Jerry Bridges Seminar: The Chase - Pursuing Holiness

I had the privilege of attending a seminar last Saturday (30 Aug 08) where Jerry Bridges spoke on the "Pursuit of Holiness" and the "Discipline of Grace". Author of nearly 30 books, Jerry has been on staff with the Navigators since 1955. This almost 80 year old Bible Teacher is still working in ministries for college students in the US. This is the second time Jerry has been to Singapore and during the seminar, he spoke to close to 550 people at True Way Presbyterian Church.

For the first talk, Jerry spoke on the "Pursuit of Holiness" with the main text being from Ephesians 4:17-5:5. He said the pursuit of holiness is in response to the Gospel, that we do so in grateful obedience; and that pursuit connoted concentration and diligent effort. In pursuing holiness, there is the concept of putting off and putting on - we are to put off sinful traits and to put on Christ-like Character. He went on to elaborate on specific applications in the areas of integrity, sexual purity and inter-personal relationships. The power to pursue holiness, he said, was given by the Holy Spirit, both to will and to work it out. Our part is to respond with dependent responsibility. In this expression, Jerry reconciled the tension between God's Sovereignty and Man's free-will. It is our responsibility to pursue holiness; but this is in dependent response to God's sovereignty and what He has already done for us through Christ.

He proceeded after a tea break to speak on the "Discipline of Grace" with the main text being from Titus 2:11-12. His definition of Grace is quintessentially Gospel-Centred - Grace is God's unmerited favour and blessings through Christ to people who deserved God's curse. This definition alone was well worth attending the seminar. Once we believed into Jesus, it is as if we never sinned; and as if we always obeyed i.e. though Christ life and death, God forgives our sins and counts us as righteous. He proceeded to elaborate that salvation in its fullness comprises justification, sanctification and glorification. And that in Titus 2:11-12, there is a two fold expression of grace in that through Christ, God declares us righteous and He proceeds to train us in holiness. God initiates and sustain the process of sanctification.

There was a time for Question and Answer and one of the questions asked was on how do we teach the next generation - young Christians, the pursuit of holiness? I sat up alert; this too was the thing that preoccupied most of thoughts and directed the work I do. Jerry replied that the first is to teach them the Gospel - this is the foundation. In doing so, they would then obey in gratitude in pursuing holiness; and secondly, that we are to pray, model and teach them - in that order.

A young friend I spoke to remarked after hearing Jerry speak, that he was simple without being simplistic and what he shared, cut straight to the heart, building convictions. That is the power of God's Word declared. I am inspired to dust off my old copy of the "Pursuit of Holiness" and re-read it again.


For more gleanings you can visit Caleb's blog here.

(HT: Caleb Yap)



Ollie
Sep 2008