Spurgeonism, &c., in a letter to a friend. Hello brother, first and foremost, thanks again for being my friend. Sorry to hear of your bodily afflictions, which makes my struggles seem trivial! Anxious thoughts in reference to aging all too frequently unsettle the mind as constant reminders of our “body of this death,” Romans 7:24, are apparently needed, Psalm 119:67, and faithfully dispatched, Isaiah 42:16, in a such a meticulously proportioned and merciful manner in order that we might retain our place, Psalm 46:10, as sheltered under the ‘wings’ of the ALMIGHTY. Ruth 2:12. “The LORD is thy keeper, the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.” Psalms 121:5.
Since the subject line of your return letter had my original title still attached, (C.H. Spurgeon,) I should take a minute to confess my confusion in regards to this ‘great’ individual, Luke 6:26, as my thoughts on Spurgeon or Spurgeonism have fluctuated over the years, and I’m back to the basics! The basics of honoring the scriptures above men at whatever the cost! What turned the scales was the fact that I just came across his validation of John Wesley again, (endorsing his brother-in-arms Wesley as a true disciple of Christ, II John 1:10-11,) I say again, because I’m sure I’ve read it a dozen times, but this time I was left speechless in my mind.
Here is the quote: “There is no soul living who holds more firmly to the doctrines of grace than I do, and if any man asks me whether I am ashamed to be called a Calvinist, I answer, I wish to be called nothing but a Christian; but if you ask me, do I hold the doctrinal views which were held by John Calvin, I reply, I do in the main hold them, and rejoice to avow it. But far be it from me even to imagine that Zion contains none but Calvinistic Christians within her walls, or that there are none saved who do not hold our views. Most atrocious things have been spoken about the character and spiritual condition of John Wesley, the modern prince of Arminians. I can only say concerning him that, while I detest many of the doctrines which he preached, yet for the man himself I have a reverence second to no Wesleyan; and if there were wanted two apostles to be added to the number of the twelve, I do not believe that there could be found two men more fit to be so added than George Whitefield and John Wesley.” (CHS, “A Defense of Calvinism,” extracted from his autobiography.)
There is so much that could be said about this, which I’ll have to pass by for the moment, but what even are these so-called “doctrines of grace” that he is referring to? I suppose it’s what he calls Calvinism? Somehow in his deluded mind he piecemealed “the doctrine of Christ” into doctrines, which one with no real love to the truth can randomly discard ‘willy-nilly’ without any real consternation, which might explain this derision of CHRIST? “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God.” II John 1:9. Is it possible to rejoice in the language of the gospel, and not the gospel itself? Men ‘tubbed and scrubbed’ in the way of ecclesiastical churchianity, eager to fetch unto themselves notions of gospel truth, who themselves are not fetched or apprehended by the power of the truth, (“apprehended of Christ Jesus,” Philippians 3:12,) can easily relinquish that which never ‘cost’ them anything in the first place. {“Alas, master! for it was borrowed.” II Kings 6:5.}
The gospel, or the language of the gospel can be learned. Not that any of the catechisms or confessions of faith that are parroted around in any sense define or can contain the gospel, but just think, how many people learn those catechisms, subscribe to those confessions, make a profession of faith, and then, if really serious as enamored with their discoveries of biblical truth or the “doctrines” of grace as they are called, become your next pastors, preachers and elders, &c., and the show goes on and on, year after year, generation after generation, as the ‘form’ or ‘shell’ of Christianity has sustained itself for almost 2,000 years. Incredible show!
Speaking the ‘language’ of holy scripture is relatively easy, and so it comes as no surprise when we see JW’s on the street corner denying the ‘breath’ of their existence, John 1:4, or Arminians trampling the blood of Christ under their feet, Hebrews 10:29, &c., but when we hear a so-called gospel minister, a well indoctrinated writer, or whoever, speak so definitively of the grace of Christ, the gospel of our salvation, sovereignty of divine grace, justification in Christ, &c., and whatever else becometh “sound doctrine,” Titus 2:1, in terms so definitive, and passionately clear, how can we not be so completely boggled in our minds and confused in our thoughts as in wonderment we just can’t understand how this can be? That anyone indoctrinated into the way of Christ, “sealed” with the “holy spirit of promise,” Ephesians 1:13, whose eyes has been measurably opened to the glory of redemption, the preeminence of Christ in all things, the absoluteness of GOD and salvation by grace alone to so easily relinquish or compromise the Gospel by giving credence to that which is so blatantly heretical, (Arminian Conditionalism,) and ‘break bread’ with those that scoff and ridicule the absoluteness of all which CHRIST finalized on the cross? Voluntary affiliation with error is a condonation of it, and the sheer fact that one would treat with such contempt that (the truth of the Gospel) which should be more precious than life itself, speaks volumes as to our valuation of Christ, as the two are inseparable! “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.” II John 1:9.
Of this we can be most certain, which is that Christ never revealed anything to men that derogates from his own glory, or that which obscures his own preeminence in all things, Colossians 1:18, and although we may all be confused about countless things that are revealed in the scriptures, outright confounded at times as we navigate its pages, and undoubtedly mistaken regarding many portions of God’s word, &c., but of this we can be also most certain, that regardless of what understanding we may or may not have been given, in whatever “measure of faith,” Romans 12:3, that has been allotted to us “according to the measure of the gift of Christ,” Ephesians 4:7, that faith (the “faith of God’s elect,” Titus 1:1 = “an understanding” to “know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ; this is the true God, and eternal life,” I John 5:20,) will look to CHRIST for all of salvation, all of life, and nowhere else. “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth, for I am GOD, and there is none else.” Isaiah 45:22. This is that “one mind” (“that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,” Romans 15:6,) that all those “sanctified in Christ Jesus” have in common; the “common faith” as we have it in Titus 1:4, to “call upon the name of JESUS CHRIST our LORD.”
With this in mind we are reminded of the fact that no one can say that “JESUS is the LORD,” in the most absolute and all comprehensive sense “but by the Holy Ghost.” I Corinthians 12:3. In a very real sense the “whole” apostate “world,” Revelation 12:9, as deceived, Jeremiah 50:6, and deceiving, Jeremiah 14:14, deny this cardinal truth – “JESUS is the LORD” – when they deny his DIVINITY and ONENESS with the FATHER, either outright by mutilating the scriptures “to their own destruction,” II Peter 3:16, (“and the people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it, and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil,” Numbers 11:8 = a good description of how those that have “giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils,” I Timothy 4:1, treat the scriptures,) and so deny that JESUS is LORD in his person, or by insinuating in any sense that the work of Christ was not sufficient enough to “finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness,” Daniel 9:24, to fully satisfy the justice of GOD for all those for whom he died, (“I am the good shepherd, the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep, John 10:11,) as a substitutionary sacrifice, (“the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me,” Galatians 2:20,) by which “he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.” Hebrews 10:14.
In summation, when God “saves” a person, he gives that person a knowledge of both the PERSON and the WORK of Christ. This is inseparable! This revelation of Christ, if I may call it that, is that which assimilates your life, so that in one very real sense you may more easily pluck out thy own “right eye,” or sever your own limbs, Matthew 5:29, than to ‘part’ with the truth of the gospel, or in treating it with such contempt by embracing those that hate the LORD, and calling them brethren, regardless of their “apostolic wesleyan demeanor.”
Well dear brother, that is far more than I had intended to write, which explains the long delay, as I think of you not only when we speak “one to another” in these infrequent communications, Malachi 3:16, but daily as we congregate together around the gospel of our salvation as positioned in the death of the Substitute. “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great GOD and our SAVIOUR JESUS GOD.” Titus 2:13.
From your last, I love this confession when you write, “focusing on my unworthiness and lowliness can take my eyes off of the fact that in Christ, I am perfect and holy. That, I find incredible! I love reading Scripture and seeing the impossible demands of God throughout Scripture and knowing that in Christ, I am credited with all of those glorious accomplishments and qualities, though I possess none of myself.” Wow, that’s a loaded statement, to which I say AMEN, how else could we otherwise live! MPJ