Book Review - 7 Things You Better Have Nailed Down

7 Things You Better Have Nailed Down

Robert Wolgemuth

Thomas Nelson (May 1, 2007)

In short: An exhortation to prepare your heart and soul before the crisis comes by “nailing down” the basics of the faith.

The recent passing of the seven year anniversary of the World Trade Center attack is a reminder of what is most important to remember in a crisis. C.J. Mahaney said:

"For the Christian, there is no greater comfort in a crisis than to be reminded and reassured of the sovereignty of God. But the common temptation and tendency in the midst of crisis is to forget or doubt God’s sovereignty. In the immediate unsettling emotional effect of a national crisis, we are tempted by sins of fear, worry, and unbelief. We are confused and perplexed. How can we reconcile God’s sovereignty, goodness, and wisdom with the looping video clips of events like 9/11?

In crisis situations I must resist the temptation of devoting time and energy to trying to figure out what is clearly beyond my comprehension, and instead devote myself to what is clearly revealed in Scripture about the sovereignty and purpose of God. This will have a transforming effect on my soul."

Hurricane Ike just rolled ashore in Galveston. You lost your job. The doctor just came back with the diagnosis. What about the smaller ones? You didn’t get that promotion. You didn’t make the grade or the team. Are we prepared for these catastrophes? Much more than physical preparation, i.e. boarding up windows, etc., is required. These catastrophes will test our beliefs and our values.

In this book, Robert Wolgemuth helps us to think about being prepared for those “defining moments.”

“…[times] when something new in your wardrobe or driving the latest import or ascending the corporate ladder simply [does] not matter...Accidents most often come without warning. We must be ready in advance of tragedy…[it’s like] packing your lunch before you’re hungry, stocking up on fresh batteries before the lights go out…”

Really more like a primer on the basics of Christian doctrine there are seven things he says we must have “nailed down”.

God is God: The Creator – Holy, Sovereign, and Merciful (the doctrine of God)
The Bible is God’s Word (the doctrine of the Bible)
Mankind Is Eternally Lost and in Need of a Savior (the doctrine of man)
Jesus Christ Died to Redeem Mankind (the doctrine of Christ)
Grace and Faith Are Gifts (the doctrine of salvation)
Belief and Works Are One (the doctrine of the application of Redemption)
The Church is God’s Idea (the doctrine of the Church)

This, however, isn’t a theology book. It’s more “pre-theology”, discussing how these theological issues look in real life. For example, in talking of the importance of the Bible and how it played out for some, he writes,

“They made the choice…so that their children…would have free access to this priceless Book, in a language we understand…the Bible has provided the inspiration that has launched incredible endeavors and institutions that we depend on each day.”

On how the doctrine of the application of redemption looks, he writes,

“The eight hours we’ve set aside for “spiritual activity” are only a start. There should be no hours in our week when our activity should not be done to God’s glory. None…”all” is all. (1 Corinthians 10:31)… There is only one choice for a Christian career. You are all going to have to become priests…One of the tragedies of religion is that a wall is often created between the secular and the sacred, carrying with it the inherent danger of thinking the “balanced life” includes some activities that are “non-religious”….Hundreds of years ago, there was no distinction between secular art and sacred art – only good art and bad art.”

And finally on the doctrine of salvation,

“…[good things] conceal our sense of lostness, (i.e. we don’t feel like we need a Savior)…The desperation and hopelessness we feel in a crisis is really a fact all the time.”

How we react in a crisis situation is evidence of our day-to-day character. If we don’t do it normally, it won’t show up exceptionally – when it needs to show up. As C.S. Lewis says, “Surely what a man does when he is taken off his guard is the best evidence for what sort of man he is.” Who we are in crisis is an accumulation of what we do everyday, which stems from what we believe. The author provides an excellent illustration of this in baseball and the myth of the “clutch hitter”.

“The evidence is conclusive: what a player does under specific game-dependent pressure is exactly what he does at other times…A batter is a batter is a batter. What he does under stress is what he does every other day. If he’s terrific on those ordinary days, he’ll be terrific under pressure. If he’s not very good day to day, he won’t be any good when the game is on the line.”

This book is a good way to “prime the pump” for a deeper study and appreciation of theology, and to become “spiritually independent” by owning your beliefs, rather than just making another’s beliefs your own. It gets us to think about the basics of the Christian faith and shows the importance of being ready to articulate that faith for yourself and others when the crisis comes – as it will for all of us at some point.