Who was ultimately responsible for sentencing Jesus to death on the cross? Can we ever be good enough for God? Do all "religious" people go to heaven? In Who Put Jesus on the Cross? A.W. Tozer examines some of the most difficult questions of the Christian faith. His indictment of lackluster belief forms the cornerstone of his appeal as he asks the reader what it really costs to be a Christian. Tozer inspires conviction that will have you digging deep within your heart to newly realize the meaning of Christ's death and resurrection and discover the "Word of God as the foundation of our peace and rest."
Who are enemies of the cross, and who are defenders of the faith? In Defense of the Cross of Christ is a wake-up call to sleeping Christians who keep hitting the conviction snooze button of God's command for obedience and holiness through His grace that compels us and equips us to personify Jesus in selfless love. In Defense of the Cross of Christ is an uncompromising warning to church leaders who have invaded the church with humanistic thinking and become stumbling blocks for babes in Christ while deceiving others to follow their pernicious ways of iniquity and to rejoice in it. Over a decade in preparation, In Defense of the Cross of Christ is now ready for you. The question is, are you ready for it? "I know of no other current author who addresses the issue of iniquity among the body of Christ as clearly and concisely as it is dealt with in this work. Just as importantly, I testify that the words written have the testimony of the Spirit by the demonstration of a life lived by the principles here taught." Corey Dawes, Father's Honor Ministry "With passion and conviction, Steven has presented an excellent defense of the cross. Through Scripture and his insight, the reader is drawn to move away from elementary teachings of Scripture and toward deeper water by allowing the love of Christ to guide every decision of their lives. In Defense of the Cross of Christ is intended for slow digestion so the reader may obtain the full nutrients it contains." Kevin Clouse, pastor and writer, First Church of God
"Christianity is a religion founded on the mystery of the cross of Christ." --Leo the Great At the center of Christianity sits the cross of Christ. From the beginning, Christ's followers celebrated the cross as a symbol of their faith. It was honored in church worship, carved into rough tombstones, pressed onto loaves of bread and set out as a sign of sanctuary. The cross represented what Christians believed, who they hoped for and how they approached life. In this thoughtful book Judith Couchman takes up forty images of the cross from early Christianity. As we discover the meaning and significance of each of these uses, we learn a little more about the early church. More than that, she helps us focus on the meaning of the cross and the Savior's sacrifice. Ideal for Lenten devotional reading and appropriate for any season of the church calendar, this book includes original illustrations of each cross image. The Mystery of the Cross will enrich your understanding of Christian tradition and draw you into Christ's presence.
This book is the first published statement of the fruits of some years' work of a largely philological nature. It presents a new appreciation of the relationship of the languages of the ancient world and the implication of this advance for our understanding of the Bible and of the origins of Christianity.
ÒIt is sometimes said that the great question of the hour for the Church's belief is Christological; it is the question of Christ's person. That is true. But it is the question of the cross all the same.Ó (p16)Written over seventy years ago, P.T. Forsyth's ÒCruciality of the CrossÒ continues to provide an excellent and vital foundation for an understanding of the Christian doctrine of the atonement.
Andrew Murray relates in this work the importance of the cross to Christian belief, and to the lessons which Jesus Christ wanted to teach all of mankind. Although demonstratively brief, Murray's explanations contain a conviction and poignancy, explaining the centrality and vitality of the crucifix to the Christian faith. The crucifixion's importance in Christ's message and destiny, and the reasons behind why his spirit was led to a painful end upon the cross, are keenly discussed by Murray. He delivers explanations of the cross as a symbol of Christian attainment, wherein God takes possession of the human soul and frees it from sin for eternity. Andrew Murray authored 200+ works on the religion and ministry of Christianity, the Bible, and on topics inspiring Christians to lead virtuous and happy lives. Murray spent most of his life imparting the word of God in churches throughout South Africa, and in the 1880s became an important figure in the founding of the South African General Mission.
Place yourself as a witness of the cross and determine what your own testimony will be! Experience Holy Friday from the perspective of those who watched Jesus die: Mary his mother; the Beloved Disciple from the Gospel of John; Mary Magdalene and the other women from Galilee; the two men, usually identified as thieves, crucified with Jesus; the centurion and the soldiers; Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. Jews and Romans, friends and strangers, the powerful and the powerless, the hopeful and the despairing. The story of Jesus’s death is not something we just read: we think about it, and we experience it; we hear the taunts of the soldiers, the priests, and the passersby even as we hear the famous “seven last words” from the cross. In Witness at the Cross, Amy-Jill Levine shows how the people at the cross each have distinct roles to play. Each Evangelist presents a distinct picture of the death of Jesus. Each portrays different individuals and groups of people at the cross, each offers different images and dialogues, and so from each, we learn how those meanings and messages cross the centuries to any who would come to the cross today. Each Gospel has its own story to tell, all the witnesses have their own memories, and every reader comes away with a new insight. The witnesses at the Crucifixion watch Jesus die, and we watch with them, and we watch them. And we come away transformed. Additional components are available for a six-week study include a DVD featuring Dr. Levine and a comprehensive Leader Guide.
In 1999 a pastor traveled to remote villages in northern Cambodia to spread the gospel. He thought he would be the first person to speak of Jesus in that formerly Communist-controlled region. However, at one small village the people welcomed him eagerly and told him they had been waiting for him for 20 years. Here is their story.
'There was a time when the cross was an answer ; today the cross is a question.' Hanging by a Thread revisits the harrowing story at the very heart of Christianity. With unswerving courage, elegant simplicity and captivating example, it scrutinises the assumption that the crucifixion was about fixing human problems, and instead suggests it was the culmination of God's disarming purpose to be with us, no matter what. This transformation from 'for' to 'with' discloses a profound, moving and inspiring vision of what the central event of the Christian faith was truly about. Samuel Wells considers the risk, cost and suffering of the cross in the light of six key contemporary concerns : the reliability of history, the fragility of trust, the fact of mortality, the search for meaning, the nature of power, and the character of love. He recognises that the cross leaves our easy assumptions and tidy answers hanging by a thread. All sentimental and idolatrous notions of faith must ultimately give way before a God who, despite danger and disgrace, regardless of how much we deny and reject, gives everything to be with us. -- page [4] of cover.
