Archive December | Old Paths Paved

Dec 28 2006

Spiritual Refining-2

William C. Nichols of International Outreach Ministries, makes some keen observations as a preface to his edition of Burgess’s work. His insights are remarkably salient for our current Reformed culture. Nichols argues that over the centuries, the Christian Church has encountered several movements that have tried to substitute something else for true conversion. There are those in certain quadrants of the modern “reformed” landscape that fit these descriptions perfectly.

The first substitution for true conversion according to Nichols is baptismal regeneration. This group tends to place too much emphasis on the sacrament of Baptism (we would find this emphasis prevalent in the CRC, URC, Can. Ref, and the Protestant Reformed Church). A misunderstanding of the Covenant of Grace has lead many in these groups to sacramentalize conversion when the sign is given to our children. There is no inward probing of the conscience in the preaching, no discrimination in the application, and a general belief that all who are members of the Church are in the kingdom. We have Abraham Kuyper to thank for this in his wide departure from the Second Reformation and Secession of 1834.

The second substitute for true conversion is the opposite extreme- decisional regeneration. This substitute teaches that so long as you, by your free will, embrace Christ and sign on the dotted line (or back of your Gideon Bible), you posses salvation. Billy Graham the neo- Finneyian has lead countless souls to believe that they are the masters of the own destiny and are capable of saving themselves by availing the will to the merits of Christ. This is very pleasing to natural man and makes God a simple by standard in election. It is however unbiblical.

The last substitute that Nichols insists is a substitute for true conversion is something he calls intellectual regeneration. His premise is, because true doctrine is so rare in the Church today, when someone comes to embrace the doctrines of grace, the Law, etc they believe that they are saved by the very fact that they posses true doctrine. This error is very prevalent in many Reformed congregations in our day. “Good education may have changed their mind”, says Nichols, “but that does not mean the Spirit of God has changes his heart and life”(p. ii).

How careful we must be in our day to stay clear of these subtle substitutes for true conversion. Baptism is a blessing (a covenant sign and seal), reaching out in faith- a must, and doctrine of the greatest importance; but heresy is often the amplification of certain truths to the neglect of others. Burgess help us identify and traverse these errors in an effort to uncover or discover a soundness in saving faith (that is knowledge, assent, and trust in Christ alone).

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Dec 14 2006

Spiritual Refining-1

Anthony Burgess was born at the height of English Puratinism to a learned schoolmaster in Watford Hartfordshire, England. He received his B.A at St. John’s College (Cambridge) and was soon after made Fellow on the basis of his exceptional scholarship. His time at Cambridge was marked by piety, learning, and a mastery of disputation. Dr. Fuller said of Burgess, “Among the learned writers of this college I have omitted many still alive, as Mr. Anthony Burgess, the profitable expounder of the much mistaken nature of the two covenants”.

He was also one of the learned English Divines called to sit at the Westminster Assembly. There, he was highly regarded as a masterful defender of Calvinism in the face of the Arminian and Antinomian errors of the time. His “Lawrence- Jury” lectures became the standard work defending the Law and the Covenants.

Yet Anthony Burgess will be best remembered as the godly Pastor of Sutton-Coldfield. There, he laboured faithfully for many years expounding the truths of the unsearchable riches of Gospel by way of warning by the Law and winning through the free offer. Matthew Henry’s biographer notes, “That he was more willing to see this place, on his way for the sake of the eminent Mr. Anthony Burgess, who laboured so much among the people there” (Spiritual Refining .v). His death date is unknown.

In our day, Burgess will be remembered no doubt for his masterful work, Spiritual Refining, The Anatomy of True and False Conversion, which will be the subject of the next few months here at Kerugma. Much like Matthew Meade’s, The almost Christian, Burgess plumbs the depths of the soul of man, even the deep regions of self deception and presumption to arouse the sleepy heart to biblical examination. This work in two volumes is based on several texts, the most notable being 2 Corinthians13:5, “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?”. Lord willing, Kerugma will provide a summary of each chapter on a regular or rotative basis.

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Dec 7 2006

When Satan has Sucked out all the Marrow

(Thomas Brooks- 1660)

God usually begins with such early in life–whom He has
had thoughts of love and mercy towards, from everlasting.

If, in the spring and morning of your days, you do not bring
forth fruit to God–it is a hundred to one that you never shall
bring forth fruit to God when the days of old age shall overtake
you. It is rare, very rare–that God sows and reaps in old age.
Usually God sows the seed of grace in youth–which yields
the harvest of joy in old age.

Though true repentance is never too late–yet late
repentance is seldom true. Millions are now in hell, who
have flattered themselves with the thought of repenting
in old age! Yes, what can be more just and equal, that such
should seek and not find–who might have found when young,
but would not seek; and that God should shut His ears against
their late prayers–who have stopped their ears against His
early calls?

The ancient warriors would not accept an old man into their
army, as being unfit for service; and do you think that God
will accept of your dry bones–when Satan has sucked
out all the marrow? What king will take into his service
–those who have served his enemies all their days? And
will God? will God?

The Circassians, a kind of mongrel Christians, are said to
divide their life between sin and devotion–dedicating their
youth to rapine, and their old age to repentance. If this is
your case, I would not be in your case for ten thousand worlds!

“But since you rejected Me when I called, and no one gave
heed when I stretched out My hand, since you ignored all
My advice and would not accept My rebuke–I in turn will
laugh at your disaster; I will mock when calamity overtakes
you–when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster
sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble
overwhelm you. Then they will call to Me but I will not answer;
they will look for Me but will not find Me. Since they hated
knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord, since they
would not accept My advice and spurned My rebuke–they
will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit
of their schemes.” Proverbs 1:24-31