May 2005 Archives

How often do Christians consider the lines of implication that the doctrines of the Trinity and Hypostatic Union send out into all of life? Could we say that most Christians consider understanding these two doctrines and their implications as vitally important for living life? Or might we say that though most Christians think of these two doctrines as essential to the Christian faith, they do not see them as having any real significant relevance for Christian living? In other words, would we be right in thinking that most Christians think of these doctrines as dry and abstract without any real import for the daily grind of living life?

I would guess that most of you who are reading this article would agree that Christians in general fail to see the relevance of these two doctrines for understanding life in general and living the Christian life in particular. I’ve spent most of my life failing to see their profound relevance for "life under the sun." So I began to wonder, “What might account for this widespread failure to recognize the deeply practical significance of the Trinity and Hypostatic Union?” Consider Ralph Smith’s thoughts about the lack of Trinitarian thought in the church.

“As Carl F.H. Henry rightly protested, ‘The doctrine of the Trinity is seldom preached in evangelical churches; even its practical values are neglected…’ It is not that the essential points are unknown—though perhaps in some churches even that may be a problem—it is more that pastors and their congregations have not really considered the implications of the doctrine. Once the doctrine is proved from Scripture, little more is taught about it. This is a tragedy since the doctrine of the Trinity is the crux of the Christian understanding of the world” (Trinity and Reality: An Introduction to the Christian Faith, xii).

I think this widespread failure really comes down to the fact that pastors themselves have failed to think out the practical importance of these two great doctrines particularly as it relates to interpretation and preaching. When pastors begin to think out the practical significance of the Trinity and Hypostatic Union particularly with reference to preaching, I believe their preaching will become much more gospel-centered regardless of the text. So let’s briefly explore a few of the lines of implication that these two great doctrines send out into the realm of interpretation and preaching.

The One God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

The Christian doctrine of God is that there is one God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God has never been nor ever will be just Father. Neither has God ever been or ever will be just Father and Son or Father and Spirit. No, the Christian God has forever been and will forever be Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is eternally the Triune God. T. F. Torrance writes:

“God’s distinctive self-revelation as Holy Trinity, One Being, Three Persons, creates the overall framework within which all Christian theology is to be formulated. Understandably, therefore, the doctrine of the Holy Trinity has been called the innermost heart of the Christian faith and worship, the central dogma of classical theology, the fundamental grammar of our knowledge of God” (The Christian Doctrine of God: One Being, Three Persons, 2).

So what happens to redemption if God is not Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? What happens to the gospel if God is just one person? In other words, what relevance does the doctrine of the Triune God have with reference to the gospel? In its personification of love, 1 Corinthians 13 teaches that love is always self-giving ever moving outward in relationship with others. It always seeks the benefit of other persons.

(article is currently being revised...)

This post is the manuscript of a seminar that was originally written for a men's retreat. But even though I wrote it specifically for men, it has application for all who desire to be gospel-driven. If you want to save the document in WORD format, click on the link below. Blessings!

Real Men are Gospel-Driven lecture notes

Real Men (and women) are Gospel-Driven
Dan Cruver

Introduction: The title of my session is “Real Men are Gospel-Driven.” I could have entitled it “Real Men are Gospel-Centered” just as easily. But in either case, the topic as it stands has broad application. I could talk about men being gospel-driven as husbands, as fathers, as congregants, as servants, as leaders, as employees or employers, etc., but my emphasis here is not so broad. What I’m primarily concerned with here is men being gospel-driven as students of Scripture. Why? Because it seems to me that if men are gospel-driven in this way, if men are gospel-driven in their study and application of Scripture, then they will increasingly become more gospel-driven in all these other areas of life. A husband and father who is a gospel-driven student of Scripture will find that he is becoming more gospel-driven as a husband and father. A single man who interprets and applies Scripture from a gospel-driven or gospel-centered perspective will find that he is becoming more gospel-driven in all of his relationships. So even though my primary concern here is with the study of Scripture, I’m not losing sight of the big picture.

At this point someone might say, “What does it even mean to be gospel-driven? I’m not sure I know what it means in general let alone what it means to be gospel-driven as a student of Scripture.” For now let me merely introduce an answer to that question by quoting Jerry Bridges from his article entitled “Gospel-Driven Sanctification.” Hopefully, by the time we conclude this session today you will have a fuller understanding of what it means to be gospel-driven particularly as it relates to Bible study. Regarding progressive-sanctification Bridges writes:

“We must always keep focused on the gospel because it is in the nature of sanctification that as we grow, we see more and more of our sinfulness. Instead of driving us to discouragement, though, this should drive us to the gospel. It is the gospel believed every day that is the only enduring motivation to pursue progressive sanctification even in those times when we don't seem to see progress. That is why I use the expression ‘gospel-driven sanctification’ and that is why we need to ‘preach the gospel to ourselves every day’” (from “Gospel-Driven Sanctification” by Jerry Bridges).

What is gospel-driven sanctification? According to Jerry Bridges, it is sanctification that is motivated and empowered by the gospel. At the heart of gospel-driven sanctification is the conviction that the gospel is the very power of God for growing in Christ-likeness (cf. Romans 1:16-17). So, what is a gospel-driven man as it relates to life in general? To state it succinctly, a gospel-driven man is a man who lives and breathes the gospel. He is a man (1) who believes that the gospel is not just the power of God to give him entrance into the Christian life, but also the power of God to live the entirety of his Christian life; and (2) who lives accordingly.

What is a gospel-driven man as it relates to the study of Scripture in particular? He is a man (1) who believes that the center and ultimate reference point of Holy Scripture is the life, death, and resurrection of Christ; and (2) who interprets and applies Scripture accordingly. That being said, let’s consider the following two points as it relates to being gospel-driven men in our study of Scripture: (1) The Essential Centrality of the Gospel: A Biblical Perspective; and (2) The Functional Centrality of the Gospel: A Biblical Paradigm.

I. The Essential Centrality of the Gospel: A Biblical Perspective

I believe that both explicit biblical statements and the overarching storyline of Scripture require us to be gospel-driven in our study and application of Scripture.

A. Explicit Biblical Statements

1. Bookend One (Romans 1:1-4, 16-17)

I think the two bookends of Paul’s epistle to the Romans are very significant as we consider the essential centrality of the gospel in the study of Scripture. Consider bookend one:

Romans 1:1-4—Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, [2] which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, [3] concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh [4] and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord

At first look it appears that Paul is talking primarily about himself in verse 1. But at second look, you’ll notice that Paul is not so much talking about himself in this verse, though he is, as he is about someone else. He is talking about himself, just not primarily. Verse 1 has three parts that are on one level descriptive of Paul, but on another level they are much more than that. Part One: Paul identifies himself as a “doulos” or “slave” of Christ Jesus. This says as much if not more about Christ than it does about Paul because Paul is a slave precisely because of who Christ is, namely, the Lord. Part one identifies not just Paul as a slave but also Christ as the Lord who is to be served. Part Two: Paul states that he was “called to be an apostle.” Who called him? Christ did (Acts 22:21 – “I will ‘apostle’ you far away to the Gentiles”; Acts 26:17 – “I am ‘apostling’ you to the Gentiles”). So Paul was called by Christ to be an apostle. Part Three: Paul then adds that he was “set apart for the gospel of God.” This third part is parallel with “called to be an apostle.” When Christ called Paul to be an apostle, he also set him apart for the gospel, which, as the text indicates, finds its origin in God himself (“the gospel of God”). I think it is important to recognize that Romans 1:1 is not so much centered on Paul as it is centered on Christ. Christ is the Lord who both called Paul to be an apostle and set him apart for God’s gospel.

As it relates to the primary subject matter of Paul’s epistle to the Romans, the first word of verse 2, the relative pronoun which, is of critical importance. Its antecedent is the word gospel found at the end of verse 1. So, what Paul does here is introduce this epistle by talking about the gospel to which he was set apart by Christ. There is a huge stress in these first few verses upon Christ and the gospel of God. Notice that God’s gospel concerns, or regards, His Son (verse 3, “the gospel of God…concerning His Son”). In his Lectures on Romans, Martin Luther makes a fascinating comment regarding Paul’s phrase “concerning His Son.” Luther comments, “Here the door is thrown open wide for understanding the Holy Scriptures, that is, that everything must be understood in relation to Christ” (Luther’s Works, Volume 25, Lectures on Romans, p. 4). Now, how could Luther claim that everything in Scripture must be understood in relation to Christ? Because of what immediately precedes the phrase “concerning His Son.” Paul’s first statement about God’s gospel is that God “promised [it] beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures” (verse 2). When Paul says “prophets” he is not merely referring to those who held the official office of prophet (i.e. Isaiah, Jeremiah, etc.), but to all those who wrote the books of the Old Testament (see John Murray, The Epistle to the Romans, p. 4). Paul, therefore, is stating that the entirety of the Old Testament contains the gospel concerning God’s Son in the form of promise. This accounts for why Paul spends a considerable amount of space in the book of Romans quoting the Old Testament in his exposition of the gospel. To Paul the gospel in the Old Testament is in the form of promise, and the gospel in the New Testament is in the form of fulfillment. This is how Martin Luther could claim that everything in Scripture must be understood in relation to the person and work of Christ.

Now with verses 1-4 in mind, consider the significance of Romans 1:16-17.

Romans 1:16-17—For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. [17] For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

In verse 16, Paul is telling us why it is that he is not ashamed of God’s gospel; namely, because God’s gospel is His power for salvation to everyone who believes (“I am not ashamed of the gospel, [because] it is the power of God for salvation”). There are several things of note here. First, because of what Paul has already written in verses 1-4, we should conclude that the gospel that is the very power of God unto salvation is not just that which is found in the New Testament. No, it is also that which is found in the Old Testament in the form of promise. As John Murray notes, “The gospel was efficacious for those [i.e. OT saints] who received it in the form of promise” (Ibid.). In other words, the gospel was the power of God unto salvation for those who received it in the form of promise. So the gospel as promised beforehand through God’s prophets in the Holy Scriptures is able to save (cf. 2 Timothy 3:15).

Second, the larger context of Romans requires us to understand the term “salvation” in Romans 1:16 as referring to more than just our deliverance from the present wrath of God. It includes in large measure the concept of deliverance from wrath particularly as we see the term “salvation” in its logical connection with verse 18 (“For the wrath of God is revealed…”), but not just that concept. It also has reference to deliverance from the future wrath of God (note the future tense of Romans 5:9), from the power of sin (Romans 6-8:17—this is “salvation” as it is experienced in what theologians call progressive sanctification), and ultimately from the presence of sin (i.e. glorification, Romans 8:18-30). So when we consider the larger context of Romans, we learn that the gospel, as it is promised in the Old Testament and proclaimed as fulfilled in the New Testament, is the power of God not only to bring us into right relationship with God, but also to conform us to the image of Christ (Romans 8:28-30). In other words, it is the power of God for progressive sanctification.

How are these thoughts from Romans 1:16-17 relevant to our discussion concerning gospel-driven Bible study? Because it is the gospel, which is promised in the Old Testament and fulfilled in the New Testament, that is the power of God unto the full package of salvation. This has huge implications with reference to the study and application of Scripture (particularly with reference to our study and application of the Old Testament). With Romans 1:1-4 and 1:16-17 in mind, consider what Paul writes to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:15-17.

2 Timothy 3:15-17 [Paul exhorts Timothy to remember] …how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. [16] All Scripture is breathed out by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, [17] that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

Notice, first, that Paul says that the Old Testament Scriptures (i.e. sacred writings) are able to make us wise for salvation “through faith in Christ Jesus” (verse 15). If you synthesize our Romans 1 verses with 2 Timothy 3:15-17, what I think we learn is that the Old Testament is able to make us wise for salvation through faith in Christ, precisely because in it God gave the gospel in promise form. This seems to account for the reason Paul says that the sacred writings are able to make us wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. When it comes to the work of God in salvation, Paul puts the gospel at the very center of the Old Testament.

Observe, second, that immediately after making this bold statement about the Old Testament in 2 Timothy 3:15, Paul says that “all Scripture is breathed out by God and is profitable…that [i.e. in order that] the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” I would argue that given the fact that (1) in Romans 1:16 Paul says that it is the gospel that is the power of God unto becoming progressively like Christ, and that (2) in 2 Timothy 3:15 Paul says that the Old Testament is able to make us wise unto salvation through faith in Christ, “all Scripture” equips us for every good work not apart from faith in Christ but through faith in Christ. At the very center of all Scripture (with reference to its saving and sanctifying power) is God’s gospel concerning His Son. It is through God’s gospel as it is promised in the Old Testament and fulfilled in the New Testament that we are delivered from the condemnation, power, and, ultimately, presence of sin.

2. Bookend Two (Romans 16:25-27)

Romans 16:25-27—Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages [26] but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— [27] to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

In his doxology, Paul states that God is able to establish believers because of (I take “according to” to mean because of—Arndt & Gingrich, Kata, II.5.a.d., page 408) the gospel that he preaches and because of “the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed.” Before we go any further, it’s important to identify what this mystery is that has been revealed. I believe the mystery is that God would save both Jews and Gentiles through faith in His incarnate Son. So, God is able to establish believers because of this mystery that has now been revealed.

Question: How is it that this mystery that was “kept secret for long ages” has now been made known through the prophetic writings? How has this previously kept secret mystery now been made known through the Old Testament Scriptures? In other words, how can God be making this mystery known now through the Old Testament when the Old Testament was around centuries before the New Testament? Answer: Paul is using the word now in eschatological terms, that is, in terms of what God has done in time to accomplish redemption. The now of Romans 16:26 refers specifically to the time of Christ in his incarnation and exaltation (this is the stress in Romans 1:3-4). Paul is telling us in Romans 16:25-26 that it is through the life, death, resurrection, and exaltation of Christ that the meaning and significance of the Old Testament becomes clear.

So what do both of these bookends tell us about the central message of Scripture? The essential message of all of Scripture is the gospel message. Do you remember what I said it means to be a gospel-driven man as it relates to the study of Scripture? To be a gospel-driven student of Scripture is to be a man (1) who believes that the center and ultimate reference point of Holy Scripture is the life, death, and resurrection of Christ; and (2) who interprets and applies Scripture accordingly.

B. Overarching Biblical Storyline (Luke 24)

Luke 24—[13] That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, [14] and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. [15] While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. [16] But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. [17] And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad… [21] “We had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened”… [25] And [Jesus] said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! [26] Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?" [27] And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself”… [30] When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. [31] And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. [32] They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”… [44] Then [Jesus] said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” [45] Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, [46] and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead…

Setting the Context: Jesus had risen from the dead earlier in the day. So the experience of the disciples here in Luke 24 takes place on the day of Christ’s resurrection. Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and other women had gone to the empty tomb at early dawn. Two angels asked them why they were seeking the living among the dead (verse 5). They then announced his resurrection to them calling them to remember that Jesus himself had told them that he would be “delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise” (verses 6-7). Returning from the tomb they told the eleven disciples and others what they had seen and learned (verses 8-10). But Luke says that when the disciples heard the news, it “seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them” (verse 11). So at this point on the day of Christ’s resurrection, the disciples are languishing in unbelief and dashed hopes.

It’s within this context that verses 13-14 say, “That very day two of them [who had heard the news from the women] were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, [14] and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened.” Luke makes it very clear that we are still reading about events that took place on Resurrection Sunday. They’ve heard the news about Christ’s resurrection; yet, we learn in verse 21 that they still believed that Jesus had failed in his mission to redeem Israel. At this time, the disciples harbored a very low view of Christ in their hearts.

Now, if this is all we knew about the story and we were asked to imagine how Christ might restore the disciples to faith, hope, and joy, we would probably be tempted to say that he restored them by appearing to them. We might guess that all Christ did to lift himself up in their hearts was show them his physical self. After all, seeing is believing, right? But we would be very wrong.

For me, the key verse for understanding the significance of Luke 24, as it relates to the study of Scripture, is verse 16. While these two disciples were discussing the events of the past few days, Jesus himself came to them. It’s at this point that Luke says that “their eyes were kept from recognizing him.” Luke will not allow us to think that Jesus appeared to them in some disguised form. In verse 15, he says that “Jesus himself” appeared to them. Later on in verse 31 we are told that “their eyes were opened, and they recognized him.” Luke is careful to state that Jesus appeared to them as his recognizable self. The reason they did not recognize him was not due to some change in his physical appearance. Rather, it’s because they were kept from recognizing him (verse 16).

Question: Why were these disciples kept (by God) from recognizing Jesus? After all, their dashed hope was due to the fact that Jesus had died. Why didn’t Jesus just say, “Men, why have you lost hope? Look at me. I have been raised from the dead! I’m alive!” Why didn’t Jesus restore their confidence that he was the Redeemer by letting them recognize him? Why was it that “their eyes were kept from recognizing him”? Or how did they come to recognize Jesus? The answer is found in verses 25-30. In verses 25-26, Jesus says to these two disciples, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. [26] Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And then Luke adds, “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he [Jesus] interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” It’s not until after Jesus interprets the Old Testament for them and breaks bread with them (verse 30) that “their eyes were opened, and they recognized him” (verse 31).

The eyes of these two disciples were to be opened, not through physical sight, but through the proper understanding of the Old Testament. It’s interesting that verse 31 says that the eyes of these two disciples were opened to recognize him, but when Jesus does the same thing with the eleven later that same day, Luke says, “Then [Jesus] opened their minds to understand the Scriptures” (verse 45). So, there is a definite link between recognizing Jesus with the eyes and understanding the Scriptures. The stress is upon the mind being opened to understand the Old Testament Scriptures. Restored faith came to the disciples not through seeing him with the eyes but through understanding and believing the Old Testament Scriptures’ testimony concerning Christ.

It seems clear to me that Luke 24 teaches that the overarching storyline of the Old Testament is the person and work of Christ. What convinces me that this is indeed the case is found in verses 44-46. Jesus says to the eleven disciples, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Luke then adds, “Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead” (verses 44-46). So Jesus refers to the entirety of the Old Testament in the words “the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms.” And then he says, “Thus it is written.” Let me quote Daniel Doriani’s comments regarding the significance of the statement “Thus it is written.”

In Luke 24:46, Jesus uses the expression “it is written,” which ordinarily introduces an Old Testament quotation. But no quotation follows, indicating that Jesus was thinking of the Old Testament in its entirety. When Jesus says that “Moses and all the Prophets” (24:27) or “the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms” (24:44) testify to his suffering and glory, he is making the same point, for the Jews used both phrases to refer to their complete Bible. He is announcing, therefore, that the subject of the Old Testament as a whole is his suffering and glory for the forgiveness of sins” (Getting the Message: A Plan for Interpreting and Applying the Bible, p. 175).

In opening the disciples’ minds to understand the Scriptures, Jesus told them that the central message of the entire Old Testament is the gospel! In other words, Jesus told the disciples that God’s gospel is the overarching storyline of Scripture. What Jesus himself teaches us is that it is only through him in his redemptive work that we can ultimately interpret and understand the Scriptures correctly. Graeme Goldsworthy also comes to this same conclusion.

Whatever transpired in the hermeneutical lecture that Jesus gave when he “interpreted to them the things about himself in the Scriptures” (Luke 24:27), it must have formed the basis for the later apostolic ministry. As Jesus speaks to the larger group of disciples and opens their minds to understand the Scriptures, it would appear that Luke intends us to understand the centrality of his suffering and resurrection for hermeneutics (Luke 24:45-47). This point cannot be emphasized enough for it signifies that the meaning of all the Scriptures is unlocked by the death and resurrection of Jesus (Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture, p. 54).

We have seen the essential centrality of the gospel from explicit biblical statements and from Jesus use of the Old Testament with his disciples on the day of his resurrection. What I wish to do now is give you an example of how this biblical perspective should direct our interpretation and application of a book such as Colossians.

II. The Functional Centrality of the Gospel: A Biblical Paradigm (Colossians)

A. The Functional Basis

Let’s begin by observing Paul’s emphasis on the centrality of the gospel in his epistle to the Colossians. Notice, particularly, the words in bold. First, in Colossians 1:3-6, we learn of the central place the gospel had in the church at Colossae.

Colossians 1:3-6—We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, [4] since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, [5] because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, [6] which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth

Paul says that the gospel had come to them bearing fruit and growing. It was working in their midst since the day they “heard it and understood the grace of God in truth” (verse 6). Tim Keller makes the following comments on these verses in Colossians:

Here we learn: 1) That the gospel is a living thing (cf. Romans 1:16) which is like a seed or a tree that brings more and more new life—bearing fruit and growing. 2) That the gospel is only "planted" in us so as to bear fruit as we understand its greatness and implications deeply—understood God's grace in all its truth. 3) That the gospel continues to grow in us and renew us throughout our lives--as it has been doing since the day you heard it. This text helps us avoid either an exclusively rationalistic or mystical approach to renewal. On the one hand, the gospel has a content—it is profound doctrine. It is truth, and specifically, it is the truth about God's grace. But on the other hand, this truth is a living power that continually expands its influence in our lives, just as a crop or a tree would grow and spread and dominate more and more of an area with roots and fruit (article: The Centrality of the Gospel, p. 1).

So the gospel was at the very center of the church of Colossae. It was bearing fruit and growing among them. The Colossians did not see the gospel as that which only gave them entrance into the Christian life, as that which only brought them into relationship with God, but also as that which God used to grow them in grace, as that which grew them in their relationship with God. Second, consider Paul’s exhortation to the Colossians at the end of chapter one.

Colossians 1:21-23—And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, [22] he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, [23] if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard…

If you remember the occasion for Paul’s letter to the Colossians, evidently there were false teachers who “thought that Christ was no more than a beginning; to go on to spiritual maturity, it was necessary to follow their rules and practices” (Carson, Moo, and Morris, An Introduction to the New Testament, p. 335). What was at stake in Colossae was the church’s steadfastness in the gospel. So what does Paul do? He exhorts them to continue in the faith, that is, to remain steadfast in the apostolic gospel. The Colossians were to keep the gospel central in its corporate existence. Third, consider Colossians 2:6-7.

Colossians 2:6-7—Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, [7] rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

There are a couple things to consider here. First, when Paul says that the Colossians “received” Christ, he is not referring to the acceptance of him into their lives. “Receive” is a technical term referring to the practice of transmitting a body of teaching from one person to the next. It’s not talking about “receiving/accepting Jesus into our hearts.” Whatever the Colossians received, they received it in the form of doctrinal content. Question: What did they receive? Paul says that they received “Christ Jesus the Lord.” In this phrase (“Christ Jesus the Lord”) we find the content of the gospel in seed form. In essence, what Paul is saying is that they received the truth about the Messiah (i.e. “Christ”) who is none other than the crucified and risen Jesus (i.e. “Jesus”) and is now the exalted Lord (i.e. “the Lord”). In other words, when the Colossians “received Christ Jesus the Lord,” they heard and understood the gospel message (Colossians 1:6). Second, the term “understand” refers not merely to intellectual apprehension but to a transforming apprehension. So, just as they received the saving truth concerning Jesus, through faith, so also are they are to walk in him. Paul exhorts the Colossians to keep the truth concerning Jesus, that is, the gospel, central in their thinking and living.

It is very clear that Paul is calling the Colossian church to keep the main thing, namely, the gospel, the main thing. This is why I believe he begins to articulate and apply the gospel in 2:8-21. Consider verses 13-14.

Colossians 2:13-14—And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, [14] by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

Paul says that God made the Colossians alive together with Christ, having forgiven them all their trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against them with its legal demands. Where did God do this? At the cross. Paul says, “This he [God] set aside, nailing it to the cross.” What we read here of the gospel in Colossians 2:13-14 is described very eloquently by John Stott in his book entitled The Cross of Christ.

The Biblical gospel of atonement is the good news of God satisfying Himself by substituting Himself for us. The concept of substitution may be said then, to lie at the heart of both sin and salvation…For the essence of sin is man substituting himself for God; while the essence of salvation is God substituting Himself for man. Man asserts himself against God and puts himself where only God deserves to be. Man claims prerogatives which belong to God alone; God accepts penalties which belong to man alone (John Stott, The Cross of Christ, p. 160).

This is what happened when God canceled the record of debt that stood against us by nailing it to the cross. Paul is essentially saying that legally Christ became the record of debt that stood against us and in his death destroyed it (per James D.G. Dunn, The Epistle to the Colossians and to Philemon, p. 166). It is within this gospel-rich context that Paul says that the Colossians were buried and raised with Christ (verse 12). Now in Colossians 3:1-2, Paul brings out some of the ethical implications that flow out of the truth of the gospel.

Colossians 3:1-2—If [“since”] then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. [2] Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.

Paul’s argument, in part, is essentially this: since it is true that, through the gospel, you have been raised with Christ, set your minds on that which you have been given in the gospel, namely, the full favor and acceptance of God. We must be careful to see the resurrection of Christ and his ascension to the Father’s right hand together. Though his ascension did not immediately follow his resurrection, his ascension to the Father’s right hand was the inevitable consequence of his resurrection. When preaching the gospel at Pentecost, Peter brings the resurrection and ascension of Christ together by quoting from Psalm 16:8-11 and Psalm 110:1. In both cases, Peter connects the resurrection of Christ with his ascension to the Father’s right hand. In Psalm 16, Christ’s ascension is spoken of in terms of his entrance into the joy and pleasures of his Father. His ascension to the Father’s right hand was, in part, the proof that he possessed the Father’s full favor and acceptance. So, when Paul tells the Colossians that since they too have been raised with Christ and are therefore to seek the things that are above, where Christ is (and by extension where the Colossians are too), seated at the right hand of God, he is telling them that they too have received the Father’s full favor and acceptance. Paul is, in no uncertain terms, exhorting the Colossians to find their identity in the identity of Christ. In other words, Paul is calling the Colossians to find the totality of their identity in who Jesus is for them-in his death, burial, resurrection, and ascension to the Father’s right hand.

What I want you to see here is that Paul intensely desires that the gospel be the functional center of their lives. It is to be what they live and breathe at all times! The gospel is to be that which determines their sense of identity and establishes their perspective on all of life as it is lived in the here and now. With this in mind, consider Colossians 3:16, and then I’ll discuss the relevance of this to gospel-driven interpretation.

Colossians 3:16—Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

The phrase “the word of Christ” is just another way of referring to the gospel. The word that is to dwell richly in the congregation at Colossae is the word about Christ. Paul is exhorting the Colossians to let the message of what God has done in and through Christ fill every aspect of their lives. This is what it means for the word of Christ to dwell richly. Paul goes on to say that not only must the gospel dwell richly in their teaching, admonishing, and singing, but also in everything that they do, in word or deed (verse 17). It is not until after this point in his epistle that Paul begins to make concrete applications to specific areas of life. In other words, it is not until after Paul has established the functional centrality of the gospel in all of life that he gives commands to wives, husbands, children, fathers, slaves, and masters. Therefore, as interpreters of Scripture, we must be very careful not to separate these commands from the gospel message as it is articulated in Colossians.

B. The Functional Connection

1. Marriage Implications

Colossians 3:18-19—[In light of the gospel and your identity in Christ…] Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. [19] Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.

Remember: A church where the gospel dwells richly is a church where believers are actively finding their identity in who Jesus is for them in his death, burial, resurrection, and ascension to the Father’s right hand.

What is the functional gospel-connection to this command for wives to submit to their husbands and husbands to love their wives? When wives are finding their identity in the gospel, submitting to their husbands is no burden (cf. 1 John 5:3). I would like to suggest (given the overall context of Colossians) that the failure of a wife to submit is due to her attempt to protect or create an identity of her own making. After all, is not creating their own identity what the false teachers were instructing the Colossians to do? Likewise, when husbands are finding their identity in the gospel, loving their wives and not being harsh with them will not be a burden.

What I think we should learn here is that we must not functionally disconnect the indicatives of the gospel, that is, the declarative statements concerning the truth of the gospel, from the imperatives that flow out of the gospel. It is only in remembering and rehearsing the gospel that wives are empowered to submit to their husbands and husbands are empowered to love their wives. Graeme Goldsworthy does an excellent job explaining the necessity of not losing sight of the gospel when considering the imperatives of Christian living. He begins by asking:

What is the relationship of this text to the person and work of Jesus of Nazareth? Let me be a little more specific. Preachers with a concern for expository preaching are predisposed to developing a preaching program in which a series of expositions from one particular book is given. In my experience the preaching of a series of sermons, say, from an epistle, easily leads the preacher to fragmentation because, while the epistle was written as a single letter to be read at one time, it is often divided up so that it is dealt with in Sunday sermons over a period of several weeks. There is nothing wrong with that as such, provided we recognize the changed dynamics. Thus, Paul may expound the gospel in the first part of the letter, and then go on to spell out some ethical and pastoral implications. When the preacher finally gets to deal with the latter, it is possibly a couple of weeks or more since the gospel exposition has happened, and the connection between the gospel and behavior, very closely related in the epistle, can be lost. The result is that the exhortations and commands are no longer seen to arise out of the good news of God’s grace in the gospel but as simple imperatives of Christian behavior…The relationship between what is and what ought to be, that is, the relationship between the finished work of Christ and the task of the believers, is often well flagged in the text” (Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture, XIII-XIV).

A gospel-driven student of Scripture is a man (1) who believes that the center and ultimate reference point of Holy Scripture is the life, death, and resurrection of Christ; and (2) who interprets and applies Scripture accordingly.

2. Family Implications

Colossians 3:20-21—Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. [21] Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.

When children are finding their identity in the gospel, obeying their parents in everything will not be a chore. When our children are finding their identity in who Jesus is for them in his death, burial, resurrection, and ascension to the Father’s right hand, they won’t obey their parents in order to derive their sense of identity from parental approval or acceptance. They also will not disobey their parents in an effort to establish an identity of independence (e.g. prodigal son and elder brother). So parents and churches would do well to show children the connection between the command to obey and the gospel of what God has accomplished for them in Christ.

Likewise, when fathers are finding their identity in the gospel, they won’t constantly nag or belittle their children. Why not? Because they realize that their identity is not found in a well-ordered, well-behaved household. Fathers who are finding their identity in Jesus will not be finding their identity in children who through their good behavior reflect well upon them as fathers. Rather, they will demonstrate unconditional love and acceptance and disciplining their children within a gospel-rich context.

3. Social Implications

Colossians 3:22-4:1—Slaves, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord… [4:1] Masters, treat your slaves justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

When slaves are finding their identity in the gospel, they will obey their masters in everything because they are not allowing their social classification to define who they are. Likewise, masters who are finding their identity in Christ will treat their slaves justly and with dignity because their identity is not defined by the possession of power.

I close with what I said with reference to this session in the introduction: “I could talk about men being gospel-driven as husbands, as fathers, as congregants, as servants, as leaders, as employees or employers, etc., but my emphasis here is not so broad. What I’m primarily concerned with here is men being gospel-driven as students of Scripture. Why? Because it seems to me that if men are gospel-driven in this way, if men are gospel-driven in their study and application of Scripture, then they will increasingly become more gospel-driven in all these other areas of life. A husband and father who is a gospel-driven student of Scripture will find that he is becoming more gospel-driven as a husband and father. A single man who interprets and applies Scripture from a gospel-driven or gospel-centered perspective will find that he is becoming more gospel-driven in all of his relationships.” May we all strive to be gospel-driven students of Scripture so that we might live gospel-driven lives.

From Left to Right: Assistant Orphanage Director, Dan, Hannah, Orphanage Director, Melissa

River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze (a New York Times Bestseller by Peter Hessler)
A House for My Name: A Survey of the Old Testament (by Peter J. Leithart)
Paul: An Outline of His Theology (by Herman Ridderbos)
The Art of Reading Scripture (Edited by Ellen F. Davis & Richard B. Hays)
The Faith of Jesus Christ: The Narrative Substructure of Galatians 3:1-4:11 (by Richard B. Hays)
God Crucified: Monotheism & Christology in the New Testament (by Richard Bauckham)

A friend of mine made me aware of this online audio discussion on The White Horse Inn. This particular program is entitled "Christ, the Center of Scripture." It is part one of their new series on How to Read the Bible. I recommend it highly.

a http://www.whitehorseinn.org/listenonline.htm

My fellow blogger and friend, Rob Wilkerson, has written a very helpful article about disciplining our children in light of the gospel. Take a few minutes and read it. It is excellent!

http://mymiscellanies.blogspot.com/2005/05/preaching-gospel-to-our-kids-pointing.html

2 Timothy 3:16-17 is often used, and rightly so, when discussing the value of personal Bible study. “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable…that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” The value of Bible study for the believer is that it is the means by which God equips him/her for Christian living. Given that Paul is primarily referring to the OT Scriptures in this context (verse 15, “sacred writings”), we can say that God in part equips believers to live the Christian life through the study of Genesis, Exodus, 1 & 2 Samuel, Esther, Ruth, Haggai, and every other OT book (side note: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 will not permit us to neglect the study of OT books like Haggai!).

Paul’s words to Timothy in these verses must be discussed when considering the necessity and benefit of studying Scripture. But there is a question that is not oftened asked when considering 2 Timothy 3:16-17, namely, how is it God equips believers for Christian living through an OT book like 1 Samuel? There are two common answers to this question.

(1) The stories of the OT were written down for our instruction. “Now these things [i.e. the things in Israel’s history spoken of in verses 1-5] took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did…Now these things happened to [Israel] as an example, but they were written down for our instruction” (1 Corinthians 10:6, 11). So God equips us for every good work through a book like 1 Samuel by giving us examples to follow or not to follow. Samuel Driver puts it like this: "The importance and real significance of the narrative lies in the types of character which they exhibit, and in the moral and spiritual lessons which...may be deduced from them. The patriarchs are tupoi hemoon; and in their biographies examples of faith and goodness--and also, sometimes, of unworthiness and moral failure--are set vividly and expressively before us" (The Book of Genesis 247). Therefore, for example, God equips His people in biblical friendship through accounts like that of David and Jonathan's friendship in 1 Samuel 20.

(2) The OT Scriptures reveal the character of God to us. We learn that He is holy, righteous, compassionate, faithful, etc. It is as we see by faith the character of God as it is revealed in the OT that we are equipped to live the Christian life. The OT does set forth examples to be followed or not followed, but, to play off the Samuel Driver quotation, "the importance and real significance of the narrative lies in the character of God as it is shown in the text." So we are equipped to be faithful as we by faith see the faithfulness of God in His dealings with Israel in the OT. We are equipped to be loving as we...etc.

As far as I am concerned, there is really nothing inherently wrong with these two answers (though I do have serious problems with Samuel Driver's statement). The only real problem that I have with them is that they do not go far enough. Does God equip us through the instruction of OT stories? Yes. Does God equip us through the OT Scriptures as they reveal the character of God? Yes. But we still have not really answered our question, namely, how does God equip believers for Christian living through an OT book like 1 Samuel?

Consider the context of 2 Timothy 3:16-17. While exhorting Timothy to continue in what he had taught him, Paul makes a significant statement concerning the OT Scriptures which must influence our understanding of verses 16-17. Paul tells Timothy that “the sacred writings” (i.e. the OT Scriptures) “…are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (verse 15). So according to Paul, 1 Samuel is able to make us wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. As Donald Guthrie comments, “The mere reading of [the OT] Scriptures is ineffective in securing salvation unless faith is in operation, faith centered entirely in Christ” (The Pastoral Epistles 163). Concerning 2 Timothy 3:15-17, Graeme Goldsworthy states:

Paul here expresses the important hermeneutical principle that the Old Testament instructs us for salvation, but only in relation to Jesus Christ. The function of the gospel as the means of interpreting aright the Old Testament is inescapable...To understand the Bible correctly requires faith in Christ along with the Spirit's enlightenment. Christ is revealed as the meaning of the Scriptures so that no part can be rightly understood without reference to him (Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture 85).

It seems to me that we need to carry this thought over into verses 16-17. If the Scriptures are only able to make us wise unto salvation through faith in Christ, must we also say that they are only able to equip us through faith in Christ? I believe the context indicates that God equips us by means of the Scriptures in the same He saves us by means of them, namely, through faith in His Son. To borrow from the language of Galatians 3:5-6, we are sanctified by faith in Christ just as we are justified by faith in Christ. It seems to me that 2 Timothy 3:15-17 ultimately requires us to understand and interpret every text in its necessary relationship to the Person and Work of Christ. “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable…that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work through faith in Christ Jesus.”

I taught my last Principles of Bible Study class of the semester on Friday, May 6th. It is hard to believe that my first full year of teaching this class is over. If my students learned half as much in taking the class as I have in teaching the class, I will be very pleased. What would please me most is if they are now convinced of the necessity of discerning the connection that every text they study has with the Gospel. If there is one thing my students might get weary of hearing me say, it is this: “You have not rightly handled or interpreted a text unless ultimately you can clearly identify its relationship to the Gospel.”

Every text has two contexts in which it must be interpreted, namely, its micro (i.e. the immediate context) and macro contexts (i.e. the larger context of the particular book and of Scripture as a whole). It is not enough merely to interpret a text in its relationship to its micro-context. As important as it is to understand a text in its immediate context, to do so does not mean that you have identified its relationship to the Gospel, that is, its relationship to what God has done in Christ to accomplish salvation. The failure to understand a text in its macro or redemptive-context is tantamount to the failure of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus to understand that the entire OT testifies to Christ in his suffering and subsequent glory (Luke 24:21).

How many sermons have you heard on Matthew 18:15-20 (process of church discipline) that have actually shown the text’s essential relationship with the work of Christ on the cross? I have heard plenty that have done an adequate job interpreting the text within its micro-context but very few in its macro-context. So how might we preach a sermon on Matthew 18 that takes in to account the macro-context of the entire Gospel of Matthew?

There are many questions that I think Matthew 18:15-20 presses upon us that may help us discern its connection to the work of Christ. Here are a few (all three questions are related and the answers I give are only suggestive):

Question One: What connection does Matthew 18:15-20 have with the climax of Matthew’s Gospel, namely, the passion of Christ?

Answer: In Matthew 18, an individual who refuses to repent is cut off from the community of faith. But it is at the cross where we see (1) what ultimately happens to a man who remains in an unrepentant state. He is cut off from God. At the cross Jesus was cut off from God because he bore the guilt of our sin. (2) We also see that Jesus was cut off that sinners might not be cut off from God’s presence. His work on the cross opened the way for sinners like you and me to enter into the holy presence of God (Matthew 27:51). If we fail to make that connection explicit, those who are working through the process of confronting another brother with his sin might very well fail to do so humbly. After all, both the ones exercising church discipline and the ones receiving it are equally in need of what Christ accomplished at the cross. Only when we see Matthew 18's connection with Christ's work on the cross will we be both confident and humble in walking through the discipline process. On the one hand, we will be confident because we know that the cross is the power of God unto restoring our wayward brother. On the other hand, we will be humble because we know that we too stand in desperate need of what Christ accomplished at Calvary.

Question Two: How is it possible to expel an unrepentant brother from the community of faith with a view to restoration? In other words, how can we hold out restoration as a possibility for one who has remained blatantly unrepentant through the entire discipline process? What hope is there for one who has been excommunicated from the Christian assembly?

Answer: It is possible to expel an unrepentant individual from the community of faith with a view to restoration because there is one who though he never sinned against God or his brothers but rather loved God with all his heart and his brothers as himself at all times, was expelled (i.e. forsaken, abandoned) from the Father’s presence in the unrepentant individual’s place. At the cross Jesus, the only truly righteous man, was treated as if he were the unrepentant one. He who knew no sin became sin for those who are in desperate need of restoration that they might become the righteousness of God in him. The only reason we can practice church discipline with a view toward restoration is because Jesus has already taken the sinner’s place thereby opening for him the path of life (Psalm 16:11).

Question Three: What must we do with the individual who has been expelled in order that we might see him restored?

Answer: Keep lovingly facing him (1) with what it means to be cut off from the community of faith, namely, you are cut off from the presence of God; and (2) with what Christ has done in his place that he might be restored. The cross is the one place where both of these truths are seen most clearly. Why must we bring this two-fold message of the cross to bear upon the expelled individual? (1) That he might be awakened to the sinfulness of his sin and its terrible consequences. (2) Because it is this very message of what Christ has done in his place that is the very power of God unto his restoration.

May we all seek to be Gospel-centered in our handling of texts like Matthew 18:15-20.

If you would like to comment on my blog's new look, please feel free. My brother David did all the work! Thanks, David!

The following is one of the hymns I most love. It is entitled "It is Finished!" (written by James Proctor).

It is Finished!

Nothing, either great or small--nothing sinner, no;
Jesus died and paid it all, long, long ago.

"It is finished!" yes, indeed, finished ev'ry jot;
Sinner, this is all you need, tell me, is it not?

When He, from His lofty throne, stooped to do and die,
Ev'rything was fully done; hearden to His cry!

Weary, working, burdened one, wherefore toil you so?
Cease your doing; all was done long, long ago.

Till to Jesus' work you cling by a simple faith,
"Doing" is a deadly thing--"doing ends in death.

Refrain:
Cast your deadly "doing" down--down at Jesus' feet;
Stand in Him in Christ alone, gloriously complete.

My year of teaching is almost over. Even though it has been a great year I am eager for its completion. One of the reasons for my eagerness is the books I get to read over the summer months. I can't remember a time when I looked forward to reading more than I am right now. The prospect of "mastering" a few well-chosen books rather excites me at the moment. I've spent quite a few minutes trying to narrow my summer-reading book list down. It is always a painful process, but while I was doing the agonizing work of eliminating prospective reads, I stumbled upon a very helpful article about reading less in order to master. So before you jump into your summer reading list you might want to read it.

Why Settle for Merely Reading a Book When You Can Master It?

How to Read Less More, and Twice as Fast

May/June, 1998

Dear Friend,

If you're like me, you really want to read more effectively, but you don't know how and can't find the time. Solomon wrote, "The writing of many books is endless, and excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body."* I agree. The stacks of unopened volumes in my own library weary me just looking at them.

To make matters worse, even the good books we read teach us nothing. We forget the details almost immediately because our goal is to finish the book, not master the material.

I have a plan to change that. I want to show you how you can read less, more. It's based on one simple idea: It's better to thoroughly read one or two good books than "finish" ten or twenty by reading them cover to cover and then moving on.

The idea raises two practical problems. First, how do we know if a book is worth investing time in? Second, what techniques will allow us to read thoroughly, yet quickly, leading to mastery?

Four Pages a Day

Don't think you've got to read 50, 25, or even 10 books a year to stay educated, informed, and equipped. Instead, I want you to think about carefully reading just six books during the next twelve months.

For some of you the idea may seem overwhelming. It isn't. It's 60 days per book, or four pages per day for a 200 page title. Even a person who reads very casually can accomplish this, especially using the tricks I'll show you.

I want you to consider devoting two months to one book. The object is not simply to read from beginning to end, though. The goal is to master the contents. I'm going to show you how to read a book in such a way that at the end of two months you can say, "I own this book."

For that you need a system. Don't start from the beginning and read through word by word to the end. That's a mistake. The key is to read through the book more than once at different levels. I'm going to show you how. Follow these four steps for non-fiction books: overview, preview, read, and postview.

Overview the Book

Every book does not deserve a good reading. The initial overview allows you to determine whether a title deserves your attention by giving you a sense of the main thrust of the book in five to twenty minutes.

Start by reading the jacket cover. Read the table of contents. Skim the book's preface and the introduction. Read the conclusion in the last three pages of the book. Browse through the index in the back. Note the publisher and the date of publication.

If you don't like what you see, abandon the effort and look for a better book. You've only lost five minutes and saved hours of fruitless reading.

If the treatment looks promising, though, page through the entire book at the rate of 2-3 seconds per page. Don't try to "speed read." This first step is a casual one. Let your eyes stroll over the material as your gaze falls on the text and enjoy the process of serendipitous discovery.

The overview takes less than twenty minutes in the extended form and can be done while you're browsing in the bookstore. If you like what you see, buy the book to read more thoroughly later.

The overview is always the first step of thorough reading, even if you already own the book and have decided to read it (or it's been assigned to you for a class).

Preview the Book

Go through the book a second time. Sit down and read it at a slower rate, but still not word for word. I suggest you skim at the rate of four to ten seconds per page. Force yourself to move quickly.

Obviously, you're not reading all the words. You're skimming. I read the headings and the first sentence of each paragraph. Get a feel for the author's main case and his progression of thought.

This is more aggressive reading than you did in the overview, but still casual. Don't linger, though. Force yourself to push ahead, turning the page every four to ten seconds. Break the book in as you go, gently creasing each page as you move forward. You'll be amazed at how much you'll absorb during this quick preview phase.

When you're done, write a summary sentence or two on the title page capturing the main thrust of the book. Answer the question, "What is this book about?" What is the book trying to accomplish? Use pencil because you may want to change the summary after you've read the book more thoroughly.

The second step of our approach will take 20 to 40 minutes at four to ten seconds per page, depending on the book. You'll have gone through the whole book twice--overviewing and previewing--in about an hour, with a summary statement capturing the central idea of the book.

This "layering" method imbeds the book's basic ideas in your mind in a way that won't happen if you simply start at the first page and read through to the end. The first layer--the overview--gives you a general sense of the material and allows you to decide whether the book is worth reading or not. The preview clarifies the basic content and organization of the book, and gives you the author's approach and main argument.

Read the Book

Now it's time to actually read the book. This can be done in multiple sessions, one chapter at a sitting.

Start by quickly previewing the chapter once again, 4-10 seconds per page. This is very important. It reacquaints you with the material, but takes only minutes. Then read the text word for word, as quickly as possible.

Don't linger and don't regress (don't reread what you've just been over). Don't stop to underline, either. It slows you down. Instead, use a pencil and make a vertical line in the margin to mark those things worthy of note. You'll come back to those places later. You don't want to lag here, even though you're reading carefully.

Complete this phase by writing, in pencil, a summary sentence or two in the big white space above the title at the beginning of each chapter. Try to capture the main point of the section. Use pencil because you may want to make changes when you postview the chapter.

Postview the Chapter Immediately

Go back over the chapter focusing on the marks you made in the margin. Review the material, interacting with the author's ideas and making further notations. At the end of each chapter or in the flyleaf sketch a quick outline or recall pattern. Look at the summary you placed at the beginning of the chapter and see if it's accurate and precise. Refine it if you need to.

Go through each chapter in the same way. Preview it, skimming quickly, then read it carefully but at a good clip, making your notations during the postview. If you take a break and resume your reading a day or more later, review your summaries at the beginning of the book and each preceding chapter before you pick up where you left off. This will only take a few short minutes, but will set the stage for your next session.

This is aggressive reading. When you're done you'll have gone through the book at least four times in a fairly short period of time working from the whole to the parts to the whole again. You'll have brief chapter summaries and an outline--handy tools for quick review in the future--and a solid grasp of the material.

In the future when you simply skim through the book again, all the information will come back to you. You'll be able to clearly state who the author is, his main point, the structure (development) of his thought, if his views are correct (why or why not) and what difference it makes. You'll have mastered the book, not just read it.

Double Your Reading Speed Instantly

Let me give you an additional tip that will double your reading speed in one step. Use your finger as a pointer and move it along underneath the sentences at the fastest comfortable speed you can read. You can read above your finger, ahead of it, or behind it, whichever is most comfortable for you.

This forces you to read more aggressively, with more concentration. Don't be afraid to push yourself a little bit. Go as fast as you can and still grasp the material. Don't stop, pause, or reread portions of what you've just covered (regressing). Keep up with your moving finger, just like following the bouncing ball.

Again, this is not "speed reading," taking in a whole page at a glance. You're still reading every word just as you normally would, but you're using your finger as a pacer , increasing your speed and keeping your eyes from drifting.

You'll be surprised how dramatically your reading speed will increase. If you're reading 150 words a minute (a relatively slow rate) you can jump to 300 words per minute simply by consistently using your finger as a speed guide. Just move it underneath the words and follow along. Your comprehension and retention will improve too, even though you're moving faster.

Finding the Time
Anyone is fully capable of mastering six books a year, but it won't happen by itself. It takes a plan (which I've just given you) and the will to apply a modest amount of time to your goal. Thirty minutes three or four times a week is all you need.

First, turn off the TV. The average person watches two to three hours of TV a day. Most of you can read 50 books a year in that time. Devote some of your TV time to reading. Skip the nightly news. It's the worst possible source of information and almost always puts people in a bad mood. Instead, use that half hour to read. You'll be amazed at how much you'll get done and how civilized you'll feel as a result.

Here are some other ways to redeem pockets of useful time for reading. Try getting up half an hour earlier in the morning. Go into the family room before the household is up and read. Or redeem the time you spend sitting in the bathroom. Just ten minutes a day will get even slow readers 150 pages a month. That's six books a year. I also keep a book with me in the car so I can read while waiting for an appointment or stuck in line.

Think for a moment what six books you would like to have mastered a year from now. You can do it. Choose your titles carefully, then apply the plan. This may be one of the most rewarding habits you'll ever develop. I hope you start today.

[More Issues] Yours for a lifetime of learning,

Gregory Koukl
President, Stand to Reason

P.S. My next book for thorough reading (actually, re-reading) is going to be Mere Christianity. This short classic by C.S. Lewis is a great place for you to start, too. To order it at a discount, visit the STR store.

I keep the following information on an index card in my Daytimer for ready reference:

Overview

Get a sense of the book in 5-10 minutes.
Read jacket copy, contents, skim preface & introduction, read conclusion (last 3 pages) and skim the index. Note publisher and date of publication.
Quickly page through the entire book at the rate of 2-3 seconds per page.
Determine if you want to read the book more thoroughly, give it away, or file it for future reference.

Preview

Skim entire book at a slower rate (4-10 seconds per page), breaking the book in as you go.
Look for structure, outline, key facts and concepts.
Write a quick summary for the book in pencil on title page.

Read

Preview each chapter again before you read it to get the structure (4-10 seconds per page).
Read every word at fastest comfortable speed using a pointer so you won't wander, hesitate, regress, or lose your place. Mark the margin, but don't underline the text.

Write a 1-4 sentence summary in pencil at the beginning of the chapter.
Sketch a quick outline or recall pattern.

Postview Immediately

Re-read the chapter quickly, focusing on marked sections, interacting with the text.
Refine your 1-4 sentence summary at the beginning of the chapter.

Review at regular intervals, looking over recall patterns and summary material.

* Eccl. 12:12.

This letter may be reproduced or forwarded via e-mail without change and in its entirety for non-commercial purposes without prior permission from Stand to Reason. ©1998 Gregory Koukl

"There is a righteousness which Paul calls 'the righteousness of faith'. God imputes it to us apart from our works--in other words, it is passive righteousness...So then, have we nothing to do to obtain this righteousness? No, nothing at all! For this righteousness comes by doing nothing, hearing nothing, knowing nothing, but rather in knowing and believing this only--that Christ has gone to the right hand of the Father, not to become our judge, but to become for us our wisdom, our righteousness, our holiness, our salvation! Now God sees no sin in us, for in this heavenly righteousness sin has no place. So now we may certainly think, 'Although I still sin, I don't despair, because Christ lives, who is both my righteousness and my eternal life.' In that righteousness I have no sin, no fear, no guilty conscience, no fear of death. I am indeed a sinner in this life of mine and in my own righteousness, but I have another life, another righteousness above this life, which is in Christ, the Son of God.

"Christians never completely understand [their justification] themselves, and thus do not take advantage of it when they are troubled and tempted. So we have to constantly teach it, repeat it, and work it out in practice. Anyone who does not understand this righteousness or cherish it in the heart and conscience will continually be buffeted by fears and depression. Nothing gives peace like this passive righteousness. The troubled conscience has no cure for its desperation and feeling of unworthiness unless it takes hold of the forgiveness of sins by grace, offered free of charge in Jesus Christ, which is this passive or Christian righteousness....Once you are in Christ, the Law is the greatest guide for your life, but until you have Christian righteousness, all the law can do is to show you how sinful and condemned you are. But if we first receive Christian righteousness, then we can use the law, not for our salvation, but for his honor and glory, and to lovingly show our gratitude" (Martin Luther, Commentary on Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians, "Preface", 1953 edition).