ECLIPSE OF THE GOSPEL

Description

ECLIPSE OF THE GOSPEL – ALLRED, FRANK

On Wednesday 11th August 1999, over a vast area – from the south west of England to the Bay of Bengal, near India – the sun was totally eclipsed by the moon. it was a vivid reminder of our dependence on the sun for light and life. It is also a vivid reminder of our dependence on the gospel for our spiritual light and life. The creeping shadows of the eclipse were a symbol of the spiritual darkness that is slowly spreading across much of the Western world. Millions are walking in darkness (Isaiah 9:2). Thankfully, the light still shines here and there, stubbornly resisting the enveloping gloom, but over large areas the eclipse is virtually total. The present spiritual gloom is due in no small measure to the church’s failure to proclaim the gospel. In this survey, attention is drawn to three essential components of the gospel that are neglected today, without which it loses its purpose, its urgency and its character: The sovereignty of God The holiness of God The judgment of God When Christians fail to proclaim the sovereignty of God, they cannot avoid giving the false impression that sinful men and women are masters of their own destiny. When Christians fail to proclaim the holiness of God, they cannot avoid masking the seriousness of human sin. And when Christians fail to proclaim the judgment of God, they cannot avoid trivialising his love. The aim of this book is to challenge those who have departed from the Bible; to encourage those who believe it to be much more serious in their study of it; and to help those who teach others to come to a better understanding of it, whether they are full-time ministers or ‘laymen’