With Christ Today In Paradise

Focusing on the "ontological indwelling of God" as the basis and ground of the soul, the author expounds its capacity for spiritual experience, which he describes metaphorically as "being with Christ in paradise." Aspects of mystical experience are briefly discussed, an extended description of the author's own experience is presented, and practical suggestions are offered to the reader for his or her own spiritual enrichment.

In life and in death, Jesus’ words were powerful and meaningful. Despite the serious effort and increased pain required for Jesus to speak as he hung on the cross, Jesus spoke seven “final words”—statements that have much to teach us about Jesus, his Father, and ourselves: Father Forgive Them Behold Your Son…Behold Your Mother My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me? Today You Will Be with Me in Paradise I Thirst It Is Finished Into Your Hands I Commit My Spirit In 24 Hours That Changed the World, Adam Hamilton took us on a Lenten journey through the last day of Jesus' life. Now in this inspiring follow-up book, Hamilton explores these final words as seen and heard through the eyes and ears of those who stood near the cross. Each chapter begins with the biblical account followed by a first-person story as might have been told from the viewpoint of one of the characters at the cross. Then the chapter explores the meaning of Jesus’ dying words for our lives today. Following the last statement, a postscript recounts the words Jesus spoke following his resurrection, including what truly were the final words Jesus spoke while walking this earth. Join the crowd now and experience the final words from the cross. Final Words from the Cross offers six chapters/sessions plus a postscript chapter/session, so that classes have the option of a seventh session on Easter Sunday.

Nothing is more important than what a person believes about Jesus Christ. To understand Christ correctly is to understand the very heart of God, Scripture, and the gospel. To get to the core of this belief, this latest volume in the Foundations of Evangelical Theology series lays out a systematic summary of Christology from philosophical, biblical, and historical perspectives—concluding that Jesus Christ is God the Son incarnate, both fully divine and fully human. Readers will learn to better know, love, trust, and obey Christ—unashamed to proclaim him as the only Lord and Savior. Part of the Foundations of Evangelical Theology series.

Most people have a skewed vision of what heaven is or what heaven was or will be like. They tend to picture angels floating around, some having harps and some having bows and arrows but none of them actually having a life. To many people, heaven sounds like a boring place and there is little desire to go there although it's much better than...

A fascinating theological study of how early Christianity’s message of love and community has evolved into one of punishment and empire During their first millennium, Christians filled their sanctuaries with images of Christ as a living presence—as a shepherd, teacher, healer, or an enthroned god. He is serene and surrounded by lush scenes, depictions of this world as paradise. Yet once he appeared as crucified, dying was virtually all Jesus seemed able to do, and paradise disappeared from the earth. Saving Paradise turns a fascinating new lens on Christianity, from its first centuries to the present day, asking how its early vision of beauty evolved into a vision of torture, and what changes in society and theology marked that evolution. It also retrieves, for today, a life-affirming Christianity that the world sorely needs.

What hope can Jesus Christ offer to people who have been damaged by life or rejected by society? Does his gospel have answers for us today as well as for a life to come? He says he has the right to rule. But what sort of a king is he, and what difference does his kingdom make in the world now? In his Gospel, Luke presents scenes from a life without equal, showing how Christ proved to be the champion of the outcast and oppressed who lifts up those who have been lost and forgotten and makes them his own forever. The most profound questions about time, eternity and death are found in Christ, according to Luke. And he makes it clear that he found in Christ someone worthy to rule both his life and his destiny. By gathering several of these scenes together, David Gooding presents an overview of leading themes in Luke’s Gospel. From the individual stories, he shows that the gospel of Christ does not ignore the hard facts of reality. Taking the scenes together, he shows that the Paradise that Christ spoke of is more real than we can imagine, and that the one who promised its life and rest is faithful beyond what we could hope.