Living in God's Love

Living in God's Love: The New York Crusade

This short work consists of the three nights of services held in 2005 for what will likely be the final New York Crusade the Reverend Billy Graham will officiate.

While the book is concise, it is by no means unimportant. The brief speaking points outline fundamental truisms that have been a staple of Billy Graham's ministry over the years.

1) Everyone has sinned and needs to be forgiven. Even if you're religious and obey God's rules, you still need forgiveness. The example of Nicodemus in the Gospel of John is cited as an example of a religious man who needed forgiveness.

2) God came to earth in the form of a human in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, known as The Christ, a Greek term meaning the Messiah, the one God promised to send to the Hebrew people. Jesus died in our place. With his death we are forgiven of the sins for which we are all guilty.

3) Even if you don't believe it, you are forgiven. God loves you and wants to know you, one needs only accept this free gift that will change your life. God's love if the missing piece so many people are looking for in life.

Graham also comments on his own mortality. Getting along in age in 2005, he said we all die. Every last one of us. So much is the case that wars do not in fact cause more death, just the manner and timeliness is altered. I was a little puzzled by that assertion, made not once but twice in the book. One might take that a step further and say that war prevents death as many soldiers who die before having families, resulting in less people, resulting in less death. I don't think that's Dr. Graham's point. Rather, I think his commentary is one that he is prepared for death, and since we will all die sooner or later, we too should make ourselves ready.

Overall, I would say this book is a good refresher on the key components of Christianity.

Matt