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“Think Christ, Live Christian” is a practical guide to living the two commandments of Jesus – Love God and others.

For many of us Christians the relationship with Christ is casual, even cold and calculating – wanting favors from him, without responding in love. We do not understand the immeasurable love he has for us. We look at him through the human equation – he is like others who are around us. But he pants after us because he cannot help Himself; his love has no circumference, no limits. So, his hand is always open and outstretched, when ours are clenched.

Consider our neighbors. How willingly do we give, forgive, praise, and stay clear of inordinate attachments, when transacting with them? Or take our relationships – fragmented in many cases; beyond repair in some. Avoiding pompous instructions, TCLC outlines how we can take our relationships forward, by giving, forgiving, praising – constantly seeking the help of Jesus.

In short, “Think Christ, Live Christian” offers a helping hand in making obedience to the two commandments possible, even necessary.

Thoughts by Ignatius Fernandez

Inspiration: Reflecting on Biblical verses, I was struck by the all-embracing two commandments JESUS gave us at the Last Supper – Love God; love others. He compressed the whole of Scripture into those two commandments. Trying to understand them is the first step. Trying to live them is the next – easier said than done. My book is an attempt to outline ways and means of living the two commandments of JESUS in our daily lives.

Excerpt: There are many options. At random I chose the following (page 2):

To know Jesus is to establish a dynamic relationship with him – not static – which could peak in loving him as the farmer showed us how. Jesus made his love known to us through sacrifice and suffering. How do we make our love known to him? Doing it in any way would be a labor of love, spread across a lifetime – for growing in love is a passion that is on the edge of perfection, and perfection takes time and is rarely achieved.

No wonder in Matt. 5:48, Jesus exhorted his disciples to be perfect: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” In Leviticus 19:2, through Moses, God urged the Jews to be holy for a reason that denied any argument: “You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.” In 1 Corinthians 3:23, Saint Paul conclusively stated: “You belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.” Through attempts to be holy and perfect, we are pleasing in the eyes of Jesus – since we belong to him, and he to God.

What Do Readers Say?

This book is absolutely excellent. The quotes and illustrations are excellent. It is scholarly and has the essence of Biblical Christianity.

– Dr. Wayne Norton, Founder/Executive Director of Hope for Your Day Ministries, Claremore, Oklahoma

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This is a wonderful book! Surely it will impact and challenge you.

– Rev. Kwame Ankoma-Amoa, President and CEO of Gospel of Christ Ministries, Worcester, Massachusetts

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The author has the gift for storytelling. Through many anecdotes and short stories, he weaves a tale that makes a strong case for change.

– Edward Valenzuela, Former Managing Director, Accenture LLC, Littleton, Colorado

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This is a must-read. I found myself completely engaged in the God-inspired word, which seems to draw you in, as you read them, and compel you to read more. Each page overflows with hope and wisdom.

– Felicia Starkes-Sherman, writer, author, playwright, Director, Internet Radio Personality, speaker, entrepreneur,Columbus, Georgia

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Purpose and scope of the book: THINK CHRIST, LIVE CHRISTIAN is a wake-up call to all who profess to follow Christ, yet do not understand what that means to be Christian. Almost as an answer to the question – What does it me? –  Ignatius Fernandez has written an absorbing and thought provoking book on Christ’s message to us on becoming better Christians, His true followers.  This book is not for any particular church or sect, but an all-encompassing view of Christ’s teaching and why we are blinded sometimes by our beliefs and habits into missing essential truths.

Description – What it is: The book is not a discussion on the life of Christ; instead it unravels the teachings of Christ in respect to daily living. The author does this after years of research, not as a theologian, but as a Christ-loving person. Sharing the wisdom of other Christians, authors, and great thinkers, Fernandez has woven for us a tapestry that should adorn our lives. Much as Christ rarely preached to his disciples and followers, Fernandez also does not preach, but through an accumulated body of wisdom, provides us examples and stories to make his point. He has the gift of storytelling. Through many anecdotes and short stories he makes a strong case for change. The book subtly and effectively reminds us of becoming true Christians, not just Christians in name. As true Christians, we cannot think only of our perfection and salvation, but embrace others who are on the same pilgrimage. It urges us to accept our failings and beg Christ’s forgiveness, even as we strive to improve.

As a Christian, I find parts of the book painful to read the more I discover how my isolation blinds and prevents me from being a better Christian – one who reaches out to others. That is why Fernandez’s call to unity makes sense. Let us raise the banner of Christian unity, not the red flags of dissension and strife, he pleads.

What I have gained from the book: The foundation of our growth in Christ begins with the Bible. However, we are not limited by it in trying to understand God’s love for us.  Even other sources and cultures point to God’s love and the universality of His love, besides highlighting His saving power. His saving power powerfully came cross to me in the words of the scholar, as reported by a Baptist Minister: “I am a sinner and Jesus Christ is the great Savior”. Those words resonate in me, filling me with a burning desire to love my neighbor, not just the ones who attend my church or read the Bible I read. That God works through us, imperfect people, is a thought that energies my faith. I would like to become a saint, though I have a long way to go before I have a halo over my head. Trusting in the mercy of Jesus, I shall strive to become a better person – a better Christian.   

There is more to what I have gained: A very engrossing overview of Christianity, but also an insight into the real demons we battle to become better Christians.  These are the false gods of Wealth, Power, Fame and Pleasure.  Our devil in the materialistic world is the satisfaction we find in the latest hit song, or in the flavor of a new diet, or a new product technology offers us, or in the latest sex model. Not that each is bad in itself; but an obsession with them puts distance between us and Jesus. To fight such demons we cannot just cloth ourselves in Christ’s teachings, but also live them and be like Him. Not that we can easily climb such daunting heights, but try through sincere and consistent effort to climb a few rungs on the ladder to heaven. Spotlighting insincerity, Fernandez writes: “For many of us our relationship with God is religiosity (spurious and ritualistic sentiment). We perform acts of devotion, without being devout. We recite prayers without praying – often repeating them by heart, and not in our hearts. Through our insincerity we lie to Him.” What I have assuredly gained is a resolve not to be just an admirer of Christ, but His follower – making the fundamental message of the book my own.

A no small benefit to me has been the author’s list of references, which will be on my reading list for some time.

What does the reader gain? Even if this book was not aimed at Christians, it would be a great stimulus for those who look for an enriching reading experience. I strongly encourage Christians to read and enjoy this book. It will stimulate, enlighten and challenge you! Read the book for the wisdom it will bring to you. Read the book for deep insights on how to be Christ-centered. Most of all, read it to understand the love of Jesus and what it means to follow Him.

– Edward Valenzuela – Former Managing Director, Accenture LLC

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“Think Christ Live Christian” does not talk about love in its abstract form but that compelled by God to perform because He first loved us. The Christian love like faith demands an action––a practical demonstration of who we really are as Christians. Because love is a self-denial and self-sacrifice thing, we demonstrate it toward God and fellow humans. God is love and Christ Jesus embodies the totality of God’s love. Without Jesus, God’s love remains abstract––guesswork for humans to figure out.

“He created humans in Himself yet He foreknew all will sin. He came to our rescue when we sinned but had yet repented. He relinquished His divinity and became a human, even a servant, to appear on this sin-infected world to die and save all who may believe in Him and His Name. Yet He did not sin Himself but humans did to bring their penalty of death upon Him.”

Indeed, Ignatius Fernandez has conducted a broad and in-depth work on practical love yet he concludes Jesus as our true example. “Jesus is the first Christian,” he said. To seek and know and understand the love of God through Jesus and, the incredible love stories demonstrated by many diverse people, I highly recommend this well-illustrated work. Surely, you will be impacted and challenged!

“Think Christ Live Christian” firmly affirms with Scripture that love is the greatest of all the things we can do toward God and man. “Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.” Finally, Jesus commands, “Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (1Cor. 13:13; John 15:12b-13)

– Rev. Kwame Ankoma-Amoa.

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I have mixed thoughts on this book. Fernandez has a passion to see Christians live out their Christianity and has written this book as an encouragement to do so. The first part of the book he encourages readers to know and love Christ. He encourages us to live as Christians by knowing and loving others in the second part of the book.

Much of the book is good encouragement for Christians with many stories, examples and quotes from others. Some of this book is rambling teaching, however. An example is Fernandez on prayer. He writes, “Unless the four parts of prayer – adoration, praise, thanksgiving and supplication – are combined in surrender, our prayer is not complete. Our connection with Jesus is not made.” (Loc 1292/4544) Yet he also quotes another, “’A single grateful thought raised to heaven is the most perfect prayer.’” (Loc 1421/4544)

Fernandez is indiscriminate in his sources, something that will dismay evangelical Christians. He quotes Eckhart Tolle, for example (Loc 1092/4544), Deepak Chopra (Loc 2094/4544) and the vice-president of the Buddhist Society (Loc 2307/4544).

Evangelical Christians may also be puzzled by his reference to Veronica, the towel offered to Jesus as He suffered on the cross. (Loc 226/4544). Fernandez may be writing from a Roman Catholic perspective as he says James and Jude were Jesus’ cousins, not brothers. (Loc 995/4544) He also references the actions of several Saints.

Some of Fernandez’ theology will not be appreciated by evangelical Christians. He writes, for example, of attempts to be holy. “Holiness is not an event. It is a process that happens in stages and grows little by little.” (Loc 211/4544) He also writes, “…Jesus finds everyone lovable. Everyone is his child, whom he takes into his huge embrace…” (Loc 512/4544)

This may be a book reflecting Christianity from a worldwide perspective rather than Western evangelical Christianity. While the second half of the book contains positive example of Christian living and encouragement to live a life reflecting Christ’s love to others, I did find parts of the book somewhat less than what I would recommend.

– Joan

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