I was at a church recently, which to
me typified modern evangelism in America today.
Between the loud rock songs, the music minister
yelled out to his congregation, you don't have
to wait for the invitation to be saved.
Just put your faith in Jesus right now
and you can sing this next song as
a believer.
Just do it now.
Only two seconds elapsed from his comments and
he began strumming his guitar and jumped into
the next song.
And I sat there and thought, how in
the world can someone pass from death to
life in two seconds by responding to such
a weak and perverted view of the gospel?
It made me think of how easy it
is to be deceived in our efforts to
reach people for Christ.
We overlook the main fact that they must
be born again and only God can perform
that supernatural act.
I want to relate to you today, friends,
a story about the British evangelist George Whitfield.
George Whitfield, while a student at Pembroke College
in Oxford, was a member of the Holy
Club.
The Holy Club was comprised of a small
group of students who gathered on a weekly
basis to pray, to sing hymns and to
read the word of God together in an
effort to encourage one another in their faith.
Both John and Charles Wesley were members of
this group as well.
They would become known as Oxford Methodists because
of their strict method of religious behavior and
duties.
I have been to Dr. Williams Library in
London and I have held in my hand
a page from Whitfield's diary and on it
was a very strict regimen of holy duties
for each hour of the day.
And I have been to Wesley's church in
London down in the basement where his papers
are kept and I have examined as well
the pages of John Wesley's diary and they're
pretty much identical to Whitfield's in regard to
the method of religious duties written down for
the day.
It's very obvious that John Wesley taught this
to George Whitfield.
So here was this little band of students,
the Holy Club, who were zealous in their
religion and active in their service to God.
But the problem was in 1732 when they
were meeting so frequently neither John Wesley, Charles
Wesley or George Whitfield were truly converted.
George Whitfield even adopted a monk-like behavior
in denying himself decent food and warm clothing
as he tried to work his way to
heaven.
It was a book written by Scotsman Henry
Schugle that awakened Whitfield to his lost condition.
The book was entitled The Life of God
in the Soul of Man.
And as George Whitfield read it he realized
he'd not experienced a new birth and it
shook him to his core how many today
friends try to reach God by their good
works and a good opinion of themselves without
truly being born again.
I want to read for us this afternoon
a page from my biography on Whitfield because
it pertains to our message today on true
conversion versus false conversion.
Let me read you this section from my
chapter entitled His Days at Oxford and in
it I quote Luke Tierman who writes about
Whitfield's conversion experience at Oxford.
Whitfield would often comment when he was preaching,
I know the place, it may be superstitious
perhaps, but whenever I go to Oxford I
cannot help running to that place where Jesus
Christ first revealed himself to me and gave
me the new birth.
Let me read you now friends this section
from the chapter His Days at Oxford where
a young George Whitfield experiences the new birth.
I cast myself down on the bed crying
out, I thirst, I thirst.
Soon after this I found and felt in
myself that I was delivered from the burden
that had so heavily oppressed me.
The spirit of mourning was taken from me
and I knew what it was truly to
rejoice in God my Savior and for some
time could not avoid singing psalms wherever I
was but my joy gradually became more settled
and blessed be God has abode and increased
in my soul saving a few casual intermissions
ever since.
Thus were the days of my mourning ended
after a long night of desertion and temptation.
The star which I had seen at a
distance before began to appear again and the
day star rose in my heart.
Now did the spirit of God take possession
of my soul and as a humbly hope
seal me unto the day of redemption.
Whitfield's biographer Luke Tierman goes on to say
here we must pause.
Whitfield evidently considered this to be the time
of his conversion.
The date was about seven weeks after Easter
in the year 1735.
This was three years before the Wesley brothers
professed to receive the same blessing.
In fact young Whitfield seems to have been
the first of the Oxford Methodists who attained
to the experience expressed in Romans chapter 8
15 and 16.
Ye have not received the spirit of bondage
again to fear but ye have received the
spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father
the spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit
that we are the children of God and
of children then heirs heirs of God and
joint heirs with Christ.
Now friends bear that story in mind the
Oxford Methodists under the name of the Holy
Club from 1732 to 1735 were a group
of zealous religious young men who were completely
lost and unconverted including both Wesley's and Whitfield.
They thought their foundation was good and their
position secure as to heaven but they each
were still unconverted men trying to reach God
through good works and a good opinion of
themselves.
Is this not where the church in America
stands today a predominantly unconverted church zealous in
good works.
My message this afternoon is entitled If He
Was You Not and our text is found
in the Gospel of John chapter 13 and
verse 8.
You may turn in your Bibles there now.
My message friends is on the doctrine of
regeneration.
Regeneration is a message you won't hear much
about today because most church members just reform
themselves a little.
They clean themselves up a little on the
outside to fit in better with the existing
church crowd.
They are happy to serve in the choir
or to sit on a deacon board but
although they have joined the church and been
baptized they are still unchanged individuals who rest
upon a false bottom of security.
Our passage of scripture from John chapter 13
relates the story of Jesus washing the feet
of his disciples and here we have rash
Peter putting his foot in his mouth once
again by telling Jesus what he can do
and what he can't do.
Peter saith unto him thou shalt never wash
my feet.
Jesus answered him if I wash thee not
thou hast no part with me.
That is our text friends and there are
three truths from the word of God I
want to bring before you this afternoon.
The first one is this if he washed
you not you have no part in him.
Number two if you live after the flesh
you shall die in your sins and number
three that except you be converted you shall
in no wise enter into the kingdom of
heaven.
I want to tackle each of these one
by one.
I fear many today have much in common
with George Whitfield and the young Wesley brothers.
They are church members in good standing.
They are zealous for God and demonstrate their
zealousness by their good works.
They have a good opinion of themselves in
regard to their future acceptance into heaven but
sadly they are deceived for they are victims
of a modern gospel that has no saving
power.
They enter the church as members and have
their names on the membership roll but their
names are not written in the Lamb's book
of life for they are still unconverted individuals
who were lost and on their way to
hell.
So this is a solemn subject and a
serious matter which I bring before you all
today.
Let us focus on our first statement which
relates to our text from the gospel of
John.
If he washed you not you have no
part in him and that's the title of
my message today friends.
If he washed you not listen carefully as
we proceed.
Jesus tells Peter if I wash thee not
thou hast no part with me.
Jesus is speaking figuratively and referring to regeneration
of being washed in his blood as a
believer.
Let us turn to the wise comments of
the Bible commentator Matthew Henry to elaborate on
this point from John 13 8 and need
I mention that George Whitfield read Matthew Henry's
entire Bible commentary on his knees.
Let me read you what Matthew Henry wrote.
All those and those only that are spiritually
washed by Christ have a part in Christ.
This may be taken as a declaration of
the necessity of spiritual washing.
It is to be understood if I wash
not our soul from the pollution of sin
that you have no part with me no
interest in me no communion with me no
benefit by me.
It's necessary to have our part in Christ
that he wash us all those whom Christ
owns and saves he justifies and sanctifies and
both are included in his washing them.
We cannot partake of his glory if we
partake not of his merit and righteousness and
of his spirit and grace.
There are two companion verses friends that relate
to this aspect of the necessity of our
sins being washed in the blood through regeneration.
Actually they are warnings to those who lie
in an unconverted state.
The first is from Proverbs and it to
me best describes the condition of many church
members today.
Proverbs 30 12 declares there is a generation
that are pure in their own eyes and
yet is not washed from their filthiness.
People join the church and still hug their
sins and our other companion verses from the
book of revelation in chapter 22 verse 11
which states he that is unjust let him
be unjust still and he which is filthy
let him be filthy still.
If you die in your sins friend this
describes you as a tree falls so it
shall lie.
If you are a member of a church
and you have never had your sins washed
in the blood and if you have never
been born from above then you will surely
die in your sins and be filthy still
be unjust still be under the wrath of
God still.
So this first point is seen very plainly
if he washed you not you have no
part in him.
Now for our second point if you live
after the flesh you shall die in your
sins.
This is seen from Romans 8 13 which
declares for if ye live after the flesh
you shall die.
That means to die eternally friend to die
in your sins spell certain doom to the
wicked.
If you live to please your flesh and
sit on the throne of your life in
rebellion to God and the lordship of Christ
it will be the ruin of your soul
friend the ruin of your soul.
What Jesus said to his disciples applies to
everyone today who names the name of Christ.
If any man will come after me let
him deny himself and take up his cross
and follow me for whosoever will save his
life shall lose it and whosoever will lose
his life for my sake shall find it.
Listen friend salvation is when self is dethroned
and another is enthroned there the lord Jesus
Christ he's a living lord who sits on
a throne and if you want him you
must come to him there bow to him
submit to his reign in your life.
If you fail to do this then you
fall into the category of our second point
which is if you leave it live after
the flesh you shall die that means die
in your sins and end up in hell
and its fires.
Oh friends how careful we must be not
to be deceived here and rest upon a
false foundation of carnal security based on a
track record of service and a good opinion
of ourselves I know of which I speak
I was a unconverted church member for years
I was greatly deceived by the false gospel
of our day don't let it happen to
you friend let this sermon be a loud
alarm to your conscience may it awaken you
to your great danger of not being washed
by Christ and this leads us to our
third point which is that except you be
converted you shall in no wise enter into
the kingdom of heaven.
Our text from this is found in Matthew
18 3 verily I say unto you except
you be converted and become as little children
you shall not enter into the kingdom of
heaven.
Christ's words are a stern warning here little
children are humble under command and governed by
a superior that you must be converted that
means of course you must be born again
through the supernatural act of the new birth
which is regeneration and if he washed you
not friend you have no part in him
your sins must be under his blood a
true convert has experienced change like young George
Whitfield did there must be a life of
God in the soul of man you can't
reach by your good works friend you cannot
enter into the kingdom of heaven through the
pride of a self-righteous opinion of yourself
you must be humble like a little child
and be governed like a little child the
Lord Jesus must reign in your life he
must wash you from your filthiness lest you
be filthy still when you die without holiness
no one will see the Lord if he
washed you not let it ring in your
ears if he washed you not let it
be an alarm to awaken you if he
washed you not you have no part in
him friend no part in him if you
live after the flesh you shall die ye
shall surely die I will leave you with
God's word which declares seek ye the Lord
while he may be found call ye upon
him while he is near let the wicked
forsake his way and the unrighteous man his
thoughts and let him return unto the Lord
and he will have mercy upon him and
to our God for he will abundantly pardon