Benjamin Franklin (1812-1878), one of the more influential preachers in the Restoration Movement, made it his aim to preach in such a way that his message was clearly understood. Notice the following quote from a sermon he delivered on the subject of foot-washing:
“All we ask of those who may differ with us, is to give us a patient and impartial hearing, and then, if we cannot agree, it is hoped the disagreement will be greater than it was before” (They Heard Him Gladly, p. 221).
In the nineteenth century, Robert Milligan (1814-1875) was influential as a preacher, writer, and professor. He did much work in each of these areas despite physical infirmities that plagued him throughout his life. As can be seen in the following quote, he was deeply concerned as a professor for his students, even going so far as to refuse certain treatments for his sickness so as not to be a stumbling block to his students.
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Almon Beach Green (1808-1886) grew up in Norton, Ohio in the 19th century – a time in which many were beginning to question the conflicting teaching among the denominations. He determined to investigate the Scriptures for himself and began reading through the New Testament. As he read, he became more convinced that the Bible was inspired and not the product of mere men. When he reached Peter’s statement in Acts 2:38, he sought some help in understanding it.
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Samuel Robert Cassius (1853-1931) was an African-American preacher and part of what is known as the Restoration Movement. He spent most of his years preaching in Oklahoma. During this time, he often struggled to support his family and, of necessity, engaged in other work than just preaching to provide for them. The following excerpt from the book, To Save My Race from Abuse, contains an appeal he made for others to support his work.
“In 1907, Cassius disclosed a plan to wipe out his monetary debts so that he could ‘devote all my time to the ministry’ the following year. ‘This is my earnest desire. Not that I am not willing to work, but because I love to preach.’ Giving his most articulate expression about his passion for preaching, he continued, ‘I had rather preach the gospel for what I can eat, than to live in plenty at anything else. God has raised me up for this very work, and I am not happy or contented at anything else’” (To Save My Race From Abuse, p. 86).
Daniel Austen Sommer (1878-1952) was the son of the gospel preacher Daniel Sommer. In 1916, D.A. Sommer debated J. Roy Wright of the Christian church. The debate dealt with several issues, including instrumental music in worship and missionary societies. In his first speech, Sommer pointed out something that he and Wright had in common.
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Pardee Butler (1816-1888) was an evangelist who spent much of his time preaching in Kansas. He first came to Kansas in 1855 prior to it entering the union. During this time, there was an intense – often violent – debate over whether Kansas would be a free state or a slave state. Butler, with his abolitionist views, suffered physical attacks from pro-slavery settlers. Below is his reaction to a warning about the threat of such violence for refusing to support the sinful practice of slavery that was common in those days.
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Robert Wallace Officer (1845-1930), at one point in his life, served as a missionary for the Liberty Baptist Association. During this six year period, he faced several charges of heresy. Below is an excerpt from a heresy trial in which Dr. J.R. Graves examined him to determine his “soundness of faith.”
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What does “propitiation” mean? How is “justification” connected to salvation? What does “sanctification” look like in our day-to-day lives? The Bible uses some powerful words to describe God’s plan to save mankind. However, these words are not always easy to understand, especially when they are not part of our everyday vocabulary. This book explores key Bible terms that unlock the message of the gospel.
Big Words in the Bible examines five important words – Propitiation, Reconciliation, Sanctification, Justification, and Resurrection – using plain language to see how the Scriptures describe these concepts and how the apostle Paul employs them in his letter to the Romans. This book also contains an appendix with eleven additional articles to explore these topics further.
Whether you are new to the Bible and want to grow in your understanding or want a simple way to explain these core gospel doctrines to others, this book will be helpful. With a focus on the Scriptures, Big Words in the Bible helps break down these fundamental topics to shed light on the life-changing message of the gospel and the salvation found in it.
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