I found plenty to appreciate about this book. I am always pleased to find doctrinally sound books geared toward laypeople, making connections between theology and the concrete details of daily walking with Christ. Fitzpatrick does a wonderful job of instilling the significance of the Incarnation and union with Christ for believers; I was moved to praise many times as I read, and I especially appreciated her emphasis on the humanity of Jesus Christ and what His defeat of sin and death means for us in light of that.

A couple of small concerns stuck with me. First, I thought her exegesis was a slight stretch at times. I thought that her redemptive-historical reading of the Old Testament (if that is the correct term to use) almost ran the risk of eliding the significance of events, e.g. the exodus, in favor of showing how everything pointed forward to Christ.

In the final chapter, I also struggled with some of her remarks on sanctification. Though I'd agree that the ground of our growth is in looking continually to Christ, I'm less certain that the whole of our striving is in remembering and resting upon His work. She makes it out to sound like a fairly passive process, and from those who favor this way of talking about sanctification, I've never heard a satisfactory explanation for how it really takes hold cognitively and in one's affections. I was also uncomfortable with her discussion of sin when she makes it sound like it is always a matter of trying to establish our own righteousness rather than believing in Christ's. But I've been wrestling with this topic a lot lately, so it is possible that I'm importing some of my issues from the sanctification debate into my reading of her.

This is still a book I'd happily recommend to most laypeople, caveats and all. ( )

Found in Him
Elyse Fitzpatrick

Book Summary: Believers’ union with Christ stands at the heart of the gospel. Thankfully, this neglected doctrine is garnering renewed interest among academics and lay people alike. Writing with everyday readers in mind, Elyse Fitzpatrick embarks on a journey of discovery and joy as she explores the wonder of the Incarnation and the glory of the Christian’s unbreakable connection to Christ. Fitzpatrick looks at the Bible’s use of marriage as a metaphor for the relationship that Christians enjoy with their Savior, examining its significance for understanding key doctrines such as Jesus’s death, resurrection, and ascension. Directing Christians to the core of their salvation, this devotional book will stir readers’ affections for God and renew their confidence as beloved children “in Christ.”

Review: I found this book difficult to read at times. I struggled the most at the beginning with some of Ms. Fitzpatrick’s statements like Jesus was made in man’s image and before the next chapter, if that long later, closed she reversed that statement. There were many statements that she and I do not agree on along that vein. I do not want to go into all of them for fearing to sound like I am picking on her. I think the greatest thing this book did for me was prove I can defend my position with scripture and find the scripture that refutes things written in this book. I also disagree with some of her ideas about what Peter stated at the Transfiguration, since they were based on Ms. Fitzpatrick’s ideas and not on scripture I won’t argue about being right or wrong. I will say that she is wrong about the Jews not being able to kill another Jew. Stephen is a perfect example of that along with Paul. I believe maybe she meant that they could kill him to the point where He was a cursed, the only way to do that is by hanging him on a tree. For the Bible say ‘cursed is anyone who hangs on a tree’ they did intend to kill him in His own home town by picking up stones to stone Him with. The only one to live through a stoning in the Bible is Paul. That is not because of him but God.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Crossway for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy and I was never asked to write a favorable review by anyone. ( )

“We neglect the doctrines of incarnation and union to our own deep impoverishment. It’s a sad reality that many Christians spend their entire lives wandering around a spiritual wilderness, malnourished, thirsting, and consuming rubbish because they have never feasted on the soul-consoling, heart transforming, zeal-engendering truth found in the study of the incarnation and union.”

With this, Elyse Fitzpatrick invites the reader to come with her through a study of the believers union with Christ and His incarnation and to experience relief from the “isolation pandemic” that has struck so many. This is an encouraging, comforting, and edifying book. Fitzpatrick’s writings consistently encourage me and Found in Him was no different. God has a special way of using her words to minister to me, and many others as well.

Chapter 1 is a great overview of Christ in all the Scriptures. It could easily stand on its own as a booklet on how to properly see the grand narrative of Scripture running through the Bible from cover to cover.

Beginning in chapter 2, Fitzpatrick allots about half of the book to look at the incarnation and half to see the Doctrine of Union with Christ. Basically, Christ in his grace-filled goodness united himself with humanity in the incarnation in order that the believer might be united to Christ for eternity in order that God would be praised and man be saved….that is my summary, not hers.

“The incarnate God-man Jesus Christ is completely matchless, and his condescension to humanity’s earthiness, finitude, frailty, and sin should astonish us and provoke worship. But the sad truth is that we’ve become so very familiar with this story that we can hum carols during the Christmas season while we shop for trinkets and never once fall on our faces in awe”

Fitzpatrick’s goal in the first section of her book is to fight back against this tendency by leading the reader to a place where the incarnation produces a constant and overwhelming sense of awe and wonder…feelings that this event most rightly deserve.
In her section on the incarnation, Fitzpatrick covers the birth of Jesus and much more. For some reason for me the term “incarnation” has taken on an exclusively Christmas theme in my thinking. Fitzpatrick covers the whole of Christ’s humanity, including but not limited to his miraculous virgin birth. She encourages the reader to rejoice in the full humanity of our Savior who was tempted just as we are but whose innocence and obedient righteousness purchased our redemption.
Fitzpatrick goes on to discuss union with Christ, a topic that is incredibly important and often neglected. She looks at how the Scriptures speak of the believer being “one with Christ” and “in Christ”.

“Our ‘one with-ness’ in him is eternal and unbreakable; our union with him is his holy vow that he will be one with us forever. Cease loving you? God can no more do that than he can cease loving his own dear Son. You’re loved. You’re not alone or lost. You’ve been found in him.”

She continues:
“Yes, because of this ‘one with-ness,’ we have redemption, eternal life, no condemnation, freedom from slavery to the principle of sin and death, and the never-ending love of God. In addition we also have unity with the Godhead and with other members of the church; we have grace, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption…We’ve been freed from having to merit God’s love through obedience and have been assured of his love for us, no matter how we fail…In fact, right now we’ve been raised up and seated with him, enabled to do good works that he has already accomplished for us. We have forgiveness of sins, life, grace, and salvation, and every need has been supplied. This union, this ‘in-ness’ that we have with him, is what the Christian life is all about.”

Fitzpatrick includes a section at the end about the necessity for precise language and the benefits of the historic Christian creeds. If that seems out of place, it really isn’t. It is important to recognize, not just what we personally think the Bible says about a subject, but what the Church as a whole has historically held to. No person is an island unto themselves, and this is especially true for the Christian.

This is a great book and I plan on returning to it and spending more time in its pages.


**I received a free advanced electronic copy from Crossway Books through NetGalley for review. I was not obligated to provide positive feedback, and the opinions expressed here are entirely my own. ( )