The Courage to Be Protestant Chapter 6 “Christ” Review

Stephen’s Note: This review has been posted as part of the collaborative book review of David Wells’ The Courage to Be Protestant over at Said at Southern. Go there to read the excellent reviews of the other chapters of this book.

Summary
In this sixth chapter of David Wells’ book The Courage to Be Protestant, the author takes on the subject of “Christ.” Rather, I should say that Wells does not take on Christ proper; instead he takes on the concept of “Christ.” Specifically, Wells is in this chapter concerned with the difference between our modern concept of “Christ” and the Scriptural presentation of Christ.

There are two types of spirituality in life, according to Wells; one that begins above and moves down, and another that begins below and tries to move up or within. “One starts with God and reaches into sinful life whereas the other starts in human consciousness and tries to reach above to make connections in the divine. One is Christian and the other is pagan. There are the two fundamental spiritualities in the West today (p. 176).” Rather than being variations on a theme, as most modern people would view them; they are in Wells’ words stark alternatives. You and I might say polar opposites. This is because in the one from above, God reaches down in grace; whereas in the one from below, the sinner reaches up (or in) in self-sufficiency. This reveals that there are two very different worlds at play here, one moral and the other psychological. And this difference in reality is the underlying problem the church must face: will we approach Christ morally, that is, from a perspective outside of ourselves; or will we approach Christ psychologically, from the flawed and alienated perspective found within ourselves?

Wells flatly states that the latter approach is lethal to biblical Christianity. What bewilders him is that the church – the evangelical church – is the biggest proponent of this inward approach to Christ; specifically the seeker-sensitive and emergent churches. They are, he says, “selling spirituality disconnected from biblical truth (p. 178).”

Wells then embarks on a brief but in-depth examination of these two spiritualities. The spirituality from below, he writes, is characterized by a private search for meaning, a search for connection to something larger than the self; a self-constructed spirituality. This is because the private search yields information that comes directly from experience, rather than information that is mediated from another source. Since authority cannot be trusted, the postmodern might say, I cannot accept authority’s words as true unless my experience confirms it. My faith must be self-made.

The church has bitten the lure hook, line, and sinker. Instead of promoting a faith that is authoritative and normative, the church has promoted a faith that is as discardable as a choir robe. Underneath the robe are “the same old street clothes that have been there all along (p. 181).” Instead of calling people to cultivate a mindset that sees these robes as indispensable, the church has given in to the consumerist nature of the seeker and postmodern worldview. We must (this church says) appeal to a person’s needs, present ourselves in a way that their makes their experience relevant, promote a faith that encourages the journey they are taking.

The problem with this spirituality from below, Wells cautions, is that the seeker ends up controlling what is sought. Truth comes to us on our terms, when we want it, and only what we want to accept; much like the goods we buy in our malls and supermarkets. This makes doctrines of sin and divine sovereignty irrelevant and passé to the postmodern mind; they simply do not fit our consumer needs because they are offensive and unpalatable and therefore unnecessary to purchase. If it fits what we are talking about in our personal journey, only then is it worthy of purchase as “truth.” This, to Wells, means that postmodern worldviews are an exercise in utter meaninglessness.

The spirituality from above, in contrast, is from a completely different “universe” than the other. “It starts with the premise of the utter, incomparable holiness of God; we, in our spiritualities, start with our own self-perceptions and our own acceptability to the sacred (p. 192).” Christ began in a place where he was “above;” that is, holy. He came “below” into human life with all its sufferings and conflict; confronted and defeated sin, death and the devil; was raised from the dead; and returned “above” where he now reigns. Quite simply put, Christ comes from outside of human existence, enters our existence sovereingly and convincingly to save us from our self-centeredness, and then returns to the place from which he came, drawing our eyes, our perceptions, our worldviews to him. We can no longer live in this fallen, experiential spirituality if indeed that which is outside has come inside, changed the world, and returned to the true reality.

Indeed, Wells argues that with the coming of Christ, a “new age” has dawned. The old spirituality from below has been put to death and the true spirituality from above is now the only reality. To be sure, the old spirituality is in its death throes, and the intersection of this new age and the passing age is what Scripture terms “the last days,” or the coming of “the kingdom of God,” in which we now live. What an intriguing concept! This present age is dead! Yet to our perspective, it is very much alive. This distinction gets to the heart of the Christian message – we think our attempts to help ourselves to live will work, yet we are dead and can only assure our continued death. It takes an attempt from outside of ourselves if we are to have any hope of living. And the biblical Christ has done just that through his descent, death, and resurrection; and in this work he has established the reign of God. We ourselves cannot bring about this reign, only God can.

Wells closes with a word about hope. “Christian hope is not about wishing things will get better. It is not about hoping that emptiness will go away, meaning return, and life will be stripped of its uncertainties, aches and anxieties. Nor does it have anything to do with techniques for improving fallen human life, be those therapeutic, spiritual, or even religious. Hope has to do with the knowledge of ‘the age to come.’ The sin, death, and meaninglessness of the one age are being transformed by the righteousness, life, and meaning of the other (p. 206).”

Observations
I find myself deeply convicted by this chapter, and thus the reason for such a lengthy review. Much of evangelicalism today is focused on “needs-preaching.” That is, we tend to preach towards the “felt needs” of our people rather than focusing on Christ, which is what people actually do need. Or, if we preach on spiritual needs (such as our need to live lives of Christian service, giving, etc.), we preach about the individual benefit that comes from obeying these spiritual directives instead of our sole need to be redeemed by Christ, from which these things flow. Oftentimes during this chapter I perceived Wells writing directly to me, admonishing me to contend for a Scriptural faith rather than one concocted within myself or my church members. This is an important corrective for all of us – we must seek a spirituality that does not come from ourselves, “from below;” but rather one that comes from “above,” from the God of Scripture and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.

Questions for Discussion

1. How has the “personal, private experience of spirituality” prevalent today affected the way you present the Gospel?
2. What must we do to bring spirituality out of the private, subjective realm and make it more public and normative?
3. How can we confront postmodernism in our churches and in the world? That is, how can we show that Christ is not something we ourselves can create, but rather something that we must receive “from outside?”
4. Can the modern church be restructured from an inward focus to an outward focus? That is, can we move the eyes of the church from “this present age” to “the kingdom of God,” relying on Scriptural truth instead of our preferences?
5. On a personal level, have you allowed biblical truth to come to you on its own, or have you forced truth to come to you on your own terms? Have you become a “theological consumerist?” If so, will you repent of it today?

Why We Should Read Outside Of The Bible

John Piper writes a fantastic post about reading books other than the Bible. In light of the fact that I just came home from BoB and T4G with 33 books, I felt it prudent to say a word about the reading of all these books I’ve got in my library (the total now over 350 if not closer to 400). Too often I’ve been given the excuse: “Why do I need to read the works of men? I have the Bible! All I need is the Bible!” I find such an excuse to be arrogant and condescending, and quite unloving of one’s brothers and sisters in Christ.

Pastor John makes a rather practical, convicting, and convincing case for reading good books along with your Bible in this post, titled “How God Readies Us to Read In Tune.” He states:

If in your morning devotions you open God’s word to the book of Judges and find that the strings of your inner instrument are not in tune, it is not blasphemy to excuse yourself for a few moments from the King’s library and turn to a paragraph from one of his unflinchingly faithful, broken-hearted, happy servants. Should we find it surprising that the King should appoint some of his closest friends to be especially good at tuning the strings of our soul so that we may play His music when he puts the bow of his Word on our soul?

As always, don’t rely on just this paragraph, Go and read the whole thing. More T4G reflections will be forthcoming.

UPDATE: I’d said previously I came home with 32 books and that the T4G giveaway was 14 books. I forgot to add Albert Mohler’s Culture Shift to that list; it was sitting on top of my printer unnoticed amid the stack of books on my desk! This post and the previous book post have been amended to reflect that. The overall total is now 33 books; T4G count is 15. Them’s still a lotta books!

Band of Bloggers & T4G Book Haul

This here is the book haul from the fantastic week I just had. In addition to the free giveaways from Band of Bloggers and Together for the Gospel, I was a very good boy and did not buy a boatload of books. I was able to limit myself to 9 books purchased from the conference bookstore, all on the cheap (most of what I did buy was less than $10) or at a large discount (two that sold for $25 that I got for $10 or $15). Plus I was given one book (not part of the conference giveaway) by an attendee who was given books from someone else that he already had. I also purchased a couple of T4G shirts. Later I will post some reflections from the conference.

Here’s the total haul for the week. To save me time and headaches, I won’t bother linking to a page for each book; just click on my Monergism Books button or use one of the links on my Books page to order them if you like.

Band of Bloggers Giveaways: 8
Christ is All: The Piety of Horatius Bonar ed. by Michael Haykin and Darrin Brooker
The Mortification of Sin by John Owen (Puritan Paperbacks, Abridged)
Walking as He Walked by Joel Beeke
reTHiNK by Steve Wright
Dear Timothy: Letters on Pastoral Ministry ed. by Tom Ascol
When I Don’t Desire God by John Piper
Young, Restless, Reformed by Collin Hansen
A Tale of Two Sons by John MacArthur

Together for the Gospel Giveaways: 15
English Standard Version (ESV) Compact Bible
The Truth of the Cross by R. C. Sproul
Culture Shift by Albert Mohler
If You Could Ask God One Question by Paul Williams and Barry Cooper
The Gospel & Personal Evangelism by Mark Dever
The Faithful Preacher by Thabiti Anyabwile
In My Place Condemned He Stood by J. I. Packer and Mark Dever
The Future of Justification by John Piper
Worship Matters by Bob Kauflin
Pierced for Our Transgressions by Steve Jeffery, Michael Ovey, and Andrew Sach
Why We’re Not Emergent (by Two Guys Who Should Be) by Kevin Deyoung and Ted Kluck
Preaching the Cross by Mark Dever, Ligon Duncan, C. J. Mahaney, & Albert Mohler
The Gospel According to Jesus by John MacArthur
The Courage to be Protestant by David Wells
Christ & Culture Revisited by D. A. Carson

Books I Bought: 9
Bearing Fruit: Stories About Godliness for Children (The Lord’s Garden, Vol. 2) by Diana Kleyn
Wise Words for Moms by Ginger Plowman
Puritan Evangelism: A Biblical Approach by Joel Beeke
Gunpowder, Treason and Plot by Clive Anderson
Evangelism & The Sovereignty of God by J. I. Packer
The Cross and Christian Ministry by D. A. Carson
A Quest for Godliness by J. I. Packer
The Supremacy of God in Preaching by John Piper
Preaching & Preachers by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Books Given to Me: 1
The Passion of Jesus Christ by John Piper

Total Book Haul: 33 books!

To put this number in perspective, it was not unusual to walk into the conference bookstore and see people in the checkout line with a stack of 30 books in their hands. And it was the same guys, three days in a row. Yes, I was a very good boy.

Know what this reminds me of? It reminds me of the beginning of a semester when we had to run out and buy 30 or 40 books for our 3 (or 4 or 5) classes. Only this time the bulk of ‘em were free! Seminary classes and stuff like T4G really are interested in building our libraries. Praise be to God for his wondrous gifts!

Young, Restless, and Reformed: Scott Lamb Style

Scott Lamb posts the best review of Collin Hansen’s Young, Restless, and Reformed that currently exists. It’s the best one because instead of being merely a book report, it is applicational. Everyone, no matter your theological leanings, should read this; it is a great caution against the common attitude people get in evangelicalism today.

What Love Is This? Introduction

Today we begin blogging through Dave Hunt’s What Love Is This? Our selections this time around are from the introductory chapter (”A Brief Word”). I will refer to each chapter by its name. I had originally planned to cover both the introduction and first chapter, but due to the volume of this response I will allow the introduction its own post. Let’s get started.

A Brief Word
This short, one page introduction reveals volumes about the perspective the author takes in this book. This is most apparent in the following quote:

Most shocking of all, however, is Calvinism’s misrepresentation of God who “is love.” It is our prayer that the following pages will enable readers to examine more carefully the vital issues involved and to follow God’s Holy Word and not man. (p. 13)

This is an ironic statement to me. Here we have a mere man claiming that a theological position is a misrepresentation of God, but in the same breath cautioning his readers not to follow the teaching of any man. This is a much overused statement in Christian circles today, one that we really need to get over. Paul was just a man, yet (if we are not liberals or Emergents) we don’t say we need to listen to Jesus (or “the words in red”) and not some man. Our pastors are mere men, yet we don’t say we don’t need to listen to them! Dave Hunt is a fallible man, yet he expects his readers to take his word on Calvinism as Gospel truth. He makes a statement and expects his readers to agree with him, not just to “examine more carefully the vital issues.”

Interestingly, in this brief introduction Hunt claims that

Many sincere, Bible-believing Christians are “Calvinists” only by default. Thinking that the only choice is between Calvinism (with its presumed doctrine of eternal security) and Arminianism (with its teaching that salvation can be lost), and confident of Christ’s promise to keep eternally those who believe in Him, they therefore consider themselves to be Calvinists. (p. 13)

Not only is this claim not true, it is an incredible assumption. If we are to make an assumption about the theological leanings of “many sincere, Bible-believing Christians,” the proper assumption to make is that they are not Calvinists. Expecially given Hunt’s follow-up claim that “It takes only a few simple questions to discover that most Christians are largely unaware of what John Calvin and his early followers of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries actually believed and practiced.” If these people are “unaware” of what Calvinism believes, is it not a logical leap to say these people are “Calvinists by default?” I myself have always believed in eternal security, but that did not and does not make me a Calvinist. All it means is that I agree with the Calvinist position, no more! On top of that, I (and likely most “sincere, Bible-believing Christians”) was unaware there was such thing as a “Calvinist position” for many years. How could I (and those other Christians) be a “Calvinist by default” if I (and they) had no idea what the “Calvinist position” taught?

Hunt has loaded the deck in his favor by making this assumption. Notice how he does it: he presents only two options (Calvinism or Arminianism), and says most Christians identify with the option that has one common doctrine they believe (Calvinism). Furthermore, he states that most Christians think these are the only two “options” they have. That’s just not true at all. If it were, we would not have so many people whom are not Arminians but whom are not Calvinists, either. I think a more true statement would be to say most Christians don’t even know there are options!

My argment in the above paragraphs is only bolstered by the recent LifeWay studies that show graphically that 90% of Southern Baptist pastors are not Calvinists. From that we can say that 90% of Southern Baptist churches, and by extension the vast majority of Southern Baptists, are decidedly not Calvinists! Hunt has used very sloppy arguments in claiming what he has claimed.

Hunt also tries to portray modern Calvinism as fractured and detached from what Calvin and his followers believed and practiced:

Although there are disputed variations of the Calvinist doctrine, among its chief proponents (whom we quote extensively in context) there is a general agreement on certain core beliefs. Many evangelicals who think they are Calvinists will be surprised to learn of Calvin’s belief in salvation through infant baptism, and of his grossly un-Christian behavior, at times, as the “Protestant Pope” of Geneva, Switzerland.

Okay. Let’s tackle the first statement. Why is it a problem that there is a core agreement and peripheral disagreements? Baptists have core agreements and “disputed variations” as well, yet no one (to my knowledge) claims Baptists “misrepresent God who is love” in their stated theology. The same holds true for Methodists, Presbyterians, Episcopals, and so on. This is a worthless, throwaway statement by Hunt, likely intended to get the reader on his side by attempting to drive a wedge between his readers and Calvinists. “See, Calvinists don’t agree with each other despite common beliefs, therefore they must not be biblical!” This is the same argument Roman Catholics use against Protestantism, and the same argument many of you have encountered while witnessing to the lost. They cannot agree with each other, therefore the whole system must not be true. This is a blatant falsehood.

As to his second statement, why should Calvin’s beliefs be surprising? He is, for all intents and purposes, the founder of Presbyterianism. We all know (don’t we?) that Presbyterians believe in baptizing babies (baptismal regeneration), yet we don’t condemn the Presbyterian church as “misrepresenting God” nor do we claim the Presbyterian church is “un-Christian.” We might have objections to this belief, but we do not claim our Presbyterian brethren are not of Christ!

Calvin’s “grossly un-Christian behavior, at times” is another throwaway statement by Hunt. What if I were to write a book purporting to refute What Love Is This? and included as a point of refutation: “Hunt’s grossly un-Christian behavior, at times” as a reason not to believe what he believes? Hunt would rightly accuse me of libel, slander, character assasination, uncharitableness, gossip, backstabbing, and any number of other unbiblical, un-Christian behaviors on my part. Further, some of the greatest thinkers, theologians, pastors, presidents, etc. in history acted in ways that in modern days we might find morally repulsive. One common example is that some of the founders of the Southern Baptist Convention fully supported the institution of slavery. Today we find slavery to be morally repugnant, yet in their time it was believed by many to be morally acceptable. Hunt fails to take Calvin in the context of his time, when heresy meant death by the Roman Inquisition. And in failing to consider Calvin in his social context, he grossly misrepresents Calvin the man.

Finally, Hunt claims that “the first edition of this book was greeted by fervent opposition and criticism from Calvinists.” I know that James White has addressed this book both in print and in debate. I know that many Calvinists have looked on this book with something approaching sadness and pity. But what I have most noticed from Calvinists and my Calvinistic friends is that, to a person, all agree that this book is an insult and caricature of them and what they believe, rather than a serious, well-researched, well thought-out book about Calvinism.

Why would they not “fervently oppose and criticize” it? Hunt has stated that Calvinists “misrepresent God,” that they are fractured and disputatious, that they follow a man and not the Bible, and that the one who first systematized their theology was “grossly un-Christian.” For Calvinists not to fervently oppose and criticize this book would mean that there is some element of truth in what Hunt has written. That they have done so should tell us that there is more to this story than Hunt would have us believe. As Paul Harvey would say, we need to know “the rest of the story.”

Join us next time as we delve into chapter 1, “Why This Book?”

Curses, Tagged Again!

Well, it seems I’ve been tagged by Terry to do a reading meme. You gotta answer 5 questions:

1. What are you reading on Spring reading days?
2. What do you wish you had time to read?
3. What have you decided NOT to read that you were assigned to read?
4. What is one great quote from your reading?
5. Why are you blogging? (You’re supposed to be reading!)

So here are, I guess, my answers.

1. I am reading Jeremiah Burroughs’ The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment, as well as working on What Love Is This? by Dave Hunt, and trying to finish Eric Van Lustbader’s The Bourne Legacy.

2. I wish I had time to read Eric Johnson’s Foundations for Soul Care as well as going through a Greek grammar.

3. I haven’t been assigned any reading (I’ve long since graduated, nyah nyah nyah). But I have decided not to try reading through my library until I’ve finished the Puritan Challenge (see sidebar) in hopes of curing the reading ADD I seem to have contracted since graduating from Southern.

4. I have to pick only one? There have been hundreds if not thousands. Okay, let’s try this one from Thomas Watson’s The Godly Man’s Picture (p. 201): “If men were not besotted, if their fall had not knocked their brains out, they would see that it is the most rational thing in the world to become godly.”

5. I’m blogging because I just got home from work and needed to wind down.

Okay, people to tag. I tag Ryan Hall, David Graves, Rick Mansfield, Scott Lamb, and Tim Ellsworth.

There, now I’ve satisfied the taggers. Now I am off to bed to get some much needed rest before tackling What Love Is This?

What Love Is This? A Blog Series

After the big storm last Thursday night, my apartment complex flooded yet again, much like the 2006 Deluge. This time, however, my car (and my wife’s) was safely out of harm’s way. Instead we had another casualty. As I got off work from UPS, I had to park a half mile away and walk to my apartment in the heavy rain due to the flooding of the street. I had my copy of The Godly Man’s Picture in a pocket of my raingear that I thought was sealed. Think again.

I got into my apartment and took the book out to find it was saturated with water. Soaked. Ruined. And I was almost finished. Being the book lover that I am, I could have wept. Yes, I’m just being a big baby.

The next day I made a special trip to The Christian Book Nook (see my Books page for the address) to replace it. After picking up the replacement copy, I browsed the store looking for a gift book for a friend who is getting serious in her study of the Bible. And sitting innocently there on the shelf, to my utter surprise, was a copy of the 2006 3rd edition of What Love Is This? by Dave Hunt!

My jaw immediately hit the floor. I yanked it off the shelf and tucked it under my arm. It was going home with me. Didn’t hurt that it was El Cheapo, either. You see, depending on who you read or listen to, What Love Is This? is either the definitive refutation of Calvinism or it is one of the most egregious caricatures of Calvinism that has to date been written. Weighing in at a robust 590 pages, it contains an introduction, 31 chapters, a conclusion, a bibliography, and two indices; this book has been expanded by more than 100 pages from its previous editions.

After reading the first couple of chapters, I am not quite sure how to articulate my thoughts on what I’ve read. So I’m going to do something I don’t think I’ve ever done here on The Silent Holocron: I’m going to blog through this book chapter by chapter. I have not seen anyone in the blogosphere review this book in like manner. This will be, hopefully, the definitive non-Calvinist review of What Love Is This?.

A few ground rules will guide this ongoing series. First, the reading and blogging of this book is of secondary importance to the Puritan Challenge (see sidebar for details). This challenge is my primary reading commitment for 2008. In addition, my primary area of study this year is pastoral ministry. As such, I will read and post on each chapter as I get to it. It may even become bathroom reading. I feel no compulsion to churn out posts on it. Second, each chapter will be reviewed fairly and with due consideration to the author’s point of view. I will attempt to give Dave Hunt a fair hearing, considering his statements as presented. Criticism or praise will be based entirely on what is read and not on any preconceived notions I or any others may hold. As I have read many books for and against the doctrines of grace over the past 3 years (and own several of them as well), I will be able to cross-check things if I feel it necessary. Third, this series will not become a debate in the posts or in the comments about Calvinism. Anyone attempting to start debate will be dealt with swiftly and with the Dark Side of the Force. This is a discussion about a book, not yet another unproductive blog debate. So if you participate, please confine your comments to the book and its contents. I reserve the right to delete any and all comments that violate this ground rule, unless I think they are germane to the discussion. Fourth, since this is a long book, I will regularly provide a compilation post linking all the reviews done to date. I’m thinking every four or five chapters I will update and republish said post with a current date so that everyone can follow along.

Tomorrow I will write the first post in this ongoing series, to cover the introduction and first chapter. Join us tomorrow!

Important Puritan Reading Challenge Update!

Timmy Brister has just informed us of a schedule change to the 2008 Puritan Reading Challenge (see sidebar for more info). Here’s the skinny:

Many of you (I am told around 300) have purchased the P&P special from RHB which includes all twelve Puritan Paperbacks in a set. Well, not quite all twelve. As you know, Thomas Brooks’ book, Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices, has been sold out and back-ordered for a couple of months. While I have been informed that they are close to filling those orders in the near future, it appears that the books will not be available in time for the beginning of April which is the month dedicated to reading Brooks. Therefore, I have decided to make a schedule change.

Here’s the deal: For the month of April, instead of reading Brooks’ Precious Remedies, we are going to read Jeremiah Burroughs’ The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment which was slated for August. In August, we will then read Brooks.

Make sense?

Please help me get the word out on this. There are so many people from so many corners of the internet that I cannot possibly connect with everyone. So if you can, please help me get this announcement out. I am looking forward to digging into Burroughs next month with you as we learn about great gain of godliness with contentment.

I hope that, if you have not already, you will take up the Puritan Reading Challenge! Click the button in the sidebar for details!

How to Spend Your February

This is how I plan on spending February:

Join the 2008 Puritan Reading Challenge by clicking this link or the button in the sidebar!

The Bruised Reed: A Review

Today at long last we will take a look at Richard Sibbes’ work, The Bruised Reed.

Review
The Bruised Reed seems to be primarily a work of pastoral care. The book is based off of Isaiah 42:1-3 — “¹Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. ²He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. ³A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. (KJV, emphasis mine)” This passage is applied to the work of Christ, and Sibbes believes it involves two things: first, the calling of Christ to his office; and second, the manner in which he carries it out.

Christ, who is called “God’s servant,” is a chosen and choice servant. His service, Sibbes says, was to do and suffer all by the Father’s will. For this reason God counts the work of our salvation by Christ to be his greatest treasure, for it shows God’s love to us. Because of this, Christ is the only safe place towards which we can look when temptation comes. Our natural inclination is to turn inward, focusing on our troubles, but Christ alone has the special power of comforting the soul, for God’s authority and love are in him. Our comfort as believers is wholly based on being “in Christ,” therefore our faith must be built on the Savior and nothing else. Remember, Jesus said “I am the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6a).” He seeks bruised reeds and smoking flaxes, the sick rather than the healthy.

What is a “bruised reed?” A bruised reed, Sibbes states, is a person in some misery. Misery brings this person to see sin as the cause of it, and he sees no help in himself. Therefore he seeks relief elsewhere, and he mourns and hopes for mercy. Sibbes says this bruising is necessary before we can be saved, for it allows the Spirit to make way for himself, brings low all proud thoughts, and brings us to understand what we are by nature — that is, that we are sinners. Bruising also makes us set a high price on Christ. This allows the gospel to truly be the gospel, which makes us more thankful, more fruitful, and more firmly sets us in God’s ways. Bruising further reminds us that we are reeds, not oaks; that is, we are small and weak, not large and mighty. We live by the mercy of God alone. As such, Sibbes contends we must not be too hard on ourselves or others when we experience bruising, for by this bruising we are being conformed to Christ, who was “bruised for us (Isaiah 53:5).”

What is a “smoking flax?” From reading the book, I believe Sibbes considers a smoking flax to be a new Christian. He states, “In smoking flax there is but a little light, and that weak, as being unable to flame, and that little mixed with smoke. The observations from this are that, in God’s children, especially in their first conversion, there is but a little measure of grace, and that little mixed with much corruption, which, as smoke, is offensive; but that Christ will not quench this smoking flax (p. 16).”

So it seems pretty obvious that new believers are those whom have “but a little light, and that weak, as being unable to flame, and that little mixed with smoke.” They are like firestarters for a campfire — they are only able to take a spark at the moment. If they were put to a flame, they would be immediately consumed. If they were smothered or drenched, they would immediately be put out. New Christians are delicate things that must be treated with the utmost care, just as a firestarter.