I was picking my way through the 2018 National Conference of the Ligonier Ministries (labelled “Awakening”), and came across the above video by Sinclair B. Ferguson, published on March 12, 2018, titled “The Whole Christ”. It is described on their website as: “This session considers our salvation by examining some of the content from The Whole Christ book and teaching series.” I watched it twice, and I am still not sure what to make of it. Maybe one needs to read the book in order to get a full gist of his message. After I had searched a bit more, I discovered that this is a favourite theme of his (at last recently), and he likes to talk about it often. In particular, I found that he had given an almost identical talk a year earlier at the same venue (originally titled “Coming to Christ,” but the title recently changed to “The Whole Christ”), and described on their website as: “This session considers the relationship between law and gospel in the Christian life. It considers how our understanding of law and gospel affects our approach to evangelism, sanctification, and our understanding of God Himself.” It was given at their 2017 National Conference, labelled “The Next 500 Years”. This video was published on March 21, 2017, and can be seen here:
The folks at Ligonier seem to have liked it enough that they asked him to give it again in 2018, with a book and training course added. Although the content of the two messages are almost identical, they do not appear to have been given from a prepared text, and so they are not verbally identical, which means that one can get a better idea of what he is trying to say by watching both videos. In this post I am going to comment specifically on the following passage. In the first talk, at 6:45 minutes into the video he says the following:
“… and the question that students who were seeking to be licensed and ordained [ministers] were always asked was whether it was orthodox doctrine to teach that we must forsake sin in order to our coming to Christ? Is it right, and orthodox doctrine, to teach that we must forsake sin in order to our coming to Christ? And in a way it was really a trick question. It was really meant to unearth whether people thought that there were certain qualifying marks you could attain in your life in order to prepare yourself for the grace of God in Jesus Christ. Those of you who are familiar with the Westminster Confession of faith will remember how it emphasizes that it is not possible for an individual to do anything to prepare himself to come to Christ. And so it was probing these young men who were candidates for the ministry.”
In the second video he repeats the same anecdote, but in different words. At 8:03 minutes into the video he says the following:
“… where the presbytery was in the habit of asking students for the ministry a kind of trick question. They asked them if they thought it was orthodox to teach … that you forsake sin in order to come to Christ? And what they were trying to ferret out was this question: “Does this person think that there is some standard I need to meet, some qualification I need to have, some measure of repentance that I need to have gone through before I can come to Christ?” And they were trying to ferret out people who were essentially saying, “You know, Christ has died for us, but there is something that you need to contribute to the process of coming to faith in Jesus Christ.”
So here is the question: Do people need to repent (meaning to forsake sin) in order to come to Christ, or don’t they? What does the Bible say about that?—and in particular, what does he say? His answer to that question seems ambiguous and unclear, to put it mildly. It is ambivalent, mysterious, and almost incomprehensible. It seem designed to obfuscate the issue and confuse the reader rather than enlighten him, or present a clear and coherent biblical message. The biblical answer to that question, on the other hand, is unambiguous and clear. It is an unequivocal, uncompromising, emphatic, Yes! The Bible doesn’t mince its words on this issue. Nothing is taught more clearly in the Bible than the need for repentance (meaning to forsake sin) before one can come to Christ.
Coming to Christ entails not only repentance, but bringing forth fruit meet for repentance (Matt. 3:8, 10; Luke 3:8–9; Acts 26:20). In other words, verbal repentance isn’t enough, action is required; and that action consists of forsaking sin. It entails consciously and actively turning away from evil, and doing good instead—or keeping God’s commandments, which amounts to the same thing. Starting with the ministry of John the Baptist, and continuing on with the ministry of Jesus himself, and followed by the ministry of his disciples and the Twelve Apostles after him, the message has been the same—one of repentance.
John the Baptist’s ministry was to prepare the way for the coming of Christ. His mission was to testify of, and prepare the people for the ministry of Jesus Christ; and that “preparation” consisted of inviting them to repentance. That was the central theme of his message:
Matthew 3:
1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judæa,
2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
3 For this [John the Baptist] is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
4 And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.
5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judæa, and all the region round about Jordan,
6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
Luke 3:
3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;
4 As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;
6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
7 Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
9 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
10 And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then [to repent]?
11 He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.
12 Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do [to repent]?
13 And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.
14 And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do [to repent]? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.
15 And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not;
16 John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:
17 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.
18 And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people.
Acts 13:
23 Of this man’s [David’s] seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:
24 When John [the Baptist] had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
Acts 19:
4 Then said Paul, John [the Baptist] verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
That is how John the Baptist “prepared the way” for the ministry and mission of Jesus Christ. His message was one of repentance (meaning to forsake sin); and that is how he prepared people to “come unto Christ”. You don’t “come to Christ” in any other way. That was what John the Baptist taught; and the message of Jesus himself after him was not anything different:
Matthew 4:
17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Mark 1:
14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Mark 2:
17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, … I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Luke 5:
32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Luke 13:
3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Luke 15:
7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
Nothing is taught more clearly by Jesus himself in the Bible than the need for repentance. You “come to Christ” in no other way. And “repentance” is for sinners. It means to forsake sin. It means to stop sinning, and start keeping God’s commandments. And Jesus’s disciples and followers after him taught the same thing:
Mark 6:
12 And they went out, and preached that men should repent.
Luke 24:
47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Acts 2:
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Acts 3:
19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
Acts 5:
31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
Acts 17:
30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent:
Acts 20:
21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
Acts 26:
20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
Romans 2:
4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
2 Peter 3:
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Revelation 3:
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Nothing is taught more clearly in the Bible than the need for repentance (meaning to forsake sin) before one can “come to Christ”. That is neither “legalism” or “Antinomianism,” but a clear teaching of the Bible. After watching both his videos, however, I still couldn’t decide whether he believes people needed to repent before they came to Christ or don’t they. The Bible is very clear about that; but he does not appear to be. It is a perversion of the gospel to teach anything that obscures or compromises that clear biblical message. Paul couldn’t have been any clearer about it: “Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Cor. 6:9–10) Repentance is the central message of the entire Bible, Old and New Testaments. The Old Testament is as clear about it as the New. Nothing is more clearly taught in the Bible than the need for repentance—meaning to forsake sin—in order to be accepted of God. And forsaking sin is a conscious, personal decision. It is not something that just “happens” to you when you “believe”:
Ezekiel 18:
20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
22 All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.
23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?
24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.
Ezekiel 33:
10 Therefore, O thou son of man, speak unto the house of Israel; Thus ye speak, saying, If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live?
11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
12 Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth.
13 When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.
14 Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right;
15 If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die.
16 None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.
17 Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal.
18 When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby.
19 But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby.
20 Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O ye house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways.
You cannot “come to Christ” without repentance (i.e. turning away from sin). That is what the Bible teaches. And you cannot obscure or dilute that central message without doing violence to the Bible. So although it may be a little hard to determine what his message is without reading his book, the message that comes across through the videos is a disturbing one. There is no doctrine that is taught more clearly in the Bible than the doctrine of repentance before one can come to Christ. Starting with John the Baptist, and continuing on with Jesus’s own ministry, and after him with the Apostles, they all taught the same thing. Repentance was their central message. If you obscure that message, you have obscured the gospel.
We “come unto Christ” by taking upon us his “yoke” (meaning to keep his commandments). And the Bible tells us that is not a hard thing to do:
Matthew 11:
28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
1 John 5:
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous [i.e. hard to keep].
We come to Christ by doing what he says, which is another way of saying, to repent and keep his commandments:
Luke 6:
47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:
48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.
Matthew 7:
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works [i.e. miracles]?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
The gospel of Jesus Christ is all about doing, not hearing or believing only. To “repent” means to do something—i.e. to turn away from sin, and keep God’s commandments:
James 1:
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
The gospel of Evangelicalism and Calvinism is the antithesis of that. All the emphasis in Calvinism and Evangelicalism is on not doing something! The gospel of Jesus Christ is all about doing; whereas the gospel of Evangelicalism is all about not doing! It is the antithesis of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and diametrically opposed to it. It is the gospel of damnation rather than salvation. Avoid like a plague!
