Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life

At some point in our lives all of us face the question, “What will I be remembered for after I die?” Usually this question leads to another: “How will I spend the remainder of my life ensuring that I am remembered for what I value?” While these may seem, on face value, shallow questions for a Christian to ask, I am convinced that the legacy of a gospel-centered life is one of the most important posthumous influences a Christian can have. John Chapman, retirement home resident, septuagenarian churchman, and former leader of the Sydney Anglicans’ evangelism efforts, agrees. To that end he has written this little book.

Chapman’s calling as an evangelist informs this book from cover to cover. He presents the good news of the crucified Christ in clear and accessible ways, and quotes large swaths of Scripture, knowing that the Word of God alone has the power to convict and save. Using the parable of the rich fool, Chapman hits hard early on, showing how Jesus labels the person who fails to consider the next life a fool. The fool in the parable makes three mistakes: 1) mistakes himself for God; 2) mistakes time for eternity; and 3) thinks this life is about accumulating goods and making money. Obviously these mistakes are rampant still today.

The first chapter is entitled “Life Beyond the Grave”, and explores whether there really is one. Chapman’s answer is simple: the reality of Christ’s resurrection was attested to by hundreds of eyewitnesses, so there need be no revision to the essential message of the gospel and the reality of Jesus’ resurrection. But before resurrection must come death: “The result of sin is death. The result of sins being dealt with is resurrection.” (21)

Chapter 2 is “The New Creation Foretold.” In this world, we are not going to be disembodied souls floating around space but resurrected bodies living in a new heaven. What do we know about the new creation? “We do know that it is not achieved by us, since it comes down from heaven. We know that it is not a reformation but a transformation – it is something God does. We also know that it only happens through the kingly reign of the long-awaited Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ…” (28) Chapman does some of his best work in this chapter – a biblical theology from creation ex nihilo to the new heavens and earth in only six pages.

In chapter 3 Chapman hosts us on a quick tour through the gospel of Mark in order to answer the question, “What will the new creation be like?” He revisits incidents of Jesus’ earthly ministry that give us glimpses of heavenly existence with our Lord. This chapter also emphasizes forgiveness, a main plank in the message of the gospel: “This story [in Mark 2:1-12] has led me to believe that nothing is more important than being forgiven. Do you think that if you had the power to heal the sick instantaneously with a word, you would bother about their forgiveness before you healed them? I’m sure I wouldn’t. I would heal them straight away. I’m sure I would say something like, ‘We can deal with their sins later.’ However, I have come to see that this is because I do not love people like Jesus does. He goes to the heart of their problem – an even deeper and more important problem than sickness.” (34) Notwithstanding the quality of the preceding quote, a subsequent one is odd at best: “Because [everyone in the new creation] are all forgiven themselves, the will know how to forgive and accept others. It will be a wonderful world. One to be longed for!” (35) I agree completely that it is to be longed for, but if there is no sin, how will there be any need for forgiveness? Could this be an eschatological anachronism?

In the fourth and fifth chapters, Chapman returns to the topic of the new creation, asking the questions “Who gets to go there?” and the extremely personal “Will you be in the new creation?” Here we return to the question of what’s wrong with the world: us. Chapman issues a gospel appeal: will you be part of the new creation? He then leads the unbelieving reader (or rather, the now-believing reader) in a response to the gospel appeal, outlining basic practices of discipleship: Bible study, prayer, fellowship, and evangelism, of course – this is Chappo after all.

Apart from a couple of things that made me go ‘hmmm…’, namely the aforementioned statement about forgiveness, and a later assertion that “We are not in a position to know what God’s judgement [sic] has been on anyone” (not even an anti-Christ like Hitler?), this a very solid little volume that should be put in the hands of the retired and the elderly who do not yet trust in Christ for salvation. Perchance Chapman’s challenge will precipitate an existential crisis in those faced with the questions mentioned at the beginning of this review, leading to an apprehension of Christ as the ultimate meaning of life.