John Owen on Apostasy – Part Two

For the next 13 to 14 weeks, my plan is to go through John Owen’s work on Apostasy and address each Chapter the following way:

Thesis – Will be John Owens own thesis from taken from each individual section.

Outline – Will be an outline showing the importance of John Owens points tin each chapter in dealing with apostasy.
Summary – Will be a brief summary giving a rundown over each individual chapter.

I. The nature of apostasy from the gospel declared, in an exposition of Hebrews 6:4-6

Theses:

“Intending an inquiry into the nature, causes, and occasions of the present defection that is in the world from the truth, holiness, and worship of the gospel, I shall lay the foundation of my whole discourse in an exposition of that passage in the Epistle of Paul the apostle unto the Hebrews, wherein he gives an account both of the nature of apostasy and of the punishment due unto apostates; for as this will lead us naturally unto what is designed, so an endeavor to free the context from the difficulties wherewith it is generally supposed to be attended, and to explain the mind of the Holy Ghost therein, may be neither unacceptable nor unuseful.”

Summary:

In his first chapter, John Owen gives an introduction to the background and history of the Nature and Cause of Apostasy from Hebrews 6:4-6. Out of all 13 chapters, this is the longest and the one with the most substance due to its framework which it lays out for the continuing 12 chapters. He begins with giving the context and the description of how apostates had once been touched by the gospel, but leaving it in this way they could never come back to constitutional rights of the gospel. Owen then gives the characteristics, obedience, and faithfulness that one is to live by as a believer, and continues on to the rights, privileges, and blessings that the believer is to have – including illumination, a tasting of the gospel, receiving the Holy Spirit, receiving the Word of God, and being able to stand against the powers of the world.

            Owen then begins dealing with the text of Hebrews 6:4-6 itself, detailing a number of areas that are often mentioned in debate, such as: are these true believers, spiritual privileges, and if they fall away. Here Owen works with exactly what this text says of apostasy and how it is impossible to bring one back from it to repentance. He focuses on three major areas in this section: all events depend on God, things are impossible because of who God is, and, things are possible and impossible with God who appoints all things to happen. In these sections Owen deals with both issues of how it is possible for one to come back to the gospel after leaving it, and how one cannot come back to the gospel, both emphasizing God being in control over all things for His reasoning only. Lastly, Owen ends with an explanation about the fact that if man alone tries to bring the one who has left the gospel back to it, no matter what man may do, it is impossible. He points out that one cannot “renew” another back to right relationship with God, unless God Himself has done the work of the gospel inside the one who had tasted it. Owen finishes with 2 final thoughts: to continue always to preach the gospel and make that gospel clear to all men, and how man alone cannot come to repentance of his apostasy.  

Outline:

I.               The Nature of Apostasy (Exegesis of Hebrews 6:4-6)

A.   The History of Apostasy

B.    Exegesis of Hebrews 6:4-6

1.     Context of the Passage

2.     Apostasy Described

1.     Characteristics of Salvation

2.     Believers Follow in Obedience

3.     Believers Live by Faithfulness of God

C.    The Great Privileges

1.     Having Spiritual Illumination

2.     Tasting the Heavenly Gift

3.     Partakers of the Holy Spirit

4.     Tasting the Word

5.     Powers Over the Coming Age of this World

D.   Apostasy and the Text of Hebrew 6:4-6

1.     All Future Events Depend Alone on God

2.     Some May never Return to the Gospel

3.     The True Believer Should Help to Renew Those who Fall

E.    Bringing Apostasy to Repentance

1.     Preaching the Gospel Clear

2.     Renewing Fallen Individuals to the Gospel

John Owen on Apostasy – Part One

Why John Owen, the Puritan?

Puritans – you know, those people with crazy hair, wearing black and white outfits with some type of white ruffle around their neck, perhaps wearing a goofy looking cap, always making large families, and living in villages all by themselves as they tried to reform the Church of England… at least, that’s what may come to mind for some people. However, truthfully it seems that there has never been another group of individuals in history that can quite compare to the Puritans, who, spanning for over 200 years, knew the Scriptures, loved the Scriptures, and lived them out as they did. Their work ethic makes many of those today who are in seminaries, ministries, and even those in the pulpit, look lazy. The lives of the Puritans confirmed them as believers that were sold on a purifying doctrine and worship to the Christ. This they took extremely seriously as they continued to bring about the Reformation that Luther, Zwingli, and Calvin had started so fervently. With the intentions that the Puritans had – that is, for the Scriptures to spread to all of mankind – they did not take apostasy lightly. John Owen explains the problem of apostasy best when he addresses the reader to The Nature and Causes of Apostasy from the Gospel. He states:

Religion is the same that it ever was, only it suffers by them that make profession of it. What disadvantage it falls under in the world, they must at length answer for those in whose misbelief and practice it is corrupted. And no man can express greater enmity unto or malice against the gospel, that he that’s should assert or maintain that the faith, profession, lives, ways, and walkings of the generality of Christians are a just representation of its truth and holiness.

If one would want to further study the topic of apostasy, it is always best to look at those who have gone before them and written reliable material on the subject. There are a number of different men such as Samuel Eyles Pierce, A. W. Pink, Horatius Bonar, Gardiner Spring, and today’s Richard Phillips, that have written thorough pieces and dealt with the topic correctly, and are well worth the time to read. As for the Puritans’ writings on the topic, one may easily go in a number of different directions. It would be good to take the time to look at Thomas Brooks, Ebenezer Erskine, Thomas Boston, and Richard Sibbes. However, when delving into the topic of apostasy it is most important to spend some time on the greatest work done on it by the “Master” of it himself: John Owen. In the seventh volume of his works (printed by Banner of Truth Trust), Owen has a massive 259 pages dealing with apostasy.

Today in the 21^st century John Owen is known for a number of different topics and areas like, Mortification of Sin, Biblical Theology, Communion with God, The Glory of Christ, The Holy Spirit, his seven-volume work on the book of Hebrews, and his sixteen-volume set of works. Additionally, people may often think of Justin Taylor’s passion for Owens’ works, namely, Communion with the Triune God and Overcoming Sin and Temptation. On top of all that, Own is also known to be the cause of almost every seminarian’s complaint, “I cannot read his lengthy sentences!” No matter how many degrees one has, what seminary one graduated from, or how brilliant one is, it is always hard to grasp the long-winded mind and thought of John Owen brought forth through the ink of his pen. But that is exactly why this chapter is being written – so that you, the reader, will get a review of the often-overlooked writing on apostasy that Owen did, and how then to relate that to any man living today.

With that said, there is not much of an introduction needed in describing John Owen. A man of Welsh decent, born in the town of Stadhampton, Oxfordshire, and a student of Queen’s College, he was born and raised a Puritan. John Owen was a husband, father, and, most of all, a man of God who spent his whole life studying the Scriptures. He lost 10 of his 11 children at birth, and later his 11^th to drinking herself to death. John Owen knew suffering – that is for certain. The importance of John Owens’ sufferings in this matter (Apostasy) is to see how easily Owen himself could have turned hard-hearted toward the gospel and become an apostate. However, John Owen never lost sight of his victor, Jesus Christ. He took his work, ministry, and study very seriously – living out his faith in Christ.

When one speaks or hears about the Puritans, it is hard to not think or have at least one mention of the most popular one: John Owen. The church, throughout her life, has been given a number of gifted and talented individuals with minds like nothing else, and which are even more powerfully seen when they use it while suffering for the kingdom of Christ – as John Owen did. Owens’ work can still be used today for all who may be dealing with apostasy or an apostate, as many living in this postmodern culture claim the title of “Christian” but show no fruit or sign and are then branded “Apostate!” For that very reason, the Nature and Causes of Apostasy from the Gospel should not be overlooked when dealing with Owens’ works. In the world we live in today, Owens’ tremendous work on apostasy brings much aid in helping one see the importance of the power of apostasy and how to deal with those that have become apostates.

Learning From John Owens’ work on Apostasy

            Often times, people overlook those who lived before them and have deeply studied the Scriptures. Some think with culture change – times passing away – what one had said hundreds of years ago is not needed or not “good enough” for today’s times. People even say that what may have been true then is not true now. That is exactly why John Owens’ work is a “must read” for our culture, as Christianity continues through the paths of time that tries to consume those who are a part of it.

For the one who is solid in their walk and is living a life that is pleasing to the Lord according to His law, this is particularly important in mainly two ways. First, in times where the world is progressing, it is vital to know the truths of the Word and have proper doctrine that is in obedience to what God has intended for His people through His Word given to them. Secondly, in a culture where people call themselves “believers” by their own standard and own beliefs – and not that of what God has intended – one must be able to discern what is and is not the true mark of a believer who lives out the Scriptures in accordance with them, practicing them in obedience.

John Owen wrote 13 different chapters/sections focusing on the nature and causes of apostasy. To deal with them all here could easily lead to a book in itself; maybe even multiple volumes on each area. However, this short chapter’s aim is to bring out the main points of John Owens’ work on apostasy and show the importance of the truths of it today. In each of John Owens 13 sections I plan to give a thesis, outline and summary, of John Owens work on dealing with apostasy.

Click below on the “Read More” for the footnotes.