What do you think?
Rate this book
The Crucified Life: How To Live Out A Deeper Christian Experience
The apostle Paul declared, "I have been crucified with Christ." What does this mean? Should every believer make this claim? With renowned teacher A.W. Tozer, explore biblical answers that allow you to thrive in the crucified life.
212 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2011
1620 people are currently reading
2950 people want to read
About the author
A.W. Tozer
664 books2,098 followersAiden Wilson Tozer was an American evangelical pastor, speaker, writer, and editor. After coming to Christ at the age of seventeen, Tozer found his way into the Christian & Missionary Alliance denomination where he served for over forty years. In 1950, he was appointed by the denomination's General Council to be the editor of "The Alliance Witness" (now "Alliance Life").
Born into poverty in western Pennsylvania in 1897, Tozer died in May 1963 a self-educated man who had taught himself what he missed in high school and college due to his home situation. Though he wrote many books, two of them, "The Pursuit of God" and "The Knowledge of the Holy" are widely considered to be classics.
A.W. Tozer and his wife, Ada Cecelia Pfautz, had seven children, six boys and one girl.
Born into poverty in western Pennsylvania in 1897, Tozer died in May 1963 a self-educated man who had taught himself what he missed in high school and college due to his home situation. Though he wrote many books, two of them, "The Pursuit of God" and "The Knowledge of the Holy" are widely considered to be classics.
A.W. Tozer and his wife, Ada Cecelia Pfautz, had seven children, six boys and one girl.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 215 reviews
March 1, 2025
The Pursuit of God is an amazing book. The Knowledge of the Holy is also a really good book. This is not that. There are some really great ideas and quotes in this book. However, Tozer's errors and dogmatism come across a little heavier in this work than in the two mentioned above.
First, Tozer's hostility to the Pentecostal movement can be seen in many aside remarks throughout the book. Don't get me wrong, Tozer was CMA, he believed in divine healing and he was mentored at least to some degree by FF Bosworth, but there was certainly some antagonism towards more Pentecostal and Charismatic churches that he says are only "entertainment and emotionalism."
Second, Tozer relies too heavily on the mystics. He quotes The Cloud of Unknowing over and over again. Personally, I liked the book (You can see my review here). But Tozer seems to have learned the wrong lessons from it and the other mystics. At one point he almost comes across as a straight gnostic when he says, "The things that are of earth belong to sight, reason, and our senses. The things that are in heaven belong to faith, trust, and confidence in God."
Third, Tozer seems awfully legalistic in this book. I know his heart is in the right place, but all too often the heart of wanting to live totally surrendered to God gets turned into a behavior (or list of behaviors) to do or to avoid doing. We could all probably do with a little less "theater going" and "card playing" (feel free to substitute in Netflix and our phone apps) but the doing of these things does not necessarily automatically make someone an unregenerate pagan.
Finally, Tozer comes awfully close to equating "The Crucified Life" with Christian perfectionism. Coming out of a Wesleyan/Holiness tradition, this is understandable, but AWT comes close enough to the line often enough it is hard to tell which side of the line he is on.
In all, I love Tozer's heart and this is a decent book but nowhere near his best work. If you are looking to flesh out your AWT collection, by all means, pick this up and read it. But it isn't my go-to book for living a Crucified Life. I am currently about halfway through The Cross Shaped Life by Jeff Kennon. It is too early to call, but I have a feeling that book is everything I wish this one had been.
First, Tozer's hostility to the Pentecostal movement can be seen in many aside remarks throughout the book. Don't get me wrong, Tozer was CMA, he believed in divine healing and he was mentored at least to some degree by FF Bosworth, but there was certainly some antagonism towards more Pentecostal and Charismatic churches that he says are only "entertainment and emotionalism."
Second, Tozer relies too heavily on the mystics. He quotes The Cloud of Unknowing over and over again. Personally, I liked the book (You can see my review here). But Tozer seems to have learned the wrong lessons from it and the other mystics. At one point he almost comes across as a straight gnostic when he says, "The things that are of earth belong to sight, reason, and our senses. The things that are in heaven belong to faith, trust, and confidence in God."
Third, Tozer seems awfully legalistic in this book. I know his heart is in the right place, but all too often the heart of wanting to live totally surrendered to God gets turned into a behavior (or list of behaviors) to do or to avoid doing. We could all probably do with a little less "theater going" and "card playing" (feel free to substitute in Netflix and our phone apps) but the doing of these things does not necessarily automatically make someone an unregenerate pagan.
Finally, Tozer comes awfully close to equating "The Crucified Life" with Christian perfectionism. Coming out of a Wesleyan/Holiness tradition, this is understandable, but AWT comes close enough to the line often enough it is hard to tell which side of the line he is on.
In all, I love Tozer's heart and this is a decent book but nowhere near his best work. If you are looking to flesh out your AWT collection, by all means, pick this up and read it. But it isn't my go-to book for living a Crucified Life. I am currently about halfway through The Cross Shaped Life by Jeff Kennon. It is too early to call, but I have a feeling that book is everything I wish this one had been.
March 30, 2018
I read about a third of this book but couldn't justify continuing.
I knew that Tozer was with the mystic crowd and though I have enjoyed some of his other books (although I haven't read anything of his in years) this book doesn't get past the introduction without expressing its heavy reliance on the mystics of the past. Tozer, himself uses the term unapologetically to refer to people who "really knew God" through "an intimate, a direct, relationship" with Him.
Tozer also makes a big deal about quoting from the King James version and writes that though he reads from many versions and doesn't think other versions are bad, the King James Version "has been so mightily used of God that it deserves a place of honor in our reading and study." The argument that so many people have benefited from it seemed pretty weak for devoting a whole section to the explanation for which version he is using. In light of the fact that this book is a compilation of Tozer's teaching over his lifetime, it's dubious that this stated preference has really anything to do with the material in the rest of the book.
I can accept that the mystics and the King James Version have contributed positively to many's spiritual growth, and there were a few good nuggets in what I read, but I really disagreed with a lot of what Tozer wrote in this book and I also didn't think it was formatted very helpfully. Because it's a compilation it's really hard to tell how it was pieced together or whether or not any particular section was intended to be juxtaposed with what surrounds it. This fact, I'm sure, accounts for much of the awkward flow and casual style.
The following were points of contention for me:
1. Tozer's definition of a Christian - "one who sustains a right relationship with Jesus Christ." I have a big problem with the word "sustains" in this definition and the idea that it is the believer who is the agent in sustaining the relationship. By grace we are saved and by grace God sustains us (not the other way around). Hebrews 10:14 "For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy."
2. The author writes that there are no "honest seekers looking for proof of Christianity" because Christianity is not on trial, Christ is. He writes that because Christ rose from the dead and because Scripture says Jesus was approved by God, there should be no question about whether or not Christ is who he he claimed to be. Tozer writes, "The worshipping heart knows He is what he claimed to be because God sent the Holy Spirit to carry the confirmation to the conscience of man." He seems to use circular reasoning for the "proof" of Christ. Of course, we know that Jesus says, "All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away." Arguing that the truth of Christ is obvious is not the point. A believer will think that it is, an unbeliever won't.
3. Tozer writes of the "ultimate Christian experience, being a hundredfold Christian," instead of merely being satisfied to be a "thirtyfold Christian" (from the parable of the sower), that we should press on to spiritual perfection and that the "path that accomplishes this is living the crucified life." He is no doubt influenced by Wesley's views on this matter and references him multiple times. I don't understand the Bible to teach the possibility of attaining Christian perfection in our earthly lives.
4. His philosophy about the Christian's journey is confusing and unbiblical. He writes of Christians that "many begin [the race], but few cross the finish line" and that "success in the Christian life is not automatic." I don't know how he reconciles that with Phil. 1:6 ("that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.") or Romans 8:30 ("And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified."). Tozer writes, "It is possible to be a Christian and yet be a failure." He assures the reader that even the Lord's people who "live and die spiritual failures" will not be rejected by God in the end but writes that Christians should be concerned not only to save their souls but to save their lives here on this earth by living a "separated, clean, holy sacrificial life - a life of continual spiritual difference."
5. Tozer distinguishes between the natural man, carnal man and spiritual man. He claims that Israel represented Old Testament prototypes for each of these at different points in her history. The natural man does not know a thing about God or a thing about the spiritual life. The carnal man is the "immature Christian who does not go on or advance. He is slowed in His spiritual development and is not influenced or controlled by the Holy Spirit but rather by his lower nature." Um, what? There are too many verses to list that contradict the idea of a Christian who is not in some way advancing and actively influenced by the Holy Spirit. Finally, "of the three types, it is the spiritual man who is living the crucified life. He is indwelt, led, taught, influenced and controlled by the Holy Spirit." Confusingly, at a later point he writes that, the spiritual man may continue "wandering spiritually instead of moving straight ahead" and that he may swing back and forth "between the old world we came from and the new world where we ought to be." He notes that the best time to "plunge into the deeper spiritual life is when you are a young Christian and have enthusiasm and can form deep-seated habits." He likens this process to learning a new language and claims that the "older" you get in Christ the harder is is to learn to live deeper spiritually. Or something. This whole section was weird and contradictory.
6. There is a whole chapter on the loneliness of the crucified life. Tozer writes that people depend on each other too much and that "Christian fellowship is wonderful, but there comes a time when even that becomes a hinderance." I'm not even sure what he means when he writes, "You probably want to help others, so do it as far as you can, but God wants you to press through to where there is no natural light to help you. You cannot lean on anything natural when you're in God's presence." Apparently he considers other believers to be "natural." He writes, "There are some things in life that must be done by ourselves. Nobody can help us. Nobody can assist us along the way. That is why there is such a breakdown in evangelical circles today. We want to rely on each other." I find this way of thinking to be incredibly contrary to the New Testament teaching about the church, the Body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:21 "The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!"). Tozer goes on to say that "the better pastor you had, the more you would become a spiritual parasite and lean on him. Often the most spiritual people attend churches where the pastor cannot preach his way out of a wet paper bag. The reason is because they have no help from the pulpit, so they have to learn to lean on God. If you get too much help from the pulpit, you tend to become a parasite and lean on your pastor." This is just weird. He references Brother Lawrence (you can also read my negative review of his book The Practice of the Presence of God) so I got the impression that Tozer is compelled by the solitude of the monk lifestyle. I have a hard time justifying this lifestyle not only because of the Bible teaching about the church, but also because of the call for evangelism. Sure, you can go live by yourself and delude yourself into thinking you have this amazing communion with God, but are you doing what he actually says you should do? It's pretty easy to think you're a perfect Christian when you don't have to deal with all those annoying people all the time.
Overall, I strongly disagree with the premise of this book - that some Christians (by what means I'm not entirely sure) can achieve "success" or a deeper spiritual life and ultimately spiritual perfection. I appreciate Tozer's passionate desire for God and convictions about growing in his devotion to Him, but I can't get behind his philosophy about how that happens and this book just felt like a bunch of loosely connected rants about the topic of Christian devotion. I'm not convinced that the format accurately portrays his views because it's impossible to tell how this "distillation" of a lifetime's worth of talks/messages was strung together. It kills me to give Tozer one star but I found so little helpful material and so much confusing and unbiblical material that I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
I knew that Tozer was with the mystic crowd and though I have enjoyed some of his other books (although I haven't read anything of his in years) this book doesn't get past the introduction without expressing its heavy reliance on the mystics of the past. Tozer, himself uses the term unapologetically to refer to people who "really knew God" through "an intimate, a direct, relationship" with Him.
Tozer also makes a big deal about quoting from the King James version and writes that though he reads from many versions and doesn't think other versions are bad, the King James Version "has been so mightily used of God that it deserves a place of honor in our reading and study." The argument that so many people have benefited from it seemed pretty weak for devoting a whole section to the explanation for which version he is using. In light of the fact that this book is a compilation of Tozer's teaching over his lifetime, it's dubious that this stated preference has really anything to do with the material in the rest of the book.
I can accept that the mystics and the King James Version have contributed positively to many's spiritual growth, and there were a few good nuggets in what I read, but I really disagreed with a lot of what Tozer wrote in this book and I also didn't think it was formatted very helpfully. Because it's a compilation it's really hard to tell how it was pieced together or whether or not any particular section was intended to be juxtaposed with what surrounds it. This fact, I'm sure, accounts for much of the awkward flow and casual style.
The following were points of contention for me:
1. Tozer's definition of a Christian - "one who sustains a right relationship with Jesus Christ." I have a big problem with the word "sustains" in this definition and the idea that it is the believer who is the agent in sustaining the relationship. By grace we are saved and by grace God sustains us (not the other way around). Hebrews 10:14 "For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy."
2. The author writes that there are no "honest seekers looking for proof of Christianity" because Christianity is not on trial, Christ is. He writes that because Christ rose from the dead and because Scripture says Jesus was approved by God, there should be no question about whether or not Christ is who he he claimed to be. Tozer writes, "The worshipping heart knows He is what he claimed to be because God sent the Holy Spirit to carry the confirmation to the conscience of man." He seems to use circular reasoning for the "proof" of Christ. Of course, we know that Jesus says, "All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away." Arguing that the truth of Christ is obvious is not the point. A believer will think that it is, an unbeliever won't.
3. Tozer writes of the "ultimate Christian experience, being a hundredfold Christian," instead of merely being satisfied to be a "thirtyfold Christian" (from the parable of the sower), that we should press on to spiritual perfection and that the "path that accomplishes this is living the crucified life." He is no doubt influenced by Wesley's views on this matter and references him multiple times. I don't understand the Bible to teach the possibility of attaining Christian perfection in our earthly lives.
4. His philosophy about the Christian's journey is confusing and unbiblical. He writes of Christians that "many begin [the race], but few cross the finish line" and that "success in the Christian life is not automatic." I don't know how he reconciles that with Phil. 1:6 ("that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.") or Romans 8:30 ("And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified."). Tozer writes, "It is possible to be a Christian and yet be a failure." He assures the reader that even the Lord's people who "live and die spiritual failures" will not be rejected by God in the end but writes that Christians should be concerned not only to save their souls but to save their lives here on this earth by living a "separated, clean, holy sacrificial life - a life of continual spiritual difference."
5. Tozer distinguishes between the natural man, carnal man and spiritual man. He claims that Israel represented Old Testament prototypes for each of these at different points in her history. The natural man does not know a thing about God or a thing about the spiritual life. The carnal man is the "immature Christian who does not go on or advance. He is slowed in His spiritual development and is not influenced or controlled by the Holy Spirit but rather by his lower nature." Um, what? There are too many verses to list that contradict the idea of a Christian who is not in some way advancing and actively influenced by the Holy Spirit. Finally, "of the three types, it is the spiritual man who is living the crucified life. He is indwelt, led, taught, influenced and controlled by the Holy Spirit." Confusingly, at a later point he writes that, the spiritual man may continue "wandering spiritually instead of moving straight ahead" and that he may swing back and forth "between the old world we came from and the new world where we ought to be." He notes that the best time to "plunge into the deeper spiritual life is when you are a young Christian and have enthusiasm and can form deep-seated habits." He likens this process to learning a new language and claims that the "older" you get in Christ the harder is is to learn to live deeper spiritually. Or something. This whole section was weird and contradictory.
6. There is a whole chapter on the loneliness of the crucified life. Tozer writes that people depend on each other too much and that "Christian fellowship is wonderful, but there comes a time when even that becomes a hinderance." I'm not even sure what he means when he writes, "You probably want to help others, so do it as far as you can, but God wants you to press through to where there is no natural light to help you. You cannot lean on anything natural when you're in God's presence." Apparently he considers other believers to be "natural." He writes, "There are some things in life that must be done by ourselves. Nobody can help us. Nobody can assist us along the way. That is why there is such a breakdown in evangelical circles today. We want to rely on each other." I find this way of thinking to be incredibly contrary to the New Testament teaching about the church, the Body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:21 "The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!"). Tozer goes on to say that "the better pastor you had, the more you would become a spiritual parasite and lean on him. Often the most spiritual people attend churches where the pastor cannot preach his way out of a wet paper bag. The reason is because they have no help from the pulpit, so they have to learn to lean on God. If you get too much help from the pulpit, you tend to become a parasite and lean on your pastor." This is just weird. He references Brother Lawrence (you can also read my negative review of his book The Practice of the Presence of God) so I got the impression that Tozer is compelled by the solitude of the monk lifestyle. I have a hard time justifying this lifestyle not only because of the Bible teaching about the church, but also because of the call for evangelism. Sure, you can go live by yourself and delude yourself into thinking you have this amazing communion with God, but are you doing what he actually says you should do? It's pretty easy to think you're a perfect Christian when you don't have to deal with all those annoying people all the time.
Overall, I strongly disagree with the premise of this book - that some Christians (by what means I'm not entirely sure) can achieve "success" or a deeper spiritual life and ultimately spiritual perfection. I appreciate Tozer's passionate desire for God and convictions about growing in his devotion to Him, but I can't get behind his philosophy about how that happens and this book just felt like a bunch of loosely connected rants about the topic of Christian devotion. I'm not convinced that the format accurately portrays his views because it's impossible to tell how this "distillation" of a lifetime's worth of talks/messages was strung together. It kills me to give Tozer one star but I found so little helpful material and so much confusing and unbiblical material that I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
January 21, 2021
Tozer is a spiritual tonic.
April 14, 2012
LOVE THIS BOOK. It's great and really speaks to us in how we are to live a life that is crucified with Christ. I want to make sure I'm a "hundred folder"
March 30, 2019
The Crucified Life is written in a simple way but yet has some profound truths in the latter portion of the book. There are a few terms like mystics that can be off-putting given the history of the term. He does define how he uses such terms. The highlight was the hymn at the end which summarizes the thought being expounded. Often I felt that without the hymn, the points were not often clearly articulated. Do not expect a how- to -list. A. W. Tower’s intent is that you understand what the crucified life is meant to be and then using the Bible and hearing the Holy Spirit to flesh out your personal journey. Near the end, there was quite a bit of repetition but with solid examples.
This book is more suited to repeated readings to grasp certain content . But I do recommend reading slowly. It is a good companion to books such as The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Radical by David Platt. The author recommends other classical Christian books for further reading. This works for a Christian at any stage of the journey. Personally I preferred The Cost of Discipleship to this.
This book is more suited to repeated readings to grasp certain content . But I do recommend reading slowly. It is a good companion to books such as The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Radical by David Platt. The author recommends other classical Christian books for further reading. This works for a Christian at any stage of the journey. Personally I preferred The Cost of Discipleship to this.
October 13, 2012
Tozer has a lot of excellent things to say in this book. One of the strongest points of this book is Tozer's passion for God's glory being God's glory (as opposed to 99% belonging to Him, and 1% belonging to self). It is very easy to desire a little bit of that glory, but this is no good!
His comments on living a life completely surrendered to God, no matter what the cost, are very convicting. I was also very much challenged by his prayer that God would orchestrate the events in his life that would lead him to a point where God is completely exalted.
There were, however, several parts of this book that I disagreed with a lot. A LOT!! It's hard to even give it 3 stars, but he had much more good things to say than the things I disagreed with. I'll have to write about them later, 'cause I left my book in my car. :-/
His comments on living a life completely surrendered to God, no matter what the cost, are very convicting. I was also very much challenged by his prayer that God would orchestrate the events in his life that would lead him to a point where God is completely exalted.
There were, however, several parts of this book that I disagreed with a lot. A LOT!! It's hard to even give it 3 stars, but he had much more good things to say than the things I disagreed with. I'll have to write about them later, 'cause I left my book in my car. :-/
July 8, 2023
con 👏🏼 vic 👏🏼 ting 👏🏼!!!! 4 stars for Tozier!
“Not I, but Christ, be honored, loved, exalted, Not I, but Christ, be seen be known, be heard; Not I, but Christ, in every look and action, Not I, but Christ, in every thought and word. Oh, to be saved from myself, dear Lord!”
“Not I, but Christ, be honored, loved, exalted, Not I, but Christ, be seen be known, be heard; Not I, but Christ, in every look and action, Not I, but Christ, in every thought and word. Oh, to be saved from myself, dear Lord!”
March 31, 2017
Wow I didn't realize how long it took me to read this. It is a wonderful book with a lot of deep things to think about. Tozer even addresses that devotional type books should not be rushed through.
This book came at the right time in my life. It challenged me, spoke truth into my life, and made me examine myself.
This book came at the right time in my life. It challenged me, spoke truth into my life, and made me examine myself.
December 15, 2025
I just wrapped up reading the three most popular books by AW Tozer: the Pursuit of God, the Purpose of Man, and The Crucified Life. I believe these books are ones that I will read over and over again. These were read over the course of about 2.5 years, meditated on and prayed through because, frankly, Tozer’s ultimate surrender and profound conclusions about living a life that glorify God, so contradict every way of this world. Profound and insanely reviving.
May 6, 2020
I was actually surprised by how much I didn’t enjoy this book, given that “The Pursuit of God” by the same author is one of my favourites that I re-read often. In my opinion, it dwells disproportionately on suffering as a prerequisite (and as a sort of “proof”) for salvation, and misses the crucial element of joy in a believer’s life. Perhaps I misunderstand where this book sits (and how it interacts) with wider Christian literature. I.e it reads to me as a sort of polemic against certain expressions of Christianity rather than making any positive declarations of its own.
For example the author confuses his own taste in music as a sort of litmus test for acceptable worship, relegating all other styles to being some base form of entertainment and therefore abhorrent. This is too simplistic, and confuses the subjective with the objective. How are we to judge what can be classed as “worship” and what cannot? It is a matter of the heart, not the ears. The bible has more to say about the spirit in which we do it; not the style.
This author seems to assert that there is only one acceptable way to do church—his way—and it must feature suffering—God forbid we be joyful! I never fail to marvel at the knack of some Christians to turn the gospel (literally “good news”) into bad news. Overall, I found the tone overly pejorative, the assertions depressing, and the witness unconvincing in exuding the sort of joy that following Christ (at least in my experience) entails.
For example the author confuses his own taste in music as a sort of litmus test for acceptable worship, relegating all other styles to being some base form of entertainment and therefore abhorrent. This is too simplistic, and confuses the subjective with the objective. How are we to judge what can be classed as “worship” and what cannot? It is a matter of the heart, not the ears. The bible has more to say about the spirit in which we do it; not the style.
This author seems to assert that there is only one acceptable way to do church—his way—and it must feature suffering—God forbid we be joyful! I never fail to marvel at the knack of some Christians to turn the gospel (literally “good news”) into bad news. Overall, I found the tone overly pejorative, the assertions depressing, and the witness unconvincing in exuding the sort of joy that following Christ (at least in my experience) entails.
December 6, 2017
This fantastic modern spiritual classic leaves me exploring my own approach to the life Christ has renewed in me through His gift of grace at the cross. I am left doing soul searching concerning issues of seeking personal praise and issues concerning what media I consume. There are many other points that Tozer makes that leave a person seeking out God's will for this life in expectation of the life to come.
July 26, 2021
My rating is 4.5. I recently read The Pursuit of God and got more out of that then this one, but this is still an excellent and informative read. My favorite chapter was actually the last one, the conclusion, where he talks about obedience, surrender, and revelation. Things really clicked for me. Tozer is a must read for any Christian. Highly recommend!
February 8, 2023
3.5 stars.
I didn't dislike this book but it didn't have the same advice that cut to the core of our walk with God. Often it seemed a little too much like a "do this and that", rather than comparing to scripture and seeing God's way.
He still talked about many truths and I appreciate his honesty on such a variety of subjects.
I didn't dislike this book but it didn't have the same advice that cut to the core of our walk with God. Often it seemed a little too much like a "do this and that", rather than comparing to scripture and seeing God's way.
He still talked about many truths and I appreciate his honesty on such a variety of subjects.
April 29, 2020
Definitely need to get a hard copy of this one so that I can re-read it some time. This audio version included clips of Tozer, though, which was pretty neat. He sounded nothing like I expected him to sound.
March 3, 2021
This book made me think. A lot. An uncomfortable amount, but in a good way. Challenged my beliefs and what it looks to live the crucified life. Would really recommend reading it & would love to hear your thoughts if you do.
September 19, 2024
Lived it. Need to reread it again and again
October 30, 2025
This is the best book I’ve read outside of the Bible (though that is not just a book so it doesn’t even really count).
Nothing will challenge you more to press on in your faith and walk with Jesus than the words of Tozer in this book. I would recommend this book to every Christian.
Nothing will challenge you more to press on in your faith and walk with Jesus than the words of Tozer in this book. I would recommend this book to every Christian.
January 27, 2018
"La vida crucificada es una vida absolutamente comprometida a seguir a Cristo Jesús. A ser como Él. A pensar como Él. A actuar como Él. A amar como Él. La esencia de la completa perfección espiritual tiene todo que ver con Jesucristo.No con reglas o reglamentos.No con la forma en que vestimos o con lo que hacemos o no hacemos. No debemos parecernos el uno al otro; más bien debemos parecernos a Cristo."
Ya, enserio ha sido una buena opción iniciar el año leyendo algo de A.W. Tozer, ha enfocado un montón los planes de mi 2018, y es que seguir a Jesús es un camino "Intenso", como mismo lo dice el titulo de mi libro en español , vivir la vida crucificada es más que tener el titulo de una religión, es entregarlo TODO.
Tozer hace un buen trabajo abordando los temas, nunca perdiendo la esencia de la palabra de Dios y sobretodo fundamentando con la biblia, debo confesar que es la primera vez que me leo este autor y recién empece me incomodaba la franqueza, determinación de su narración todo el tiempo me confronto e hizo un gran trabajo derribando mi ego; aja tener una revelación divina de mi propio YO es meramente indispensable para que Dios me use...Te use, aveces como seguidores de Cristo hemos olvidado el significado de la palabra, es mas, como vivimos en aparentemente un país libre sin persecución nos acomodamos , nos hacemos perezosos espiritualmente y es bueno que autores como este nos recuerden lo que implica padecer por el nombre de Cristo, desde los apóstoles hasta la actualidad, el amar a Jesús nunca se ha referido a vivir una vida cómoda sino más bien vivir una vida activa para cumplir sus planes en la tierra ¿entiendes? Una buena dosis de realidad es lo que necesito para enfocarme y seguir sirviendo en mi iglesia local y a mi projimo con toda la pasión.
Al final he digerido este libro de poco en poco dejando conmigo claro lo que Dios me esta llamado a hacer este año , sin duda los temas abordados han inquietando mi corazón , me quedo con eso.
Hablando de la narrativa es fácil de leer, ejemplos históricos acertados... en fin muy buen libro.
Ya, enserio ha sido una buena opción iniciar el año leyendo algo de A.W. Tozer, ha enfocado un montón los planes de mi 2018, y es que seguir a Jesús es un camino "Intenso", como mismo lo dice el titulo de mi libro en español , vivir la vida crucificada es más que tener el titulo de una religión, es entregarlo TODO.
Tozer hace un buen trabajo abordando los temas, nunca perdiendo la esencia de la palabra de Dios y sobretodo fundamentando con la biblia, debo confesar que es la primera vez que me leo este autor y recién empece me incomodaba la franqueza, determinación de su narración todo el tiempo me confronto e hizo un gran trabajo derribando mi ego; aja tener una revelación divina de mi propio YO es meramente indispensable para que Dios me use...Te use, aveces como seguidores de Cristo hemos olvidado el significado de la palabra, es mas, como vivimos en aparentemente un país libre sin persecución nos acomodamos , nos hacemos perezosos espiritualmente y es bueno que autores como este nos recuerden lo que implica padecer por el nombre de Cristo, desde los apóstoles hasta la actualidad, el amar a Jesús nunca se ha referido a vivir una vida cómoda sino más bien vivir una vida activa para cumplir sus planes en la tierra ¿entiendes? Una buena dosis de realidad es lo que necesito para enfocarme y seguir sirviendo en mi iglesia local y a mi projimo con toda la pasión.
Al final he digerido este libro de poco en poco dejando conmigo claro lo que Dios me esta llamado a hacer este año , sin duda los temas abordados han inquietando mi corazón , me quedo con eso.
Hablando de la narrativa es fácil de leer, ejemplos históricos acertados... en fin muy buen libro.
September 6, 2019
This is really more like a 3.5 stars book - and here is why. Tozer is a great preacher and man of God no doubt. He writes challenging and with a voice of urgency and seriousness that will no doubt challenge you in your relationship to Christ. But he is also too black and white. It's all or nothing. It's 100% all the time. It's the ones that choose the crucified life and the others that choose the easy life. The problem is that normal life for most people is far from easy. Life is not black and white. We come into situations all the time where it's difficult to do the right thing or know the right thing simply because there are no clear rules for it - not even in the bible. I've seen 100% for Christ people go wrong in life choices(maybe Tozer would tell us that he could not have been living the crucified life? But Tozer himself says he does not judge individuals. He does, however, time and time again judge groups of people who contain individuals - which I find sad because it's much easier). Tozer can then easily sound legalistic, raging against things like having fun or dancing, as if one has to choose those things away in order to choose Christ. No, a crucified life cannot be the life of a monk only, making our environment clean and tidy - there is no risk there. Life is not clean and tidy, and in this sense, Tozer feels detached from reality. There are many things here to like though because Tozer is engaging and gives a lot of insight into how to take your life as a Chrisitan more serious. I liked especially the chapter about reading more of the mystics. I even liked his choices of hymns after each chapter.
July 9, 2022
Tozer’s words bring a holy fire that refine your soul. His reverence for God is unmatched. His words will convict you, challenge you and stir you in one sentence. There’s something about authors like Tozer that write about God in a way that feels somewhat lost in our current day and age. I’m grateful for the legacy of his books where we can still benefit from his wisdom.
I wanted to read something good during my fast and this did not disappoint. I loved the chapter on the refiners fire with the story of shadrach meshach and abednego. Tozer speaks about God being with us through trials and tribulations and that those fires mold us into gold. It reminds me that God isn’t just a God of the good days, but that He’s also with us in the hard days. The fires we walk through are part of His plan too, to refine us.
The audiobook has audio clips of Tozer preaching at the end of each chapter. It also has hymnal type poems in each chapter.
Some quotes I loved:
- The essence of surrender is getting out of the way so that God can do what He wants to do.
- Allowing yourself to be put in such a position, that God is exalted, is the goal of the crucified life.
- When you allow God to be exalted in your difficulties, you will be in the perfect position to smell the sweet fragrance of His presence.
- If there is anything you own that God cannot have, you never will have a revival.
- show me the condition of your Bible and I will accurately show you the condition of your soul.
100% would recommend this and would read it again.
I wanted to read something good during my fast and this did not disappoint. I loved the chapter on the refiners fire with the story of shadrach meshach and abednego. Tozer speaks about God being with us through trials and tribulations and that those fires mold us into gold. It reminds me that God isn’t just a God of the good days, but that He’s also with us in the hard days. The fires we walk through are part of His plan too, to refine us.
The audiobook has audio clips of Tozer preaching at the end of each chapter. It also has hymnal type poems in each chapter.
Some quotes I loved:
- The essence of surrender is getting out of the way so that God can do what He wants to do.
- Allowing yourself to be put in such a position, that God is exalted, is the goal of the crucified life.
- When you allow God to be exalted in your difficulties, you will be in the perfect position to smell the sweet fragrance of His presence.
- If there is anything you own that God cannot have, you never will have a revival.
- show me the condition of your Bible and I will accurately show you the condition of your soul.
100% would recommend this and would read it again.
May 19, 2023
This book was interesting. I have read a couple of other famous works by Tozer: "The Pursuit of God" and "The Purpose of Man". I really enjoyed those books and learned a lot from them. I am a fan of Tozer! I think he is truly in love with God! He cares about nothing else except giving Christ the glory He deserves.
With that being said, I did not enjoy "The Crucified Life" as much as his previous works. It is not that I disagree with his points. In fact, my copy is filled with highlights. I just didn't enjoy his approach. I felt like he was very extreme in some of his chapters to the point that it ALMOST felt legalistic. Some of his remarks made me uncomfortable. Not in a convicting way, but more on the lines of "Ouch, that was harsh!". I do believe that Tozer may have written some things more bluntly because the audience intended for this book is born-again Christians who seek a deeper experience with their Lord.
I think "The Crucified Life" is worth the read, especially if you want to collect his works for your personal library! He does make great points that are rooted in Scripture. Personally, I just wished he wrote with a little more love and grace.
With that being said, I did not enjoy "The Crucified Life" as much as his previous works. It is not that I disagree with his points. In fact, my copy is filled with highlights. I just didn't enjoy his approach. I felt like he was very extreme in some of his chapters to the point that it ALMOST felt legalistic. Some of his remarks made me uncomfortable. Not in a convicting way, but more on the lines of "Ouch, that was harsh!". I do believe that Tozer may have written some things more bluntly because the audience intended for this book is born-again Christians who seek a deeper experience with their Lord.
I think "The Crucified Life" is worth the read, especially if you want to collect his works for your personal library! He does make great points that are rooted in Scripture. Personally, I just wished he wrote with a little more love and grace.
April 4, 2020
A challenging book worth the read. But, if you haven’t read “The Pursuit of God”, or “The Purpose of Man”, I would start there. I believe those are richer with direction and meaning, and carry less of Tozer’s personal weight.
This is a great push on faith that produces works, and continuing to run the race of sanctification even after the moment of justification.
With that said, I do think a lot of Tozer’s personal preferences (and even shortcomings) come through much more on this book, especially in earlier chapters - to the point of over exaggerating specific works in scripture/verses to justify a point (example, “thirty fold” vs “hundred fold” Christian).
If you push back into the Scripture and can get through some of that, it’s still an enlightening and excellent read. But I’d start elsewhere with Tozer if you haven’t already.
This is a great push on faith that produces works, and continuing to run the race of sanctification even after the moment of justification.
With that said, I do think a lot of Tozer’s personal preferences (and even shortcomings) come through much more on this book, especially in earlier chapters - to the point of over exaggerating specific works in scripture/verses to justify a point (example, “thirty fold” vs “hundred fold” Christian).
If you push back into the Scripture and can get through some of that, it’s still an enlightening and excellent read. But I’d start elsewhere with Tozer if you haven’t already.
February 17, 2016
It's been some time since I've read any Tozer, and I'm happy to have stumbled across this one. Although much of what Tozer says in this volume critiques a time and a church culture different from our own, there are still gems to be gleaned. I always appreciate Tozer's passion and sincerity, even when I don't always agree with his doctrine.
October 13, 2020
Listened as an Audiobook. I know many may discredit this due to mysticism, which is certainly found in this book. However, a sad mistake would be to shrug off the hard challenges because of the disagreements you find within this work. “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” -Jesus (Luke 9:23)
February 15, 2023
Very challenging and convicting. The standard presented seems at time to be impossible to fully attain but better to aim high and miss slightly then to aim low and hit perfectly. Not to mention the Holy Spirit is present to help us!
However, there were several points where I disagreed with him. I felt that he presented an idea that things that are not directly spiritual are wrong.
However, there were several points where I disagreed with him. I felt that he presented an idea that things that are not directly spiritual are wrong.
August 1, 2023
A challenging and convicting book that will encourage and teach you how to find a call to follow Christ to the cross and be raised to new life--a call to live the crucified life. I always feel spurred on in a loving, but firm way by AW Tozer’s books and sermons. I cannot get enough of his teachings and books.
May 28, 2020
If you are interested in Tozer, read one of his works published before his death, such as The Pursuit of God. This 2011 compilation is depressing and presents a virtually impossible vision of the Christian life.
January 19, 2021
This is a great book. I received amazing insight especially at a time when I was just tired of walking with CHRIST yet slipping into sin every time. I am still in that battle against sin so even as you read this pray for me not to say goodbye to this faith I love so much
June 9, 2024
Some really powerful chapters, particularly chapter 5. Maybe a bit too concerned with liberalism as a negative outcome, but plenty of good stuff, and really focused on personal spiritual development rather than the external noise.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 215 reviews