‘Sin … is not measured by a law, or a nation, or a society of any kind, but by a Person. The righteousness of God was not in a requirement, system, book, or Church, but in a Person, and sin is defined by relation to Him. He came to reveal not only God but sin. The essence of sin is exposed by the touchstone of His presence, by our attitude to Him. He makes explicit what the sinfulness of sin is; He even aggravates it. He rouses the worst as well as the best of human nature. There is nothing that human nature hates like holy God. All the world’s sin receives its sharpest expression when in contact with Christ; when, in face of His moral beauty, goodness, power, and claim, He is first ignored, then discarded, denounced, called the agent of Beelzebub, and hustled out of the world in the name of God’. – PT Forsyth, Missions in State and Church: Sermons and Addresses (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1908), 56-7.
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jasongoroncy.com 
Jason,
Thanks for this. I love this clarity, this poetry. Theology can be so wonderfully poetic and glorious when it is in the hands of a writer and not merely the hands of a theologian. And writing (words) is so much the better when it is in the hands of a preacher, and not merely an author. Great post. PS–don’t forget to send me that paper you mentioned at my blog.
jerry
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I believe Forsyth was right on the money. I have a continuing uneasiness with the emphasis placed in the New Testament churches on the Ten Commandments to produce conviction of sin, confession,and repentance. Now that the Christ has come all rebellion of Adam’s race is fully revealed in their rejection of Him. Is not this the true meaning of our Lord’s promise regarding the Spirit of Truth (John 16:8-11)?
John Paul Todd
e4unity.wordpress.com
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