Okay, Alvin and Gary McNees

The following was a post from my blog way back when...

Tuesday, April 11, 2006Spurgeon on Assurance "The Holy Spirit, who enabled me to believe, gave me peace through believing. I felt as sure that I was forgiven as before I felt sure of condemnation. I had been certain of my condemnation because the Word of God declared it, and my conscience bore witness to it, but when the Lord justified me, I was equally certain by the same witness. The Word of the Lord in scripture saith, "He that believeth on Him is not condemned," and my conscience bore witness that I believed, and that God in pardoning me was just. Thus I had the witness of the Holy Spirit and also my own conscience, and these two agreed in one."

Taken From C.H.Spurgeon Autobiography: Vol.1 "The Early Years" page 92

In this same paragraph Spurgeon goes on to put down the teachings of a certain Dr. Johnson who held to the idea that no man could have assurance of faith. Spurgeon said that such a man was no reliable judge of theology. He added that Dr. Johnson should have studied his Bible a little more, and have a little more enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, then he too would have come to know his own pardon. I whole heartedly agree!


alvin said...
Hi Mark I also want God's blessings for you, and what I mean by that is that you would come to the knowledge of the truth. Just that short quote you gave by Spurgeon shows that he was deceived in thinking that someone could be saved without knowing they were. If Spurgeon was saved it was in spite of Calvinism. I have read he did not preach consistent Calvinism but was still married to it. God is not obligated to ones who believe biblical language even if they are sincere. As I brought up Max Locado who is dearly loved by many people but has bought into a lie. It's only when we believe biblical truth that God is obligated to keep His promise. Calvinism is a man-made system which makes God out to make "Horrible Decrees" which is neither consistent with His love for all people and His provision for all people in giving a sincere call for anyone who desires to take of the water of life freely and live! Mark you do not believe that God would really give a gift of eternal life without getting back some kind of return in this life. That is what Calvinism is all about "works" that MUST happen if one is truly saved. The Scriptures show clearly that ones were taken home early who were making a mockery out of discipleship either by getting drunk and the Lord's table or lying to the Holy Spirit. I lived pretty much for myself from age 12 to age 38 and you would have had a hard time by my works proving I was saved. Of course God let me do it my way if that's what I wanted to do by learning the hard way that His way was best. I work with a Mormon who would make most Christians look bad. He treats everyone kindly and is just a great guy but rejects a free gift and is working his way to heaven. Anyone looking at his life would think for sure he is saved by his fruit . . . .he looks just like a Calvinist little lamb. I don't see any difference they are both deceived in thinking they can't just take the water of life freely but theirs MORE to it and it's called WORKS. Mark if you believed what we are saying here you would not be fighting against it would you? So your not fooling anyone but yourself. The sufficient proposition we are putting forth here is that anyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. And the word believe means just that, to believe Jesus is stating the truth in a verse like John 3:16. No word games or pouring the water down ones throat. alvin
June 10, 2009 2:24 PM

Gary said...
Hi Alvin:I started to respond to Mark twice and twice I decided that I didn't have the right thing to say.You are perceptive. Lets see what if any response we get from Mark.If he is ANY kind of Calvinist he will reject what you said.Gary McNees
June 10, 2009 3:41 PM