watch the video starting at 4:50 and ending at 6:10
Basically he says that if the thought of the cross does not move you then your heart is dead and you know not God.
Washer has just destroyed my assurance of salvation, and therefore my joy, and therefore made me useless and fruitless as a christian
because sometimes I DO feel apathetic towards the cross, I dont weep with gratitude everytime I think about it, In fact I rarely think about the cross. so what gives washer the right to say im not saved if I dont feel this and this or that and that?
First of all not only have I been through this sort of thing, I've actually sought it out. Hearing some of this kind of preaching I was convinced the I can't fulfill the requirements. This is not meant to a sermon, an exhortation, a confrontation, certainly not a boast. The reason I choose Christ is because God himself convinced me. I was witnessed to by a Christian one night, the gospel was even then familiar to me but still seemed an unreachable place I didn't think I could get to but still was willing to hear him out. That night in private I prayed, 'God if this is real your going to have to take me as I am and make me what you want me to be'. It was like he reached out and grabbed me and said, you got it'. I was stunned and shook it off. That was my first encounter with God's grace but over the years justification by grace through faith has been the foundational doctrine of my faith.
He says here, 'at conversion, you don't become righteous', that it's like a legal verdict. That's only partly true, but at conversion you are given the new nature, the new man, that grace that saves you apart from works is what purifies the sinner and makes them saints.
I fully realize that as simple as the Gospel is it can be elusive. God alone can give you the insight into the person and work of Christ, God alone can dispense grace or withhold it. Your assurance of faith does not come from Washer and if he can separate you from it, it's not the full assurance of faith to begin with. Believing the gospel apart from the power of the Holy Spirit is not difficult, it is impossible.
The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. (Romans 8:15,16)
The cross puzzles me, I've often wondered, why this? The Incarnation made no sense to me, why would God have to do that? You really have to take a step back and stop thinking about what you have to do, think or believe. The first thing you must understand and be convinced of is that God is righteous and you are not. The second thing is, the one who makes the promise is faithful.
What Washer is preaching is right, even if he isn't teaching it all that well, it's gospel. I've heard a number of older preachers give messages as their lives and ministries are in the twilight years. Invariably they are going to emphasis prayer and their relationship with God through Christ. If you had to preach to a room full of preachers you will not like the reaction if you preach on doctrine, theology or do an in depth exposition. What you would want to talk to them about is your prayer diary or the things God has done in your life.
With God laying siege to your sinful condition and we are all in that condition, you can not sue for peace, you must unconditionally surrender or God will lay you waste. That's not a bad thing, you should never be distressed about it but we all go through our own dark night of the soul where we struggle with doubt and despise ourselves for our in ability to walk in a manner worthy of our calling.
I don't know what you should pray in this circumstance, how you can convince yourself of the power of the cross or receive the full assurance of faith. What I can tell you from personal experience is that if you will submit to God's grace there is nothing God won't do to save you.
The good news here is that you realize you can't do this, believe this, it's all just too much. When your at this point, and may I remind you we all go through it. Your never closer to the grace of God. When Babylon was laying siege against Jerusalem the prophet pleaded with them to just surrender, the judgment of God was at the gate and they could not win. They looked at the Temple but God had already departed, there was no help left there for them, it was too late for that. I know it's difficult, I know it's too hard, I know all too well how it feels to accept I can't.
My advice, not really knowing that much about you, just surrender. The prayer of faith says God have mercy on me a sinner and surrender yourself to the mercy of God. Grace not only saves us but sanctifies us, apart from Christ we can do nothing and to make myself clear, your merit counts for nothing. If one were to ask the Apostle Paul how it is that he worked so hard and suffered so much and bringing so many the Gospel, he would, and did, tell us that it is by grace.
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of themyet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. (I Cor. 15:10)
A good working definition for grace is 'unmerited favor', Paul worked in the ministry field by grace alone and he is crystal clear on this point. The merits of Christian ministry are Christ's alone we can add nothing. James in speaking to believers who were obviously showing favoritism was simply telling them that this is not how saving faith works. He was outraged that a wealthy Christian could teach a poor Christian as inferior when they themselves apart from Christ are poor, pitiful, blind and naked.
I hope that helps a little.
Grace and peace,
Mark