IN THE NAME OF JESUS

This is a story of a wise man who meets a young theology student named Tancred and mentors him in his search for spiritual truth–the Gospel of Jesus. After attending numerous churches in their community, Tancred questions whether pastors are preaching the gospel of Jesus or that of Paul. He thought it was Paul who founded Christianity and along with Peter did more than any other person to establish the kingdom of heaven here on earth, a religion of faith, hope, and charity. But was the gospel that Paul preached the gospel of Jesus?

As a theology student, Tancred knew that Paul introduced the atonement doctrine which is centered on the supposed racial guilt of mortal man. Paul proclaimed, "I have fully preached the Gospel of Christ." (Rom. 15:19) However, Paul never knew Jesus in the flesh so how could he preach a Gospel he never knew? Paul said, "We preach Christ crucified (1 Cor. 1:23); I am determined to know nothing but Christ crucified." (1 Cor. 2:2).

Shall we leave room in our faith for the wrath of God? For it is written, "Vengeance is mine says the Lord." (Rom. 12:19); that God will send an avenger who will bring wrath upon the one who practices evil (Rom. 13:4); that in Him we have redemption through his blood." (Eph. 1:7). Tancred remembered what Jesus said to Marcus at the Forum, "Your eloquence is pleasing, your logic is admirable, your voice is pleasant, but your teaching is hardly true." (TUB 132:4.7) He thought Paul's Christianity would benefit from a new revelation of Jesus.

Paul's atonement doctrine is based upon the presumed racial guilt of mankind and that it would take someone almost equal to God himself to rectify this guilt and placate an offended and unforgiving God through a blood sacrifice to pay God's ransom and open the way for a sinful man to obtain salvation. Paul claimed, "You were bought with a price." (1 Cor. 6:20 7:23). Young Tancred thought such a pronouncement seemed out of character for a man of faith. The whole idea of ransom and atonement is incompatible with the concept of God as revealed by the life and teachings of Jesus. The infinite love of God is primary and absolute in His divine nature. Where was Paul coming from?

The young people of today do not want to hear that they were bought for a price, a ransom for some inherited guilt that they had no part in committing. Sin is not inherited. God has given us freedom of choice to do his will or transgress it. When a person knowingly has transgressed what they know to be right, that is sin. This is a personal choice between the individual and God, never society. Thus, sin is not inherited. We are not born sinners. We are all children of God, created to love and be loved; to love one another as Jesus loves us.

In this current secular age, when God is ignored, "In the Name of Jesus" reveals a new, fuller revelation of Jesus which is destined to conquer an empire of materialistic secularism which will pay out faith, hope, and spiritual security to all who draw upon it in his name. "In the Name of Jesus" answers many questions truth seekers are asking. This book compares secularism, materialism, and organized religions with a new more complete revelation of Jesus that is even today transforming this world with new knowledge.

If the Christian Church would only dare to embrace and proclaim the religion of Jesus rather than a religion about Jesus, thousands of apparently indifferent youths would rush forward to enlist in such a spiritual undertaking and they would not hesitate to go all the way through with this great adventure of finding God.

About the Author – Walter Ziglar is an author, born in Los Angeles, California, attended public schools until matriculating at the University of Southern California (USC). He earned a degree in business administration. Upon graduation, he became a sales engineer in a thermoforming subsidiary of Shell Oil Company. In the late 1960's, he took an early retirement from his executive position as senior manager of marketing, sales and advertising when an opportunity presented itself to him. Walter purchased a military academy located in Brentwood, CA, about two miles from his home and reestablished it as the first co-educational independent secondary school in Los Angeles. As Brentwood school's founder, president, and chairman of the executive board, he was able to introduce a philosophy curriculum into the school's academic program. In 1971 Brentwood schools hosted a philosophy symposium sponsored by the University of Massachusetts, designed to stress critical thinking and expression in secondary education. In 1973, Walter established a board of trustees and retired two years later. His latest endeavor has resulted from the culmination of 20 years of research into the Christian Church, having visited numerous churches both Catholic and Protestant. He came to the conclusion as reported in a must-read revelation–The Urantia Book–"a house divided against itself cannot stand." A sect divided Christendom must remain original to the gospel of Jesus, free from any doctrinal creed that separates us. This book, "In the Name of Jesus," offers a path back to the gospel of Jesus, and the glory of unity in his name.

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