"I could never myself believe in God, if it were not for the cross. . . . In the real world of pain, how could one worship a God who was immune to it?" With compelling honesty John Stott confronts readers with the centrality of the cross in God's redemption of our pain-filled world.
Can we see triumph in tragedy, victory in shame? Why should an object of Roman distaste and Jewish disgust be the emblem of our worship and the axiom of our faith? And what does it mean for us today?
From one of the foremost preachers and Christian leaders of his generation, The Cross of Christ is a classic, accessible, and compelling look at the work of Christ. At the cross Stott finds the majesty and love of God disclosed, the sin and bondage of the world exposed. More than a study of the atonement, this book brings Scripture into living dialogue with Christian theology and contemporary issues. What emerges is a pattern for Christian life and worship, hope and mission.
In honor of John Stott's one hundredth birthday, this centennial edition includes an updated foreword by Alister McGrath and a new timeline of Stott's life. A study guide equips individuals and groups to more deeply reflect on and apply the book's message.
Table of Contents:
Foreword to the Centennial Edition by Alister McGrath
Preface to the Original Edition
Abbreviations
Part One: Approaching the Cross
1 The Centrality of the Cross
2 Why Did Christ Die?
3 Looking Below the Surface
Part Two: The Heart of the Cross
4 The Problem of Forgiveness
5 Satisfaction for Sin
6 The Self-Substitution of God
Part Three: The Achievement of the Cross
7 The Salvation of Sinners
8 The Revelation of God
9 The Conquest of Evil
Part Four: Living Under the Cross
10 The Community of Celebration
11 Self-Understanding and Self-Giving
12 Loving Our Enemies
13 Suffering and Glory
Conclusion: The Pervasive Influence of the Cross
Study Guide
Bibliography
Name Index
Subject Index
Scripture Index
John Stott: A Timeline
"John Stott rises grandly to the challenge of the greatest of all themes. All the qualities that we expect of him--biblical precision, thoughtfulness and thoroughness, order and method, moral alertness and the measured tread, balanced judgment and practical passion--are here in fullest evidence. This, more than any book he has written, is his masterpiece."--J. I. Packer, author of Knowing God
"Outside of the Bible itself, this may be the best book I've ever read on the cross of Christ. It is thorough, thoughtful, and timely. As I read it, my mind was challenged, my heart was warmed, my faith was strengthened, and my focus was sharpened on the cross. Praise God for just giving us Jesus with nail prints in his hands and feet!"--Anne Graham Lotz, author of Just Give Me Jesus
"In our world of war and terror, there is nothing more important to contemplate than the cross of Christ. May Stott's reflections give us the courage to fight, with all the love within us, the war of the slaughtered Lamb. The cross teaches us there is something worth dying for but nothing worth killing for, that we can conquer evil without mirroring it. So grab this book and get ready to live real good and get beat up real bad. It is the story of our faith."--Shane Claiborne, author of The Irresistible Revolution
"This is an overall fine, useful book. . . . It is always a delight to learn of others who take the cross of Christ seriously and seek to tell others about it."--Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly, Fall 2007
John Stott is known worldwide as a preacher, evangelist and communicator of Scripture. His books have sold millions of copies around the world and in dozens of languages. He was honored by Time magazine in 2005 as one of the "100 Most Influential People in the World."
Alister McGrath (D.Phil., D.D., Oxford University) holds the chair of theology, ministry and education and is head of the Centre for Theology, Religion Culture at King's College, London. A prolific author, his publications include Christianity's Dangerous Idea and A Passionate Intellect.
Pub Date: April 27, 2021
1.4" H x 9.1" L x 6.1" W
384 pages
hardcover