Contend Earnestly: Does Paul Washer Believe in Christ's Finished Work?

Monday, November 30, 2009

Does Paul Washer Believe in Christ's Finished Work?

Okay...that sounds a little too far gone. I haven't heard much of Paul Washer but ran across this YouTube video on Carl Schuster's site and really was disturbed by it. This video is over 4 minutes and not one time does Washer use the name of Jesus. He never speaks of grace but continually points to what we must do in our actions. He asks, "how do you know you believe?" The problem with this question is that if the answer doesn't start and end with Christ and the cross and resurrection, no one will ever have assurance, but only doubt. No one can ever live up to the perfection that is called for to enter heaven, no one can ever test themselves and pass the test and no one can ever be assured that they believe if they don't point themselves to the Christ who died for them.

If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for the testimony of God is this, that He has testified concerning His Son. The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son. And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

1 John 5:9-13


I have not listened to much of Paul Washer, so please point me to other resources that are hopefully better than this one. I like the music in the background though. :)

John Calvin is far better at an understanding of our election and hope in Christ than Washer points out:

They tell you, if you look to Christ salvation is certain; if you return to yourself damnation is certain. Therefore, your mind must be alternately ruled by diffidence and hope; as if we were to imagine Christ standing at a distance, and not rather dwelling in us. We expect salvation from him—not because he stands aloof from us, but because ingrafting us into his body he not only makes us partakers of all his benefits, but also of himself. Therefore, I thus retort the argument, If you look to yourself damnation is certain: but since Christ has been communicated to you with all his benefits, so that all which is his is made yours, you become a member of him, and hence one with him. His righteousness covers your sins—his salvation extinguishes your condemnation; he interposes with his worthiness, and so prevents your unworthiness from coming into the view of God.

Institutes of the Christian Religion, 3.2.24

Christ, then, is the mirror in which we ought, and in which, without deception, we may contemplate our election. For since it is into his body that the Father has decreed to ingraft those whom from eternity he wished to be his, that he may regard as sons all whom he acknowledges to be his members, if we are in communion with Christ, we have proof sufficiently clear and strong that we are written in the Book of Life.

Institutes of the Christian Religion, 3.24.5

Check out the full quotes on the above quotes here

Below is the video of Paul Washer.

6 comments:

M@ said...

Hey bro, here's the video for the whole sermon..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuabITeO4l8

And his "reasoning" or background behind preaching it..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrCvO8Elsis

Seth McBee said...

Thanks Matt...will take a gander.

James said...

Cost of Following Christ Is a message on 2 Cor 5:21 from Paul at a recent conference. I think you'll find it assuring of Pauls view of Christ's sufficiency

Jacob A. Allee said...

I think Washer pushes it a bit, but I have heard the whole sermon of which this is a very short excerpt from and I have no doubt that He puts it all on the sufficiency of Jesus. I think Paul is just a guys sick of the easy believism, as am I, but I do think sometimes he goes a bit far, although well meaning and right for the most part.

Cephas said...

are you baiting someone? Hmmm?

Seth McBee said...

Cephas...
Not baiting...questioning for clarity...which I got from numerous people who like Paul Washer.

Gave me some great resources to look further into his ministry

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