Ricky Beckett’s Reviews > Theology Is for Proclamation > Status Update

"The persistent preaching that thunders away at the idea that we 'have to believe' or 'make our decision for Jesus' or somehow acquire 'Jesus as our personal savior' usually defeats the purpose of the gospel altogether. Faith is not something you 'have to' do. That is like hollering at single folks that they 'have to' fall in love, a mostly futile exercise... Faith is life in the Spirit" (140-141).

"Jesus is the One in whom God does God to us, the true human in whom God does God to us. The point is that we can move forward here only if we realize that in and through the human, suffering, dying, and resurrected Jesus we come up against God. God does himself to us in Jesus" (100).

"Sin is not an act of freedom, it is precisely the loss of freedom... God does not come hat in hand begging, 'Won't somebody please believe in me?' God does not come in ways that pander to our so-called freedom of choice. God comes to invade the house of the 'strong man armed' who aims to keep his goods in peace" (53, 56).