Every Page

The gospel is on every page in the scriptures, Mrs. Betty Williams was fond of saying. Dan Allender is, like Betty Williams, a purveyor of the truth. Dan has said that if the gospel of Christ is not true now, in the tempest of your souls, in the darkest night, then it never could be true. Think of the time most bleak in your history; it may be the present day. It is that time in particular which Christ came to redeem. The terrible reality of an incurable disease, the sudden violent death of a parent or loved one, a wayward child, a cheating spouse, a friend's betrayal...and the converse: the incidences when you were the one to do violence-when, instead of being the wounded, you made the wound.
All this said, could there be a moment in time for which Christ's finished work is not sufficient? Any of the most heinous? Surely there was that time when X or Y happened? Would you want a gospel to be halfway or three-quarters true? I submit to you the gospel is true, and God is who he claims to be; the work of Christ has accomplished what we could not ever do-he has reconciled us to the Father. Let us rest assured in that truth, *disturbing though it may be.

*I say it is disturbing because there's always the temptation to say, yes, but...or, I appreciate that Jesus died for my sins and for the sins of the world, but isn't there something I must do to right the wrongs? Christ's perfect finished work is distinguished from the good works which are to flow from faith...more later