A Reformation Day reading recommendation

Posted October 18, 2019

Here We Stand consists of a series of essays commemorating the five hundredth anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. The Reformation changed the entire landscape of Europe, even from a political, social, and economic point of view. But more than that, the Reformation was a religious event that changed conditions in the church institute for the good of the church universal—something we can give thanks for even five hundred years later.

Afraid of the Gospel (1)

Posted October 16, 2019

Oh, no!

How could one ever be afraid of the gospel?

Why should we ever be afraid of it?

Even Webster tells us that the word gospel means good news, glad tidings.

How right he is, for the word used by the scrip­tures and translated in our English by the word gos­pel literally means good news, glad tidings.

That a man is afraid to open the envelope contain­ing a telegram, that he has inward fright when the telephone rings in the wee hours of the night is to be understood. These things often bring evil tidings, sad news. But the gospel is glad tidings. Why should we be afraid of it?

Did not the angel declare to the shepherds in the fields of Ephrata that their fear was out of place? Fear not, he said, for I bring you the gospel. That is literally what he said.