More Stott
9 comments | Permalink
A couple of you have asked where the John Stott quote came from that I posted last night. It came from his monumental work The Cross of Christ (IVP 1986) pg. 160. For those who don't know, Stott is now officially retired and residing in an assisted living facility for retired Anglican ministers. His life and ministry have been a remarkable inspiration to me. His commentaries on just about every book of the NT are still the ones I consult first and most. His outlines alone are worth the price of the book. For those who aren't familiar with John Stott, do yourself a favor: become familiar with him. He's written scores of books and you can listen to decades worth of sermons at http://www.allsouls.org/ascm/allsouls/static/index.html. At the very least, please purchase his most excellent book The Contemporary Christian (IVP 1992). Vintage Stott!
I couldn't let you go without giving you a couple more of my favorite Stott quotes:
"The Gospel is not good advice to men but good news about Christ; not an invitation to us to do anything, but a declaration of what God has done; not a demand but an offer." (The Message of Galatians pg. 70)
"We must never divorce what God has married, namely his Word and his Spirit. The Word of God is the Spirit's sword. The Spirit without the Word is weaponless; the Word without the Spirit is powerless." (The Message of Thessalonians pg. 34)
"The Christian hope is not the immortality of the soul (a shadowy, disembodied existence) but the resurrection of the body (a perfect instrument for the expression of our new life)." (The Authentic Jesus pg. 51)
Just a teaser. There are many more. Enjoy...
I couldn't let you go without giving you a couple more of my favorite Stott quotes:
"The Gospel is not good advice to men but good news about Christ; not an invitation to us to do anything, but a declaration of what God has done; not a demand but an offer." (The Message of Galatians pg. 70)
"We must never divorce what God has married, namely his Word and his Spirit. The Word of God is the Spirit's sword. The Spirit without the Word is weaponless; the Word without the Spirit is powerless." (The Message of Thessalonians pg. 34)
"The Christian hope is not the immortality of the soul (a shadowy, disembodied existence) but the resurrection of the body (a perfect instrument for the expression of our new life)." (The Authentic Jesus pg. 51)
Just a teaser. There are many more. Enjoy...
posted by Tullian Tchividjian at Sunday, July 29, 2007
9 Comments:
I also admire John Stott, because he is one of a very few who would admit what is very possible, and that is that annihilation of the wicked is within the realm of good Biblical exegesis.
I know he took a lot of flack at the time, but I think there are others who also would allow for this possibilty but would be afraid to admit this, for fear what others might think.
Stan
I like Stott, and I am grateful for his ministry. But I'm not so certain that the gospel is "not a demand, but an offer." I believe that the gospel is a gracious demand.
Sojourner, I thought about that as well. But taken in the context of the whole quote, his point is that the Gospel is the good news of what God has already done. Salvation, in Christ, has been accomplished. Inviting people to believe in Christ's "mission accomplished" is our part. I think that's his point. I hope that's his point.
This is good stuff. I am a big Stott fan. Christian Mission in the Modern World has had a lasting impact on my life. I am thankful for his ministry over the years.
Probably, together with folks like Packer, the blemish on Stott's life is his endorsement of the ECT.
While I can appreciate how others have benefited from Stott's writings, I find the relationship between his views on annihilation inconsistent with the glory of the cross that he writes about. If there's no eternal bad news, why is there a need for the gospel? Doesn't annihilation diminish the need for Christ's work?
I find it somewhat worrisome that so many evangelicals do not find this inconsistency problematic.
I've just finished studying his book "understanding the bible" in home group. It's excellent IMO. He has a very concise, clear and humble writing style, and a "teflon personality" that makes you forget how gifted the author is and focusses you on the wisdom of the content.
Could someone clarify what ECT is (all I know is that it's a type of shock therapy).
Regarding his attitudes to annihilation, it's certainly an interesting topic. Can anyone point to somewhere that he discusses it fully? God's justice is a mysterious subject.
Here is a link where John Stott gives his views on annihilation:
http://www.christianity.co.nz/life_death11.htm
Stan
beat attitude,
More on ECT:
http://www.geocities.com/christiantots/ECT.html
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home