A God-Centered View of Salvation

A Theocentric Perspective of the Gospel

Christian - Devotion/Study
276 Pages
Reviewed on 02/10/2020
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

Allen M. Steely grew up as a “missionary kid” in Liberia and Nigeria in West Africa with the Sudan Interior Mission. After graduation from Wheaton College, he did two years of famine relief work in Ethiopia. He is currently in his forty-third year of teaching science and Bible classes at Rockford Christian School and is a member of the First Evangelical Free Church of Rockford, Illinois.
Allen is a Sunday School teacher and a seminar speaker on “Scientific and Biblical Creationism” in which he explains the flaws of evolution and gives God the credit for His magnificent creation. He also speaks on “Seeing God’s Attributes in Nature (His Creation)”—lessons from science that show God’s amazing wisdom, power, and love. He is the author of a single book, “A God-Centered View of Salvation: A Theocentric Perspective of the Gospel” which discusses the benefits for God in mankind’s salvation and proposes that salvation is really about God getting His benefits when we are saved—not us getting ours.
Allen and his wife Marcia have four lovely children and five grandchildren which they love dearly! For exercise, he enjoys playing soccer, indoor floor hockey, and does pairs classical dance skating. His hobbies include hiking and nature photography. It is not uncommon for him to meet people on their return trip down a nature path while he is still trying to perfectly frame a picture of a beautiful flower just one hundred feet from the start of the trail!

    Book Review

Reviewed by Lesley Jones for Readers' Favorite

Sometimes we forget who God really is and the power he has over our lives and others. Many people turn to God in times of need or grief, forgetting the vital importance to ask how you can serve and not be served. Discover the significance of why having the right motivation is key when asking God for salvation. With over 2 billion people claiming to be Christians, are they being misled regarding their redemption? Using passages from the Bible, we examine if our incentives to carry out our good deeds will not bring us the rewards we seek in the eyes of God. What is God's view of self-esteem and forgiveness? A God-Centered View of Salvation by Allen M. Steely will teach you the true meaning of salvation and how you can serve God while elevating yourself to the highest form of spirituality.

A God-Centered View of Salvation by Allen M. Steely truly challenges our steadfast beliefs on salvation and why your well-intended actions may be working against you. You really have to read this book with an open mind as you may disagree with a lot of statements the author makes. But using passages from the Bible, the author makes the case for true salvation very intelligently. I believe the intention of this book is not to strive to become the perfect person but to adjust your belief system so your motivations and deeds align correctly with what God expects from us. There are many interesting sections throughout which made perfect sense and a viewpoint I had not considered before. I especially enjoyed the section regarding who is responsible for the bad events that occur in our lives, the real reason we need to forgive, and why our good deeds are, at their core, quite selfish. A very thought-provoking book indeed.

K.C. Finn

A God-Centered View of Salvation: A Theocentric Perspective of the Gospel is a work of non-fiction focused on Christian themes and devotional methods penned by author Allen M. Steely. With its central focus on the motivations behind faith, the author explores the concept of the salvation that a life devoted to God offers, and why people would choose it. Relating to scripture and exploring different beliefs over time, a key theme that develops is that of selfish motivation, which goes directly against God because it connects to idolatry. What results is an exploration of what true faith means in its most pure and selfless sense, and advice on how others can access this approach.

Author Allen M. Steely presents an interesting rebuttal to the catch-all idea that God saves everyone, no matter their intentions. Exploring the difference between a casual mention of faith and those who consider themselves truly devoted, the work is well organized to carry us through the author’s thought processes. The references which are made are well-formatted and eye-catching amongst the prose, and also well-chosen to support the arguments which Steely makes throughout his work. Despite the critical nature of some of its considerations, the narrative is written with a committed kindness and devotion to God, especially with the understanding that everyone is able to make these attitudinal adjustments with a little guidance. Overall, A God-Centered View of Salvation is sure to be a valuable text for Christians looking to deepen their devotion.

Ruffina Oserio

A God-Centered View of Salvation: A Theocentric Perspective of the Gospel by Allen M. Steely is a great devotional read that aptly articulates the theme of salvation and walks readers through the mind of God as expressed in the Bible. The book starts with a question that anyone who claims to be a Christian should consider: “Is it possible that most people who call themselves Christians are not really saved?” The author moves on to prove how the right notion of salvation has been gradually distorted by the influence of contemporary American humanistic philosophy which endorses concepts of “self-love” and “self-esteem” that eventually shift the focus from a God-centered perspective to the self. In this book, the author defines how salvation should be viewed, shares insights and compelling commentaries on the biblical texts that convey the theme of salvation and what it is supposed to be from a theocentric perspective, and what it really takes to be saved.

Allen M. Steely’s A God-Centered View of Salvation has a powerful message for contemporary Christians and it invites readers to go back to the source of the teachings on salvation. At a time when salvation and religion have become a form of business to many, this book is a powerful reminder of the warning of Jesus when He said: “For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” -- Matthew 7:13-14 (NIV). This book not only explains what salvation is according to the mind of God but shows the reader the path to it. It is written in a popular conversational style. The writing is fluid and engaging and filled with real examples and concrete analysis of our culture and the effect it has on our faith.