Gospel Sanctification and Sonship’s Gospel-Driven Genealogy, Part 3: New Calvinism’s Bad Seed
In one of the more contemporary blogs dedicated to Christocentric hermeneutics, it happened—Robert Brinsmead appeared, and started a lot of trouble. The blog is Vossed World, authored by Chad Bresson, an elder at Clearcreek Chapel in Springboro, Ohio. According to a message preached there recently by another Clearcreek elder, the leadership considers Clearcreek to be a “New Covenant Theology” church. They are also very strong on Christian Hedonism (John Piper), Heart Theology (CCEF), and Redemptive-Historical hermeneutics which is the theme of Bresson’s blog. Bresson is also a member of the Earth Stove Society (dedicated to NCT).
Bresson posted an excerpt from the writings of Brinsmead that represented the beliefs of the Australian Forum (see chart in part 2) concerning the use and interpretation of the Scriptures. The Australian Forum (hereafter “AF”) included Brinsmead, Geoffrey Paxton, and Graeme Goldsworthy. The post was brought to my attention by a reader. Though one person who commented on the post was totally unaware of it—Bresson responded to him by launching a defense regarding the relevance of Brinsmead’s apostasy:
“There are two reasons your analogy doesn’t wash: 1. Brinsmead wrote this ditty during a time of his life (as SDA, no less) when he affirmed reformed theology. That this guy is now an atheist is irrelevant. 2. What Brinsmead says here isn’t anything different than what has been posted on this blog for the past three years. In fact, given the recent articles written by the guys at Southern [see bottom of chart in part 2], what Brinsmead writes here could have just as easily have been written by one of them.”
The reader responded this way:
“I didn’t toss an ad hominem attack. I am criticizing the doctrine you are pursuing; I am not attacking you personally at all. I didn’t know this guy is now an atheist. I don’t know anything about him.”
The post and all the comments can be viewed here:
http://breusswane.blogspot.com/2008_07_17_archive.html
July of 2008 is a long way from what the AF wrote in the 1970’s. Bresson and the Chapel are respected as being on the cutting edge of New Calvinism (hereafter “NC”), and notice that he said, “What Brinsmead says here isn’t anything different than what has been posted on this blog for the past three years.” When I read the Brinsmead excerpt, I immediately recognized the fact that NC, ie., Gospel Sanctification and Sonship Theology (hereafter “NCGSS) needs such a hermeneutic to appear (consistent) and function consistently. My point by point rebuttal of the Brinsmead excerpt posted by Bresson can be read here: http://wp.me/pmd7S-lq
Or here: Brinsmead
This post is the first that demonstrates that the top of the proposed genealogy chart looks the same as the bottom. Bresson and the Chapel are an excellent specimen representing the NCGSS movement—yet, Bresson states that what Brinsmead wrote some thirty years ago is representative of what has been written on his blog for the past three years. Furthermore, Bresson’s blog is also replete with Graeme Goldsworthy writings, who was one of the original three that made up the AF.
So what? Well, the original doctrine of the AF was a mixture of sanctification by faith alone, Seventh-Day Adventist doctrine, and “Redemptive” Historicism. Also, all facts so far strongly indicate that Brinsmead was the primary visionary and inventor of the doctrine—and he is now an apostate—not good. Most Christians don’t buy into the idea that God used an unsaved person to reveal something “new” to God’s people, especially someone who became apostate after leaving a cult! Moreover, nobody can deny that Goldsworthy is the darling of present-day NCGSS hermeneutics, and that he was also one of the original three that made up the AF.
paul
Gospel Sanctification and Sonship’s Gospel-Driven Genealogy: Part 1, The Australian Forum and Seventh-Day Adventist Connection
It’s always been a bit perplexing to me. When you survey the Gospel-Driven, Gospel Sanctification landscape of our day that includes the T4G, Gospel Coalition, and a massive network of churches, the author of choice for their interpretive prism seems to be Graeme Goldsworthy (hereafter “GG”), an obscure, Anglican theologian from Australia.
As I said, “perplexing.” Until yesterday. While researching, I stumbled across an article written by a Christopher Taylor entitled, “Who is Bill Blogsmith?” Taylor (who I am attempting to contact for an interview) wrote the following:
“In the 1970’s a pair of Australian professors and pastors in the Anglican Church toured the world as the Australian Forum. This touring group went everywhere they were invited and preached the Word as best they could, with a focus on the Gospel as central, supreme, and foremost in the Christian’s life and understanding. As weeks go by I’ll be repeating and expanding on themes of this group, but you can read their thoughts in Present Truth Magazine which is online for free.
Robert Brinsmead became apostate and is sadly teaching rank heresy and frankly non-Christian beliefs. Geoffrey Paxton, the better speaker of the two, has dropped out of sight and I have lost track of him. But when they were the Australian Forum, they spoke God’s honest truth with power, conviction, and a powerful drive. Their humble efforts have shaped the thoughts and ideas of a new generation of theologians such as Rod Rosenbladt and Michael Horton.”
First, does, “….with a focus on the Gospel as central, supreme, and foremost in the Christian’s life and understanding” sound familiar? Secondly, though these guys are from Australia and were preaching in the nineteen-seventies, Robert Brinsmead is often quoted by the super-hip, who’s who of the Gospel Sanctification movement (hereafter “GS” and also known as New Calvinism—has deep roots in Sonship Theology). That’s a very interesting connection: from Australia in the seventies, preaching a gospel-centered sanctification—to playing a part in the latest rendition. Third, the author claims that this forum “shaped the thoughts and ideas” of a major player in the GS movement: Michael Horton. Fourthly, Isn’t GG from Australia? And isn’t he also an Anglican? Hmmmm.
Now GG isn’t looking so obscure, but the plot thickens. Wikipedia has this to say about the Paxton / Brinsmead relationship:
“Paxton has had significant interaction with the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and a ‘keen interest’ in its theology.This began through his acquaintance with Robert Brinsmead, as both were critical of the charismatic movement.One source described the pair as “anti-Charismatic crusaders” after one meeting.They held public meetings supporting belief in justification by faith alone. Paxton contributed to Brinsmead’s Present Truth Magazine.”
Not only did Brinsmead and Paxton share a distaste for Charismatic theology, but they worked together, along with GG, in an endeavor to reform the Seventh-Day Adventist denomination (hereafter SDA) by primarily arguing the following along with other SDA theologians (like Desmond Ford): the SDA theologians of old held to the Reformed view of sanctification, and the SDA needed to return to their reformation roots. Hence, Brinsmead, Paxton, and GG were hyper-enamored by Reformed confessions and creeds. At times, to some, it seemed like the threesome gave those documents more credence than Scripture. Sound familiar? I have no idea what compelled these three to enter the SDA fray—perhaps my continued research will offer a theory on that. But the primary purpose of Present Truth magazine was to aid the threesome in the aforementioned endeavor. Another writer stated it this way in the comment section of a forum:
“Most, if not all, the magazine articles available on that site in pdf form date from the 1970s and 1980s and appeared in the printed editions that were available free of charge to anyone who asked, thanks to the generous financial support of Robert Brinsmead, who was a successful Californian avocado grower and was seeking to reform Adventism. Brinsmead himself wrote many of the articles, but many others were written by Rev. Geoffrey Paxton, a ‘conservative’ Anglican priest who taught at Queensland Bible Institute in Australia. Listed as a Consulting Editor was another ‘conservative’ Anglican priest, Rev. Dr. Graeme Goldsworthy, who also taught at QBI and later taught at Moore
Theological College in Sydney (the official theological institution of the Anglican Diocese of Sydney); I do not recall whether Goldsworthy wrote for the magazine or was merely a consultant. (Paxton wrote The Shaking of Adventism, and Goldsworthy is the author of several books.) I do not recall any pro-Adventist views being promoted in the magazines.
Their purpose was to promote what they saw as the truly Protestant view of salvation, which had been corrupted not merely by Adventists but by many other “Protestants” – even so-called ‘evangelical’ ones.”
GG, in fact, did write many of the articles. Furthermore, the very close kinship of beliefs between GG, Paxton, and Brinsmead can be seen by the fact that they reference each other in Present Truth articles. In particular, GG referenced (for agreement purposes) an article written by Paxton in which he wrote that Christians are NOT “born again.” Sound familiar? By the way, Paxton was dismissed from a teaching position for, as Desmond Ford puts it, “his refusal to lay aside his interest in the Adventist ‘cult’” (“The Truth of Paxton’s Thesis” by Desmond Ford. Spectrum 9:3 July 1978).
Now, in regard to the articles in Present Truth and their agreement with Gospel Sanctification—I would like to say that there are no words to describe the uncanny dittolarities, so I will use examples: it would be like distinguishing between two twin penguins; it would be like distinguishing between two capital Ts; It would be like distinguishing between John Piper’s opinions and Justin Taylor’s opinions. It’s the same stuff, and in mass volumes.
Moreover, I was surprised to see that Jon Zens, a primary figure in the development of New Covenant Theology (a GS tenet), also wrote at least one article for Present Truth as well.
A lot more research needs to done which will be reflected in part 2 and other articles following, but it would appear that the Australian Forum preceded Jack Miller’s Sonship Theology. The Australian Forum may, or may not be, the cradle of GS theology. So far, we see a road; some parts wide and well paved, and other parts narrow, from the Forum Trio in Australia, to Michael Horton and others at Westminster (probably one being Edmund Clowney). Then to others at Westminster as well; namely, Jack Miller, and Tim Keller. From them, to David Powlison, Paul Tripp, and Timothy Lane. How Sonship then became Gospel Sanctification is sketchy, but should be easy to figure out in time. Let me further bolster this a little bit by quoting a pastor who graduated from Westminster with a MDiv:
“Sonship, as far as I understand it, arose from the ecclesiology of Edmund Clowney at Westminster Theological seminary, came to maturity in pastoral theology in the life and preaching of C. John Miller, rejuvenated Christian counseling at CCEF, entered the world of oversees missions through World Harvest Ministries, and finally made its home in both the city (through Tim Keller’s preaching at Redeemer in NYC) and in the country (through the personal testimony of change in Ray Cortese’s life and teaching as senior pastor at Seven Rivers in Lecanto, FL).
If you want a taste of Sonship theology you can find it in Gospel Transformation put out by World Harvest Ministries; Ministries of Mercy by Tim Keller; or A Faith Worth Sharing by C. John Miller.”
In the forthcoming parts, I will compare the Australian Forum’s theology with GS/ Sonship. Is it the cradle of GS, or just another stop along the way? Did this trio create a doctrine designed to refute Charismaticism and Adventism without properly regarding the truth? What does the rest of the family tree look like? Lord willing, we will find out.
paul
Submitted to the Committee on Resolutions for the 2011 Southern Baptist Convention
Resolution On Distinctions Between Justification And Sanctification
June 2011
WHEREAS, A major contribution to the spiritual weakness of many Protestant denominations has been erroneous teachings in regard to sanctification; and
WHEREAS, Some teach that Christians are sanctified by the exact same means of justification only; and
WHEREAS, Some teach that Christians should preach the Gospel of justification to themselves everyday for sanctification purposes; and
WHEREAS, Some teach that contemplation on the Gospel of justification alone is the primary duty for the Christian, and from that one duty, all other duties find life; and
WHEREAS, Some teach that a worshipful doxology resulting from a contemplation on justification always precedes obedience acceptable to God; and
WHEREAS, Some teach that Christians need to be justified continually until glorification, and enablement to participate in sanctification has not been granted by God in any portion more than those who need to be justified; and
WHEREAS, Some teach that personal exertion by Christians in response to all that Christ has commanded in Scripture is works salvation.
BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, That the Southern Baptist Convention affirm Scriptural distinctions between justification and sanctification; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That we affirm these distinctions according to Scripture and those that are clearly evident in Article IV of the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message Statement. Concerning enablement in sanctification, Article IV (C) contains this statement as follows: “Sanctification is the experience, beginning in regeneration, by which the believer is set apart to God’s purposes, and is enabled to progress toward moral and spiritual maturity through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in him.”
Concerning justification as a one-time legal declaration by God, Article IV (B) contains the following statement: “Justification is God’s gracious and full acquittal upon principles of His righteousness of all sinners who repent and believe in Christ”; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That we believe that the Scriptures are not for the sole purpose of contemplating justification only, but rather according to Article I of the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message Statement which contains the following in regard to the Scriptures: “It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. It reveals the principles by which God judges us; and therefore is, and will remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried”; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That we affirm our belief in the biblical truth that Christians are new creatures in Jesus Christ, and therefore, we also agree with Article XV of the 1925 confession which contains this statement: “There is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and wicked”; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That we affirm as true and biblical, any endeavor or teaching concerning sanctification that likens to these words written by JC Ryle: “In justification the word to address to man is believe–only believe; in sanctification the word must be ‘watch, pray, and fight.’ What God has divided let us not mingle and confuse”; and
BE IT THEREFORE FINALLY RESOLVED, That because of the aforementioned convictions commonly believed by Southern Baptists as described in these resolutions, that those who persist in confounding two things that differ–that is, justification and sanctification, be deemed unfit as ministers or teachers of the Gospel.
The Heart / Flesh Debate
Heart Versus Flesh
There are hundreds of passages that use the term “heart” to describe the seat of human emotion, intelligence, morality, volition and religious life in general. However, most often, “heart” is used in Scripture as an idiom for the mind.
There is also present in scripture the heart of the unredeemed and the heart of the redeemed. Oftentimes the characteristics of the unredeemed heart are applied to the redeemed. I believe this is a critical error. The chart below shows the context of the unredeemed versus the redeemed and how the term “heart” is applied. It is by no means exhaustive, but certainly is representative of all passages. Notice, the application of the description of the unredeemed heart is never applied to the redeemed.
Characteristics of the heart of the saved and lost
|
Unredeemed |
Redeemed |
| Ge 6:5Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually *.
Ge 6:6The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.Ge 8:21 The LORD smelled the soothing aroma ; and the LORD said to Himself, “I will never * again curse the ground on account of man, for the intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth; and I will never * again destroy every living thing , as I have done . Ex 4:21 The LORD said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in your power; but I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go. De 5:29 ‘Oh * that they had such a heart in them, that they would fear Me and keep all My commandments always *, that it may be well with them and with their sons forever ! De 8:14 then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 1Sa 7:3 Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you return to the LORD with all your heart, remove the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your hearts to the LORD and serve Him alone; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.” 2Ch 12:14 He did evil because he did not set his heart to seek the LORD. 2Ch 25:2 He did right in the sight of the LORD, yet not with a whole heart. 2Ch 26:16 But when he became strong, his heart was so proud that he acted corruptly, and he was unfaithful to the LORD his God, for he entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense. Ps 73:1 Surely God is good to Israel, To those who are pure in heart ! Ps 78:8 And not be like their fathers, A stubborn and rebellious generation, A generation that did not prepare its heart And whose spirit was not faithful to God. Jer 5:23 ‘But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart; They have turned aside and departed. Jer 17:9 “The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it? Eze 14:4 “Therefore speak to them and tell them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Any man of the house of Israel who sets up his idols in his heart, puts right before his face the stumbling block of his iniquity, and then comes to the prophet, I the LORD will be brought to give him an answer in the matter in view of the multitude of his idols, Eze 20:16 because they rejected My ordinances, and as for My statutes, they did not walk in them; they even profaned My sabbaths, for their heart continually went after their idols. Mr 7:21 “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, Lu 6:45 “The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart. Ac 8:21 “You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. Ro 1:21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Ro 2:5 But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, Eph 4:18 being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart;
|
Ge 20:5“Did he not himself say to me, ‘She is my sister ‘? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this.”Ge 20:6Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also kept you from sinning against Me; therefore * I did not let you touch her.
2Ch 16:9 “For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His. You have acted foolishly in this. Indeed, from now on you will surely have wars.” Ps 7:10 My shield is with God, Who saves the upright in heart. Ps 66:18 If I regard wickedness in my heart, The Lord will not hear; Ps 73:1 Surely God is good to Israel, To those who are pure in heart ! Ps 86:12 I will give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, And will glorify Your name forever. Jer 24:7 ‘I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the LORD; and they will be My people , and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart. Jer 31:33 “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the LORD, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people . Jer 32:39 and I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me always *, for their own good and for the good of their children after them. Eze 11:19 “And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, Eze 36:26 “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. Mt 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Mt 12:34 “You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good ? For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. Mt 15:18 “But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. Lu 6:45 “The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart. Ro 2:29 But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God. Ro 6:17 But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, Heb 10:22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 1Pe 1:22 Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, 1Jo 3:21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; Addendum: Romans 6:17 – But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, Romans 7:25 – Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin. Hebrews 10:22 – let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. |
As you look at the references above, you’ll easily see that the Bible never applies the ugly characteristics of an unregenerate heart to a redeemed person. Why then, should we? God has renewed the heart of a believer and it is unbiblical to accuse the Body of Christ of having hearts that are unregenerated.
Where then, is the battle? The Bible teaches that the battle against sin is in the flesh, NOT the heart. Notice, please:
Mt 26:41
“Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Jesus is speaking to a redeemed person. He shows them that the danger is in the flesh, not the heart (perhaps synonymous with spirit in this passage).
Ro 7:5
For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death.
Paul teaches here that our sinful passions are from the flesh.
Ro 7:18
For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.
A critical passage! We know the Bible teaches that our flesh was not redeemed at salvation and, in fact, awaits the glorification described so clearly in 1 Corinthians 15. Therefore, we have a “redeemed heart” incarcerated in “unredeemed flesh.” This is exactly why we struggle. Notice:
Ro 7:14
For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin.
Ro 7:25
Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord ! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.
Ro 8:3
For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh,
Ro 8:4
so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Ro 8:5
For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.
Ro 8:6
For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,
Ro 8:7
because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,
Ro 8:8
and those who are in the flesh cannot * please God.
Ro 8:9
However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.
Ro 8:12
So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh —
Ro 8:13
for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
The heart is not mentioned anywhere in this key teaching. Romans 6 through 8 contain the key teaching on our struggle against sin. And, it is clear; the struggle is centered on the flesh, not the heart.
Further evidence of this:
Ro 13:14
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.
1Co 3:1
And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ.
How do we cleanse ourselves and appear holy before the Lord?
2Co 7:1
Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Ga 5:13
For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
Ga 5:16
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.
Ga 5:17
For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.
Ga 5:19
Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,
Ga 5:24
Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Ga 6:8
For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
~ Penned and researched by Brian Jonson, West Chester, Ohio
By Request, But….
A reader viewed the Old Calvinism / New Calvinism chart ( http://wp.me/pmd7S-Bc ) and the GS / Sonship heart model chart ( http://wp.me/pmd7S-BD ), and found them both “helpful.” She then asked if I had an Old Calvinism / New Calvinism heart model comparison chart. Uh, well, ya, I do, but it was really just something I was playing around with. However, since the individual has impressive theological credentials–maybe the charts aren’t as, well, non-helpful as I thought they were. So, here they are, BUT remember: these are just tools to hang our thoughts on.
But I will say this, I think the charts bring up some interesting points:
1. As I was developing the OC chart, I was struck by how several Scriptures came to mind on each element. To the contrary–that was not the case with the NC chart. HOWEVER, it would be awesome to have a NC proponent tag the different elements of the NC with Scripture. For sure, that would be an interesting challenge.
2. Keep in mind, the charts are in regard to sanctification and the “heart” which is being used to refer to the inner man. With that said–interesting observations can be made; such as, a two-fold limited model verses a many faceted model, and what is inner verses outer.
3. The NC chart needs explanation which follows before the charts.
4. I hope somebody takes this concept and develops something awesome. I really see myself as a get the ball rolling guy.
Gospel Narrative:
It all starts with the Bible being a gospel narrative only. The belief is that the Spirit only sanctifies through the contemplation of the personhood of Christ (whatever that means exactly), or who He is as a person and His works. For instance, to read the Bible with the goal of ascertaining instruction, even by Christ, and applying it to ones life, is an improper use of Scripture (according to GS), and an endeavor that the Spirit will not honor because it focuses on our efforts, and not who Christ is, and what He has done and accomplished for us. To do the prior is to use the Bible as a “instruction book” and not to gain a deeper understanding of the finished works of Christ. Therefore, proponents of GS do not believe that spiritual growth is really taking place in Christian circles where the Scriptures are used for any other purpose than the Chrstocentric approach.
Belief:
Now we come to one of two elements of justification moving forward via the gospel narrative. GS believes that the same gospel leading to justification that saved us, also sanctifies us. Hence, like justification (salvation), their is only two things we can do to grow spiritually, believe and repent. The GS doctrine holds that gazing upon the gospel narrative will lead to more belief, and belief will always produce proper behavior on its own, being earmarked by the right desires. We will follow belief to the bottom of the chart, and then start back at the top with the second, or other half of the sanctification process according to GS, repentance.
Law Positive:
Proper use of the Scripture (according to GS) sees the Law as a description of what Christ has already done for us, fulfilling the law with His life because we are unable to, even as Christians.Therefore, seeing all of the laws Christ has fulfilled for us gives us a deeper appreciation of who He is and what his works accomplished for us.
Treasure:
Seeing who Christ is, and all of His works in Scripture, and all that he has done for us, causes us to treasure Him above all else. Therefore, it becomes our desire to be whatever He is. GS believes that we are primarily driven by desire; and in fact, enslaved by it. Therefore, change the desires, and you change behavior. Assumes our appreciation of Christ’s greatness and mercy is all the motivation we need to change our desires.
Repentance:
This is the second part of our limited role in the sanctification process according to GS. All other activities are a mere natural flow from the Christ in us. It is not we who live, but Christ who lives in us (Galations 2:20). Again, like salvation, the same gospel that saved us, also sanctifies us, and is limited to belief and repentance, with everything else flowing from Christ who lives in us.
Response to Circumstances:
God’s purpose in all circumstances (according to GS) is to reveal idols of the heart so that we can repent of them. How we respond to circumstances reveals what we desire more than Christ. The particular idol that caused us to respond in a Christless manner can be identified by asking ourselves interpretive questions (what did you want? [more than Christ?]). Scripture, which is (according to GS) a grand gospel story (gospel meta narrative), can also reveal to us what the heart idol might be by how other saints responded to the same circumstances in redemptive (gospel) history. So, another limited purpose of Scripture is to help us determine idols of the heart so that we can repent of them.
This is done by showing us what other saints in redemptive history wanted (desired) more than Christ. As you might imagine therefore, how GS effects biblical counseling is profound. The focus will be on identifying heart idols and their attached desires, and changing desires of the heart, rather than behavior through biblical prescriptions born of other approaches to biblical interpretation. Some would argue: objective (behavior) verses subjective (heart issues).
Interpretive Questions:
These are merely “desire” questions that can help us determine what we love more than Christ. The most common one is “What did you want more than Christ?” Or simply, “What did you want?” However, the Christian Counseling and Education Foundation has a list of about one-hundred that they call “X-Ray questions.”
Law Negative:
This is the use of the Law (in Scripture) to drive us to despair by suggesting that we attempt to uphold the Law by application, and thereby driving us back to the cross (being impossible to accomplish). According to GS, the Law is still a schoolmaster that drives us to Christ in sanctification, and in the same way that it does in justification as well; unless, It is seen as being the works of Christ fulfilled for us (Law Positive). Law Negative has a purpose in revealing heart idols to us as well; such as, the desire to be self-dependant (heart idol of pride). Besides, the law has no use to us anyway (Christians) because it has been fulfilled by Christ and replaced by the one Law of love (I will not address this here for lack of room). According to GS advocates, Christians are only obligated to uphold the singular law of love. However, both Law Positive and Law Negative have their respective antithetical purposes for being present in the gospel narrative.
Idols Revealed by Interpreting Desires:
When the methods under “Repentance” are employed to determine idols, we can then repent of them, resulting in “Deep Repentance.”
Deep Repentance:
Also known as “intelligent repentance.” We can eliminate the idol by repenting of the thing we desired more than Christ, and replace it with a truth about Christ that we should desire or treasure more than anything or anyone. This is also known as the “reorientation of desires.” This leads to “New Obedience”
Flesh Realm:
Most GS advocates do not believe that the fight between us and sin takes place on the battle ground of the “flesh.” They believe the battle ground is the “heart.” Though they often speak of the “flesh,” they don’t think it is an inner turf where the real war takes place. This Theory makes our own efforts a point of contention in favor of a more passive viewpoint.Most GS advocates believe it is a realm that puts pressure on us, and at any given time, we either yield to the Spirit or yield to the flesh (a sinful, or worldly realm).
Law Realm:
Since the Law is sometimes said to aggravate sin, some GS proponents also attribute the Law to being part of the Flesh Realm.
Spirit Realm:
The other realm that exerts pressure on us. We simply yield to one or the other.
New Obedience:
New obedience is the natural result of “Belief” and “Deep Repentance.” Since belief is the result of seeing the glory of Christ in the gospel narrative, and causing us to desire and treasure Him more than other things, new obedience will naturally be accompanied by joy and experienced as a “mere natural flow.” Some GS proponents teach that it is actually Christ obeying for us. This is called the “imputed active obedience of Christ.” However, more GS advocates believe this than are willing to admit it.
Addendum: New Desires and Reorientation of Desires:
This is merely what happens automatically when Christ fills the void of eradicated idols through the only two disciplines of sanctification according to GS: belief, and deep repentance.
If anybody would like these charts in some kind of file: pmd@inbox.com
paul
Paul's Passing Thoughts 
leave a comment