Ross Thompson - John G Lake and the Positive Gospel

All John G Lake quotes are from his sermons - made available in book form by Roberts Liardon.

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INTRODUCTION

T he triumph of the gospel is enough to make any man the wildest kind of enthusiastic optimist...JGL

John G Lakes excitement about the gospel of Jesus Christ, and his enthusiasm and passion for our life in Christ, vibrates through all his sermons. Hardship and suffering did not extinguish that ebullience. He embodied 1Peter 1:8, ... whom having not seen you love (Jesus). Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory. You will search in vain in Lakes sermons for dry, wearisome, uninspiring monologue. I discovered I could open any of the compilations of his sermons to any page, and always I would become engrossed in what he was saying. If you are looking for new levels in your Christian life, a careful reading and meditation of Lakes sermons will get you there. Not a quick read looking for great acts of faith or miracles. Rather, a contemplative slow read with the Bible nearby to check on his statements.

We could jump to the conclusion Lakes enthusiasm was the outcome of the many powerful works of faith and healing he saw in his lifetime. I think we would be wrong. It is clear he loved to testify of the demonstrations of the power of the gospel in his own life and of his friends and colleagues. You dont get far into his sermons before detecting a different source for the joy, enthusiasm, optimism and wonder he continually expresses. He makes that indisputable with an exceptional statement in a sermon entitled The Real Christian.

I tell you, beloved, the external evidences of God and the power of His Spirit, no matter how wonderful, are a small matter compared with the consciousness of the Word of God in the human heart, in your heart and mine, bless God...JGL

The gospel itself was the source of John Lakes exuberance. The awe and wonder that God, through the intervention Of Christ, has made it possible for us to not only know Him but to be like Him. Receiving all Christ did for us, we are raised from death to life and become once again His sons and daughters. The driving force of Lakes life was his understanding and experience of the true gospel of Jesus Christ.

That is the theme of this book. What do I mean by the true gospel of Christ? I do not mean many Christians have a wrong gospel. I am indicating that many, if not most Christians do not understand and experience the gospel in its full truth. John G Lake did, and he spent his whole life talking about it. I say it again. Time spent reading and thinking about the content of John G Lakes preaching can revolutionize and lift your Christian life to new levels. I believe it is one of the reasons God has given us, through the labours of Roberts Liardon, Lakes sermons in book form. The following chapters are a discussion and discovery of John G Lakes gospel as he understood it from the Bible, based on quotes from his sermons.

CHAPTER ONE

G ods first purpose is to make man good by removing the consciousness of sin from his soul...JGL

Here is Lakes understanding of the reason for the gospel. How does that line up with your thinking about the gospel? Earlier I said John Lakes sermons should be read with a Bible nearby to check his comments with Scripture. Hebrews 10:1,2 says , For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins.

The above quote continues; ...by removing the consciousness of sins from his soul, in order that he may grow up into God and fulfil the great purpose that God has in store for him, becoming a son of God in mind, nature, power, and capacity to bless...JGL

Do you have a sense of unfulfillment in God? Perhaps you have not discovered the gospel in all its fullness? If that were so, your case would not be uncommon. Teaching analogous to Lakes is scarce.

The salvation of Jesus was a redemption of the whole man from all the power of sin, every whit sin in the spirit, sin in the soul, sin in the body...JGL

Turning to the Bible for confirmation. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him: and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. (1John 3:8,9)

John G Lake was an adventurer in God. And I emphasise: an adventurer in God. Once he was sure God was speaking to him he responded immediately. His missionary call to Africa is an example. When it became clear God wanted him in Africa, he moved into action. He, and his large family, set out without pledge of financial support or backing of a Mission board, and God met them every step of the way.

When it comes down to the real heart of things, you will want a religion that is not man-made.... all the old religions of the world are human religions.... they are religions that have been born in the mind of a man. Christianity is born in the heart of God the Father...JGL

Christianity is blighted with religion born in the mind of a man. People have conceived ideas about the gospel not found in the New Testament and taught them as truth. It is a serious thing to reject the clear word of God and invent your own version of the gospel. We are called to submit ourselves to God and His Word. If we find it hard to accept, it is better to stand off and be silent, than to dilute it with our erroneous ideas.

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the true knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:4,5)

These things are important. God has presented us with a gospel. Good news in Christ. It is His gospel. It is a supernatural gospel and it has no room for embellishments or diminutions from us. Jesus endured unimaginable suffering to make Gods gospel available to us. If God had made His Word difficult to understand we could be excused error in our interpretation of it. Lakes assertions about holiness have Bible support.