This weekend I am preaching on “Sinners and Saints” (the Christian as Sinner/Saint). As a part of my sermon prep (at the end of my process) I went back through a classic that everyone should own. One that I picked up back in ’95 that was immensely helpful for me. Thomas Boston’s Human Nature in Its Fourfold State is a thorough and practical treatment of human nature before the fall, in our sinful condition, in a state of grace, and in the eternal state. Check out the pastoral angle in Boston’s work as he interacts with the Christian who is wrestling with sin and discouragement.

Case 2: “If I were a new creature, sin could not prevail against me as it does.”

Answer: Though we must not lay pillows for hypocrites to rest their heads upon, who indulge themselves in their sins… yet, it must be owned “the just man falleth seventy times a day”; and inquity may prevail against the children of God. But if you are groaning under the weight of the body of death, the corruption of your nature; loathing yourself for for the sins of your heart and life; striving to mortify your lusts; fleeing daily to the blood of Christ for pardon, and looking to His Spirit for sanctification: though you may be obliged to say with the psalmist, “Iniquities prevail against me;” yet you may add with him, “As for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away” (Ps. 65:3).

…Let not therefore the prevailing of corruption make you, in this case, conclude you are none of God’s children: but let it humble you, to be the more watchful, and to thirst the more intensely after Jesus Christ, His blood and Spirit; and that very disposition will evidence a principle of grace in you which seeks the destruction of sin that prevails so often against you.
(pp. 234, 235)

If you don’t have it, you need it. Pick up Thomas Boston’s classic – Human Nature in Its Fourfold State

So last night our ministry assistant was sitting in her car in the grocery store parking lot when a man approached the driver’s side window, and knocked. She cautiously opened it a crack and the man threw in a letter and ran away. BOOM! – she just got evangelized! If poorly.

I think it’s fair to say that this guy stinks at evangelism. I mean, he does get the content right: loving and holy God; sinful and accountable man; the redemption that can only be found through the shed blood of Jesus; the need to repent and believe. Good stuff. And decent penmanship (I give him points for that). But the method is weak. I think an Evangeletter™ could work well (after all, much of the Bible is made up of “letters”), but it would presume some kind of relationship. So here we have a good message, but a flawed method and messenger. And to be honest, that sounds like me. Sure this guy stinks at evangelism, but you probably do too.

What I like about this guy is that he’s trying – which is a lot more than most Christians do. He took the time to write a letter explaining the gospel and he gave it to someone. Sure, I want him to start real-life conversations, and build relationships with people, but at least he’s making an attempt. And here’s the thing – God can use this guy’s screwed-up evangelism. Just like he used Wesley’s screwed up evangelism. And Whitefield’s. And mine. There has only ever been one perfect Evangelist who never misspoke, never used a bad illustration or never unintentionally left people confused about the Kngdom of God. Compared to Jesus, we all stink at evangelism.

And this doesn’t freak me out because I believe that it is God who brings a man from spiritual death to life. It is the sovereign grace of our Lord that opens the heart so that people will respond to the gospel. He is the one who causes us to be born again through the word – the Good News. So, on the one hand I know that God does not convert anyone apart from the hearing of the gospel, and yet I do not believe another’s salvation rests upon my ability to persuade him. Simply put, we share the gospel (in imperfect ways), God does the saving. And this gives me great hope.

So, Mr. Secret Evangeletter Guy – I am happy that you are working to make the gospel known, and I hope you will work hard to do it in biblically governed, culturally appropriate ways. But more than that I hope the rest of us will be encouraged by your willingness to try.

Yeah, my dad could have killed you with his sunglasses, his camera case, his belt buckle, his bare hands or his good looks. Your choice.

I grew up with very loving, supportive parents. I always knew how fortunate I was to have them (except for a couple years in my mid teens when I hated everyone in the world). My dad and I have always been close, and I have fond memories from my childhood of us playing Frisbee, boxing, watching a ton of movies together, and having long talks about love and life. And though I had many great friends when I married Jen, I asked my Dad to be my best man in our wedding. What I didn’t have in my childhood home was the gospel. In fact I didn’t even sit through a worship service until my teens when new friends began to tell me about Jesus.

Mid 1980's. This is one of those images burned into my memory. Dad driving us everywhere.

After my conversion I was the one telling my family about the gospel – and even when I lacked tact they patiently listened. For years my friends and I prayed for the conversion of my family. In 2000 (after seminary) Jen and I returned to Chicagoland to plant a church. My mom and dad came to every service. At first it was to see and be a part of something their son was doing. They soon found themselves wanting to be connected to this thing, this community. My sister was the first to trust Jesus around 2000. My mom was converted in 2002. My Dad was always more distant. He was always interested in talking about all things biblical, but when we moved to where he stood with God things shut down.

My Dad,  a very private man, came to love and be loved by the church. In fact, many assumed he was a Christian because of his regular attendance and gracious spirit. But if anyone would ask, he’d explain that he is not a believer. Until earlier this year. As our conversations about the gospel continued he became more open, and I could see my father being drawn to Christ. Turns out what was holding him back was the gravity of his own sin. He knew he couldn’t measure up and saw his own unworthiness. This year my dad finally saw and embraced the good news that Christ’s death atones for and conquers all sin. He is repentant and believing and being transformed by the grace of God.

Since his conversion he has been reading incessantly. In the past month he has read Keller’s, The Prodigal God, Piper’s, Don’t Waste Your Life, Dever’s, What Is a Healthy Church?, Anyabwile’s, What Is a Healthy Church Member?, and he’s pages away from finishing just finished Grudem’s, Bible Doctrine (and is half way through Driscoll’s Vintage Jesus.) I believe Keller’s book was his favorite, but he also really enjoyed Grudem’s Bible Doctrine. What makes this so compelling is that my Dad hasn’t read books for years, and finds reading difficult due to Huntington’s Disease.

So, my dad is a Christian. I’ve prayed for hs salvation for 19 years and am now focused on helping him to grow in grace. I just hope I can keep up with him!