The Warrant of Faith - C.H.Spurgeon sermon 531 pt.2
I. First then, THE MATTER OF BELIEVING, or what is it that a man is to believe in order to eternal life. Is it the Athanasian creed? Is it true, that if a man does not hold that confession whole and entire, he shall without doubt perish everlastingly? We leave those to decide who are learned in matters of bigotry. Is it any particular form of doctrine? Is it the Calvinistic or the Arminian scheme? For our own part we are quite content with our text—believing on "his Son Jesus Christ." That faith which saves the soul is believing on a person, depending upon Jesus for eternal life.To speak more at large of the things which are to be believed in order to justification by faith. they all relate to the person and the work of our Lord Jesus Christ. We must believe him to be God's Son—so the text puts it—"His Son." We must grasp with strong confidence the great fact that he is God: for nothing short of a divine Saviour can ever deliver us from the infinite wrath of God. He who rejects the true and proper Godhead of Jesus of Nazareth, is not saved, and cannot be, for he believes not on Jesus as God's Son. Furthermore, we must accept this Son of God as "Jesus," the Saviour. We must believe that Jesus Christ the Son of God, became man out of infinite love to man, that he might save his people from their sins, according to that worthy saying, "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners," even the chief. We must look upon Jesus as "Christ," the anointed of the Father, sent into this world on salvation's errand, not that sinners might save themselves, but that he, being mighty to save, might bring many sons unto glory. We must believe that Jesus Christ, Coming into the world to save sinners, did really effect his mission; that the precious blood which is shed upon Calvary is almighty to atone for sin, and therefore, all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men, since the blood of Jesus Christ, God's dear Son, cleanseth us from all sin. We must heartily accept the great doctrine of the atonement—regarding Jesus as standing in the room, place, and stead of sinful men, bearing for them the terror of the law's curse until justice was satisfied and could demand no more. Moreover, we should rejoice that as Jesus Christ, by his dying, put away for ever the sin of his people, so by his living he gave unto those who trust in him a perfect righteousness, in which, despite their own sins, they are "accepted in the beloved." We are also taught, that if we heartily trust our soul with Christ, our sins, through his blood, are forgiven, and his righteousness is imputed to us. The mere knowledge of these facts will not, however, save us, unless we really and truly trust our souls in the Redeemer's hands. Faith must act in this wise: "I believe that Jesus came to save sinners, and therefore, sinner though I be, I rest myself on him; I know that his righteousness justifies the ungodly; I, therefore, though ungodly, trust in him to be my righteousness; I know that his precious blood in heaven prevails with God on the behalf of them that come unto him; and since I come unto him, I know by faith that I have an interest in his perpetual intercession."Now, I have enlarged the one thought of believing on God's Son Jesus Christ.
posted by mark pierson at 7:29 AM
8 Comments:
The Warrant of Faith - C.H.Spurgeon sermon 531
The Warrant of FaithA Sermon(No. 531)Delivered on Sunday Morning, September 20th, 1863, by theRev. C. H. SPURGEON,At the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington
November 07, 2006 7:32 AM
Hi Mark.
So you are going to go through all of this posting to prove that Brian was quoting Spurgeon out of context and Spurgeon really was in the Lordship mindset? Am I getting it?
;~) ;~) :~)
November 07, 2006 9:50 AM
Now, would I do thaaat???
;~) ;~) ;~)
November 07, 2006 11:18 AM
A read of Hebrews 11 will show what faith looks and acts like. By showing that faith does in fact have action, I guess the writer of Hebrews was a lordship kind of guy. Eh!
W.H.
November 08, 2006 9:13 AM
"Again, my brethren, any other warrant is utterly incomprehensible. Multitudes of my brethren preach an impossible salvation. How often do poor sinners hunger and thirst to know the way of salvation, and there is no available salvation preached to them. Personally, I do not remember to have been told from the pulpit to believe in Jesus as a sinner. I heard much of feelings which I thought I could never get, and frames after which I longed; but I found no peace until a true, free grace message came to me, "Look unto me and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth." See, my brethren, if convictions of soul are necessary qualifications for Christ, we ought to know to an ounce how much of these qualifications are needed. If you tell a poor sinner that there is a certain amount of humblings, and tremblings, and convictions, and heart-searchings to be felt, in order that he may be warranted to come to Christ, I demand of all legal-gospellers distinct information as to the manner and exact degree of preparation required. Brethren, you will find when these gentlemen are pushed into a corner, they will not agree, but will every one give a different standard, according to his own judgment." CH Spurgeon, The Warrant Of Faith
And so I ask you Mark and Jazzy? How much earnest desire is needed?
How much desire to submit?
Or can it be that Grace and grace alone will teach us to kneel?
I think Spurgeon was on to something and that is why he escaped the catacombs and came into the light.
Again? How much earnest desire to turn away from sin do I need?
November 08, 2006 9:22 PM
Brian, there were people that preached that one must reform BEFORE they came to Christ. That is what Spurgeon preached against. THAT is NOT what MacArthur preaches today. Later in the sermon Spurgeon will talk of how repentance is a gift of God, exactly like MacAthur. Be watching for that. If you've read the whole sermon you would have known that. I don't see how you are making this error.
November 09, 2006 7:00 AM
I do know that brother.
I don't see how you aren't discering the differance in Spurgeons and MacArthurs teaching.
Spurgeon laid the anvil down like MacArthur...no doubt, but he did not leave man with MacArthurs extra help aids and misleading exhortations. He would have challenged the Lordship crowd along with the Free Grace crowd in areas. He poured the balm at the end of his sermons like with the Free exhortation that Hodges gives. He was not afraid to do that. It is almost as if Lordships are scared of giving to much of the good news out and feel they must throw a stipulation in to help God out.
The Call to repentance helps man see the need and we should lay that anvil out and hammer it; but repentance does not save and it only leaves the soul bleeding. If you throw in commit yourself you endanger leading a soul into believing that he still must please God when the whole point of the call to repentance is to seize the soul unto the realization that the only thing he can do is receive the free gift of salvation.
John Cole was so right in his statement the other day that men are using their whipping posts and are actually misleading people by their attempts.
Believe must be left alone as a message of hope. We must be careful not to defile that message with our reasoning and extra help aids trying to help God out.
Spurgeon was a little bit MacArthur and a little bit Hodges. Thats the whole stunnig irony of it all. I don't know why you cant see this. This message should make it plain as day.
November 09, 2006 5:35 PM
IMHO, Spurgeon would have nailed Hodges with the charge of disobedience to Jesus for not preaching repentance (Luke 24:47). See his sermon "Beginning At Jerusalem" where he teaches that we should preach repentance in the same fashion Jesus and the apostles did. Hodges' approach is the new kid on the block, a mere invention of man. And, since there is no forgiveness without repentance (Acts 2:38; 26:18-20), I would venture to say that Hodges' approach is diabolical; and spare me that Dallas Theological way of interpretting scripture here.
Hodges appeal is much like liberalism in politics, it can play on the emotions, but like its political counterpart, has no basis in reality, reality here being how Jesus really wants things done. See the great commission. Hodges' little fringe group can argue up a storm, but in the end, who is really obeying Jesus in preaching the gospel the way that HE wants it done.
November 10, 2006 7:49 AM
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