An Infinite Journey: Growing toward Christlikeness

"An Infinite Journey: Growing Toward Christlikeness" is the only book that Andy Davis has written besides a popular booklet: "An Approach to Extended Memorization of Scripture. The MIT trained engineer turned PhD in Church History has a sharp mind with an exceptionally accessible writing style. In recent months, the First Baptist Durham pastor has become one of my favorite preachers.In this book, the former engineer attempts to map out the full scope of the Christian life and I think, succeeds in doing so. Davis organizes Christian Growth into four cyclical categories: Knowledge which leads to Faith which leads to Character which leads to Action which leads back to Knowledge. Davis creatively dubs this the KFCA cycle.I found these categories helpful but what makes this book so exciting is its degree of Bible saturation. Davis has memorized 35 books of the Bible which means he has the Bible at his disposal in a way other authors simply do not. The number of Bible connections I made was thrilling. Even while reading on extremely familiar topics I was amazed to see how Davis would shed light on a topic not because of his insight per se, but due to how he grouped four or five text together.There are too many strengths in this book to mention but I'll mention several.1.) The City of Truth metaphor. Davis describes the Christian life as one where we are building, by faith, a city of truth. "God desires to build a City of Truth in the heart of all his children. This City of Truth will also be erected brick by brick; that is, line by line of Scripture, precept by precept, truth by truth, over years of time spent in his Word and his world." "We may not perceive how knowing the names of Issachar’s four sons could possibly make a difference in our lives, but yet we know God speaks no worthless words. From such facts as these, a limitless abundance of material is mined for the City of Truth."2.) Faith - I'm suppose there are others who have explained Faith as well as Davis did but something clicked for me. More specifically is how Faith fits into this KFCA cycle. Faith is confidence in unseen spiritual realities. Faith is a life response of living in light of who God says He is, what he says he will do and what he says we should do.3.) Resource for Teachers - Davis's lucidity makes this book a huge help for preachers and teachers. So often I found myself making mental notes, "next time I preach on _____ start here." By not making assumptions, he strengthened his arguments immensely.Weaknesses:The namesake metaphor of two Infinite Journeys is a little muddy in my mind. I get what he says, the external journey is the worldwide advance of the Gospel to all the nations and the internal journey is the journey of the individual Christian of going from spiritual death to glorification. I just don't find it that helpful. First of all, neither journeys are reallyLength - I wasn't put off by the 480 pages but most people will be. This makes it quite a bit harder to recommend or read it in a discipleship context. I don't know much of what I would cut out (that's the editors' problem) but I'm still trying to figure out how I'm going to use this as a discipleship resource.I loved this book and would eagerly recommend it any anyone who will listen. It comes highly recommend this book. 5 of 5 Stars.

Dr. Andrew Davis has written a clear, precise and compelling book about sanctification. An Infinite Journey is concerned with the process of growth in Christlikeness, explaining sanctification in an understandable way for most readers. Davis is a good communicator, balancing Scriptural insights, illustrations and explanation. He is also highly organized, producing as the centerpiece of the book a chart for the Infinite Journey of sanctification, complete with the key headings of Knowledge, Faith, Character and Action with several sub-points for each heading. Davis' inner engineer shines through in the contents of this book and that is a good thing for the most part. I benefitted greatly from Davis' detailed explanations of each area of our journey and how they worked together.The main drawback of the book is its length. Coming in at around 480 pages, it may be difficult for some readers to make it to the end, and one really needs to make it to the end of this book because all four areas of sanctification are essential.I found this book to be ideal for a year-long class like a Sunday School class. It is perfect for teaching on a weekly basis and I am three weeks away from completing teaching through this book with a co-teacher with a group of adults. Ideally, each member could have a book and read that week's chapter before the group meeting. But even if this is not possible, it is still an excellent book for a small group or class meeting over the course of a year.

This is an incredible book about the journey we are on after we accept Christ – the journey toward sanctification. Andrew Davis brings his engineering mind to the task of understanding how we grow in our faith. Throughout the book he cites scripture at every turn to explain the brilliant cycle that leads to becoming more like Christ. With diagrams to help us picture this, Davis shows that we progress in faith from factual and experiential KNOWLEDGE which leads to FAITH (assurance of and commitment to spiritual truth), which leads to CHARACTER (virtues conformed to Christ) which leads to ACTION (external life style and habitual obedience). Davis says, “Sanctification occurs in a cycle that follows this order: growing knowledge increases faith, increasing faith transforms character, transformed character produces action, and action feeds knowledge.” Pg 31 Through more than 400 pages Andrew Davis winsomely describes and elaborates on this journey to becoming more like Christ.Although I realized the great value of this book, it was so deep and true that I found myself resisting it and racing through the book to finish it. I will need to reread it to absorb its wisdom. In other words this book will not entertain you. But it is a book to read and ponder and to read over again. It’s also a book to hold you accountable to growing.

I picked this book up when it was offered for free, put it in the appropriate categories, and almost forgot that I had it. Given the length in which it treats it's subject, I expected it to be one of those volumes you have to wade through in hopes of picking up a nugget of truth here and perhaps a pithy statement there, but otherwise uninteresting. However, I marked it as a reference for a study on sanctification, and I am everlastingly glad I did. The entire book is a rare jewel of biblical truth balanced with practical application. The four main sections on Knowledge, Faith, Character, and Action thoroughly explain, illustrate, and apply each of these key aspects of our journey toward Christlikeness. It avoids the shallowness of so many modern "self-help" books published on the Christian life by laying a solid biblical foundation for each element of its subject matter while simultaneously putting them well within reach of the "average" Christian. It is weighty without being wearisome. Simple, without being shallow. It is not only highly readable, but will be a book you will reference repeatedly over the years.

Excellent book , filled with scripture passages not just the references (saves the reader time to look them up) that's one reason why it takes up over 470 pages.Also, it seems like it took Dr. Davis more than 5 years to write (or get published) as he discusses parts of this book at a Sufficiency of Scripture conference in 2009. ·Seehttp://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=414111445401(and parts #20 and # 25 at this site)

I found his book brilliant in accomplishing a model of sanctification. The illustrations were powerful, the language used is accessible to all. Highly recommend this book for all believers!

Andrew M DavisAn Infinite Journey: Growing towards ChristlikenessReviewed by John D WilsonI have been reading An Infinite Journey by Andrew Davis, but I felt I should write a review.This book is a mixture of bitter and sweet for me, and I am wrestling with some of the chapters, developing a love-hate relationship with the book. Overall, I think I like it and for a moment I think I would recommend it, then I read something which I find unsettles me. Just when I think, I will give this to my friend _______, I read something which I think would be counter-productiveThere are parts which I like, other parts are frustrating me by phrases with seem imprecise or unclear (though on the whole it is well written and engaging); sometimes questionable exegesis (Greek vocabulary often has a wide range of meaning, so must be interpreted according to its use in context which may not be the dominant meaning); and perhaps the greatest weakness is a lack of spelled-out role of the dynamic work of the Holy Spirit in sanctification. and how by faith and repentance we walk with the Spirit, and participate in his work in our lives.What are the strengths?1. An Infinite Journey is thorough and comprehensive. Theologically, it looks at the whole work of salvation (including sanctification) in considerable detail—maybe in overwhelming detail for some. This is a BIG book, and I know several people who I think might benefit by reading it; but I know they would give up before the end.But if someone were to make the effort to read this book, they would learn a lot about Christian fundamentals and holy living.2. Knowledge of Scripture. It rightly integrates body, soul and mind, emphasizing the role of the mind in knowing the truths of Scripture as necessary to the process of sanctification. Too often contemporary views of Christianity are more about the subjective spirit (heart) of a person—the heart divorced from the mind. I felt John Eldred has slipped into this. I mean the very subjective “listening to God” in the heart, and not with the mind, as if the heart is to be trusted. The mind is the heart, and it needs renewing.3. The practicality of much of what he writes. I like that he starts with the simple fact of the of knowledge, and particularly the knowledge which we can learn from Scripture, which becomes the fuel for sanctification.I found this very powerful in an age of non-use of the Bible even among evangelical Christians. The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada just completed a survey of “Bible Engagement” in Canada, and the statistics are astonishing. If i recall correctly, only 7% of evangelical Christians read the Bible daily. This has been reinforced for me this week when along with the pastor and another elder we interviewed two fine Christian people who had been nominated to be appointed as elders. In both cases the Biblical knowledge was abysmal, and neither could describe what they understood by the terms atonement, justification and sanctification. They are “heart” Christians in ignorance. Davis addresses these issues.4. The book is quite methodical—almost “mechanical;”, and this will appeal to many readers who find abstract theological concepts very hard to comprehend in a way that seems practical. His graphs (and I appreciate how he emphasizes the limitations of any graph) do help make the elements explicit.5. I felt the book is a kind of balance to pietistic kinds of approach to sanctification, which emphasize that our salvation is totally from God by His Spirit.By emphasizing that sanctification is a work of the Spirit (which I agree with wholly), there is the possibility of implying the Christian personally has no conscious part to play. Where does the “put off” and “put on” in Ephesians fit in as part of the process of sanctification and holiness. I am convinced that a believer does have an active participatory role in his/her sanctification, empowered by the Holy Spirit.I think this book leans to that participatory role too; but is weak regarding teaching on the role of the Spirit!What are its weaknesses?1. For me An Infinite Journey is too systematic and detailed. I recognize that this is a personal and subjective preference of my reading and study. But there were times when I was reading that I felt it lacks the organic feel of life in Christ. He is a mechanical engineer by training, and that is how the book sometimes came across to me: that sanctification is a system. You need to have well machined parts, assemble them properly according to the handbook, and everything should run smoothly.2. In some places he almost seems to deify Scripture as the power behind salvation and sanctification, even though he is always quick to refer to the Holy Spirit, it sounds like lip service. I like his strong view of Scripture; but (as I heard in a sermon a couple of Sundays ago), we must keep the Word and the Spirit together.3. On some topics he takes a precise position which is contentious, such as the moments of justification and glorification. I understand his perspectives, and I think he has that kind of definitive view because of his mechanical mind. Theologically, we are saved, justified and sanctified in Christ from before the foundation of the world! For me the moment of conversion and the experience of justification in personal experience are imprecise.He also makes final justification at the precise moment of death, but his argument is not convincing. I think we are justified when Christ returns. But I wouldn’t quibble over these; I would just prefer him to be more flexible—but it is his graphics which require nice points in time. Better to be a little bit ambiguous on matters of theological contention.4. His theology of the Holy Spirit in sanctification is weak. He does indeed refer to the role of the Spirit in one-liners (e.g. pp 96-97; 111; 280) but he never expands on this and I feel he is less than practical about it, while he is very explicit about so many other things. For me, in discipleship, the Word and the Spirit must be kept together. I said this already; but this is the flip side. Evangelicals tend to pay lip service to the Spirit. He is always in our credal statements; but Evangelicals have tended to be biblicist. Charismatics have often gone the other way, giving lip service to the importance of Scripture and over-emphasizing to the point of error the role of the Spirit—becoming very experiential and subjective, until you are not sure whose spirit they are talking about.There is a weight-loss guru in Canada whose catchphrase is something like this: “If you could do it alone, you would have done it already.” I feel that is the case for many Christian disciples—they neglect their need of the Holy Spirit and the community of the body of Christ. We need the Spirit’s empowerment in the context of the support and accountability of the community of believers.I could say much more, but this for me is one of the great weaknesses of the book.5. In one place (p 147-150 passim) he almost seems to be propounding a doctrine of merit. I think he is not; but I can imagine a Muslim or Buddhist convert or a Roman Catholic reading it this way.6. In a number of places he makes an unusual interpretation of the Greek and I think he is even misleading or tangential in his interpretation.For example I think he misinterprets “evidence” on pages 154-159; he misses the theological meaning and differentiation of passages which talk about hate vs love (chapter 11); I think he is off track about “prepared” works in Ephesians 2 (pages 287-291), which are about the walk described in Ephesians 4-6; not tasks set by God to be accomplished for God day by day; and I think he takes the wrong semantic meaning of “present” in Romans 12:1-2 (pages 293-294).7. The Charts are quite useful (but as he says have their limitations). One very obvious limitation in my view is the cycle he makes out of these charts. It is not a mechanical process; we are not engineers building a machine with components in a specific order. We are organic human beings made in the image of God, and most of these components are living processes and inter-connected in a dynamic way—more like quantum physics than mechanical engineering!In SummaryThis clearly is a book of great value. It charts (rather than maps out) the components of salvation and sanctification in a kind of systematic theology, and could prove very useful to pastors and disciple makers to help them in covering the ground which will help them to help young believers grow in “the grace and knowledge” of Jesus Christ.In that regard it is probably needed in many churches where (clearly from my own recent experiences) godly Christian young people are living experientially (having come to know Christ in a real way), but without the resource of knowledge of sound doctrine, because they do not engage the Scriptures and often do not open their lives to the empowering and transforming (sanctifying) Spirit of God.Is it suitable for young Christian disciples to read?Here I am more hesitant. Young Christians today want “Christian reading lite”; not solid books on systematic theology (or, apparently, even the Bible itself). There are people I might give this too; but some for sure would dip into it and give up; others would even misread and misapprehend it. But I believe there are many north Americans who will be drawn to the meticulous and methodical way of charting out sanctification. Some would find it misleading and confusing.In the Myers-Briggs assessment, I am an INTP (with some F and even some J). I think this book will appeal to North American people in the much more inclusive STJ camp—but not necessarily! Human beings are much more complex than that; and readers in general are often quite different in their tastes. One person’s book is poison to another.Prior to attending Bible College I was training as a Quantity Surveyor. We took the architect’s plans, analyzed them and broke down the different components of construction into different categories, then drew up and costed out the various materials in a “schedule of quantities” including providing a specification about the kinds and quality of the materials to be used in the construction.An un-costed version of the schedule of quantities was given to a selection of contractors who used this to figure out their costs and offer a tender for the contract. Not always the cheapest tender was taken—perhaps because the costing was economically too tight and might end up being over budget; but another might be rejected because the contractor was clearly out to make excessive profit.My point is that An Infinite Journey is like the detailed schedule of quantities based on the Architect’s plan. It is very detailed. The author has read the Architect’s plan with great attention to the intention of the Designer, and now laid it out in a precise and detailed schedule.The architect, the surveyor and the contractor all can read and make sense of the schedule of quantities; but a layman would be bored reading it. When I started my apprenticeship it didn’t make much sense to me, but I learned to read an architect’s plan and understood the nature and purpose of the schedule. But it really came alive when I was on site with my supervising Surveyor, and I could see the building going up according to the plan (or not) and using the specified materials (or not). And that was part of our job: to monitor the construction and ensure the constructor and his staff were not cheating in any way, by changing dimensions, or using lower qualities of materials.I think that An Infinite Journey by Andrew Davis is more like a schedule of quantities for the pastor and disciple maker. The lay person has to be taken on site, and have it all explained and learned more informally and organically!An Infinite Journey is basically a kind of systematic theology—cum—curriculum of discipleship; but I think in the contemporary era a different approach that is less obviously systematic, while still biblically correct would be more useful. It comes down to the issue of how we teach doctrine today through narrative and real life examples, and including some interactive materials; or better yet, personal discipleship by mature Christians backed up by small group studies and occasional training events as needed.

great for mentoring someone