I once knew a young man that graduated from a Lutheran seminary. He told a group of men at a breakfast one morning that the “motto,” of his alma mater during his last year of attendance was, “Back to Luther, back to Luther.” Of course this referred to the popular protestant reformer known as Martin Luther. One of the older, wiser believers among the group of men kindly said in his slow Texas draw, “Son, you’ve not gone back far enough.” That’s a problem with many today.
There is no doubt that the Lord used Martin Luther. None can argue that John Calvin had five spiritually valid points. Charles Spurgeon was called the Prince of preachers, but Jesus Christ is the “Prince of Peace.” If your doctrine is not the “doctrine of Christ,” then you have not gone back far enough. (2 John 1:9-10) If you don’t go back to “before the foundation of the world,” (Eph. 1:4, Heb. 4:3, Heb. 9:26, 1 Pet. 1:20, Rev. 13:8, Rev. 17:8) where God the Father, with no influence apart from His own will and purpose, chose and gave a people to Christ to redeem, then you have not gone back far enough. If you don’t see that God, for the glory of His own great name’s sake, was pleased to make you (the ungodly) His perfect people in Christ, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, then you have not gone back far enough.
I have a friend that calls it, “The beginning before the beginning.” Our salvation began with God before time ever was. Before God ever said, “Let there be light,” He said, “Let there be Christ.” God gave His elect, His chosen, to His Son to redeem in the fullness of time. If you don’t go back to Christ, then you have not gone back far enough. The believer’s motto will forever be, “Back to Christ.” Day after day, it is “Back to Christ.” He died to put away my sins of yesterday and today, so it is “Back to Christ. When the evil of today comes and goes, tomorrow it will be, “Back to Christ.” He forever lives to make intercession for us, so it is “Back to Christ.” Only then have you gone back far enough.
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