Final chapters of The Gospel

Last week, I finished reading The Gospel by Ray Ortlund.  There is much to recommend in this book even though I disagree with practical application at points.  Here are some quotes from the final chapters:

God is down underneath the mess, holding us all together, moving us steadily toward Christ

In the same way, a gospel-rich church rejoices in hope. We are poor sinners who can look beyond present circumstances and enjoy our future by faith right now.

This verse (Rev. 21:1) does not tell us that God will discard nature; it tells us he will redeem it.

By the power of God, the gospel creates something new in the world today. . .Francis Schaeffer proposes four things that should mark a gospel-created church: sound doctrine, honest answers to honest questions, true spirituality, and the beauty of human relationships.

But the beauty of human relationships in the church is itself an argument for the gospel . . .When the gospel is doubted, a beautiful church that sticks together is an unanswerable argument in our angry and divided world.

We learn how to behave in the household of God not primarily by looking back at our families but by looking up at our Father. . .

The family of God is where people should find lots of gospel, lots of safety, and lots of time.

A church can offer living and palpable proof that the gospel makes a real difference for real people living in the real world.

The gospel gives us more than a place to stand; it also leads us into a path to follow.

Jesus's purpose in coming into the world was not condemnation but salvation.

It means deliberately rejecting every other source of strength but the grace of Christ alone.

The primary barrier to the ministry of the gospel through your church is not out in the world; the primary barrier is within your church itself.

Our churches should rejoice over one another's successes and grieve over one another's setbacks. We should speak well of one another across denominational lines and humble ourselves in our own eyes by forgiving past injuries and promoting the common good in the gospel. Our loving Christ deserves a loving church in the world today!

A heart aloof from God grows aloof from others. It engages in merciless comparisons and endless faultfinding. Therefore, all restoration begins by going back to God first, prodigals that we are.