One of the great benefits of reading old books is that they allow us to have a leisurely conversation with a great thinker who's been gone for centuries. I've often thought, "I would love to sit down and talk with John Owen. He had such a great mind and such a passion for Christ."

Two weeks ago, I purchased the 16-volume Works of John Owen. These are a few of my gleanings from the Preface to Christologia, presented in an interview format. The substance of Owen's words are taken from the book, though they may be slightly re-worded or simplified for ease of understanding.

Ponderings: Dr. Owen, what is the value of Christ to the believer?

Owen: "Unto them that believe to the saving of the soul, He is, and always has been, precious. He is the sun, the rock, the life, the bread of their souls - everything that is good, useful, pleasant, desirable, here or unto eternity. In Him, from Him and by Him is all their spiritual and eternal life, light, power, growth, consolation and joy here in this life, with everlasting salvation hereafter."

P: What benefit do believers receive from Christ?

O: "By Christ alone do believers desire, expect and obtain deliverance from that woeful apostasy from God. They are delivered from rebellion against God, which contains in itself and brings with it whatever is evil, noxious, and destructive unto our nature. Without relief from it, it issues in eternal misery. By Christ, believers are brought into the nearest knowledge, alliance and friendship with God. They are brought into the firmest union and the most holy communion with Him that our finite nature are capable of. In Him, we shall be conducted into the eternal enjoyment of God."

P: What should be the main goal of the life of a believer?

O: "If Christ is this precious to believers, then the principal design of their whole lives is to acquaint themselves with Him. It is to know the mystery of the wisdom, grace, and love of God, in His person and mediation, as revealed to us in the Scripture. This is "life eternal" (John 17:3). They should seek to trust Him, and to entrust to Him all of the everlasting concerns of their soul. They should endeavor after conformity to Him, in all of the divine goodness and holiness which are presented to them in Him. In these things consist the soul, life, power, beauty and effectiveness of the Christian religion. Without these things, it is but a useless, lifeless carcass."

P: Where can we find this goal of the believer expressed in Scripture?

O: "The whole of this design is expressed in the heavenly words of the Apostle Paul in Philippians 3:8-12: 'Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christand be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have alreadyobtained this oram already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.'"

P: Why is it that many professing Christians have disagreed and disputed over who Christ is and what He has done? Many churches even seek to deny the full deity of Christ and seek to re-define Christ in various ways. Why?

O: "Just as Christ has been a sure foundation for all who believe, so He has been 'a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense unto them that stumble at the word, being disobedient.' Everything in Him - His person, His natures, His office, His grace, His love, His power, His authority, His relation to the church - has been unto many a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. Many woeful contests over each of these things have arisen among those who outwardly profess the Christian faith. Such contentious debates are increasing and not abating. Men of perverse minds have oppose the Lord Christ in these things and have not only ruined their own souls but have also filled the world with confusion."

P: What is the solution to these disputes over Christ?

O: "The re-enthroning of the Person, Spirit, Grace, and Authority of Christ, in the hearts and consciences of men, is the only way whereby an end may be put to these woeful conflicts. But this is not to be expected in any degree of perfection among those who stumble at this stone offense. But as they are diligent and restless in all ways of opposition to His glory. So it is the highest duty of those who regard Him as precious to declare His excellency, to plead the cause of His glory, to vindicate His honor, and to testify of Him as the only rest and reward of the souls of men, as they are called and have opportunity to do so."

P: So what can we who love Christ do?