Texts That Transform: Our Hope PB

One of the great strengths Christians carry through life is our assurance regarding the future. The church’s understanding of eschatology, or the ‘last days,’ goes far deeper than discussions of end-time chronology. Because Christ is risen from the dead, we need never fear death; because he is king over heaven and earth, we cannot be anxious about the fate of our world.

In this concluding book of his Texts that Transform series, Terry Johnson points us to an eternity of victory and praise that awaits every believer in Christ. But what of those who do not belong to him? Here we find our motivation to fulfil the Great Commission to ‘go and make disciples of all nations.’

Our hope is a certain one, for we know that ‘at the name of Jesus every knee [shall] bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.’

Table of Contents

Preface vii

1 Christ’s Victorious Kingdom — Matthew 13:31-33 1

2 Christ’s Victorious Kingdom (2) — Matthew 13:31-33 27

3 Heaven — Revelation 21:1-7 57

4 Heaven (2) — Revelation 21:1-7 77

5 Hell — Matthew 25:31-34, 41 95

6 The Freedom of God — Romans 9:4-21 123

General Index 137

Scripture Index 139

Author

Terry Johnson is the senior minister of the Independent Presbyterian Church in Savannah, Georgia.

He was born and raised in the Los Angeles area. His home church was Baptist, his sport was baseball, and his favourite class was history. As an undergraduate at the University of Southern California, he continued to play baseball and study history. But he also began to grow spiritually and over time sense a call to the gospel ministry. This led to two years at Trinity College, Bristol, England (an Anglican theological college), two years at Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, and ordination in the Presbyterian Church in America.

After 5 years in Coral Gables, Florida as an assistant minister, Terry married the former Emily Billings, and within 6 months they moved to Savannah to take up the call of the Independent Presbyterian Church, which they have served since 1987.

Terry is the author/compiler of the Trinity Psalter and Leading in Worship, and author of The Case for Traditional Protestantism (published by the Trust), Reformed Worship, and the trilogy, When Grace Comes Home, When Grace Transforms, and When Grace Comes Alive. He and Emily have five children.