Forgive the gender exclusive language in the quotation below. James Denney was a man of his time and Edwardian Scotland was hardly an oasis of political correctness. It was however singularly blessed with theological correctness, even theological correctives. One of the most lucid and influential was James Denney.
The condemnation of our sins in Christ upon His Cross is the barb of the hook. If you leave that out of your Gospel, I do not deny that your bait will be taken; men are pleased rather than not to think that God regards them with goodwill; your bait will be taken but you will not catch men. You will not create in sinful human hearts that attitude to Christ which created the New Testament. You will not annihilate pride, and make Christ the Alopha and Omega in man's redemption. (Quoted in God Loves Like That! J R Taylor, London: SCM, 1962), page 165.
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