The Gospel According to Christ : The Message of Jesus and How We Missed It

Description: Christianity is in crisis. We live in a time when millions of people profoundly misunderstand the message of the Gospel. They believe that being a Christian means little more than being a nice person. They view Jesus as a wise moral teacher who showed us how to live better lives, and they conclude that the love of humanity is our greatest cause and its progress our primary purpose. Whatever else may be said of this view of Christianity, it is certainly not what Jesus taught. It is an attempt to replace the concepts of sin, redemption, and salvation with the more socially acceptable virtues of tolerance, compassion, and social progress. It elevates humanity and the world above God and his kingdom and reduces Jesus to a mere moral philosopher. But who did Jesus say he was? What was the essential message of Christ? The Gospel According to Christ answers those questions by examining the words of Jesus, in their context and in their entirety. The answers will be shocking to many Christians. Endorsements: For the cover: ""Mark Stelter argues throughout that the assault on Christianity from those outside the faith is not nearly as noteworthy as the misunderstanding of Jesus's teachings from within its own fold. In particular, Stelter contends that Christians have misconstrued Jesus's central teaching regarding the nature and message of the kingdom of God. Working patiently through the parables, statements, and miracles attributed to Jesus, Stelter concludes that Jesus's message is repeated so often and so clearly that it is exceptionally difficult to miss, and yet we still do it. Stelter's thesis is at once provocative, challenging, and well written, inviting interaction. I recommend it."" -Gary R. Habermas Distinguished Research Professor, Liberty University ""As a friend and partner in the work of the gospel, I'm delighted to recommend Mark Stelter's The Gospel According to Christ. Stelter brings a unique and passionate voice into the church's understanding of Christ and the gospel. His critique of 'secular Christianity' is as accurate as it is caring. His insight and honest assessment comes from that of a member of Christ's church in search of her true identity."" -Chad Karger Executive Director of BetterDays and author of To Become One ""Professor Stelter offers a fresh perspective on ancient Scripture. In his revisit of the Gospels, he reminds readers that the first disciples understood Jesus apart from modern values and purposes. This reexamination of the Christian message stands as an important contribution to canonical study and should stimulate discussion in Bible institutes, Sunday School classes, and among today's followers."" -Craig Livingston Professor of History, Lone Star College-Montgomery ""After reading Mark Stelter's book, you will read the Gospels with a whole new understanding and perspective. You will see Jesus for who He really is as He claimed to be. Writing with the passion and conviction of the Apostle Paul to the infant churches of the New Testament era, Stelter confronts the church today with the subtlety of a secular gospel that presents a different Jesus and a different gospel than the one clearly presented in the scriptures. ""I challenge you to explore the following pages with an open mind. Take off the cultural glasses that so often blur your image and refocus on the glory of Christ and the wonder of His message. He didn't come to offer us a better life. He came to offer us eternal life. For the past seventeen years, I have proclaimed that message as Pastor of Woodlands Church. I never cease to b