I finished Robinson Crusoe. Finally. I can't remember when it has taken me so long to complete such a short book. But that doesn't mean it hasn't been rewarding.
I've previously posted about the deeply spiritual themes in this book and how young Robinson rejected the godly advice of his father and others and set out on his own course with no regard for God. I've talked about how he experienced "near repentance" several times when his ships fell into danger but quickly turned back to his ungodly direction once the fear had passed. And I've written about how he came to understand that, first, there is a God who is sovereign over all, and second, his own miserable situation was a result of his choices and joy and peace can be found even in the worst of circumstances. To put it simply, Crusoe had to be lost to find God. Such is the case still today, nearly 300 years later.
If this story were to be first published today, it would fill the shelves at Lifeway. It is considered to be one of the first English novels, and it would certainly be the first Christian fiction novel. Few books that I have read recently that fall into that category have the God-centered views of Robinson Crusoe. At its most basic points, it is about a man who is stranded for twenty-eight years, isolated from civilization, and who's greatest concern becomes not about his deliverance from the island, but his place in God's master plan.
So I'll summarize my three week long book report with one final observation. And it's a doozy.
After years of isolation, he finally rescues a "savage" from the hands of cannibals and names him Friday, after the day of the week on which he met him (genius). His first order of business is to teach Friday some rudimentary English. But right after that, and I mean immediately after that, he proceeds to teach him about Jesus Christ. After many long and difficult conversations, some of which Robinson finds himself learning more about God, Friday becomes a Christian. At this point, Robinson enlightens us on the true simplicity of God's Word.
Another thing I cannot refrain from observing here also, from experience in this retired part of my life, how infinite and inexpressible a blessing it is that the knowledge of God, and of the doctrine of salvation by Christ Jesus, is so plainly laid down in the Word of God, so easy to be received and understood, that, as the bare reading the Scripture made me capable of understanding enough of my duty to carry me directly on to the great work of sincere repentance for my sins, and of laying hold of a Saviour for life and salvation, to a stated reformation in practice, and obedience to all God's commands, and this without any teacher or instructor, I mean human; so the same plain instruction sufficiently served to the enlightening of this savage creature, and bringing him to be such a Christian as I have known few equals to him in my life.
In case all that escaped you, he's saying that without any human being to guide them through the plan of salvation, or to tell them what the Bible meant, he and his new friend were both led to the truth of Jesus Christ simply through dutifully reading the Word and following the leading of the Holy Spirit. Wow! And all they had was the King James Version. 1611, of course.
No Sunday School, no worship music, no Chris Tomlin or Dave Crowder, no bulletins or hymnals or praise lyrics, no seven-point sermon outline to follow, no "Purpose-Driven Shipwreck/Castaway" to read, and no F.A.I.T.H., or outreach team rowing up to the shore with a welcome basket and a visitor's card.
All of these things are valid tools, don't get me wrong. We are blessed to have many things at our disposal with which to evangelize the lost. But we shouldn't forget that salvation lies with none of them.
"To try to win a soul to Christ by keeping that soul in ignorance of any truth, is contrary to the mind of the Spirit; and to endeavor to save men by mere claptrap, or excitement, or oratorical display, is as foolish as to hope to hold an angel with bird-line, or to lure a star with music. The best attraction is the gospel in its purity. The weapon with which the Lord conquers men is the truth as it is in Jesus. The gospel will be found equal to every emergency; an arrow which can pierce the hardest heart, a balm which will heal the deadliest wound. Preach it, and preach nothing else. Rely implicitly upon the old, old gospel. You need no other nets when you fish for men; those your Master has given you are strong enough for the great fishes, and have meshes fine enough to hold the little ones. Spread those nets and no others, and you will need not fear the fulfillment of His Word, 'I will make you fishers of men.'" --Charles Spurgeon
Such is the suffiency of the Word of God.
My final thought from Robinson Crusoe is this, and I will allow you to draw your own conclusions about the relevance of it for the church of today, specifically our church:
As to the disputes, wrangling, strife, and contention which have happened in the world about religion, whether niceties in doctrines or schemes of church government, they were all perfectly useless to us, and, for aught I can yet see, they have been to the rest of the world. We had the sure guide to heaven, the Word of God; and had, blessed be God, comfortable views of the Spirit of God teaching and instructing us by his word, leading us into all truth, and making us both willing and obedient to the instruction of His Word. And I cannot see the least use that the greatest knowledge of the disputed points of religion, which have made such confusions in the world, would have been to us, if we could have obtained it.
Hope e'erybody's having a great week.
