If you've seen me, you've seen the Father
Recovering the Gospel of Grace from the Western Church
Discover unconditional Grace.
For the first few centuries, the early church walked in the light of a Gospel that was radical, unconditional, and powerful enough to turn the world upside down. Somewhere along the way, this message was hijacked for political expediency, and the unconditional love of God was given a legal pricetag.
But... we are witnessing a global shift. Over the last few years, the Spirit has been uncovering the original revelation of free Grace all over the globe, sparking a groundswell of believers who are rediscovering the Gospel of the Early Church.
I have written this book as a step-by-step theological progression from the perspective of anyone still inside Western Christianity, through to the unrestrained liberty of the Gospel of Grace and its practical implications. I have included over 100 answers to the common "what-about" questions that will certainly arise when starting an adventure on the path of unconditional grace.
This book is for those who have hoped for, or considered the possibility of a Finished Work big enough to actually remove the sins of the world as far as the east is from the west, and who dare to believe the words of Jesus: "If you have seen me, you have seen the Father."
Over 100 Questions and Answers included
Rediscover the Unconditional love of God.
Many of us have heard the message of Grace, yet we find ourselves haunted by the religious fineprint hidden just beneath the surface.
We encounter the "Yes, but..." of a Bible that seems, at times, to be defined by judgment, wrath, and law.
Most of our Western traditions have been built on a transactional Gospel - a "Divine Child Abuse" model where a bloodthirsty Father is only appeased by the death of a perfect Son. We are told to ignore the contradictions and "just have faith," while the text stares us in the face with questions we are afraid to ask.
Find Grace-filled answers in the book to common tough questions:
How do we reconcile the Prince of Peace with a God who seemingly commanded the slaughter of entire cities in the Old Testament?
What do we do with a "Good God" when the text speaks of smashing babies’ heads against rocks?
Is the Father actually a "God of Wrath" who had to be "paid off" by a merciful Son?
How can Jesus command us to forgive our enemies seventy times seven, while the Father burns His enemies for eternity?
What about the Sheep and the Goats, and the violence and destruction in the book of Revelation?
Recovering the Gospel of Grace from the Western Church insists that we do not shy away from these tensions, but rather, answer them from an Early Church perspective. We cannot continue to offer nebulous platitudes or religious excuses for a "bipolar" God.
Instead, we return to the soaring, ancient perspectives of the Early Church - the voices that knew that if the Gospel was "Good News," it had to be good all the way through.
This book is an invitation to move beyond the Western legalistic transaction gospel and rediscover the inseparable Union that Jesus revealed:
a Father who was never angry with you, and a Love that has no end.