Theological Fitness: Why We Need a Fighting Faith

by Aimee Byrd

This book is for all Christians who want to hold fast to their faith without wavering, even during the suffering and irritations of ordinary life.

Faithful Christian living in the everyday might not sound challenging, but, as author and blogger Aimee Byrd shows us, it’s actually a real workout! Knowing God takes effort—just like any relationship.

Aimee invites us to join her in some theological fitness training as she unpacks our call to perseverance in the book of Hebrews and explores the great metaphor that physical fitness lends to theology. Learn about the “fighting grace” God has given you, discover how you are equipped to live a life of Christ-focused obedience, and get ready to embrace your faith in a fresh, invigorating way.

“What a gem this book is—so full of encouragement and so honest and genuine. . . . Wonderfully practical and readable . . . grounded in good theology.”
—Thomas R. Schreiner, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

“In this Scripture-saturated book we are rightly warned of the rigors as well as promised the rewards of holding fast to Christ when we feel the burn and want to give up.”
—Nancy Guthrie, Author, Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament

“Aimee Byrd is the very best kind of theological sensei. . . . She shows how to gain and maintain theological fitness—and how to find great enjoyment in the exercise.”
—Phil Johnson, Grace to You radio program

“Aimee drives the point home vividly in her distinctive, memorable, and popular style. Challenging yet enjoyable and valuable.”
—Fred G. Zaspel, Reformed Baptist Church, Franconia, Pennsylvania

Aimee Byrd is just an ordinary mom of three who has also been a martial arts student, coffee shop owner, and Bible study teacher. Author of Housewife Theologian, she now blogs about theology and the Christian life and cohosts The Mortification of Spin podcast.

Genres: Christianity, Nonfiction, Christian Living, Christian, Theology

195 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 15, 2015

About the author

Aimee Byrd is just an ordinary mom of three who has also been a martial arts student, coffee shop owner, and Bible study teacher. Author of Housewife Theologian, she now blogs about theology and the Christian life and cohosts The Mortification of Spin podcast.

Reviews

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Aimee Byrd's 1st book, she challenges us to have a passion for theology. Now, in her 2nd book, she challenges us to roll up our sleeves and exercise our theological muscles. She unpacks the exhortation in Hebrews 10:23 "Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful." and has us pump each of the 5 statements within it like a good rep of weight training. Challenging us to "Hold fast" as we run the race, but questions us along the way..."How do we expect to run the race with endurance if we do not know the One we are running to?" (pg 85) or "Who is willing to suffer for a Savior they won't even trouble themselves to learn about." (pg 89) We must fight the good fight and strive to grow in our faith...a fighting faith. "I do not box as one beating the air, but I discipline my body..." (1 cor. 9:24-27) We need to be theological athletes! I am encouraged and challenging to learn till I feel the burn!! The good burn you feel after a good workout! I highly recommend this book. Men and women, athlete or not! Enjoy!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I give this book a 3.5. It had a lot of great information in it- a lot felt like I was in the deep end of the theological pool, but I did learn a lot (and certainly underlined a good bit). Definitely a workout for my brain. To keep with the fitness theme- I think I would have liked it better if it were in short mini-workouts/sprints (which I guess would just make it like her blog) rather than one longer marathon of a book- I think that writing style might have been better suited to the content. I most enjoyed the chapters on encouraging one another in the Christian race and especially the one on active (eternal) rest- it ended on a high note. Definitely a gospel-centered book.

[Rachel {bibliopals} · Rating 2 out of 5]

The theology was solid, but there was something about the writing that made this a chore to read.

[Jan]

3.5 Stars
VT 2017 Reading Challenge

[PD · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read together with staff; encouraging and pointing to the truth of work of Christ and the call to a Believer’s persistent hold onto their confession.

Unfortunately, many men don’t read female authors and many women don’t always read rich theology (an oversimplification). This books should be read by both.

A great conversation study to the Book of Hebrews.

[L.L. Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fighting faith? Perhaps you are thinking this will be a legalistic type book, where faith becomes a difficult burden? No! Definitely not. Rather, Byrd paints a realistic and balanced picture of our life of faith. Just like any other relationship, knowing God and being in a relationship with God will require effort on our part. We can’t simply coast along for the ride, but be participatory in it.

Byrd grew up in a home that emphasized physical fitness, in fact her parents taught martial arts and aerobics, and she uses this as an analogy to spiritual fitness throughout the book. Don’t worry – even if you are not “into” physical fitness – you can relate to it. But certainly those who are active in sports or fitness training will relate all the more! Again, Byrd is not burdening us, but pumping us up for our life of faith and pointing us to Christ.

The book revolves around Hebrews 10:23: “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.”

It is divided into sections/chapters based on each phrase of this verse: Let Us, Hold Fast, The Confession of Our Hope, Without Wavering, and For He Who Promised is Faithful. Yes! And it works really well, as she unpacks each phrase for the reader, putting the points into their greater context of the entire book of Hebrews and the Bible as a whole. I think a great idea would be to read through Hebrews, and then read Theological Fitness. Throughout the book, you can see occasional footnotes and references to help you study deeper if you’d like – such as Exposition of Hebrews by Arthur Pink.

Let us? These chapters focus on the importance of the church and other believers in our life of faith. We are to exhort each other daily. Byrd also teaches a proper approach to self. I liked this statement: “The problem with self-image is the self. I don’t want such a narcissistic focus.” (pg 43)

Hold fast? Here she says “Faith is a fighting grace.” (pg 58) We must hold fast, persevere, be patient, and endure. We may not care for some of these words! Endure? The key here is focus. Hebrews emphasizes a forward-looking faith, and we run towards what we worship. Jesus Christ is both the message and the means.

The confession of our hope? “Christians, what do you believe?” (pg 99) Sadly, many Christians are lacking in this area, and fuzzy about what they believe. How can we hold fast to a confession of hope that we know little about? These chapters focus on who Jesus is and what he has done for us.

I particularly liked one challenging and convicting point in this section. The author of Hebrews reprimands his readers for their theological immaturity, and is writing to remind them of remedial truths of the faith. Yet many Christians today find Hebrews a difficult book that is hard to understand. Did you get that? Read again if need be.

Without wavering? Some sentences I highlighted in this section:

“We often have a tendency to think we are much farther along the path to holiness than we actually are.” (pg 129)

“We are eager to get to the status of a mature disciple, but not so willing to go through the training and discipline to get there.” (pg 138)

“There is no plateau in the Christian life. We are either growing closer to Christ’s likeness or we are falling away.” (pg 144)

This section exhorts us to keep at it. But to clarify, Byrd emphasizes that the genuine believer is secure in Christ. She hammers away on 2 points throughout the book: every Christian will persevere, but faith is a fighting grace. (A theological point I agree with.) Which brings us to the last section…

For He who promised is faithful? We are not perfect, and our faith is in Christ and HIS perfect work on our behalf. The security of a promise depends on the one making the promise, and God keeps His promises. We can REST, secure in Christ. Yet we have a part to play. The book is, after all, entitled: Theological Fitness, Why We Need a Fighting Faith. But it is not a self-oriented striving, and our sufficiency is in Christ alone.

I recommend this 188 page book to you, and consider it appropriate for a general Christian audience, and not particularly directed toward men or women – but both. After each chapter there are questions for personal thought or group discussion to help you contemplate the material. Thanks Aimee for your time and efforts in writing this worthwhile book.

*This review originally appeared on my personal blog: https://lightenough.wordpress.com/

[Chris Wray · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this. Aimee writes thoughtfully and thoroughly, but with a practical, unaffected style that is rooted in the rough and tumble of everyday Christian living. She also writes with an immediacy and zest that demonstrates a genuine love and enthusiasm for both good theology and the Christian life to which good theology points. A great example of this practical thoroughness comes as she introduces the concept of theological fitness: "When we say "I am a Christian," what do we mean by this profession?....our answer to this question, and our ability to proactively cling to a proper confession of what we believe, is directly connected to our ability to perseverance in the Christian life. All Christians need to know what they are persevering for, whether it is through a fiery trial or the mundanity of everyday living. This entails a tenacity to grasp what is true about the person and work of Jesus Christ. I call it theological fitness."

She goes on to further define theological fitness as the persistent fight to exercise our faith by actively engaging in the gospel truth revealed in God's word. Just like physical fitness, this sounds easy on the face of it, but really requires commitment, consistent effort and exertion, even pain, to build, maintain and grow. Aimee is also dead right when she asserts that everyone has theology and a creed, and that our theology shapes the way we live; studying the Who answers both the what and the why. Our beliefs about God, ourselves, and what he has done fundamentally influence the way we think and act as individuals, in the family, in the church, and society.

This book is an extended exposition of and reflection on Hebrews 10:23, and is significant for a couple of reasons. The first is that the analogy she employs in considering perseverance, that of physical fitness, is particularly helpful and more than holds the weight (pun intended) applied to it. When it comes to our dedication to maintaining and building physical fitness, I think most of us need a regular kick to the backside. The same applies to our spiritual well-being - as Aimee points out, there is no such thing as plateauing in our Christian walk. Steady, consistent, everyday exercise is of greater benefit to our physical fitness than intermittent bursts of enthusiasm that quickly fizzle out. The same principle applies when strengthening our spiritual muscles. Similarly, our perseverance and our spiritual health in general are largely put under pressure and tested in the everyday. There are moments in our lives that are of particular significance, but generally, it is the everyday that shows our faith to be genuine or not.

That notion of the ordinary leads me to the second reason that I think this book is particularly significant: the identity of the author. Aimee is (obviously) a woman, and it is immensely encouraging to read a book by a female, reformed author that isn't a "woman's" book. More significant than her gender, though, is the fact that Aimee is an ordinary layperson - the housewife theologian. The vast majority of good quality reformed books published over the past number of years have been written by pastors, elders and seminary professors. This book is a helpful reminder that thoughtful, rigorous and scripturally faithful theology, applied consistently and thoroughly to everyday life, isn't the preserve of a priestly caste of spiritual elites. It is a reminder that ordinary, everyday Christian faithfulness is no excuse for half-baked, sloppy thinking and theology. It is a reminder that is both welcome and refreshing, and needful for all Christians, both men and women. Time to get the spiritual running shoes on and start pounding the pavement!

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Byrd's second book and much like the first she packs it with some great challenging gospel and scripture that backs her theology and gives her charge to us some muscle. This time around she bases her theme around spiritual fitness and uses physical fitness (and cool 80's action movies) as her real life examples. At times it can get a little "schticky", but it loosely works.

Byrd bases this book around a Bible study she led at her church on Hebrews (Oh how I wish I could have sat in on that!). Within that context she also dissects Psalm 110 at length showing the importance of David's creed (and she follows the flow of the Apostle's Creed in doing so). This was a shorter book, which I finished in one day on the beach, but it flowed pretty well, read easily, and still was chock full of great meaty theology. She has 5 main sections broken down in two chapters each. Once again she proves she is well read and has done thorough research. I appreciate her ease of bridging the works of theologians such as Calvin, Edwards, Pink, Beele, Jones, Westminster profs Horton, Baugh, Van Drunen, etc. and dissecting them down in ways a lay person can easily understand.

I really liked her emphasis right from the beginning that the Christian faith is not a solo journey, it's one that must be run as a team and must be done within the confines of a Bible-believing church. Such a revelation for today's American feel-good "it's just me & Jesus" milked-down evangelical churches. But that also challenges those of us who are so used to putting up an "I'm alright" front no matter what is happening. Transparency and support is needed. She also emphasizes the need for a creed ("let us hold fast the confession...") and breaks it down so well. She also gets into the grit of covenant theology so well. She ends with the need for both meat and for rest, touching a bit on the Sabbath.

A great short but dense book, good for group discussion with questions at the end of each chapter. At the end the reader feels the need and desire for improving both spiritual and physical fitness training, though the first is clearly the most important.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aimee Byrd does a great job explaining the importance of persevering in the Christian life. Two main points of her argument are: every Christian will persevere and faith is a fighting grace. Byrd does a great job at point readers to Christ in the book.

At the same time, I believe this book could have been written without so many personal stories and antidotes. I appreciate her wit, but would have liked to see more explanation of the passage.

The author hammers into the reader's head that, "since Christ his Son has already paid the price for our sin, God will be faithful to transform us into Christ's likeness (131)."

Overall a easy and great read for anyone to read.

[Julianne2girls · Rating 4 out of 5]

Want to understand more about parts of the bible and God's wishes for us? Once you get past the first 10 pages or so, it's a very good read.