The following is a post by Kevin DeYoung. A lot of our readers are pastors so I thought it would be good to post here.
The gospel minister must help his people live well. But more importantly, he must prepare his people to die well. Those of us who are young and healthy can scarcely imagine what comfort the gospel of Jesus Christ provides for dear saints in their dying days.
John Newton tells a story of visiting a young woman who died too soon from “a lingering consumption.” She was wise, but plain. She could read her Bible, but had read little else. Newton supposes she never traveled more than twelve miles from home. A few days before her death, Newton prayed with her and “thanked the Lord that he gave her now to see that she had not followed cunningly-devised fables.” At this last remark the woman repeated Newton’s words and said, “No, not cunningly-devised fables; these are realities indeed.” Then she fixed her eyes steadfastly upon her pastor and reminded him of his weighty vocation.
Sir, you are highly favoured in being called to preach the gospel. I have often heard you with pleasure; but give me leave to tell you, that I now see all you have said, or can say, is comparatively but little. Nor, till you come into my situation, and have death and eternity in full view, will it be possible for you to conceive the vast weight and importance of the truths you declare. Oh! Sir, it is a serious thing to die; no words can express what is needful to support the soul in the solemnity of a dying hour.
Fellow preachers, our people are asking for living bread tomorrow. Do not give them a self-help stone. Our people may not know the weight of which we speak until they come to their end. And at that moment they will be infinitely glad they received ballast instead of blather.
If our relationship with Jesus will EVER be the most important thing, to us, then it is the most important thing, to us, now. It is that relationship that will first prepare us to live well, and in that process, it will prepare us to die faithful.
Sadly, not too many people seem utterly reliant on Jesus, in their lives, right here & right now. Regardless of age. If they don’t learn how dependent on Jesus they really are, now, they’ll hardly be prepared to depend on him when they’re close to death.
It is people who are prepared to die, when nowhere near their demise, that are building the church under commission from Jesus. The fairweather believers can hardly teach others how to face death without doubt.
I have several volumes of John Newton’ works in my library, and it is worth noting that the kind of preaching he did was that of Sovereign Grace, the theology of the First and Second Great Awakenings as well as the theology that launched the Great Century of Missions among the Baptists, Congregationalists, Presbyterians, Reformed, and Anglicans (which Newton was). Interestingly enough it is a good example of where liberalism in religion actually comes from (from Biblical orthodoxy). He joined with Wilberforce (sp?) in laboring for the repeal of the slave trade and slavery. His preaching of Sovereign Grace threw the sinner directly upon God for mercy and grace as the sole means of deliverance from the awful condition of a fallen state. Edwards preached on how God is glorified in man’s dependence upon Him for salvation. The issue of salvation is not simply accepting or rejecting God’s revelation in Christ Jesus; it is whether God in Christ accepts us. This is the issue that casts the sinner into the slime pit of conviction and leaves him there until the Holy Spirit makes it clear that his only hope is in that mercy and grace alone as the only means for deliverance. Then follows the experience of that mercy and grace in salvation which, in turns, leads to a deep sense of humility, the third element of a Great Awakening, the first two being the right theology (Soveeign Grace) and the Heavenly Presence. Newton fully expressed that humility in his great hymn in these words, “that saved a wretch like me.”
Dr. James Willingham, Your post 2 is very interesting and informative.