Article Title: A Book “Review”: Basic Christianity’ by John Stott
Shared by: Craig Lock
Category (Key Words/Tags): Christianity, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Thoughts on Jesus, Spiritual Growth, Faith, Empowerment, Transformation, Inspiration, Empowerment, Spirituality, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Writings, Awareness, God
Web sites: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005GGMAW4 and http://www.creativekiwis.com/amazon.html and https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/craiglock
The submitter’s blogs (with extracts from his various writings: articles, books and new manuscripts) are at https://sharefaith.wordpress.com/ and http://craigsblogs.wordpress.com
Other Articles are available at: http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/user/15565 and http://www.ideamarketers.com/library/profile.cfm?writerid=981http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005GGMAW4
(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.
*
Submitter’s Note:
The Book ‘Basic Christianity‘ by John Stott
(Published by Inter-Varsity Press, UK (First edition 1958)
I took these 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. Anyway enjoy…
“We share what we know, so that we all may grow.” *
“WHO ON EARTH IS JESUS CHRIST?”
NEW REVELATIONS
We can find God in Jesus Christ. God is himself seeking us and we must ourselves seek God.
1 THE RIGHT APPROACH
Before man stirs himself to seek God, God has sought man. In the Bible we see God reaching out to man. It’s an invitation.
Redemption in Christ
Men needed to be delivered, not from slavery in Egypt or from exile in Babylon, but from the exile and slavery of sin. It was for this principally that Jesus Christ came. He came as a Saviour.
“…you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.”
“For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost”
In essence, Christianity is a religion of salvation.
(My comment:
Jesus never claimed directly to forgive sins, which is one of the fundamental beliefs of Christianity (though other disciples, such as John, famously said in 3:16 and Paul in 1 Corinthians sincerely believed and wrote that he did)…
though personally I CHOOSE to believe that.)
Christ’s promise is plain: “Seek and you will find.”
God desires to be found, but only by those who seek him.
We must seek diligently, humbly and obediently.
*
PART ONE CHRIST’S PERSON
The Claims of Christ
“He who has seen me has seen the Father.”
The person and work of Christ are the rock upon which the Christian religion is built.
His self-centred teaching
He was constantly talking about himself.
“I am the truth; follow me.”
He uttered commands, such as: ‘Come to me” and “Follow me!”
The most remarkable aspect of this self-centred teaching is that it was uttered by one, who insisted on humility in others.
(“If The Lord makes you successful, I’ll keep you humble.”
– an anonymous wife,)
*
Jesus’s Direct Claims
He clearly believed himself to be the Messiah the Old Testament predicted (‘Son of God’). He had come to establish the kingdom of God foretold by generations of prophets.
His claim to be the ‘Son of God’ was more than Messianic – it described his unique, intimate and eternal* relationship with God, the Father.
(My comment: We are what we believe ourselves to be. We “act out” and become what we believe about ourselves, who we think we are…and move in the direction of our most dominant thoughts, ie. what we focus on expands – this is in alignment (perfect) with psychological (and spiritual) principles. “As a man thinketh, in his heart, so is he.”)
* One of the most far-reaching claims he ever made was: “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
“My Father is working still, and I am working.”
“I and the Father are one.”
“I am in the Father and the Father in me.”
(from John’s Gospel)
“All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
– Matthew 11:27s
Thus
to know him was to know God;
to see him was to see God;
to believe in him was to believe in God;
to receive him was to receive God:
to hate him was to hate God;
to honour him was to honour God.
After the resurrection, Jesus rebuked Thomas for his unbelief and invited him to feel his wounds. Then Thomas, overwhelmed with wonder, cried out, ‘My Lord and my God!”
*
His Indirect Claims
1. To forgive sins: “My son, your sins are forgiven.”… and
“Your sins are forgiven. Go and sin no more.”
However, the sins we commit against God can only be forgiven by God Himself!
2. Christ’s second indirect claim was to bestow life.
He described himself as the “bread of life”, “the life” and “the resurrection and the life.” Jesus likened his followers dependence on him to the sustenance derived from the vine by its branches. He called himself the “Good Shepherd”, who would not only give his life for the sheep; but give life to them. He stated that God had given him authority over all flesh, that he should give life to as many as God gave him, and declared, “the Son gives life to whom he will.”
3. Christ’s third indirect claim was to teach the truth.
His authority – an authority he claimed as his own: “No one ever spoke like this man.”
He issued absolute moral commands like:
“Love your enemies.”
“Do not be anxious about tomorrow.”
“Judge not, that you be not judged.”
“ASK and it will be given you.”
4. Jesus’s fourth indirect claim was to judge the world.
Those who have denied him, he will deny. (“I never knew you”)
*
His Dramatized Claims:
His works dramatize his words. He practiced what he preached and lived his message.
His metaphors (powerful):
“I am the bread of life.”
“I am the light of the world.”
“I am the resurrection and the life.”
Conclusion:
These claims do not in themselves constitute evidence of deity. Still we cannot regard Jesus as merely, simply as a great teacher..
Jesus had a “uniquely special and intimate” relationship with God, the Father and totally surrendered his life to God’s will (fully depending on God, “the Father”, Ultimate Source to achieve his life mission*
… and so can WE!
Shared by craig (with gratitude to John Stott)
(“Information and Inspiration Distributor, Writer for Self Empowerment, Incorrigible Encourager and People-builder”)
As John Shelby Spong, former archbishop of Newark (very controversial in Christian circles) wrote in his book ‘Jesus for the Non Religious’:
“The real Jesus is the figure, the world, humanity needs today to lead it back to the ‘God experience’, on which Christianity was originally built.”
and not an intermission!
“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.”
“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
Craig likes (rather loves) to share knowledge and insights from his life experiences with dashes of humour to try and help others in ‘every little way’ he can…
without being too much of a “Mr too airey-fairey, arty-farty, goody-goody boring two shoes” (as he’s lost the other one and anyway, they may be different colours!)
http://www.craiglockbooks.com
The various books* that Craig “felt inspired to write” (including his books on Jesus and his numerous e-books on “the spiritual journey”) are available at: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005GGMAW4http://www.creativekiwis.com/amazon.htmland https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/craiglock
Craig’s novel ‘The Awakened Spirit’ is based on some true stories from the ‘beloved country’ of South Africa. Inspiring stories of endless possibilities of the indomitable human spirit, that lies within each one of us.
The submitter is currently writing his own “work” (a “real labour of love and enlightenment” (to himself) titled ‘WHO ON EARTH IS (WAS) JESUS CHRIST?’
The submitter’s blogs (with extracts from his various writings: articles, books and new manuscripts) are at https://sharefaith.wordpress.com/ and http://craigsblogs.wordpress.com
“The world’s smallest and most exclusive bookstore”
“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
PPS “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
WHO IS "THE REAL, THE TRUE, THE LIVING" JESUS? 
Hi
CAN’T KEEP UP…BUT THANKS FOR THE “THANX”
MANY MORE COMMENTS OVERNIGHT (hundreds of thousands already on this blog…true!) …so hope it’s not slowing down your loading speed!). Am really pleased you are enjoying my writings, as the reason I write is to share.
Am having to remove many and so sorry can’t reply individually, but DO try to read as many as possible daily
so “thanks for the thanx”
“As we live and move and have our being, so from this vision, we create heaven in our own lives… and perhaps even heaven on earth.”
– craig (as inspired by Acts 17:28 and the words of Felicia Searcy)
“Aim at the earth and you may not get off the ground.
“Aim at the stars and you may reach the moon.”
“Aim at heaven and you’ll have earth thrown in…
and you may even hit the stars.”
– craig (as inspired by the famous quote by CS Lewis – 24th May 2012)
“When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.”
– Leonardo da Vinci
http://www.creativekiwis.com/amazon.html
“If a man is called to be a street-sweeper,
he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted,
or Beethoven composed music, or
Shakespeare wrote poetry.
He should sweep streets so well
that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say,
here lived a great street sweeper
who did his job well.”
– Dr Martin Luther King, Jr.
http://peacepursuit.wordpress.com/
http://breakdownwalls.wordpress.com/
The various books that Craig “felt inspired to write” are available at: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005GGMAW4
All proceeds go to needy and underprivileged children –
MINE!
PPS
Instead of trying to reply to each one of you, I’ll just keep on writing
“If the doctor told me I had six minutes to live, I’d type a little faster.”
http://www.creativekiwis.com/amazon.html and
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005GGMAW4
“Let not our beliefs set us apart, but rather let our shared humanity define and unite us.”.
– me
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You actually make it appear really easy along with your presentation but I in finding this matter to be really something which I think I would never understand. It sort of feels too complex and very huge for me. I am taking a look forward in your next submit, I will attempt to get the hold of it!
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Reblogged this on Beyond the Zone: God and The Spiritual Journey.
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Thanks for the follow/link/like/reblog and/or kind thought(s)
Hi
CAN’T KEEP UP…BUT THANKS FOR THE “THANX”
I’ve had many hundreds of thousands of comments on my various other WordPress blogs at https://craigsblogs.wordpress.com/2011/09/09/craigs-list-of-blogs-updated-sept-2011/
in recent years …true!) …a few of my blogs went “balistically viral” a few years back.
Obsessive or WHAT! Am really pleased you are enjoying my writings, as the reason I write is to share. However I am unable to keep up with the comments and was spending entire days just on replies on my various blog pages.
Though I’m rather “driven”, I still get really, really fatigued (there’s a few books there). so sorry can’t reply individually to all you good people scattered around the planet, but DO try to read as many as possible daily (and even moderate a few when I get a “mo”), I got swamped with comments on my various blogs, so have had to close them off on all of my blogs, except for one or two of particular interest to me – sorry and hope you can understand.
* “Don’t bend; don’t water it down; don’t try to make it logical; don’t edit your own soul according to the fashion. Rather, follow your most intense obsessions mercilessly.”
~ Franz Kafka
I do really appreciate your liking, linking to and/or following this blog (and “writing in”), so “thanks for the thanx”
“As we live and move and have our being, so from this vision, we create heaven in our own lives… and perhaps even heaven on earth.”
– craig (as inspired by Acts 17:28 and the words of Felicia Searcy)
“Aim at the earth and you may not get off the ground.a
“Aim at the stars and you may reach the moon.”
“Aim at heaven and you’ll have earth thrown in…
and you may even hit the stars.”
– craig (as inspired by the famous quote by CS Lewis – 24th May 2012)
“When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.”
– Leonardo da Vinci
When (or if ever) you arrive in heaven, let faith, hope and love be the wings that carried you there.”
– as adapted from the inspiring words of Jonathan Edwards, former minister in New England, Massachusetts
“The Greatest Race: Living by (with) faith, hope and love is the highest podium any person can reach, God’s podium that anyone stand on.”
– c
“Having pursued the goals, the dreams set before us and run the race with persistence and endurance, after giving it all. Then one day standing on the summit of life, breathing in the pure sweet oxygen of achievement, totally satisfied in running the greatest race, the race of life one that ANYONE can run and win.”
from http://racetothechequeredflag.wordpress.com/
and http://www.godandformula1.wordpress.com
“If a man is called to be a street-sweeper,
he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted,
or Beethoven composed music, or
Shakespeare wrote poetry.
He should sweep streets so well
that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say,
here lived a great street sweeper
who did his job well.”
– Dr Martin Luther King, Jr.
PPS
Instead of trying to reply to each one of you, I’ll just keep on writing
“If the doctor told me I had six minutes to live, I’d type a little faster.”
The various books* that Craig “felt inspired to write” are available at http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005GGMAW4
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=la_B005GGMAW4_sr?rh=i%3Abooks&field-author=Craig+Lock
https://www.createspace.com/pub/simplesitesearch.search.do?sitesearch_query=%22craig+lock%22&sitesearch_type=STORE
http://www.creativekiwis.com/index.php/books
and http://goo.gl/vTpjk
All proceeds go to needy and underprivileged children –
MINE!
Don’t worry about the world ending today…
as it’s already tomorrow in scenic and tranquil ‘little’ New Zealand
PPS
“I wish you well on a rainy day
I wish you rainbows to brighten your day
To feel your quiet moments with a special kind of warmth
to remind you that happiness can happen
when you least expect it.
I wish you rainbows to make you laugh and smile
to show you the simple beauty of life
and to give you the magic of dreams come true.
I wish you rainbows
I wish you well.”
– Larry S. Chengges
”Since I can never see your face,
And never shake you by the hand,
I send my soul through time and space
To greet you. You will understand.”
– James Elroy Flecker (1884-1915)
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