Washer Paul – The Preeminent Christ - God’s Beautiful and Unchanging Gospel

Paul Washer – The Preeminent Christ - God’s Beautiful and Unchanging Gospel

The word prolegomenon is from the Greek verb prolegein, which means “to speak beforehand.” In literature, it refers to a brief summary of a book’s purpose and an explanation of the manner in which the author hopes to attain it.

It is a theological and philosophical maxim that a reasonable creature will chose the highest end or purpose for any endeavor. For the Christian writer, this great end or summum bonum (Latin: greatest good) must always be the glory or praise of God. As the apostle Paul commanded in 1 Corinthians 10:31, “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” Therefore, this brief work has been written for the glory and praise of God, and it will make much of Christ and His gospel.

The Glory of God

How can man do or write anything that would serve to bring glory to God? The psalmist asked, “What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?” (Ps. 8:4). When we compare God and man, it seems a great absurdity to think that the latter could bless the former or that the lesser could write anything that would bring glory to the greater (Heb. 7:7). Nevertheless, the Scriptures make it clear that we can and should glorify God in word and deed (1 Cor. 10:31). The Scriptures also instruct us that we are able to do so only to the degree that we speak or write according to what He has said about Himself (Isa. 8:20).

As unschooled as I am, this is my intention: to write about God as He has revealed Himself in the Scriptures, especially in the gospel of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Although God has made Himself known in many ways —creation, providence, law—the sum of these does not equal a tenth part of the gospel. It is in this singular message that God is most fully revealed and most fully known. For this reason, it is at the cross and the empty tomb that we will stake our claim and begin to mine. Each nugget of gold, diamond, and precious stone that is discovered is intended to enlarge our hearts so that we might esteem, believe, and praise God. As John Owen wrote, “The ultimate end of true theology is the celebration of the praise of God, and His glory and grace in the eternal salvation of sinners.”