about Jesus, salvation, and heaven.