The Finality of Christ
Overview
Modern man finds the concept of finality alien to his whole way of thinking. Science teaches him that human history is only a moment in the life of an infinite universe. His study of world religions calls into question the uniqueness of Christianity. Western man’s uneasy conscience—due to the excesses of colonialism—makes him hesitant to press his own faith on others.
By taking the issues of finality out of the classroom, Lesslie Newbigin demonstrates its importance to Christians with loyalties both to the community of the church and to the community of man. He asserts that conversion does not involve either a denial of the value of a person’s previous faith or a blanket acceptance of the church’s way of doing things. Nebiggin looks for the place of the gospel in secular history. The gospel is the announcement of an event which demands that all men make a decision for or against. It is the clue to history—the history of mankind and of the individual.
For more by Lesslie Newbigin, see Select Works of Lesslie Newbigin (7 vols.).
Key Features
- Recognizes modern man’s hesitancy to press his faith on others
- Contends that conversion does not rob a man of his personhood
- Shows that the gospel provides a clue ot the history of mankind and the individual
Top Highlights
“The Gospel in its original form is the announcement of an event which is decisive for all men and for the whole of their life. It is an event which is described in universal, cosmic terms. The announcement implies that in this event all God’s purpose for the world is being brought to its fulfilment. We are not dealing here with a religious message which brings to completion and perfection the religious teaching of all the ages; we are dealing with an announcement which concerns the end of the world. The true meaning of the word ‘finality’ in relation to Jesus will be found by penetrating into the meaning of this announcement.” (Page 48)
“This placing of the announcement as an event in secular history is part of its essential character” (Pages 49–50)
“God is not the property of the ecclesiastical establishment; he is free—free to manifest himself to the pagan. And yet, thirdly, there is no question whatever about the need for repentance and faith. The passage as a whole makes it quite clear that the references are to the believing pagans. It is those who ‘call upon the name of the Lord’ who will be saved. Conscious belief, and explicit verbal confession of Jesus as Lord (Romans 10:9), are the conditions for salvation.” (Pages 101–102)
“One way is to seek unity as an existent reality behind the multiplicity of phenomena; the other is to seek unity as an end yet to be obtained.” (Page 65)
“Yet it seems utterly plain that a faith which loses the desire to propagate itself has already lost its life.” (Page 8)
- Title: The Finality of Christ
- Author: Lesslie Newbigin
- Publisher: Wipf and Stock
- Print Publication Date: 2009
- Logos Release Date: 2015
- Pages: 120
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subjects: Christianity and other religions; Christianity › Essence, genius, nature
- ISBNs: 9781606085813, 1606085816
- Resource ID: LLS:FINALITYOFCHRIST
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2022-09-29T23:58:51Z