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The Good Life in the Last Days: Making Choices When the Time is Short
A popular-level book about how we should live as we await Christ’s return, and how we work out what a sacrificial life looks like in the details of making decisions about our lives.
- GenresChristian
190 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 28, 2018
About the author
Mikey Lynch
3 books4 followersMikey Lynch is the Campus Director of the University Fellowship of Christians at the University of Tasmania, Hobart, where he focuses on preaching to unchurched university students and graduates. But he doesn t feel at all guilty about spending time inline skating.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 6, 2018
A really well written book about how to understand things like the "hard sayings of Jesus" and 1 Corinthians 7:29-31, which seems to imply radical effects on our relationships based on "the time being short", whereas at the same time, the Bible speaks of living a quiet and peaceful life, working with your hands, taking care of your family, and overall an understanding that all creation of God is good and to be enjoyed.
Want to read it again and hopefully discuss it with friends, as it is definitely a thought provoking book, and thankfully the person who gifted me with this book after the National Training Event in Canberra this year also got one himself and copies for the others of us from our University Christian group too, so I've got a few other friends who will be able to read it and discuss it with.
Want to read it again and hopefully discuss it with friends, as it is definitely a thought provoking book, and thankfully the person who gifted me with this book after the National Training Event in Canberra this year also got one himself and copies for the others of us from our University Christian group too, so I've got a few other friends who will be able to read it and discuss it with.
May 28, 2022
Are you looking for a good book to study as a small group (fellowship/Bible study group) or book club? Can I highly recommend this book for your consideration? I'm naming this one of the top books I've read in 2022!
This book is the one I've been looking for as I've had unanswered questions lingering about how to live as a Christian with these two seemingly opposing principles: sacrificial living and enjoying life (alongside Sabbath rest).
Mikey Lynch writes a concise but thorough resource, considering both the theology and the practical outworkings of the divinely diverse way in which we've been made as humans but also the wonderful-though-fallen world we live in and want to share Jesus with. He summarises well on a theology of sacrifice and Christian freedom -- which must be understood through the lens of the reality that we are living in the last days (i.e. a good way of living in Christ in light of a proper understanding of eschatology).
He has a concise and catchy way of summarising his content. Here's a taster of this:
"In this chapter, I want to say that dying to self, putting Christ first and treating the things of this world as temporary is the best way to live life. It's really good because it's really real and it's really worth it. As we explored in chapter 3, the right way to live is determined by our place in his creation: who we are, where we are and when we are. Since it is in fact the last days, to live well is to live in the light of this."
(I also love the effective alliteration used, e.g. Ch 1: Devotion and diversity; Ch 2: Devotion, diversity and the day-to-day.)
I thoroughly appreciated his teaching of 1 Corinthians 7 in the second half of the book, reading it as a single Christian woman who feels edified and understood -- for both the sacrifices made in choosing & living out singleness at this season of my life, but also for the enjoyment of the freedoms that this has allowed me.
Christian friend, whatever season you find yourself in, whether you are "the strong and sacrificial" type, "the bruised reed", a preacher and teacher and friend, or the "confused and deflated" one, this book has been written with you in mind. What are you waiting for? I urge you to pick up and read, and then discuss with your friends, family, or book club 🙂
This book is the one I've been looking for as I've had unanswered questions lingering about how to live as a Christian with these two seemingly opposing principles: sacrificial living and enjoying life (alongside Sabbath rest).
Mikey Lynch writes a concise but thorough resource, considering both the theology and the practical outworkings of the divinely diverse way in which we've been made as humans but also the wonderful-though-fallen world we live in and want to share Jesus with. He summarises well on a theology of sacrifice and Christian freedom -- which must be understood through the lens of the reality that we are living in the last days (i.e. a good way of living in Christ in light of a proper understanding of eschatology).
He has a concise and catchy way of summarising his content. Here's a taster of this:
"In this chapter, I want to say that dying to self, putting Christ first and treating the things of this world as temporary is the best way to live life. It's really good because it's really real and it's really worth it. As we explored in chapter 3, the right way to live is determined by our place in his creation: who we are, where we are and when we are. Since it is in fact the last days, to live well is to live in the light of this."
(I also love the effective alliteration used, e.g. Ch 1: Devotion and diversity; Ch 2: Devotion, diversity and the day-to-day.)
I thoroughly appreciated his teaching of 1 Corinthians 7 in the second half of the book, reading it as a single Christian woman who feels edified and understood -- for both the sacrifices made in choosing & living out singleness at this season of my life, but also for the enjoyment of the freedoms that this has allowed me.
Christian friend, whatever season you find yourself in, whether you are "the strong and sacrificial" type, "the bruised reed", a preacher and teacher and friend, or the "confused and deflated" one, this book has been written with you in mind. What are you waiting for? I urge you to pick up and read, and then discuss with your friends, family, or book club 🙂
February 28, 2019
A clear, compelling and surprisingly easy to read book on how we hold the tension between the "urgency of the gospel" and making time for other things in our lives. Is it right to ignore my family if it's for the cause of the gospel? Can I rationalise hobbies that don't have any inbuilt gospel opportunities to them? Is sacrificing all of my own desires a naturaly 'holy' thing? Lynch looks through these questions and many more.
If you've ever struggled with how you're supposed to find balance in your life, then this is a worthwhile read!
If you've ever struggled with how you're supposed to find balance in your life, then this is a worthwhile read!
August 10, 2019
Had a great time reading this book with a friend over the term. We both really challenged and enjoyed it, and we particularly recommend reading/discussing the ideas with someone else to help retain and comprehend what's being read.
The book considers similar issues to that of Guidance and the Wisdom of God, which I read earlier in the year. Although, this book spends more time around the teachings of Jesus regarding sacrifice and 1 Corinthians 7.
The book considers similar issues to that of Guidance and the Wisdom of God, which I read earlier in the year. Although, this book spends more time around the teachings of Jesus regarding sacrifice and 1 Corinthians 7.
April 24, 2018
Really good on wise living in the 'confusing' but wonderful world in which God has placed us. However, I had hoped for much more on living in the light of the last days...more possible applications of what choices might look like with that in view.
November 16, 2018
'The Good Life' is a warm, conversational treatment of the trickiness of ethical deliberation written for "the strong and sacrificial," "the bruised reed," "the preacher and teacher," and the "confused and deflated" in light of what it means to balance living a life of sacrifice in the last days with the fundamental goodness of creation.
Mikey's tone is a helpful corrective to some tendencies to simplify "what matters" in how we go about life and decisions as people of Christ. He draws from and distils the thoughts and reasoning of heavy-weights (like Oliver O'Donovan) in an easy-to-digest manner, and reminds us of the beautiful truth of Christian freedom without downplaying sin, nor the complexity of life.
Overall, Mikey's book is a much-needed resource for Christians torn and paralysed in their decision-making as he leads us to the fundamental outworking of grace.
Mikey's tone is a helpful corrective to some tendencies to simplify "what matters" in how we go about life and decisions as people of Christ. He draws from and distils the thoughts and reasoning of heavy-weights (like Oliver O'Donovan) in an easy-to-digest manner, and reminds us of the beautiful truth of Christian freedom without downplaying sin, nor the complexity of life.
Overall, Mikey's book is a much-needed resource for Christians torn and paralysed in their decision-making as he leads us to the fundamental outworking of grace.
October 24, 2018
This is such a great book. Mikey has a talent for talking about difficult ethical scenarios in ways that are easy to understand, without losing the ethical complexity.
As Christians we are called to follow Jesus, and to make many sacrifices in our lives. Because of our unique circumstances this will look different for everyone.
But how do we know if we are making good choices?
What does the bible command everyone to do?
What does the bible encourage us to do?
Where does the bible give us freedom to choose?
How do you balance sacrifice with enjoying good gifts?
How do you know what career is good for you? Ministry or not?
What if you're chronically ill - are you failing God because you cannot do as much as others? Are you unable to serve God fully?
These are just some of the questions that Mikey covers in his book!
His answers are thoughtful, and insightful. Most importantly Mikey relies on the bible to help him answer these questions, and he does so with integrity and honesty.
I loved that Mikey has engaged with God's word (again and again), and also with the views of popular bible teachers (Don Carson, Tim Keller, and John Dickson just to name a few!)
Finally I really enjoyed just how readable this book is - I read it over two days because I could just not put it down!
As Christians we are called to follow Jesus, and to make many sacrifices in our lives. Because of our unique circumstances this will look different for everyone.
But how do we know if we are making good choices?
What does the bible command everyone to do?
What does the bible encourage us to do?
Where does the bible give us freedom to choose?
How do you balance sacrifice with enjoying good gifts?
How do you know what career is good for you? Ministry or not?
What if you're chronically ill - are you failing God because you cannot do as much as others? Are you unable to serve God fully?
These are just some of the questions that Mikey covers in his book!
His answers are thoughtful, and insightful. Most importantly Mikey relies on the bible to help him answer these questions, and he does so with integrity and honesty.
I loved that Mikey has engaged with God's word (again and again), and also with the views of popular bible teachers (Don Carson, Tim Keller, and John Dickson just to name a few!)
Finally I really enjoyed just how readable this book is - I read it over two days because I could just not put it down!
March 3, 2024
I remember reading this when I was younger and having it all go a little bit over my head. Reading it again second time around was a much more fruitful endeavour.
The book was a helpful exploration into the tension of how to make good and godly decisions given the reality of living in the 'last days'. The chapters I enjoyed and ideas that stood out for me were:
- The theology of sacrifice - what is actually Christian sacrifice and how should we understand it?
- The idea of living in the era of 'as if'.
- The concern with making decisions that shape the kind of people we become, rather than just focusing on the decision itself.
The book leans and emphasises on the side of Christian freedom. I would have liked to see a bit more discussion on the priority of the 'as if' time, especially recognising the urgency of the gospel. However, it was the aim I think of the author to address what he perceived as a tendancy for pulpit teaching that addresses the urgency without the freedom.
Overall, I found it a stimulating read and I liked the West Wing references!
The book was a helpful exploration into the tension of how to make good and godly decisions given the reality of living in the 'last days'. The chapters I enjoyed and ideas that stood out for me were:
- The theology of sacrifice - what is actually Christian sacrifice and how should we understand it?
- The idea of living in the era of 'as if'.
- The concern with making decisions that shape the kind of people we become, rather than just focusing on the decision itself.
The book leans and emphasises on the side of Christian freedom. I would have liked to see a bit more discussion on the priority of the 'as if' time, especially recognising the urgency of the gospel. However, it was the aim I think of the author to address what he perceived as a tendancy for pulpit teaching that addresses the urgency without the freedom.
Overall, I found it a stimulating read and I liked the West Wing references!
February 11, 2019
Really helpful principles and guidelines for living life and making decisions 'in the last days'. Found the emphasis on Christian freedom in choosing between multiple 'good' things particularly relevant. Also found the key principles of Christian ethics helpful:
'-Treat ech thing and love each person as who they are, where they are and when they are.
-Know who we are, where we are, and when we are.
-Understand Christian freedom.'
'we make decisions in the light of all this with realism, recognising diversity, being content, thinking it through under the word of God and doing what we want.'
'-Treat ech thing and love each person as who they are, where they are and when they are.
-Know who we are, where we are, and when we are.
-Understand Christian freedom.'
'we make decisions in the light of all this with realism, recognising diversity, being content, thinking it through under the word of God and doing what we want.'
July 7, 2026
This was really good. I would give it a 3 because it's not a page turner (although it is an easy read and the second time i attempted it, i skipped the foreword and read it in one sitting) but i gave it a 4 because it was easy to read and i thought the author dealt with some useful asides (such as not mis-using the saying 'a wife can double or halve her husband's ministry' to tear down the wife, or to negate the wife's ministry and the fact that their lives are one. I appreciated the consistent thoughtfulness of each point being made
May 31, 2023
My rating: 3 stars.
June 26, 2025
Good book on how to live out the Christian faith.
The audio is generally really, really quiet, with the sound in a couple of random chapters at a normal volume which is jarring.
The audio is generally really, really quiet, with the sound in a couple of random chapters at a normal volume which is jarring.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews