Todays Gospel: Authentic Or Synthetic? Walter Chantry

I have recently come to read this book and found that it really struck home about how and what we preach. I have however, found some sites raising questions about Mr Chantry's position on certain subjects. Is it allright to recommend this book to the members on this forum?Zeke

I got a copy of this book yesterday and I'm just starting to go through it. Feel free to share your thoughts. I've been thinking a lot about "easy believism" and "mental assent" and that led me to this book. We've (i.e. the modern church) has simplified the gospel to the point where Christ no longer requires a total surrender but only a commitment to Him. Some modern theology fails to even reach a commitment level. I'm sure his opponents would likely argue that he adopts a legalistic stance. I'm interested in your take on the book...

Often been wondering about evangelism in the Church. We are indeed very fortunate to have people every week coming forward to ‘give’ there hearts to Christ. Overtime I noticed that there wasn’t the kind of church growth that would be associated with so many people coming forward to make a ‘decision’ for Christ. Some of them that came did stay and got involved in the life of the church, some however, the overwhelming majority, had no evidence of meeting Jesus at all and carried on in their own way. Frustarted and bitter thinking that everyone in the church is faking it.More than anything else he stresses what is being preached, in as far as evangelism goes and the techniques employed to get people to come to Christ. I have been guilty of it myself, where we are so desperate to get people saved that any sign of interest is greeted with great enthusiasm and miss out on actually laying the full cost of following Jesus before them. That the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit to bring birth is short-circuited. That the issues of who is Jesus now and what does he requierd of you now are glossed over.The most terrifying aspect on the whole thing is that those same people who have made a ‘decision’ to follow have been deceived to believe that they are in right standing with God. Not only are they still lost, but also as confessing Christians they blight the name of Christ, by calling themselves Christians and being worse off than someone who has never heard of Jesus. In their minds they ‘tried’ Christianity and it doesn’t work the whole thing is farce and spend the rest of their lives as staunch opponents to anyone who would tell them, ‘come to church’. There comment would be, the Church is full of hypocrites, knowing that they see people in similar positions as them pretending to be righteous.The interview with Ravenhill mentions a similar thing of people being ‘born-again’ in four minutes, which in his eyes isn’t long enough from anybody to pass from death to life. In our practise as church we preach some message and invite folk to the front to accept Christ. That however is only the first step. The rich young ruler didn’t just walk to Jesus, he ran and dropped at his feet, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" The momment would be likened to folk coming to the front, to Jesus it was then an oppurtunity to really expose the young ruler to his state in the light of GOds presence. The book goes on to show how Jesus peels away his motives for even coming to him in the first place.It is one half I think of radical gospel preaching, the Holy Spirit draws and convicts by the very words that are spoken to them. Paris Riedhead’s message of Ten sheckles and shirt also embraces that truth. In this book Walter Chantry puts what was spoken to the rich young ruler in logical steps, as to what he was actually saying to the ruler in the things that he said. This book really opened my eyes as to what needs to happen in the human heart for it to be in position to be accepted by Christ. The things that are said here are my thoughts on the matter and if the moderator wants to bring rebuke or correction I welcome any feedback.Zeke

Thanks Zeke,I'm trudging (is that a word?) my way through the book and it's very powerful.What I've read so far is that we've reduced becoming saved to a "mental assent" (i.e. without any true repentance) in order to get a decision made (your reference to Paris Reidhead from Ten Shekels and a Shirt was great). What God requires of all of us is complete repentance and a full surrender to Him. If Jesus is not Lord of all is He Lord at all? Frankly, I don't think so. That surrender is a one-time occurrence but it's complete surrender to Jesus at all times.If we truly believe in Christ, won't we obey Him? Yes, of course we will. We can't have Christ and the world. That's the problem with just saying repeat the sinner's prayer and you'll be saved.Let's fully surrender to the risen Christ. There's no other way and we surrender because He is worthy, not because we expect to get anything in return.I'm with you Zeke, if I'm out of line feel free to step in but the pure Gospel is making a comeback. Praise God for this dear brother, who rebuke us in love.

if I'm out of line feel free to step in but the pure Gospel is making a comeback. How on earth could I do that, that would be like shouting at a blind man because he knocked over a pot plant, while I was wondering near the edge of a cliff.I agree about the pure gospel, it is indeed making a comeback. There are far to many people that just don't know that they don't know. :-(

ZekeO wrote:I have however, found some sites raising questions about Mr Chantry's position on certain subjects. Is it allright to recommend this book to the members on this forum?Recommend away...I read it about 6 years ago and it knocked my socks off. You know what? When you preach like Walter Chantry, you're gonna get sites that try to tear you apart.I think it is jealousy, really. Someone writes a powerful book, and people are mad that they didn't write it themselves!! No...actually, people just don't understand. The main criticism I have heard about this book is that Chantry makes his more Calvinistic leanings pretty plain towards the end.I get really tired of that kind of thing myself. I am neither a Calvinist nor the son of a Calvinist, but I'm not going to chunk a modern classic over a single point of dispute in which there is, in fact, room to disagree. As A.W. Tozer said, "better men than us have undertaken to solve the issue of free will vs. predestination, and have been unable."Blessings,Jason

I have read this book also. I highly recommend it. Actually I was recommended this book when I was talking about the use of the Law in evangelism. Some other great stuff that compliments this book isThe book "The Way of the Master" By Ray ComfortOn this site some sermons:The Right Use of the Law by Paris ReidheadHells Best Kept Secret by Ray ComfortPuritan Evangelism by Albert MartinGideons did you finish the book yet? What were your thoughts on the book?

Yes, it's a great book. It exposes the modern "Gospel."In my view, the biggest heresy in the church these days is easy believism. It's also called by other names. Tozer referenced it as "textualism" and my pastor describes such an individual as a "religionist." Bonhoeffer described it as "cheap grace."In short, it goes something like this. I prayed the sinner's prayer and now I can go to heaven. We've created an extra category of believer and believe that somehow we can make Jesus Saviour and not Lord.That's what I see and it's articulated much better than I could do so in this book. We have to submit everything to Jesus and take up our cross daily. It's not what we can get out of God. I just pray that I live the rest of my life for Jesus, not because I want some type of quid pro quo but because he is worthy for me to lay everything down for.In our haste to get conversions, let's make sure we all count the cost of following Christ. Although grace is free, it's going to cost us everything (our time, our money, any pet sins we may have, etc.)He is an excellent author and I purchased another book by him called Shadow of the Cross: Studies in Self Denial.

bump!

sermonindex wrote:

This book has left a permanent change in my life towards the presentation of the modern gospel that we find ourselves in. I encourage brothers and sisters here to procure a copy of this small impacting book.

oops...learning how to navigate comments...i'll try again

Greg wrote:

This book has left a permanent change in my life towards the presentation of the modern gospel that we find ourselves in. I encourage brothers and sisters here to procure a copy of this small impacting book.

Amen Greg. This is one of the best books I have.