Teaching for today

God's great rescue plan of salvation will lead to the redemption of His people and the restoration of creation itself. What God established in creation is now marred by the fall. But God's ultimate purpose cannot be thwarted. There will be ultimate fulfilment of all things in the New Heavens and New Earth. This has profound implications for how we live today.

This lecture looks at the role of rational argument in proclaiming and defending the Christian faith. Whilst the human mind is fallen, it is still possible to appeal to the conscience and use rational argument.

Lesslie Newbigin grew up in Northumberland, became a Christian at University and went on to become a missionary and Bishop in South India. He robustly defended salvation solely through Christ and Christianity as public truth.

This lecture examines the work of one of the foremost Christian thinkers of the twentieth century. Founder of L'Abri, Schaeffer wrote over 20 books on philosophy and theology. He provided a biblical critique of Western culture, teaching that the Bible is true for all of life.

Converted in the 1920s whilst Fellow and Tutor of Magdalen College, Oxford, C.S. Lewis became a powerful Christian apologist capable of speaking simply to people at every level. His best known works include Surprised by Joy, Mere Christianity, and The Narnia Chronicles.

School teacher then lecturer in the Education Department of Newcastle University, Raymond Johnston became the Director of Care Campaigns. He fervently believed that in a collapsing culture Christians must speak out for the truth.

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17). Through his sacrifice on the cross, Christ's righteousness is imparted to the believer. Jesus Christ has fulfilled the law's demands on our behalf. Christ did not come to abolish the law. The law condemns the sinner, yet the law is good. It is a friend to all those who seek to live a Christ-like life in an increasingly hostile world.

Throughout the course of salvation history God has progressively revealed more and more information about himself “at many times and in various ways” (Hebrews 1:1). This progressive revelation culminated in the person of Jesus Christ. He is God's final word to all mankind. There is no other name by which we must be saved.

Israel in the Old Testament was called to be a nation set apart from the world, with clear rules about separation of the clean from the unclean. Jesus shocked the Jewish leaders of his time by sharing meals with sinners, and touching unclean lepers. Instead of Jesus being “contaminated”, his purity transformed their lives. He announces a New Covenant age of spiritual power where believers are called to be salt and light which reaches every part of society. The Gospel drives back spiritual darkness and brings hope to all the nations of the world.

The Covenant of Grace is the common cord that runs through all of Scripture. It is an expression of the Covenant of Redemption, entered into by the Godhead in eternity. The Covenant of Grace was administered differently before the coming of Christ (Old Testament/Covenant) from after the coming of Christ (New Testament/Covenant). The Hebrew Christians were in danger of going back to 'Old Covenant' rites and ceremonies. The writer to the Hebrews points out, especially in chapter 8, how vastly superior (better) the 'New Covenant' is, as it is fulfilled in Christ, the mediator of the Covenant.