Paul Washer and the Gospel

Originally posted on August 10, 2009 – by Andre Piet

a rare sound

Paul Washer is a captivating and passionate American evangelist. I have seen various videos of him on YouTube in which he preaches in a remarkably penetrating way. In doing so, he does not mince words when addressing his audience. Not even when he speaks, for example, about feel-good preachers in his country such as Joël Osteen, Benny Hinn or Robert Schuller. Paul Washer firmly upholds the ‘five points of Calvinism’ (TULIP) (1), in a way that I have rarely heard from a Reformed preacher.

an intense message

In the message of Paul Washer one immediately recognizes what men like Whitefield and Spurgeon also proclaimed from the pulpit in their days. There is no preaching that so strongly actually moves people to ‘repent’ as a message in which the horrors and the endlessness of hell are vividly portrayed. Paul Washer believes this and can therefore sincerely and radically proclaim this message. For him this message is not merely a formal doctrine that must be confessed with the lips (as is usually the case nowadays), but the very ingredient that dominates the seriousness of the preaching. His message does not need to be ‘dressed up’; it is intense in itself. And many are touched and come to ‘repentance’…

NOT the Gospel

But however seriously this message is brought and however many tears it may produce in both preacher or listener: it is NOT the Gospel as Paul made it known among the nations. Paul Washer does NOT preach the one GOD who wills that all mankind be saved and who therefore gives Christ Jesus a correspondent ransom for all, and is therefore actually the Saviour of all mankind (2). No, instead he urgently addresses his audience about how terrible it is to be in hell for all eternity. In his message people are not moved by the joy of “the glory of the Good Message of the happy GOD” (3) but are seized by fear of ending up in a horror that defies all description. An endless hell, which Scripture does not know. What a responsibility rests on a preacher who insults GOD in this way!

apparent faith

Such preaching mainly produces apparent faith in which people do not wholeheartedly place their trust in GOD but are driven by fear. Put it to the test and tell converts of such a message that GOD “is the Saviour of all mankind” and one will (usually shocked) respond along the lines of: if that were so, then I would never have come to faith. For me such a response is the best indication that apparently there is not even any real faith and love present. If that were the case, one would exclaim: “Wow, that would be wonderful!! Where does that say in the Bible?”.

The videos that I saw of Paul Washer have once again determined me to proclaim with everything that is in me the overwhelming glory of the Evangel!

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footnotes

(1) The word TULIP stands for

1. Total depravity,
2. Unconditional election,
3. Limited atonement,
4. Irresistible grace and
5. Perseverance of the saints.

(2) Respectively quoted from: 1 Timothy 2 verse 4 and verse 6 and 1 Timothy 4 verse 10. Paul Washer ‘explains’ the meaning of the word “all” by interpreting it as ‘all kinds of’ or ‘all sorts of’…. ‘Limited Atonement’.

(3) 1 Timothy 1 verse 11

more info:
Gospel versus Christendom
16 Biblical facts listed
the dynamite of the Evangel

Delen: