FOREWORD
FOR more than
thirty years it has been my privilege to enjoy fellowship with the author of
this book. Since our first meeting in 1913 under a certain tree on the grounds
of Erieside Bible Conference, I have thanked my God upon every remembrance of
him. With keen interest I have observed his fruitful ministry through several
unusually successful pastorates, and I have rejoiced that recently he has
yielded to the call of God to devote himself to the larger field as a traveling
teacher, and that in this field he finds more doors opening to him than he can
enter.
And now comes this latest phase of our brother’s
ministry in the writing of books; and, as might be expected by one who knows
him, he has opened a new field in the realm of Christian literature. He has
produced some most interesting and profitable studies which must be helpful to
the household of faith. They are simple and yet profound, growing out of a long
and careful study of the Word of God. I count myself happy in the opportunity
afforded me to commend these studies to children of God everywhere.
Keep looking up!
William L.
Pettingill
INTRODUCTION
IN a footnote in the Scofield Reference Bible is stated, “Salvation is the great
inclusive word of the gospel, gathering into itself all the redemptive acts and
processes as: justification, redemption,
grace, propitiation, imputation, forgiveness, sanctification, and glorification.”
In this series of messages on “The ABC’s of Salvation,” no attempt is
made to define all the terms embraced in the word salvation. To do this would
call for a treatise on systematic theology. Instead, we have gone through the
Word and picked out certain words, phrases, incidents, personages, etc. and
tried to bring out, in a homiletical manner, illustrations of the various doctrines
bound up in this great word.
The author claims no exclusive originality in
many of these outlines. Down through the centuries, from the early fathers to
this present day, each student of Scripture doctrine has been indebted to some
devout and experienced predecessor for spiritual things he has learned. Hence,
let no fellow teacher fear he shall“borrow” should he desire to make use of
some of the material in this volume found to be suitable.
This book is sent forth with a twofold prayer,
namely: that the unsaved into whose hands it may fall may be led to accept this
“great salvation,” and that the saved who read it may more fully appreciate Him
“who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust
that he will yet deliver us” (II Corinthians 1:10).
John J. Van Gorder
College
Arms, Cleveland, Tenn.