QUOTE OF THE WEEK: John Owen

"Morality which does not come from the spiritual regeneration and renovation of our souls is not gospel holiness. The tree must first be made good and then the fruit will be good also. All morality arising from the old nature--even if prayer is made to Christ for help and it is claimed that it is being done to the glory of God--is never acceptable to God. Unless a person is regenerate and his nature renewed into the image and likeness of God; unless he is endued with spiritual life from above enabling him to live to God, he can do nothing that is acceptable to God. Any morality that does not arise from this principle of grace in the renewed soul is not gospel holiness." -- John Owen, Apostasy from the Gospel

The Ineffectuality Of The Gospel Witnessing

Oooh...got your attention, huh? It's true though isn't it. There are times--a lot of times--when the gospel is given to others and it is not effectual. Perhaps you've shared the gospel with someone and it produced no change whatsoever on that person. If you've ever witnessed to someone then you may have seen the ineffectuality of the witnessing. Why is this so? Puritan John Owen writes:

"The gospel will not transform minds unless it first communicates those spiritual principles which are necessary if its work of transforming the mind is to be effective. Put new wine into old bottles and all is lost, bottles and wine also. Put the doctrine of the gospel into an old, unrenewed, corrupt sceptical mind, and it is soon polluted and spoiled, and because it is unable to produce holiness of life, turns the mind in scepticism against it.

Many have seen how ineffectual it is to put gospel mysteries into carnal men and so have abandoned preaching them, sticking only to those doctrines which are suited to the natural understanding of men, such as moral behaviour and obedience to the law.

The holiness which the gospel requires is the transformation of our souls into the image and likeness of God. This is the new nature which gladly submits to the 'good and acceptable and perfect will of God' (Romans 12:2). But his will not happen unless we can 'behold the glory of the Lord', for by that alone can we be 'changed into the same image from glory to glory' (2 Corinthians 3:18). Nor can we 'behold that glory', unless 'he who commanded the light to shine out of darkness shines in our hearts to gives us the knowledge of it' (2 Corinthians 4:6). This is why the doctrine of the gospel is ineffective in the hearts and lives of many by whom its truth is openly acknowledged and professed."

In order for the gospel to work and change the hearts of dead sinners, the Lord Almighty must grant grace to the hearer to hear. God's light must shine in our hearts if we or another are to receive the gospel--if the gospel is to be effectual. Illumination is necessary. A spiritual birth must first take place if we are to comprehend spiritual truths, for the natural man cannot receive or discern the things of God. He is just not able to apart from the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit.

That's some hardcore doctrine. Pretty useless stuff, huh? Some would say so. But in fact this is hardcore doctrine that dictates hardcore philosophy of ministry. Doctrine like this really informs our practices. If you don't realize that God must regenerate and illuminate the mind of an unbelievers if he is to believe the gospel and be saved, then you will resort to man-made practices and philosophies of ministry to try and convert the soul. You'll replace the clear commands of God with human traditions just like the Pharisees did in Jesus' day.

John Owen says that in his day people would turn from preaching the gospel and instead preach obedience to the law and moral behavior type sermons. The natural and unsaved mind loves this, does he not? Ouch! What and indictment of his times. Things are radically similar in our day. Because preachers and Christians are ignorant of doctrine, they use their fallible logic to try reason to a solution to win more converts. The result of poor theology and doctrine is not orthopraxy but malpractice! And that is the condition of a large part of American Christianity. Orthodoxy leads to orthopraxy. Right doctrine leads to right practice.

So do we abandon the gospel knowing that God must give grace to the sinner to comprehend? No, we pray that God would overcome the unbelief in the sinner. We pray that God would rip out the stony heart of the sinner and put in a fleshy one that gladly and joyfully receives Christ. We continue preaching the glory of God in Christ Jesus. We continue being faithful to the Word of God. But we don't dare run the church as if God gave us the authority to reinvent His method of reaching the lost. It's through prayer, holy living and the foolishness of preaching that sinners receive Christ--and by preaching I don't only mean standing behind a pulpit on Sunday morning from 9:30am to 11am...preaching includes taking the gospel out into the world.

I think the "professional pastor" has put unbiblical emphasis on community surveys, crafty programs, affinity groups and obedience to law type sermons to reach the lost. Oftentimes the motivation to build the church comes from pride. We want a big church. We want large offerings. We want cool technology in our buildings. We want our church to be bigger and better than the other guys down the street. In the circles that I grew up in I often heard pastors ask other pastors, "so how many you running and how big are your offerings," as if that was the litmus test to a healthy and vital church. As a former youth pastor my friends regularly asked me, "How many do you have coming to your meetings?" Numbers was the concern, not so much faithfulness.

Let me say that we Pastors lose our authority to lead the church and preach to the church as soon as we deviate from sound doctrine and theology. We cannot shepherd the flock as if the Lord left earth only to leave us to run things without His explicit diretion. God did not leave us to build His church, as if we're taking over the reigns for Christ. Rather, Christ is building His church and He works through His people for His glory.

When it appears that the gospel is ineffectual and when it appears that our evangelism is not working, do not give up. Press on. Pray to the Lord and ask Him to send out more laborers into the field. Pray to the Lord and ask Him to give you boldness in proclaiming the gospel. Pray to the Lord and ask Him to regenerate and give understanding to sinners. Pray to the Lord and ask Him to help you live a holy life so as to adorn the gospel. Pray to the Lord and ask Him to do what only He can do so that He can be glorified. Pray to the Lord and ask Him to help the church be the visible display of His glory.

grace in effect

"To suppose that whatever God requireth of us that we have power of ourselves to do, is to make the cross and grace of Jesus Christ of none effect"

-John Owen (puritan hero)

Are We Raising Pharisees?

Have you ever wondered if you are raising Pharisees in your ministry? With current preaching philosophies that focus almost exclusively on being a moral person rather than preaching that exalts the Lord in all His splendor, you may very well be raising Pharisees. Our church members may ending up observing all the "do's" in scripture without ever coming to really know God and His image, Jesus Christ. The words of John Owen are rather penetrating and serve as a wake-up call to worldly philosophies that have invaded preaching.

"It is our duty and our privilege to behold the glory of Christ. But today, many who call themselves Christians are strangers to this duty. Our Lord Jesus Christ told the Pharisees that in spite of all their boasting, they did not know God. They had no real acquaintance with him, no spiritual view of his glory. And it is the same with us. In spite of so many claiming to know Christ, yet few behold his glory, few are transformed into his image and likeness.

Some talk much of imitating Christ and following his example. But no mall will ever become 'like him' by trying to imitate his behavior and life if they know nothing of the transforming power of beholding his glory. The truth is that most of us are woefully defective in this, and many are discouraged because thoughts of this glory of Christ seem too high or too hard. But is not the real cause our own lack of spirituality?

If we regularly beheld the glory of Christ our Christian walk with God would become more sweet and pleasant, our spiritual light and strength would grow daily stronger and our lives would more gloriously represent the glory of Christ. Death would be most welcome to us.

Is Christ, then, glorious in our eyes? Do we see the Father in him? Do we daily meditate on the wisdom, love, grace, goodness, holiness and righteousness of God as revealed to us in Christ? Do we realize that to see this glory in heaven will be our everlasting blessedness? Does the sight of his glory which we have here increaser our desire for that perfect sight of it we shall one day have of it above?"

We need to preach Christ. Take the Scripture and elevate Christ as best as you can. Help others in your church to see Christ as He is revealed in Scripture. Let them "taste and see that the Lord is good." Expound His wonderful attributes. In doing so, you will help your brothers and sisters in the Lord to be transformed into the likeness of Christ as they behold Him in His majesty.

But be forewarned. You may be criticized. You will be made out to be the "old school" or "irrelevant" church member because you stress doctrine and not practical living. The people will demand, "tell us what to do" not "tell us what has been done for us." Your may be told that this kind of thing does not grow a church, but in saying such a thing one only reveals their pragmatism, not his concern for the glory of Christ.

When these things happen, ask yourself: Who do I ultimately answer to? Is it not the glorious Savior Himself? Am I not ultimately His servant? So why not obey Him and proclaim Him? Do not the entire Scriptures testify of Him? Should I not do the same?

I encourage you to be faithful to the Lord and His Word. My prayer is that, while contemporary Christianity prides itself in becoming more and more moral by observing rules, we may be found spotless and blameless at the return of Christ because we have beheld His image and allowed the Spirit to transform us accordingly.