‘I know you go to church, but what do you believe?’ How often has that been said to you? Well, here is the answer in ten exciting chapters.
It starts, of course, with God. There is a helpful explanation of the Trinity. We might well affirm the statement of Isaiah: ‘Woe is me for I am lost… for my eyes have seen the Lord of Hosts.’ He is a God of justice, wisdom and love, the Saviour and judge, sovereign over all things. What a start! Then we turn to the Bible. Here, Cross helpfully quotes one of his many hymn references. ‘How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, is laid for your faith in his excellent Word!’
Then follows a clear chapter on humanity, the fall and Jesus. Jesus lived a perfect life so he could die in the place of sinners, and rose again to prove his all-sufficiency as our perfect Saviour. We go on to read of salvation and what it means for us who believe and then onto the Holy Spirit.
Chapter eight is the church. Worship, preaching, the sacraments, pastoral care, evangelism and fellowship. Here is a telling statement: ‘It is not possible for a Bible-believing church to have fellowship with any… institution that denies the truth of God’s Word.’
Baptism and the Lord’s supper come next, and lastly, Cross answers the question of where we go from here, with his chapter on the future. The answer concerns the glory of Jesus and God the Father, and ends with the statement, ‘Soli Deo gloria’.