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SALVATION ALTOGETHER BY GRACE
http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/history/spurgeon/web/ss-0027.html ^ | July 29, 1866 | C. H. Spurgeon

Posted on 05/17/2003 7:07:49 PM PDT by drstevej

SALVATION ALTOGETHER BY GRACE
__________

 

A Sermon
Delivered by
C.H. SPURGEON,
on July 29, 1866
At the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington.

[Conclusion to Sermon on the Doctrine of Grace]

 

I shall want your patience while I try to SHOW THE USES OF THIS DOCTRINE.

The doctrine of grace has been put by in the lumber chamber. It is acknowledged to be true, for it is confessed in most creeds; it is in the Church of England articles, it is in the confessions of all sorts of Protestant Christians, except those who are avowedly Arminian, but how little is it ever preached! It is put among the relics of the past. It is considered to be a respectable sort of retired officer, who is not expected to see any other active service. Now I believe that it is not a superannuated officer in the Master's army, but that it is full of force and vigour as ever.

But what is the use of it? Why, first then, it is clear from the connection that it has a tendency to embolden the man who receives it. Paul tells Timothy not to be ashamed, and he gives this as a motive:--How can a man be ashamed when he believes that God has given him grace in Christ Jesus before the world was? Suppose the man to be very poor. "Oh," says he, "what matters it? Though I have but a little oil in the cruse, and a little meal in the barrel, yet I have a lot and a portion in everlasting things. My name is not in Doomsday Book nor in Burke's Peerage; but it is in the book of God's election, and was there before the world began." Such a man dares look the proudest of his fellows in the face. This was the doctrine on which the brave old Ironsides fed; the men who, when they rode to battle with the war-cry of "The Lord of hosts!" made the cavaliers fly before them like chaff before the wind. No doctrine like it for putting a backbone into a man, and making him feel that he is made for something better than to be trodden down like straw for the dunghill beneath a despot's heel. Sneer who will, the elect of God derive a nobility from the divine choice which no royal patent can outshine.

I would that free grace were more preached, because it gives men something to believe with confidence. The great mass of professing Christians know nothing of doctrine; their religion consists in going a certain number of times to a place of worship, but they have no care for truth one way or another. I speak without any prejudice in this matter; but I have talked with a large number of persons in the course of my very extensive pastorate, who have been for years members of other churches, and when I have asked them a few questions upon doctrinal matters it did not seem to me that they were in error; they were perfectly willing to believe almost anything that any earnest man might teach them, but they did not know anything, they had no minds of their own, and no definite opinions. Our children, who have learned "The Westminster Assembly's Confession of Faith," know more about the doctrines of grace and the doctrine of the Bible than hundreds of grown-up people who attend a ministry which very eloquently teaches nothing.

It was observed by a very excellent critic not long ago, that if you were to hear thirteen lectures on astronomy or geology, you might get a pretty good idea of what the science was, and the theory of the person who gave the lectures; but that if you were to hear thirteen hundred sermons from some ministers, you would not know at all what they were preaching about or what their doctrinal sentiments were. It ought not to be so. Is not this the reason why Puseyism spreads so, and all sorts of errors have such a foothold, because our people as a whole do not know what they believe? The doctrines of the gospel, if well received, give to a man something which he knows and which he holds and which will become dear to him, for which he would be prepared to die if the first of persecution were again kindled.

Better still is it that this doctrine not only gives the man something to hold but it holds the man. Let a man once have burnt into him that salvation is of God and not of man, and that God's grace is to be glorified and not human merit, and you will never get that belief out of him; it is the rarest thing in all the world to hear of such a man ever apostatizing from his faith. Other doctrine is slippery ground, like the slope of a mountain composed of loose earth and rolling stones, down which the traveller may slide long before he can ever get a transient foothold; but this is like a granite step upon the eternal pyramid of truth; get your feet on this, and there is no fear of slipping so far as doctrinal standing in concerned. If we would have our churches in England well instructed and holding fast the truth, we must bring out the grand old verity of the eternal purpose of God in Christ Jesus before the world began. Oh may the Holy Spirit write it on our hearts!

Moreover, my brethren, this doctrine overwhelms as with an avalanche all the claims of priestcraft. Let it be told to men that they are saved by God, and they say at once, "Then what is the good of the priest?" If they are told it is God's grace then they say, "Then you do not want our money to buy masses and absolutions," and down goes the priest at once. Beloved, this is a battering ram that God uses with which to shake the gates of hell. How much more forcible than the pretty essays of many divines, which have no more power than bulrushes, no more light than smoking flax.

What do you suppose people used to meet in woods for in persecuting times, meet by thousands outside the town of Antwerp, and such-like places on the Continent, in jeopardy of their lives? Do you suppose they would ever have come together to hear that poor milk-and-water theology of this age, or to receive the lukewarm milk and water of our modern anti-Calvinists? Not they, my brethren. They needed stronger meat, and more savoury diet to attract them thus. Do you imagine that when it was death to listen to the preacher, men under the shadows of night, and amid the wings of tempest would then listen to philosophical essays, or to mere precepts, or to diluted, adulterated, soul-less, theological suppositions? No, there is no energy in that kind of thing to draw men together under fear of their lives.

But what did bring them together in the dead of night amidst the glare of lightning, and the roll of thunder--what brought them together? Why, the doctrine of the grace of God, the doctrine of Jesus, and of His servants Paul, and Augustine, and Luther, and Calvin; for there is something in that doctrine which touches the heart of the Christian, and gives him food such as his soul loveth, savoury meat, suitable to his heaven-born appetite. To hear this men braved death, and defied the sword. And if we are to see once again the scarlet hat plucked from the wearer's head, and the shaven crowns with all the gaudy trumpery of Rome sent back to the place from whence they came--and Heaven grant that they make take our Puseyite Established Church with them--it must be by declaring the doctrines of the grace of God. When these are declared and vindicated in every place, we shall yet again make these enemies of God and man to know that they cannot stand their ground for a moment, where men of God wield the sword of the Lord and of Gideon by preaching the doctrines of the grace of God.

Brethren, let the man receive these truths; let them be written in his heart by the Holy Spirit, and they will make him look up. He will say, "God has saved me;" and he will walk with a constant eye to God. He will not forget to see the hand of God in nature and in providence; he will, on the contrary, discern the Lord working in all places, and will humbly adore Him. He will not give to laws of nature or schemes of state the glory due to the most High, but will have respect unto the unseen Ruler. "What the Lord saith to me that will I do," is the believer's language. "What is His will that will I follow; what is His Word, that will I believe; what is His promise, on that I will live." It is a blessed habit to teach a man to look up, look up to God in all things.

At the same time this doctrine makes a man look down upon himself. "Ah," saith he, "I am nothing, there is nothing in me to merit esteem. I have no goodness of my own. If saved, I cannot praise myself; I cannot in any way ascribe to myself honour; God has done it, God has done it." Nothing makes the man so humble; but nothing makes him so glad; nothing lays him so low at the mercy seat, but nothing makes him so brave to look his fellow man in the face. It is a grand truth: would God ye all knew its mighty power!

Lastly, this precious truth is full of comfort to the sinner, and that is why I love it. As it has been preached by some it has been exaggerated and made into a bugbear. Why, there are some who preach the doctrine of election as though it were a line of sharp pikes to keep a sinner from coming to Christ, as though it were a sharp, glittering halbert to be pushed into the breast of a coming sinner to keep him from mercy. Now it is not so. Sinner, whoever you may be, your greatest comfort should be to know that salvation is by grace. Why, man, if it were by merit, what would become of you? Suppose that God saved men on account of their merits, where would you drunkards be? where would you swearers be? you who have been unclean and unchaste, and you whose hearts have cursed God, and who even now do not love Him, where would you be? But when it is all of grace, why then all your past life, however black and filthy it may be, need not keep you from coming to Jesus.

Christ receiveth sinners, God has elected sinners; He has elected some of the blackest of sinners--why not you? He receives every one that comes to Him. He will not cast out. There have been some who have hated Him, insulted him to His face, that have burned His servants alive, and have persecuted Him in His members, but as soon as even they have cried, "God be merciful to me a sinner," He has given them mercy at once, and He will give it to you if you be led to seek it. If I had to tell you that you were to work out your own salvation apart from His grace it were a sad look-out for you, but when it comes to you thus: black, there is washing for you! dead! there is life for you! naked! there is raiment for you! All undone and ruined! here is a complete salvation for you! O soul, mayest thou have grace to lay hold of it, and then thou and I together will sing to the praise of the glory of divine grace.

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To: JesseShurun
I think she meant accept Christ.
21 posted on 05/17/2003 8:17:29 PM PDT by drstevej
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To: drstevej; Delphinium
oh, well I'm still trying to figure is it "nuggut or nugget"
22 posted on 05/17/2003 8:19:31 PM PDT by JesseShurun (The Hazzardous Duke)
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To: JesseShurun
nuggut is the inevitable result when a nug drinks too much beer.
23 posted on 05/17/2003 8:21:19 PM PDT by drstevej
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To: drstevej
lol.
24 posted on 05/17/2003 8:22:24 PM PDT by JesseShurun (The Hazzardous Duke)
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To: restornu
you know I'm handsome, no gut
25 posted on 05/17/2003 8:25:28 PM PDT by JesseShurun (The Hazzardous Duke)
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To: JesseShurun
***you know I'm handsome, no gut***

Gutless, eh?
26 posted on 05/17/2003 8:26:55 PM PDT by drstevej
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To: drstevej
that's me, no guts, no Glory
27 posted on 05/17/2003 8:27:39 PM PDT by JesseShurun (The Hazzardous Duke)
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To: restornu
my little nougat, restornugat
28 posted on 05/17/2003 8:28:48 PM PDT by JesseShurun (The Hazzardous Duke)
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To: drstevej
Better still is it that this doctrine not only gives the man something to hold but it holds the man. Let a man once have burnt into him that salvation is of God and not of man, and that God's grace is to be glorified and not human merit, and you will never get that belief out of him;

Puts the 'amazing' in Amazing Grace.

29 posted on 05/17/2003 8:49:00 PM PDT by Starwind
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To: drstevej
..."it is in the confessions of all sorts of Protestant Christians, except those who are avowedly Arminian"...

What was Spurgeon's use of the Word "Arminian"? Is it possible that he was thinking of Pelagian here?

While he was a Calvinist, is this "radical use" of the term Arminian normal in his writings? i would have probably said that it is in the confessions of all Arminian churches, and i'm no friend of Arminianism.

i am reminded of an old Jonathan Edwards sermon title: "Thieves, Robbers, and Deists, (with apologies to Thieves and Robbers)"

30 posted on 05/17/2003 9:09:23 PM PDT by Calvinist_Dark_Lord (" White line's in the middle of the road. That's the WRONG place to walk!" -Roddy Piper, THEY LIVE)
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To: restornu
There is no other name given among men whereby we must be saved.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God.

John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Tim 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

1 John 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

So pray to God. Tell him you know you are a sinner, tell him you know you deserve to be apart from Him forever. Tell Him you know that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that he came, in the flesh, and was crucified for your sins. Tell Him that you know that the Lord was resurrected three days later, and even now is alive in heaven. Tell Him that you receive him. Tell him that you accept his sacrifice for YOUR sins. Believe it. Confess it.

(Then tell someone about it, because no one that Jesus called was ever called in secret. We are not to be ashamed of Christ, confess Him, and He will confess you before the Father. )

If you prayed that, and meant it, you know that you have everlasting life. Nothing, no one, not even yourself, can take you away from God now (John 10:28). Now it’s time to get to know God. You do that by reading His Word, the Bible. As a new Christian, you must be aware that you have a new enemy, Satan. Satan will do whatever he can to discourage and confuse you. Don’t let him.

Read God’s Word. Don't be deceived. There are many false teachers and prophets out there. If it doesn't line up with God's Word, then run from it. Satan is a masterful deceiver, and will come as an angel of light, pretending to be of God (2 Corinthians 11:14). He will do his best to deceive you into accepting something less that God’s words. Read it and study it (2 Timothy 2:15), and believe it. Realize that God is revealing Himself in the Bible.

Goodnight restornu, may His Rest be on you, goodnight stevie, pocket fishermen of men, and goodnight Dr. Eckleburg, whereever you are!

31 posted on 05/17/2003 9:14:17 PM PDT by JesseShurun (The Hazzardous Duke)
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To: JesseShurun
Hi Duke. Thanks for the pings. I never seem to make Drsteve's list.

I didn't know Larry King's wife was a Mormon which explains King's recent onslaught of psychics, mind-readers and dead-body babblers. They're probably all LDS.

I know she's a follower of that wigged-out, hyphenated charlatan, John-Roger.

Incestuous bunch.

32 posted on 05/17/2003 11:39:11 PM PDT by Dr. Eckleburg (There are very few shades of gray.)
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To: JesseShurun

Still dreaming goodnight!:)
33 posted on 05/17/2003 11:57:19 PM PDT by restornu ('Love is like war: easy to begin, hard to end.')
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To: JesseShurun

'Sometimes you're the windshield;
sometimes you're the bug.'
Mark Knopfler

34 posted on 05/18/2003 12:01:09 AM PDT by restornu ('Love is like war: easy to begin, hard to end.')
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To: drstevej
How would you describe free grace?
35 posted on 05/18/2003 5:14:28 AM PDT by snerkel (Choose Jesus, not some cheap imitation.)
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To: snerkel
Free Grace...

"First. It is free in all to whom it is given. It does not depend on any power or merit in man; no, not in any degree, neither in whole, nor in part. It does not in anywise depend either on the good works or righteousness of the receiver; not on anything he has done, or anything he is. It does not depend on his endeavors. It does not depend on his good tempers, or good desires, or good purposes and intentions; for all these flow from the free grace of God; they are the streams only, not the fountain. They are the fruits of free grace, and not the root. They are not the cause, but the effects of it. Whatsoever good is in man, or is done by man, God is the author and doer of it. Thus is his grace free in all; that is, no way depending on any power or merit in man, but on God alone, who freely gave us his own Son, and "with him freely giveth us all things."

BTW, this is Wesley's description (from a sermon where he reacts to the idea). His description here is a very good one, IMO.

36 posted on 05/18/2003 5:24:49 AM PDT by drstevej
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To: Calvinist_Dark_Lord
Arminian conditioning of election on foreseen faith would be the basis of Spurgeon's excluding them as having creeds articulating the doctrine of grace.

Actually, Arminius himself conditioned election on both foreseen faith and foreseen perseverance.
37 posted on 05/18/2003 5:29:49 AM PDT by drstevej
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To: drstevej
It does not depend on his good tempers, or good desires, or good purposes and intentions; for all these flow from the free grace of God; they are the streams only, not the fountain.

It is certainly good to see you quoting Mr. Wesley. I was wondering, do you really agree with the above-quoted portion of your quotation?

Do you think the traditional, hard-shell Calvinist (I know from your posts that you depart from Calvinist orthodoxy in some areas) would subscribe to the view that "...good tempers, good desires, good purposes and intentions, ... all these flow from the free grace of God ...?"

38 posted on 05/18/2003 6:07:59 AM PDT by winstonchurchill
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To: drstevej
I'm very familiar with that sermon.

http://gbgm-umc.org/UMW/Wesley/serm-128.stm
39 posted on 05/18/2003 6:28:19 AM PDT by snerkel (Choose Jesus, not some cheap imitation.)
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To: drstevej
I am currently reading Martin Luther's The Bondage of the Will. I had to get a used copy because they told me it was out of print (I guess people are too busy publishing yet another Philip Yancy book or the 28th volume of the "Left Behind" series.) I was wondering if you had ever read it and what you thought.

I am immediately struck by three things: first, he is brutal in his attacks on Erasmus. Do you think that Luther goes a tad overboard, like he is really trying to get back a Erasmus, or is this just his style (I am not questioning his style Biblically; "You foolish Galatians" screamed Paul. That is what Luther reminds me of).

Second, he is brutal in his attacks on the Pope and the whole structure and institution of the Roman Church. Did he always feel this way, did he ever simply want to reform the Roman Church or had he always felt this sort of contempt for the Holy See and the boyz?

Third, I'm only about half way through it and, while I am getting a profound insight on the real meaning of God's grace, I am still unconvinced about such Calvinistic teachings as Limited Atonement or Preservation of the Saints. Does Luther deal with these later in this volume, in any other of his works, or are these simply Calvin's teachings which originated with Calvin, and not any of the other reformers (Luther, Zwingli, et al)

Other that these questions, it is an amazing work so far which is having a profound effect on my faith and love for Christ, probably because it seems so far removed from the meaningless and irrelevant drivel spewing from our pulpits (well, at least from the Charismatic/Evangelical pulpits I am used to.). From now on I think I will only be reading the good stuff; any other suggestions for a "meat/not milk" reading list?

40 posted on 05/18/2003 11:08:14 AM PDT by ponyespresso (I know that my Redeemer lives)
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