Schartau: Jesus Enables Us to Put off the Old Man
Despite suffering persecution, Henrik Schartau was an effective evangelist to Sweden.
IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY, the southwest coast of Sweden was a region of blasphemy, drunkenness, and degradation. The upper class and many of the religious leaders were skeptics regarding Christ, while the lower classes indulged in theft, murder, violence, and frivolity. But when Henrik Schartau became Christ’s tool in southwest Sweden, through his faithful witness the region became the most sober and devout area in the nation.
Orphaned as a child, Schartau was raised by an uncle who paid his way through the University of Lund. The devotional writings of German Lutheran Christian Scriver woke in Schartau a desire to abandon frivolity and follow Christ. His conversion was the result of participating in his first Communion service. He felt utterly condemned by the words of confession, but moments later, the words of absolution assured him of salvation.
Two years later he was ordained as a Lutheran pastor. For forty-five years, he preached Jesus Christ and faithfully grounded his people in the Bible and the catechism. His words were mostly ignored by the upper classes and resented by rationalist thinkers. However, a few women from among the poorer classes trusted his teaching. Several opened bible schools for little children. From that faithful nucleus of believers, revival spread outward.
The most famous of Schartau’s sermons, titled “Jesus Only,” encapsulated his theory of faith. “It is in sanctification that the power of our Lord Jesus Christ is best shown, for it is Jesus who provides the power to put off the old man and put on the new,” he said. “Love for Jesus is the chief motive unto sanctification in a converted soul.”
A generation of young men whom Schartau had influenced arose and carried the gospel throughout Sweden. Their rationalist superiors among the clergy persecuted them with threats and social excommunication. Chief among the persecutors, Bishop Wingard of Gothenburg assigned these clergymen to distant posts and gave them orders which required them to travel the length of Sweden in brutal weather. Consequently, several died young, but not before the message of regeneration spread widely among the Swedish people. A national spiritual awakening soon followed.
Henrik Schartau did not live to see it. He died on this day, 3 February 1825, testifying that although Satan had sought to make his deathbed hard, God’s grace had prevailed. Few people of social standing attended his funeral, but crowds of common folk turned out, weeping at the loss of their faithful pastor.
—Dan Graves
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Schartau focused on Christ. So does Jesus Revealed, a three-part set. Watch it at RedeemTV.
Jesus Revealed: Encountering The Authentic Jesus can be purchased at Vision Video. Part 2, Part 3