Jesus Cropped from the Picture

EPIC or SLIM?

Just as Merry and Pippin found shelter and sustenance through their placement (baptism) in the Ents, Christians find their source of power and refuge “in Christ.” Jesus fights a battle for his people that they cannot win on their own, but because they are “in Christ,” they can participate in the downfall of the enemy. A SLIM worldview crops Jesus from the picture . An EPIC perspective restores Jesus to his rightful place, providing believers with purpose, good mental health, appreciation for the Bible, less anxiety about the state of the world, and a safe place from which to engage the fight of the Kingdom.

As Mark Batterson said, “He certainly didn’t die on the cross to tame us. He died to make us dangerous. He died to invite us into a life of spiritual adventure.” 52

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