Introduction to the Devout Life

At his trial, the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates famously proclaimed: “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Socrates had observed the daily activity of the people of Athens and how they moved thoughtlessly from one activity to the next to fulfill a commitment, a need, or a desire. He pleaded with them to examine their hearts, find their God-given purpose in life, and pursue virtue. Athens wasn’t interested. They thought he was corrupting the youth, so they decided to kill him. A purposeful life of virtue, or holiness in God’s sight, was not what the Athenian pagan world wanted to hear, so they cancelled him.

A few decades ago, we called it, “The Rat Race.” We were driven along by society’s relentless marketing to buy, do, and claw our way up the economic and social ladders; no one questioned it. Today, we are driven by other forces expecting us to do similar things, worse things, and most people thoughtlessly listen and act. Sadly, so are some Christians.

God has always called us to a higher, purposeful, and abundant life. A life centered upon God’s words, God’s love, God’s righteousness, God’s forgiveness, God’s peace in Christ, and God’s presence in our lives through the indwelling Holy Spirit. And many Christians over the millennia, similar to Socrates’ dedication to virtue, dedicated themselves to understanding how to live the holy life Christ calls us to when He said, and still says, “Come, follow Me.”

How to live that holy life, or more specifically how to intentionally dedicate oneself to following Christ, has historically been called Devotion. It is a life of loving devotion to Christ, one that is centered around Christ, and one that is in union with Christ. The Devotion practiced in the early Church had fallen out of general popularity within a century following the Reformation. But it has gained increasing interest and adoption over the past fifty years across a wide spectrum of Christian churches. Why? Many Christians want a closer and deeper relationship with Christ, but they have not been taught how to find it. They know the Gospel. They read their Bibles. They pray. They are active in their churches. But like countless believers before them, they have a nagging sense deep in their soul that there is more to the Christian life than they have learned so far; that there is a path that goes “higher up and further in.” The path the Apostles followed.

Fortunately, the practice of Devotion had been summarized by St. Francis de Sales, the Catholic Bishop of Geneva and Doctor of the Church, in his book Introduction to the Devout Life, originally published in 1609. It is a collection of letters he wrote to the hundreds of people who actively sought him out for spiritual direction. Consequently, it is primarily a Catholic resource, but much of what he writes about is for all who love and want to “Live Jesus,” as he emphatically states:

“I wish to inscribe on your heart this holy and sacred maxim:
Live Jesus!

His book is unique for he writes from his heart to the reader’s heart. He summarizes the ancient spiritual growth practices of the Church, leads his readers, whom he calls Philothea which means ” lover of God,” through a thorough examination of their heart regarding many practical and biblical aspects of faith, prayer, confession of sin, life, personal motivations, and virtues. He provides daily, weekly, monthly, and annual strategies for staying centered on Christ as we go about our everyday lives.

Simply put, the Introduction will transform the reader’s heart. Every person whom I’ve had the pleasure of leading through a study of the Introduction, at some point spontaneously admits: “I wish I read this book many years ago.” Why? Because they would have made better decisions, experienced less grief, had more peace, and lived a more abundant life for Christ.

Non-Catholics should note that the Introduction’s purpose isn’t to teach Catholic doctrine. As expected, it does mention Catholic practices, particularly in the first section. Yet, his meditations in the first section are unapologetically blunt, but characteristically gracious, about the eternal heaven or hell decision we make by choosing or rejecting Christ. Consequently, this is a timeless resource for all Christians and a refreshing break from the much of the watered-down teaching we often hear today.

This version of the book is a fresh new translation by the Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales from the original French 5th edition of 1619. I am the General Editor of the U.S. Standard English Edition.

Rob Oberto, D.Min, is the award-winning author of Intimacy with God and General Editor of the Introduction to the Devout Life, both are available from Amazon.

©2022 Rob Oberto, All Rights Reserved.

Does Pastoral Abuse Invalidate Christianity?

A just released, 887-page grand jury report states that 301 Catholic priests have abused 1,000 children over a 70-year period in Pennsylvania. The report also documents the church leadership’s massive cover up of these unconscionable acts. The problem was systemic. The church hierarchy not only failed to protect the most vulnerable under their care; they hid it. The report’s findings are tragic and contemptible. Real lives were, and still are, devastated. God takes such heinous sin seriously: Continue reading “Does Pastoral Abuse Invalidate Christianity?”

Treasure in Heaven

Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth,” (Mt 5:5, NIV). If ever a statement defined success, this would be it. Some, unfortunately, settle for cash now instead of a promise of salvation later. The richest people on earth can afford to buy whole islands for themselves. I envy them. I mean, I really envy them. But Jesus said the meek will inherit the whole earth — an island in the cosmos. Now that’s a deal.

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Intimacy with God

The phrase “Intimacy with God” falls awkwardly upon our modern ears. It shouldn’t because it reflects the perfect relationship Jesus won the right for us to have with God, and it is the profound relationship that He prayed for us to have, in John 17:20-23 (NAS):

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Truly God, Truly Man, Risen Savior!

Leo the Great, best known for persuading Attila the Hun to stop invading Italy in AD 452, penned the most succinct and profound explanation of how the divine and human natures of Christ worked to reconcile us to God.i This is a timeless must read:

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From Death to Life – John 3:1-21

God the Father sent us His One and Only Son, so that through our faith in Jesus Christ, we could be born again by the Holy Spirit. We who believe in Him, have turned from the darkness of this world’s lies to the light and glory of Christ’s truth. We have moved from death to life. Therefore, we are no longer condemned by God, and we will not perish—unlike those who refuse to believe. Continue reading “From Death to Life – John 3:1-21”

“Follow Me!” – John 1:35-51

The Lord has placed people in our lives who, like John, Andrew, and Philip, introduced us to Jesus. Sometimes He sought us out, as He did Philip. In Christ, God called us saying, “Follow Me!” He already knew us before we followed Him. He still knows our thoughts, our character, the meditations of our heart, and where we are at all times.

Follow Me

We continue to follow Jesus because He is the Lamb of God, the Messiah, the One Moses wrote about in the Law, the Son of God, the King of Israel, the Word incarnate. Knowing that He is always with us is a great comfort. He knows our anxious thoughts and the challenges we face. Lord, let us see You in all we do today. Help us to overcome our challenges, and to give You thanks when You do!

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Dr. Rob Oberto is the award-winning author of “Intimacy With God: Extraordinary miracles that opened a skeptic’s heart to God” available from Amazon.

©2017 Rob Oberto, All Rights Reserved.

 

The Shepherds Praised

After the shepherds heard an angel of the Lord announcing the Messiah’s birth and the multitude of heavenly hosts praising God, they went straight to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the feeding trough (Luke 2:8–20). The shepherds story amazed everyone. It was the first Nativity.

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When the shepherds returned to their flocks they glorified and praised God for all they had seen (Luke 2:20).

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