The Whole Christ.... - The Highway

Very Enlightening....

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You may be shocked or at least mildly offended to find Ferguson agreeing with Thomas Bostonâ€™s criticism of Bunyanâ€™s seemingly infallible allegory Pilgrimâ€™s Progress. But hear him out. Boston thinks â€œBunyan put the putting off of the burden too far off from the commencing of the pilgrimage. If he meant to describe what usually happens, he is right. But if he meant to show what ought to have happened, he was wrong. The cross should be right in front of the wicket gateâ€ (59). Ferguson agrees, because â€œneither conviction nor the forsaking of sin constitutes the warrant for the gospel offer. Christ Himself is the warrant, since he is able to save all who come to Him. He is offered without conditions. We are to go straight to him! It is not necessary to have any money in order to be able to buy Christâ€ (60).

We need to get this right, because â€œChristians associate the character of God with the character of the preaching they hearâ€”not only the substance and content of it but the spirit and atmosphere it conveysâ€ (72)

https://www.9marks.org/article/book-review-the-whole-christ-by-sinclair-ferguson/

"He does not love us if we love Him. He loves us with an unconditional love; therefore, we should love Him. The message of the covenant is one of Godâ€™s totally free grace to His people. Of course, it calls for a response of total commitment. But notice the order: Godâ€™s covenant love is not the result of our commitment; it is the cause of it. The pattern is, "I will, therefore you should;" not "I will, but only if you will first." -SF

I heard Sinclair Ferguson give a lecture on the Marrow Controversy at a pastor's conference in 1979 in which he spoke of Bunyan's error and I had no doubt that he was correct.

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Matthew 11:25-30 (ASV) At that season Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou didst hide these things from the wise and understanding, and didst reveal them unto babes: yea, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in thy sight. All things have been delivered unto me of my Father: and no one knoweth the Son, save the Father; neither doth any know the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son willeth to reveal [him.] Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (emphasis mine)

We go to Christ as sinners who are incapable of making ourselves right or to rid ourselves of our sin or to make ourselves worthy. We need to first be justified in God's sight thus making us qualified for heaven and thereafter, it is God the Spirit who sanctifies us and prepares us for heaven. God loved those whom He desired to save from all eternity as those who needed to be redeemed from our hatred of God and the insatiable love of sin.

We love Him because and due to Him first loving us, an giving Himself to die in our stead, and to being risen for our account...

Originally Posted by JesusFan

We love Him because and due to Him first loving us, an giving Himself to die in our stead, and to being risen for our account...

I don't understand the relevance of what you wrote to one putting off the "burden" before coming to the cross?

And, out of curiosity, who does the "us", "our stead" and "our account" refer to in your statement?

Those who are the saved, the ones whom Jesus died for...

Originally Posted by JesusFan

Those who are the saved, the ones whom Jesus died for...

Thanks for the reply on the second question, but how about the first?

I don't understand the relevance of what you wrote to one putting off the "burden" before coming to the cross?

What did you mean by "the Burden?"

Originally Posted by JesusFan

What did you mean by "the Burden?"

GUILT.... the conviction of sin by which a regenerate man is brought to repentance and of which being united to Christ through faith is removed.

I thought that there was now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, so would we be feeling guilty?

Originally Posted by JesusFan

I thought that there was now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, so would we be feeling guilty?

Hi, the tricky thing about Bunyan's classic is he depicts common experience in addition to scriptural reality and lays it out allegorically..... I would say periodic guilt is something not foreign to many of the faithful

We feel convicted by the Spirit, and sorrow at times, but we should we feel guity , since the blood of Jesus covers all sins?

Originally Posted by JesusFan

We feel convicted by the Spirit, and sorrow at times, but we should we feel guity , since the blood of Jesus covers all sins?

Not for long.... We should not.... But with new life sometimes old sins & habits die hard.... Of course the struggle can be subdued on the spot as we grab hold of Christ... But sanctification is a process and our assurance is in Christ.... the struggles against legalistic tendencies vs the humble obedience (which is a mark of gratitude) and the ever increasing shedding of our old nature and occasional setbacks (related to falling into sin) can rob us of our joy & peace sometimes....

Originally Posted by JesusFan

We feel convicted by the Spirit, and sorrow at times, but we should we feel guity , since the blood of Jesus covers all sins?

Well, let me put it to you this way..... If a professed believer sins and does not feel guilty for doing so, then that person had better examine themselves to see if Christ by the Spirit is in them. It is guilt that drives a believer to repentance, either for the first time or thereafter. Thus, confession of sin comes both from the knowledge that we have transgressed God's holy law and that are consciences are pricked from dishonoring God. That we are judicially guilty before God when we sin is certainly untrue, since we have an advocate with the Father; Christ Jesus who bore ALL our sins on the cross and by grace we have been eternally declared righteous in His sight due to the imputed righteousness of the Lord Christ.

Do you see any difference between the conviction from the Holy Spirit when we do sin, and feeling guilty?

Originally Posted by JesusFan

Do you see any difference between the conviction from the Holy Spirit when we do sin, and feeling guilty?

Yes, they are inseparable. Conviction IS the realization of having sinned and the believer infallibly mourns over having done so because they are guilty. The fact that the Lord Christ has removed the forensic guilt, i.e., they are no longer under condemnation does not remove the feeling of guilt for dishonoring God.

Got it, as from the Lord perspective we are not condemned, not charged as being guilty, but from our perspective when convicted will feel it ?

Originally Posted by JesusFan

Got it, as from the Lord perspective we are not condemned, not charged as being guilty, but from our perspective when convicted will feel it ?

Yes, experientially, due to the new nature we are given in regeneration and the continual presence and work of the Spirit within, whenever a believer transgresses the law, guilt, hopefully, surfaces. Just read through the Psalms of David and see how many times he laments over his sins as a true believer.

That would be the new nature wanting to get right with God, so part of repent and confession would be the desire to forsake the known sin, and if still sinning at times over some issue, the Christian will keep moving ahead with God by confession and repenting?

Originally Posted by JesusFan

That would be the new nature wanting to get right with God, so part of repent and confession would be the desire to forsake the known sin, and if still sinning at times over some issue, the Christian will keep moving ahead with God by confession and repenting?

A true believer sins everyday and knowing that a remnant of the old nature still exists within him/her, confession is a perpetual practice even asking God to reveal unknown and secret sins so they too may be confessed. Read the heart of King David, for example, in Psalm 90.

Isn't there some teaching held that in Christ we no longer have that old Adamic sin nature, more like the leftover residuals? Think Dr Macarthur taught on that subject s such?