The Scarlet Thread Through the Bible

by W.A. Criswell

There is a scarlet thread that runs throughout the Bible and it is the binding that holds the pages of the Scripture together. That great scarlet thread is redemption through Jesus Christ. In this book, Criswell traces the scarlet thread of redemption from the blood of covering after the fall in the Garden of Eden to the blood-washed multitude standing before the throne of God in eternity. The content of this eBook was originally delivered as a sermon by W. A. Criswell at First Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas.

Genres: Theology, Christianity

48 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 1970

About the author

W. A. Criswell was born December 19, 1909 in Eldorado, Oklahoma. He received his B.A. from Baylor University, and his Th.M. and Ph.D. degrees from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He served as pastor of First Baptist Church Chickasha, Oklahoma and First Baptist Church Muskogee, Oklahoma prior to being called as pastor of First Baptist Church Dallas in October of 1944. He served for fifty years as senior pastor of First Baptist Church, for many years the largest church in the Southern Baptist Convention, preaching more than five thousand sermons from its pulpit. He became the historic church's first Pastor Emeritus in 1995.

Dr. Criswell published fifty-four books and was awarded eight honorary doctorates. The Criswell College, First Baptist Academy, and KCBI Radio were started under his leadership. He served on the board of trustees of Baylor University, Baylor Health Care System, Dallas Baptist University, and The Baptist Standard. He also served as a member of the Annuity Board and as Chairman of the Trustees of the Baptist Sunday School Board (now LifeWay Christian Resources). The Baptist Banner characterized his contribution to the Southern Baptist Convention as "historic":

He is known as the patriarch of the "conservative resurgence," returning the SBC to its Bible-believing roots. Twice elected president of the SBC, in 1968 and 1969, during the 20 years that followed he was perhaps the most popular preacher at evangelism and pastors' conferences in America, while also preaching extensively to mission fields worldwide.

As founder and chancellor of the Criswell College, Dr. Criswell gave his later years to preparing young preachers to preach the Word of God. He emphasized that a sermon should take God's truth and "make it flame, make it live!" "The word we preach from our pulpits," he declared, "ought to be like the Word of God itself--like a fire and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces (Jer 23:29)."

W. A. Criswell went to be with the Lord January 10, 2002. His ministry continues through the messages he preached and the lives he touched during his seventy-five years of pastoral service.

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 1 out of 5]

Poor/loose handling of the Word

Obtained this through a men's Bible study. I have heard of W.A.Criswell for many years and heard excerpts of his teachings, but this is my first exposure to entire messages. In preparation we also watched/listened to “A Life of Legacy” and “The Old Time Religion”.

We are only through the forward and first two parts and I must say I am thoroughly disappointed. for a man highly regarded as an expository preacher, he makes important misstatements of Scripture and frequently "assumes facts not in evidence". Some examples:

Supposedly quotes Genesis 1:2 "and the earth became tohu wa bohu" - NO English translations of this verse list it as "became". ALL translate it in the sense of "was".

Despite accurately quoting Genesis 1:26-28 where God gives man dominion over the earth, he repeatedly states man has been given dominion over the UNIVERSE and WHOLE CREATION.

Describes Lucifer as existing before time. As a created being, Lucifer had a beginning, therefore there was a period before he existed, ergo time existed before Lucifer.

The forward lauds his way of adding "imaginative details that help us enter the scene." But sometimes these are not carefully set off and the less trained student might mistake Criswell's storytelling for actual Scripture. For example, he places an altar with the cherubim at the gate of the Garden of Eden, ascribes feelings and attitudes to Abel and Cain, erroneously ascribes Cain's eviction as being due to blasphemy, instead of murder, has people pounding on the door of the ark to get in and the tower of Babel being built to escape a flood.

Had I not been doing this as a study with other seasoned believers, I would continue studying this. I understand and agree with his overall premise of God's plan for redemption being planned from before the beginning of the world and woven throughout Scripture, but given these issues thus far, it requires too much effort to guard against the errors he injects. His presentation of the gospel is muddy, lacking emphasis on Christ's faithfulness in shedding His blood for the remission of our sin and His resurrection for our justification (! Corinthians 15:3-4 and Romans 4:25) and our salvation through trusting in that.

[Tyler Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

While it provides a summative overview of the dispensational meta-narrative of scripture, and some poignant imagery, this printed sermon is rife with blatant hermeneutical error, and perhaps more consistently, arguments from silence here stated as plain facts. This is a perfect illustration of the danger of fundamentalism. While the Bible is absolutely divinely inspired and inerrant, the KJV and this 20th century, American, surface-level baptist reading of it, are neither.

[M · Rating 2 out of 5]

One famous preacher's exposition of the Bible's recurring theme throughout the Old Testament that points the way to Jesus and his mission.

[Dwain Minor · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a scarlet thread that runs throughout Scripture. From God's sacrifice of an animal to cover the shame of Adam and Eve to the Consummation of the Kingdom of God there is a moment in history that all of Scripture in some way points toward, and that is the work of Christ in His death and resurrection.

This is a short book that rehearses the story of Scripture. Actually, it was a long sermon made into a short book. It is very informative and helps the reader to tie the story of Scripture together in their mind. But, it also helps the reader to keep the main thing the main thing in their own study of Scripture.