By God’s grace there are a growing collection of excellent books on the doctrine of justification. I am thankful for all the contemporary works that define this essential doctrine with clarity and accuracy. As you may have seen through this bog, however, I am partial to old books and it happens to be that my favorite book on the doctrine of justification was written in 1874 by Horatius Bonar titled, The Everlasting Righteousness (0851516556). Currently it ranks as my third favorite book. I would heartily recommend it to you as passionate but short work loaded with quotes about the beauty of Christ and the Cross. Going into another weekend and sermons this is a great quote to refocus our attention on the Cross:

“We are never done with the cross, nor ever shall be. Its wonders will be always new, and always fraught with joy. ‘The Lamb as it had been slain’ will be the theme of our praise above [Rev. 5:6,12]. Why should such a name be given to him in such a book as the Revelation, which in one sense carries us far past the cross, were it not that we shall always realize our connection with its one salvation; always be looking to it even in the midst of the glory; and always learning from it some new lesson regarding the work of Him ‘in whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace’? What will they who here speak of themselves as being so advanced as to be done with the cross, say to being brought face to face with the Lamb that was slain, in the age of absolute perfection, the age of heavenly glory? … the glory of heaven revolves around the cross; and every object on which the eye lights in the celestial city will remind us of the cross, and carry us back to Golgotha. Never shall we get beyond it, or turn our backs on it, or cease to draw from it the divine virtue which it contains. The tree, be it palm, or cedar, or olive, can never be independent of its roots, however stately its growth, however plentiful its fruit. The building, be it palace or temple, can never be separated from its foundation, however spacious or ornate its structure may be. So never shall the redeemed be independent of the cross, or cease to draw from its fullness.”

– Horatius Bonar, The Everlasting Righteousness (Banner of Truth, 1874/1993) pp. 61-64.