Book Description

When Christ went into the wilderness for forty days, he was tempted by Satan in multiple ways. In the devil's third and final temptation, he offered Christ all the kingdoms of the world in exchange for one momentary compromise of values. Christ denied this temptation, and in so doing, he set an example for Christians of all ages thereafter to follow. The Third Temptation is an exploration of the political theology of the Bible, and especially the implications of Christ's response to the temptation in the wilderness. The book sketches an overarching narrative of a God who wants a relationship of direct authority over His people -- and His self-sacrificial quest to reclaim that power. Believers have an important role to play in advancing God's Kingdom on Earth, but that role cannot be fulfilled through the channels of government. The lesson of The Third Temptation is that the church cannot fulfill the gospel by means of the sword, and the government cannot carry out its God-given tasks by means of the cross. "Austin Rogers is a gifted writer whose magnificent prose, profound insights, rigorous logic and impeccable scholarship assure that The Third Temptation is destined to be a classic." --Lawrence W. Reed, author of "Was Jesus A Socialist?" "In an age when many Christians on both sides of the aisle see political power as the ultimate means to fulfill God's purposes on Earth, Austin's examination of why Jesus refused to accept political power when it was offered to him is an urgent call to reimagine the relationship between God and government and what it truly means to follow in the footsteps of Jesus." --Kevin Miller, director of "J.E.S.U.S.A." and "Hellbound?" "Rogers is exceedingly helpful for disciples to align their approach to politics with the Scriptures and the will of God for our lives." --D. Eric Schansberg, Professor at Indiana University Southeast and author of "Turn Neither to the Right nor to the Left: A Thinking Christian's Guide to Politics and Public Policy" "This is a work not to be ignored, as Christians of every political persuasion will be both challenged and invigorated by Rogers' analysis and policy proposals. No thoughtful reader will remain unchanged after reading this book!" --Doug Stuart, CEO, Libertarian Christian Institute