Yeah, I re-wrote the sub-title. But it’s OK. I know Moe. And he won’t ding me for it.

A wonderful thing has been happening in Reformed/Calvinistic circles. In the past few years there has been a resurgence of interest in a nearly lost segment of Puritan writing and studies. There has been a realization that many of us in the R/C camps have actually earned the moniker “Frozen Chosen.” That, much like what Jesus addresses in the Church in Ephesus (Rev. 2:1-7), there is the realization that doctrinal precision and orthodoxy in faith and practice (alone) are no replacement for a heart bound up in vibrant love for and robustly experiential – communion with Christ. That sanctification can easily morph into mere behavior modification rather than actually taking on the character of Christ by the presence and power of The Holy Spirit. That orthodoxy and walking in constant, conscious deliberate dependence upon the indwelling Spirit are two inseparable faces of the same coin. Or at least they are supposd to be.

Enter books like Mathew Bingham’s A Heart Aflame for God – and now, Moe Bergeron’s Beholding Christ: Transformation Through Abiding.

Desperately needed. Timely. And soul nourishing.

THANK YOU MOE!

Beholding Christ is not voluminous. But do not let its slender profile fool you. It is packed full of rich, rich counsel. It will lead you to good places. It will make you set your eyes on Christ afresh. It will bid you to take up its title over and over. And what can be better for the Believer than to fill our vision with the crown Jewel of Heaven? If the words of old John Flavel are true – and they are – how can we do ourselves more good than to Behold Christ more fully, accurately and all-encompassingly. So Flavel wrote: “It is a special consideration to enhance the love of God in giving Christ, that in giving him he gave the richest jewel in his cabinet; a mercy of the greatest worth, and most inestimable value, Heaven itself is not so valuable and precious as Christ is: He is the better half of heaven; and so the saints account him, Psal. 73:25. “Whom have I in heaven but thee?” Ten thousand thousand worlds, saith one,* as many worlds as angels can number, and then as a new world of angels can multiply, would not all be the bulk of a balance, to weigh Christ’s excellency, love, and sweetness. O what a fair One! what an only One! what an excellent, lovely, ravishing One, is Christ! Put the beauty of ten thousand paradises, like the garden of Eden, into one; put all trees, all flowers, all smells, all colours, all tastes, all joys, all sweetness, all loveliness in one; O what a fair and excellent thing would that be? And yet it should be less to that fair and dearest well-beloved Christ, than one drop of rain to the whole seas, rivers, lakes, and fountains of ten thousand earths. Christ is heaven’s wonder, and earth’s wonder.” ^{John Flavel, The Whole Works of the Reverend John Flavel (London; Edinburgh; Dublin: W. Baynes and Son; Waugh and Innes; M. Keene, 1820), 67–68.}

And what is Moe after? He is advocating the transformative nature of beholding the Christ whose portrait Flavel articulates. A call to fill ourselves up with constant visions of what Flavel calls: “O what a fair One! what an only One! what an excellent, lovely, ravishing One, is Christ!” This, Moe argues, over and over to great effect – is the only way to be conformed to His image. The very thing Paul tells us in Rom. 8:29 Believers were foreknown and predestined for.

In what I hope is not an over-reductionistic summary – I would describe this book as an extended exposition, exhortation and application of but one seminal passage: “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into His image with intensifying glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” 2 Co 3:18.

You see, “because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” 1 Co 1:30–31. (ESV)

Christ Himself IS our sanctification, not only the sum of God’s wisdom, our righteousness and our redemption. And how does He set us apart more and more and more for Himself? Only as we immerse ourselves in His glories.

We cannot truly love someone we do not know, and not just know about. We must become preoccupied with Him. Enamored with Him. Transfixed by Him. And this, is the Gospel mechanism by which we are then transformed into His image. This, is the very foundation of true spiritual growth. Not by gritting our teeth. Not by striving after obeying the Law in mere behavior. But being found in and knowing – Him.

We were never led to Mount Calvary only to look back at Mount Sinai.

As the blessed Ryle once wrote: ““It would be well if professing Christians in modern days studied the four Gospels more than they do. No doubt all Scripture is profitable. It is not wise to exalt one part of the Bible at the expense of another. But I think it would be good for some who are very familiar with the Epistles, if they knew a little more about Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John…I say it because I want professing Christians to know more about Christ. It is well to be acquainted with all the doctrines and principles of Christianity. It is better to be acquainted with Christ Himself. It is well to be familiar with faith, and grace, and justification, and sanctification…” But it is far better to be familiar with Jesus Himself, to see the King’s own face, and to behold His beauty…the Gospels were written to make us acquainted with Christ. The Holy Ghost has told us the story of His life and death,—His sayings and His doings, four times over. Four different inspired hands have drawn the picture of the Saviour. His ways, His manners, His feelings, His wisdom, His grace, His patience, His love, His power, are graciously unfolded to us by four different witnesses…The Gospels were written to make men familiar with Christ.” ^{Ryle, J. C. Holiness: Its Nature, Hindrances, Difficulties and Roots. William Hunt and Company, 1889, pp. 278–79.}

This is the vital principle this sweet and encouraging book lays bare before us with passion, compassion and clarity. It is a love letter to Moe’s brothers and sisters in Christ

If you would grow in grace. If you would find ever increasing power to live in joy, holiness, contentment, peace and love – it is to be found in Beholding Christ.

This is the missing element that in its absence, finds so many genuine Believers living in spiritual poverty, frustration and coolness. And this, is what blessed Moe Bergeron strives so carefully to bring back to the fore.

Buy it. Read it. Set your heart to be about its central massage. You’ll be blessed. Again and again.