My Notes from the Book ‘Basic Christianity’ by John Stott: "Who on Earth is Jesus Christ" (Part Two)

Article Title: My Notes from the Book ‘Basic Christianity’ by John Stott: "Who on Earth is Jesus Christ" (Part Two)
Shared by: Craig Lock
Category (Key Words/Tags): Christianity, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Basic Christianity, John Stott, Books, Thoughts on Jesus, Spiritual Growth, Faith, Empowerment, Transformation, Inspiration, Empowerment, Spirituality, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Writings, Awareness, God
Web site: www.basichristianityfordummies.wordpress.com
Craig’s blog (with extracts from his various writings: articles, books and new manuscripts) is at http://en.search.wordpress.com/?q=%22craig+lock%22&t=post and http://craiglock.wordpress.com
Other Articles are available at: http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/user/15565 and http://www.ideamarketers.com/library/profile.cfm?writerid=981
(Personal growth, self help, writing, internet marketing, spiritual, ‘spiritual writings’ (how ‘airey-fairey’), words of inspiration and money management, how boring now, craig and may be freely published)

Publishing Guidelines:

These thoughts in point-form (as with all my articles) may be freely published, electronically or in print.

"We share what we know, so that we all may grow."

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"WHO ON EARTH IS JESUS CHRIST?" (PART TWO)

Submitter’s Note:The Book 'Basic Christianity' by John Stott

(Published by Inter-Varsity Press, UK (First edition 1958)

I took these brief notes from the above book – a most illuminating, revealing and enlightening read on the life and person of Jesus Christ). Incidentally, this book (and others by John Stott) is available for download (PDF) at http://www.pdflibrary.info/en/ebook/Basic%20Christianity%20John%20Stott-...

Here are some of my notes (in point form) from this "easy to read" book by John Stott,that I am currently reading and “studying”. And as I share, I learn more too. No matter what you may know or believe about this most significant (and controversial) figure in human history. Hope it’s not too “heavy religious” for you. Anyway enjoy...

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PART TWO: MAN'S NEED

The Fact and Nature of Sin

Jesus is presented not simply as the Lord from heaven, but also as the Savior of sinners. His competence lies in his deity; whilst our need lies in our sin (because of the universality of sin)... to which he offers forgiveness.

The Bible accepts the fact that men have different standards. The Jews have the Law of Moses, whilst Gentiles have the law of conscience to obey.

The Ten Commandments

1. You shall have no other gods before me.

Jesus said "to love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our mind; to make his will our guide and his glory as our goal - to put Him first in thought, word and deed. No man has ever kept this commandment except Jesus of Nazareth (???).

2. Ye shall not make for yourself a graven image.

3. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.To take God's name in vain is not just a matter of words, but also of thoughts and deeds.

4. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.Sunday is a 'holy' day, set apart for God.

5. Honour your father and your mother.

6. You shall not kill.

7. You shall not commit adultery.

8. You shall not steal.

9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour
(in our speech, as well as by our silence).
and finally,

10. You shall not covet.*

CHAPTER SIX: THE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN

Alienation from God*

PART THRE: CHRIST'S WORK

7. THE DEATH OF CHRIST

Christ as Saviour

"You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."
"The Son of Man came to seek and save the lost."
"We have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Saviour of the world.

Through Jesus Christ, the Saviour we can be brought out of exile and reconciled to God; we can be born again, receive a new nature and be set free from our moral bondage...to be replaced by a fellowship of love.

Paul described his work as a 'ministry of reconciliation' and his gospel as a 'message of reconciliation'. God is its author and Christ the agent. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciles us to himself. "God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself."

We have not received it by our own effort, we have received it from him as a gift.

"The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus."- Paul writes to the Romans

The centrality of the cross

When Jesus came, he knew himself to be a son of destiny.

The meaning of the cross

Christ died as our sin-bearer

"It is finished. Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit." And so he died. The work he had come to do was completed. The sins of the world were borne. Reconciliation to God was avaiable to all who would trust this SAviour for themselves, and receive him as their own.

He has freed us from the curse by taking it upon himself when he died. There is healing through his wounds, life through his death, pardon through his pain, and salvation through his suffering.*

THE SALVATION OF CHRIST

God is as much concerned with our present and future as with our past. His plan is first to reconcile us to himself, and then progressively to liberate us from our own self-centredness and bring us into harmony with our fellow men - it is by his spirit that we can be set free from ourselves.

The spirit of Christ

Jesus Christ offers to change not only our standing before God, but our very nature: a new heart, a new nature, a new birth, a new creation. And this tremendous inward change (transformation) is the work of the Holy Spirit.

"Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

What the Old Testament prophets foretold, Christ promised as an immediate expectation. A few hours before he died, he spoke to his apostles of 'the Comforter', 'the Spirit of truth', who would come and take his place.

Indeed, the Holy Spirit's presence would be better for them than his own earthly presence had been! "It is to your advantage that I am going away, for if I do not go away, the Counsellor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you."

THIS is what the New Testament teaches: When we put our trust in Jesus Christ and commit ourselves to him, the Holy Spirit enters us. He is sent by God 'into our hearts'. He makes our bodies his temple.

The church of Christ

"The risen Lord commanded his followers: 'Go and make disciples of all nations'." The sum total of these disciples he called 'my church'. Still, not all of those who profess and call themselves Christians exhibit either the love or the life of Jesus Christ.

*“Lord

Let me be a channel for YOUR peace, a window for Your light to shine through to everyone I meet. Lord, touch me where I need the touch the most. Let more people experience the REAL YOU, Who You really are. God, Use my 'little' life as a focus for YOUR infinite possibilities.”

Shared by craig (with gratitude to John Stott)

("Information and Inspiration Distributor, Writer for Self Empowerment, Incorrigible Encourager and People-builder")

"Faith sees the invisible,
follows the unfathomable...
and achieves the impossible."

"I'd rather attempt something great and fail, than attempt nothing and succeed."- Norman Vincent Peale

"Let the light of your BEING shine brightly; so revealing Who You Really Are. Be a Bringer of the Light, which emanates from our soul, God, our Creator, the Source, the Essence of Life (and Ground of our very Being). Therefore, it can do more than illuminate your own path.YOUR spirit will help makes the lives of others easier by illuminating others paths. For this light is our humanity, the spirit of God, truth, wisdom, beauty and especially love...and it lies within each one of us. Through your actions and your being, let your light, YOUR spirit truly shine brightly on the world, like the radiance emitted by a candle at midnight."

- craig (as adapted from Neale Donald Walsh in 'Conversations with God’ Book 3).

"Together, one mind, one life at a time, let's see how many people we can impact, encourage, empower, uplift and perhaps even inspire to reach their fullest potentials."

These thoughts may be freely published

"God is a mystery, the 'mystery of life', a Creative Presence, Who/That allows me to be who I really want to be and become."

"God, the Essence of Life, is the great mystery in the vast unknown; yet He(??) is understandable."

May the light of God light your path up ahead