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Are you Sure You Like Spurgeon? "The doctrine of justification itself, as preached by an Arminian, is nothing but the doctrine of salvation b~ works..." ---C. H. Spurgeon ALAN MABEN
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CURE STAFF WRITER
Praised by many evangelicals as a great preacher, Charles H. Spurgeon is considered a successful and "safe" ex ample of a "non-theological" ministry. His works are recommended as a means to lead many aspiring pastors into develop ing their own successful ministries. His Lectures to My Students are often used for this purpose, emphasizing the "practical" aspects ofevangelism. But while the form ofSpurgeon ' s successful preaching is often studied by would-be pastors, the content of this Christian giant's preaching and teaching is often ignored. Spurgeon is popularly thought to have heartily ap proved of the same theology that is pres . ently dominating American culture: Arminianism. Many Christian leaders, for instance, like to point out Spurgeon as one who also had no formal college training. They ignore the fact that he had a personal library containing more that 10,000 books. t It is further argued that the success of his ministry in themid-to-late 19th century was due to his anti-intellectual piety, "his yieldedness to the Spirit," and his Arminianism. The fact is, Spurgeon was 20.
MAY/JUNE 1992
not anti-intellectual, nor did he entertain delusions of being so holy that he could allow God to work only ifhe was "yielded." Most importantly, he was not an Arminian. He was a staunch Calvinist who opposed the dominant religious view of his day (and ofours), Arminianism.2 Even toward the end of his life he cold write, "From this doctrine I have not departed to this day."3 He was grateful that he never wavered from his Calvinism.4 "There is no soul living who holds more fmnly to the doc trine of grace than do 1...'tS Reviewing Spurgeon's beliefs, one will see that this tremendously fruitful ministry was built upon the preaching of the biblical gospel. In his work, "A Defence of Calvin ism," he states unequivocally: [T]here is no such thing as preaching Christ and Him crucified. unless we preach what nowadays is called Calvinism. It is a nickname to call it Calvinism; Calvinism is the gospel, and nothing else. I do notbelieve we can preach the gospel, if we do not preach justification by faith, withoutworks; nor unless we preach the sovereignty of God in His dispensation of grace; nor unless we exalt the electing, unchangeable, eternal, immutable, conquering love of Jehovah; nor do lthink we can preach the gospel, unless we base it upon the special and particular redemption of His elect and chosen people which Christ wrought out upon the cross; nor can I comprehend a gospel which lets saints fall away after they are called, and suffers the children of God to be burned in the fires of damnation after having once believed in Jesus. Such a gospel I abhor."6
Here Spurgeon affIrms his agreement with what are usually called ''The Five Points of Calvinism." Spurgeon's own
summation was much shorter: A Calvinist believes that salvation is of the Lord. 7 Se lections from his sermons and writings on these subjects make his position clear. Regarding Total Depravity and Irresistible Grace: 'When you say, 'can God make me become a Christian?' I tell you yes, for hereirrrests the power of the gospel. It does not ask your consent; but it gets it. It does not say, 'will you have it?', but it makes you willing in the day of God's power ....The gospel wants not your consent, it gets it. It knocks the enmity out of your heart. You say, 'I do not want to besaved'; Christ says you shall be. Hemakes your will tum round, and then you cry, 'Lord save, or 1 perish!'8
Regarding Unconditional Election 1 do not hesitate to say, that next to the doctrine of the crucifixion and the resurrec tion of our blessed Lord-no doctrine had such prominence in the early Christian Church as the doctrine of the election of grace. 9
And whoo confronted with the discomfort this doctrine would bring, he responded with little sympathy: '''I do not like it [divineelection],' saithone. Well, Ithought you would not; whoever dreamed you would?'''tO Regarding Particular Atonement: [I]fit was Christ's intention to save all men, how deplorably has he been disappointed, for we have His own testimony that there is a lake which bumeth with fire and brimstone, and into that pit of woe have been cast some of the very persons who, according to the theory of universal redemption, were bough; with His blood. tt He has punished Christ, why should He punish twice for one offence? Christ has died for all His people's sins, and if thou art in the covenant, thou art one of Christ's people. Damned thou canst not be. Suffer for thy sins thou canst not. Until God can be unjust, and demand two payments for one debt, He can not destroy the soul for whom Jesus died. 12
Regarding the Perseverance of the Saints: I do not know how some people, who
