David Westerfield

http://www.westerfunk.net/archives/theo … en%20Life/

Michael Horton does an excellent job in this article of not smearing the good the Purpose-Driven movement has done in the evangelical world. I disagree with the tactics, principles, and methodology of this movement (seeing as how it is blatantly Arminian in nature and corporate-principle driven). However, I do not negate the fact that many have come to Christ through this series and the book. I do not believe it is a clear rendering of the Gospel message (wrath, sin, judgment, ya know, the stuff people need to hear first, etc), but it at least gets people some where closer to maybe hear a clearer message at their church (at least that’s my hope). Regardless, Michael Horton, instead of bashing the movement simply points us in another direction away from “Purpose-Driven” thinking. He instead says this, “Christ lived the purpose-driven life so that we would inherit his righteousness through faith and be promise-driven people in a purpose-driven world.” And man is this a purpose-driven world! I believe that quote from the article succinctly states Biblically where we should be leading people: to be Promise-Driven Christ followers, where our destiny was sealed by the blood of Christ. And it is under this banner that people’s lives are changed forever. The promises of God in the Gospel are what sustain us (Romans 8) not merely living for a purpose. Of course there’s purpose in following Christ (namely the glorification of God), but the Bible is even more specific than mere purposes. We have concrete promises! How amazing is the grace of God to sinners like me?

You ask me, “You’re still reading that?” Yes. It is a book worth the time to slow down and get instead of speeding your way through it.

“It is one thing for a man to know in general that there is a law of sin; [it is] another thing for a man to have an experience of the power of this law of sin in himself. It is preached to all; all men that own the Scripture acknowledge it as being declared therein. But they are but few that know it in themselves; we should else have more complaints of it than we have, and more contendings against it, and less fruits of it in the world. But this is that which the apostle affirms—not that the doctrine of it had been preached unto him, but that he found it by experience in himself. “I find a law”—“I have experience of its power and efficacy.” For a man to find his sickness, and danger thereon from its effects, is another thing than to hear a discourse about a disease from its causes. And this experience is the great preservative of all divine truth in the soul. This it is to know a thing indeed, in reality, to know it for ourselves, when, as we are taught it from the word, so we find it in ourselves. Hence we observe, secondly, believers have experience of the power and efficacy of indwelling sin. They find it in themselves; they find it as a law. It has a self-evidencing efficacy to them that are alive to discern it. They that find not its power are under its dominion. Whosoever [would] contend against it shall know and find that it is present with them, that it is powerful in them. He shall find the stream to be strong who swims against it, though he who rolls along with it be insensible of it.” – p.235

“Many there are in the world who find not this law in them—who, whatever they have been taught in the word, have not a spiritual sense and experience of the power of indwelling sin; and that because they are wholly under the dominion of it. They find not that there is darkness and folly in their minds because they are darkness itself, and darkness will discover nothing. They find not deadness and an indisposition in their hearts and wills to God because they are dead wholly in trespasses and sins. They are at peace with their lusts by being in bondage unto them. And this is the state of most men in the world; which makes them woefully despise all their eternal concerns. Whence is it that men follow and pursue the world with so much greediness, that they neglect heaven, and life, and immortality for it, every day? Whence is it that some pursue their sensuality with delight?—they will drink and revel, and have their sports, let others say what they please. Whence is it that so many live so unprofitably under the word, that they understand so little of what is spoken unto them, that they practice less of what they understand, and will by no means be stirred up to answer the mind of God in his calls unto them? It is all from this law of sin and the power of it that rules and bears sway in men, that all these things do proceed;” – p.248

“Upon this one hinge, or finding out and experiencing the power and the efficacy of this law of sin, turns the whole course of our lives. Ignorance of it breeds senselessness, carelessness, sloth, security, and pride; all which the Lord’s soul abhors. Eruptions into great, open, conscience-wasting, scandalous sins are from want of a due spiritual consideration of this law. Inquire, then, how it is with your souls. What do you find of this law? What experience have you of its power and efficacy? Do you find it dwelling in you, always present with you, exciting itself, or putting forth its poison with facility and easiness at all times, in all your duties, “when you would do good”? What humiliation, what self-abasement, what intenseness in prayer, what diligence, what watchfulness, does this call for at your hands! What spiritual wisdom do you stand in need of! What supplies of grace, what assistance of the Holy Ghost, will be hence also discovered! I fear we have few of us a diligence proportionable to our danger.” – p.249

“As men do not spend their grace, but increase it, by its exercise, no more do they their indwelling sin. The more men exercise their grace in duties of obedience (scripture reading, memorization, prayer, fellowship with Christ, serving the Kingdom – my insertion), the more it is strengthened and increased; and the more men exert and put forth the fruits of their lust, the more is that enraged and increased in them— it feeds upon itself, swallows up its own poison, and grows thereby. The more men sin, the more are they inclined unto sin. It is from the deceitfulness of this law of sin, whereof we shall speak afterward at large, that men persuade themselves that by this or that particular sin they shall so satisfy their lusts as that they shall need to sin no more. Every sin increases the principle, and fortifies the habit of sinning. It is an evil treasure that increases by doing evil. And where does this treasure lie? It is in the heart; there it is laid up, there it is kept in safety.” – p.250

From Overcoming Sin and Temptation – Three classic treatments of the nature and power of sin by John Owen.