"How does Jesus save us by dying on the cross?"
One night, as Josh McNall was talking with his young daughter before bedtime, she asked him this simple question. How would you answer?
"Jesus saves" is perhaps the most basic claim of Christianity. Theologians and scholars refer to the way Jesus saves us as the atonement. the ensuing question--How?--demands attention. How exactly does a brutal and shameful crucifixion bring salvation? Why does the Bible call it good news, and why should we?
In How Jesus Saves, McNall unpacks common questions and critiques that arise regarding the atonement, including:
- If Jesus conquered death, why doesn't it look like it?
- How could an innocent person justly pay the penalty for the guilty?
- Why couldn't God simply forgive apart from the cross?
- Doesn't following Jesus' sacrificial example actually enable abuse?
Through Scripture, story, and real-life applications, he brings together the primary models of atonement doctrine and offers an integrated vision for how Jesus offers the benefits of salvation to the world.
The result is an accessible book that helps remove obstacles for skeptics and can deepen the faith of committed Christians. In both the book and accompanying videos (available separately), McNall addresses this great Christian doctrine with simplicity without sacrificing the nuance this topic demands. Includes reflection questions available at the end of each chapter.
McNall, Joshua M.