Required reading
The attraction of the cross by Gardiner Spring (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Chapter 10 (A stumbling-block removed).
My summary
Today Spring removes a stumbling block to the gospel message of the cross: people do not believe it would be right and just in God to inflict upon them the terrible doom of everlasting punishment.
Spring teaches us that the reason people have such a stumbling block is because they have no just sense of their sins.
Spring then gives reasons why men find it so difficult to have just conceptions of their sin:
(i) they themselves are sinners;
(ii) they are constantly familiar with sin;
(iii) they have not an enlightened and tender conscience;
(iv) they want watchful and persevering efforts to restrain and subdue sin;
(v) they have a low estimate of the spirituality and obligations of the divine law.
Spring finishes the chapter with exhortations to the reader to view sin rightly.
What grabbed me
A good chapter.
I particularly liked this comment: 'The more seriously men reflect upon what God is, and what they themselves are, the fewer difficulties will they have in regard to eternal punishment.'
If we have a right view of God, we will have a right view of ourselves.
Next week's reading
Read Chapter 11 (The greatness of sin no obstacle to salvation by the cross).
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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