Editor’s Introduction

In the title and elsewhere, sum combines the meanings of summary and essentials. Thus, the Sum of Saving Knowledge will reveal as briefly as reasonably possible what is essential to know about how to be saved from spending eternity in Hell. Now, it might seem longer than strictly necessary, but that is because this Sum also explains why certain things are true. The why is essential for us to remember, internalize, and embrace the what, and most importantly, to motivate us to do the hard work of living for Christ. Both this Sum and the editor’s auxiliary text are intended to be useful to all people, whatever their present relationship to Jesus Christ may be, if any.

In any field of knowledge, humans tend to forget things over time, and we need to refresh our memories. The same is true in the Christian life. Especially in the Law of Moses and in the Epistles, the word remind or reminder appears some one and a half dozen times in the Holy Bible, depending on the translation. “Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have” (2 Peter 1:12 ESV). The problem is made more acute by our normal sinful tendency to forget those teachings that prick our consciences. It is thus as a reminder of many basic truths that this Sum will be useful to the believer in our Lord Jesus Christ.

This Sum is also a good opportunity for those unfamiliar with Jesus Christ and His way of salvation to quickly learn the basics of how to get off the path to Hell and onto the way to eternal life in Heaven with Christ. Some may relearn what they had long forgotten from Sunday school as children, while others may never have had knowledge of the Good News of salvation in Jesus Christ. Both will find all they need to know in order to gain eternal life in Heaven with God.

However, this Sum does not stop there, but also tells how one can know that he has eternal life. In addition to the text of the Sum of Saving Knowledge, there are helpful sections before and after the Sum. Footnotes explain terms and concepts that may be unfamiliar to some, whereas endnotes are used to give credit where due.

Navigation sections like the one just below, in Arial Font are independent of the Sum’s original titles and help the reader see where he is relative to other major sections.

Navigation:

Past: Editor’s Introduction gave reasons why all people, wherever they are spiritually, may expect to benefit from this Sum.

Present: Prerequisite Knowledge and More Helpful Background Information enable all readers to be “on the same page” as this Sum and profit from it, provided they are willing to at least suspend prior false beliefs for the sake of understanding this book.

Future: The Sum of Saving Knowledge, and then how to put that knowledge to good use.