Holiness and the Eschatological Hope

It is my primary purpose to demonstrate scripturally that the only hope for an alien world is based upon the atoning work of Jesus Christ. A universal atonement offers universal hope. The cross was the turning point in redemptive history. The kingdom of God was established at the first advent of Christ and through the cross this kingdom will fill the whole earth (Dan 2:35, 44).

My secondary purpose is to demonstrate that this hope was an essential doctrine of early Methodism. This hope has been lost by many who claim to be Wesleyan in doctrine, but have been misled by a pessimistic view of the future. The attempt of this book is to demonstrate that dispensationalism, in particular, contributed to the decline of the holiness movement. It is also an attempt to reintroduce Wesleyans to the historic Wesleyan doctrine of the kingdom. The Wesleyan emphasis is not only upon the total alienation of sin, the universal atonement, justification by faith, a holy life, and conditional security, all of which are implied in Colossians 1:22-3, but also that the gospel has the radical power to transform this hostile world into the kingdom of God.

Victor Paul Reasoner
The Hope of the Gospel: An Introduction to Wesleyan Eschatology, Fundamental Wesleyan Publishers, 1999, p. 9, emphasis added.

That, folks, is just the introduction. I can't wait to read this one. Available from American Vision.