In this episode of ‘How It Happens,’ Colin Cook takes us on a profound journey into understanding God’s salvation plan for all humanity through Jesus Christ. He introduces his upcoming book, ‘Every Last Sheep and Goat,’ which seeks to explore the intricate details of how God’s grace brings redemption to every soul, focusing on his interpretation of Scripture. Colin also sheds light on the complexities and challenges that accompany publishing a book, specifically through traditional and self-publishing routes, and his preference for partnering with Whipf & Stock.
Try to imagine one of your family members, a son or daughter, a father or mother or another loved one going through a terrible, terrible trial of either grief or addiction and so dark and lost in his or her condition that you wonder what to say and what to do. And yet, because you believe that God is going to save all humanity through Jesus Christ, you are able to tell this person that the darkness that he or she is going through is all part of God’s plan to bring that person to Jesus, to bring that person to ultimate salvation. For we’re all stubborn and difficult people. And we do not readily come to God only when we see that everything is lost do we realize that we need him. And how would that change possibly your prayer life? Instead of endlessly, anxiously, desperately praying for their deliverance, perhaps you would change that prayer life to, Lord God, as my loved one goes through this difficulty, this horrendous darkness, Lead him, come slowly into his darkness, be his light, and bring him to the light of Jesus. See how things could be different. Well, that’s what my book is about. I’ve been telling you about this book I have completed. The working title is Every Last Sheep and Goat, and it’s about the salvation of all mankind. It’s a 450-page manuscript. It may not be that when it’s in print, of course, maybe 250, 300 pages. And it’s designed to show in detail from Scripture how God, through the salvation of Jesus Christ, brings all humanity ultimately to him, both now… and in the final judgment. The second coming of Jesus separates the world between sheep and goats, and the judgment unites the world when finally all things are brought to restoration. And as it describes in Colossians chapter 1 verse 20 and other parts and Ephesians, This book has been accepted for publication by Whipf & Scott, which is a publisher that has an A-plus rating with the Better Business Bureau and is a fast-developing company, 30 years old now. And the uniqueness about it is that it does not publish a book based upon how extensive, how many copies are likely to be sold. In other words, from the financial point of view, it publishes book based upon the quality of their writing and teaching and theological and biblical message. But as a result of that, it puts itself in some jeopardy financially, of course, because with a lower expected distribution rate, there is likely to be less remunerative return. And so the publishers ask the authors to contribute to the cost, the cost of editing and the cost of typesetting and various other things. And the typesetting is $2.50 per page, and the editing is $7.50 per page. And so you can see that several thousand dollars is needed for this book to be published. They have accepted it for publication. I’m very pleased about that. In 2015, you know, about 10 years ago, 280,000 books were published in the United States in that year. How many do you think were published in 2023, just a few years later? Three million. Three million, both in self-publishing and traditional publishing, which means, and the number of books that were bought in that year, 2023, was approximately 870 million, which means that the average hard copy book is expected to sell only 300 copies throughout its lifetime or 1,000 copies throughout its lifetime in both hard copy and electronic books and audio. In other words, the publishing, the book companies, how shall I say it, I’m not familiar with these terminologies, but the field publishers, of books published is saturated. Your chance of having a book published and put on the shelves of bookshelves of companies that sell books is less than 1%. It’s a staggering fact. Most self-publishing is, of course, produced by books that just ultimately fall apart and do not get anywhere. So, yet there are people who do succeed with self-publishing. The thing that is interesting, though, about self-publishing is that it takes as much work to market your self-published book as it does to write it, because there is so much that is needed. So you are virtually starting a new business now. when you self-publish. And quite frankly, at my age of 85, that’s a little bit too much. I’m not willing to start a new sort of, quote, business ministry at my age. And in addition to that, you have to produce a self-published book that it has real quality. Most self-published books look rather chintzy. The print looks as though it’s been typed on your computer. The cover is not particularly glossy and colorful and not very imaginative in design. And the binding isn’t all that special. The average self-printed book, that is self-published book, looks as though it’s gone through Kinko’s. Well, therefore, in order to make a self-published book that really has quality to it, you have to enlist or purchase the services of a good editor and also a good cover designer. And so the costs cost about the same from all that I have learned as the cost would be for my book going through Whiptham Stock. So I would rather have a traditional publisher who can do a lot of the marketing for me, but I’m expected to do some marketing too, and of course that will come through the personal contacts and word of mouth and the radio announcements and so forth. But all of this is to say that I need your help, and I wish and hope that you will be very interested in this. Maybe you have doubted for many years how God’s work comes to us, how his salvation comes to us. The message of the salvation of all is not a message that diminishes the atoning work of Jesus Christ. On the contrary, in my book I show what the universal effect of the atoning work of Christ is. When Paul says, “…as with one man came sin and condemnation upon all,” that’s Romans chapter 5, verse 18, “…so also through one man justification and life comes upon all. And I show and extend all the teaching on that and show how that is so true. The book of Romans is the foundation for the salvation of all humanity. But I also show how the judgments are part of this. Some people think that if you teach the salvation of all, you must dismiss a load of Scripture about God’s judgments. No, you don’t. What I have found in my research is that Paul leaned heavily upon the book of Ezekiel in much of his teaching. And in the book of Ezekiel, the judgments are revealed. But did you know that the judgments revealed in the book of Ezekiel—that is, the judgments upon Israel when the Babylonian captivity came upon them— led to Israel knowing that God is the Lord. This is the goal of the judgments, that people may know that God is the Lord. And Paul makes many allusions to the book of Ezekiel, and I show that connection. And above all, in the book of Ezekiel is the marvelous gospel declaration of the resurrection of all Israel. the whole house of Israel. And right in the middle of the message of the book of Ezekiel, well, one third of it of the way through, is the declaration of the atonement that forgives Israel for all that they have done. Now, Israel is a type of how God operates in all the world. And so if God can forgive Israel for all that they have done, and remember that included the sacrifice of little babies, He can also and will also atone for all the salvation of the world. These are marvelous truths that come forward in this book that I hope that you will get your hands on. It’s not ready yet, of course. The publisher has to do loads of work on it, and it will take about six to nine months before it actually hits the market. But I’m feeling that this is a message that that needs to be heard, that God’s grace reveals God’s heart, and God is not two-faced. He is not merciful to some and incredibly cruel to others by casting them into an eternal hell. He is merciful to all, but to some who receive him now, He shows that mercy through Jesus Christ, and to others they must go through the judgment because they resist him until they then are shown the mercy of Jesus Christ. That’s how it works. Well, if you would like to help, I need about $5,000, I think, that amount. The editing, $7.50 a page, and the typesetting, $2.50 a page, 450 pages. Then would you consider, pray and consider, and make a donation? You can send your donation to FaithQuest, P.O. Box 366, Littleton, Colorado. Thank you very, very much for considering this. I do appreciate it. Thanks for listening today. Colin Cook here, and this is a broadcast called How It Happens, and we walk through step by step the book of Romans to show how God’s grace in Christ leads us through our struggles and our difficulties, and Christ is our righteousness all the way through. I’m glad you’re listening, and I hope you will continue to listen. You can hear on your smartphone any time of the day or night. Simply download a free app, soundcloud.com or podbean.com, and key in how it happens with Colin Cook when you get there. Thank you so much for all your support. I do appreciate it, and I’ll see you next time. Cheerio and God bless.
