MY CHRISTIAN HERITAGE GOES BACK MANY GENERATIONS.  GROWING UP, I ATTENDED AN INDEPENDENT CHURCH THAT HAD ITS ROOTS IN THE PLYMOUTH BRETHREN.  I THINK I ALWAYS HAD A NATURAL INTEREST IN THEOLOGY, AND I MADE USE OF MY FATHER’S EXCELLENT LIBRARY.  HE ADVISED ME TO ALWAYS SEEK THE HOLY SPIRIT’S INSPIRATION TO LEARN OF THE PERSON OF CHRIST.  I REALLY STUDIED, AND IT WASN’T EASY TO KEEP FOCUSED ON HIM.  I COULD NEVER ACCEPT THE “SIMPLE GOSPEL” THAT I HEARD FROM A LOT OF PREACHERS WHICH BASICALLY SAYS, “IF YOU BELIEVE THAT JESUS TOOK YOUR PUNISHMENT ON THE CROSS, YOU WILL NOT BE PUNISHED BY GOD AND WILL BE FORGIVEN AND GO TO HEAVEN INSTEAD OF BEING PUNISHED BY GOD IN HELL FOREVER.”  AS I REALLY GOT INTO STUDYING CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE, I DEVOTED A LOT OF STUDY TO THE MEANING OF JESUS’ DEATH.  THE TWO BOOKS THAT HELPED ME THE MOST WERE, “THE NATURE OF THE ATONEMENT,” BY MCLEOD CAMPBELL, AND “THE SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLE OF THE ATONEMENT” BY JOHN SCOTT LIDGETT. I ALSO AM INDEBTED TO THE WRITINGS OF GEORGE MACDONALD WHICH GIVE RARE INSIGHT INTO THE HEART OF GOD AND HIS GREAT SALVATION.   

MAY WE “PRESS ON” TO KNOW HIM AND HIS “SO GREAT SALVATION.”     

Rosemary E Hyslop