The Christian’s Great Interest (William Guthrie)

Description

All of Guthrie's teaching and pastoral experience were poured into The Christian's Great Interest – his only book. The remarkable fact that it has gone through more than eighty editions and been translated into several languages testifies to its value. This book describes in a clear and attractive style what it means to be a Christian, and how to become one.

This book is all about Christ: the Christian’s great interest should be Christ; the unbeliever needs to develop an interest in Christ. It describes in a simple, clear, and attractive style what it means to be a Christian, and how to become one.

Preaching on Revelation 22:2, C. H. Spurgeon once said:

our Lord Jesus Christ is life from the dead, and life to his own living people. He is All-in-All to them. And by him and by him, alone, must their spiritual life be maintained…Jesus Christ is a Tree of Life and we shall so speak of him in the hope that some may come and pluck of the fruit and eat and live forever.

This too, is Guthrie's purpose. In the first part, he looks at how someone is drawn to Christ, what the evidences are of true saving grace, and the difference between a true Christian and a hypocrite. In the second part he describes how to 'close' with Christ, and deals with various objections, difficulties, and doubts.

Endorsements

‘One of the greatest divines that ever wrote.’ — JOHN OWEN

‘It has long been the favorite work of our peasantry in Scotland. One admirable property of [The Christian’s Great Interest] is that, while it guides, it purifies.’ — THOMAS CHALMERS

Table of Contents

TO THE READER 5

MEMOIR OF THE AUTHOR 11

Part I: The trial of a saving interest in Christ

INTRODUCTION 22

QUESTION I: How shall a man know if he has a true and special interest in Christ, and whether he has, or may lay claim to, God's favor and salvation? 22

Chapter I

THINGS PREMISED FOR THE BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE TRIAL ITSELF 23

A man's interest in Christ may be known 23

To be savingly in covenant with God is of the highest importance 25

We must allow our state to be determined by Scripture 25

Reasons why so few attain to a distinct knowledge of their interest in Christ: 26

(1) Ignorance of God and His ways 26

(2) Dealing deceitfully with God and their own consciences 30

(3) Slothfulness and Negligence 32

(4) Their having no fixed idea of what evidence would satisfy them 33

(5) Their dependence on changeable evidence 33

Some mistakes concerning an interest in Christ removed 35

Chapter II

THE VARIOUS WAYS BY WHICH MEN ARE DRAWN TO CHRIST 37

SECTION I

Some are drawn without a conscious preparatory work of the law 37

Some are called from the womb 38

Some are called in mature life, in a sovereign gospel-way 39

Some are graciously called as death approaches 41

SECTION II

Men are ordinarily prepared for Christ by the work of the law 43

SECTION III

The difference between that preparatory work of the law which leads to salvation and the temporary convictions of those who relapse 53

Chapter III

OF FAITH AS AN EVIDENCE OF AN INTEREST IN CHRIST 60

Mistakes as to what faith is 60

True saving faith described 65

Further explanations concerning saving faith 68

The difference between the faith of hypocrites and true saving faith 73

Chapter IV

OF THE NEW CREATURE AS AN EVIDENCE OF AN INTEREST IN CHRIST 76

The whole man must be to some extent renewed 77

He must be renewed, to some extent, in all his ways 80

The supposed unattainableness of such a renewal 85

Chapter V

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TRUE CHRISTIAN AND THE HYPOCRITE 88

Chapter VI

REASONS WHY SOME BELIEVERS DOUBT THEIR INTEREST IN CHRIST 95

Doubts because of prevailing sin answered 95

Doubts arising from a want of Christian experience answered 98

Conclusion 113

Part II: How to attain a saving interest in Christ

INTRODUCTION 116

QUESTION II: What shall they do who want the marks of a true and saving interest in Christ already spoken of, and neither can nor dare pretend unto them?

Chapter I

SOME THINGS PREMISED FOR THE INFORMATION OF THE IGNORANT 117

Chapter II

WHAT IT IS TO CLOSE WITH GOD'S GOSPEL PLAN OF SAVING SINNERS BY CHRIST JESUS, AND THE DUTY OF SO DOING 122

What it is to accept of, and close with, the gospel offer 122

This is the duty of those who would be saved 124

What is required of those who would believe on Christ Jesus and be saved 127

What is involved in the duty, together with its various aspects 134

The effects and outcomes of saving faith 139

Chapter III

OBJECTIONS AND DIFFICULTIES EXPLAINED AND ANSWERED 146

The sinner's baseness rendering it presumption to come to Christ 146

The singularity of his sin barring the way 147

Special aggravations of sin a hindrance 148

Sins not named are a barrier 149

The sin against the Holy Ghost alleged:

(1) What it is not 151

(2) What it is 154

(3) Conclusions bearing on the objection 159

The want of power to believe considered as a hindrance 161

Unfruitfulness a hindrance 162

Ignorance concerning personal covenanting a hindrance - the nature of that duty 164

Doubts as to the inquirer's being savingly in covenant with God answered 168

Chapter IV

CONCERNING PERSONAL COVENANTING WITH GOD IN CHRIST 169

Certain things predicated concerning personal covenanting: 169

(1) The thing itself is warrantable 170

(2) The preparation needed 177

(3) How the duty of covenanting is to be performed 177

(4) What should follow this solemn act 179

A want of proper feeling considered as an obstacle 183

The fear of backsliding a hindrance to covenanting 185

Past experience of fruitlessness considered 189

Conclusion

THE WHOLE TREATISE RESUMED IN A FEW QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 193

Product Details

Title: The Christian’s Great Interest

Author: William Guthrie

Publisher: Banner of Truth

Pages: 208

Binding: Paperback

Size: 18.1 x 12.0 x 1.9 cm

ISBN: 9780851513546