Feminine Christian Graces

 

8/24/09 - 2nd Day - Morning. This will be the first of three blog posts over the next two days (Lord willing), so check back later today for a scattershooting post - because there is a lot in the news to talk about.

Our good friend Shannon asked me in the comments of the last post "What are the feminine Christian graces?", and I wanted to take the time here to answer her question, although I will not be able to do so exhaustively (I have too much other stuff to write today).

So, What are the Feminine Christian Graces?

Of course, the default "blueprint" of the virtuous woman is found in Proverbs the 31st chapter. I would not doubt that this exposition of a virtuous woman would make most modern women shrink away into a closet. The 31st of Proverbs is actual "typological" and is designed to represent the Church, and not particularly any one woman, although the representation made (the type) is evidently of those graces (gifts) that would be evident in a virtuous woman at the time this was written. But it is important for ALL of us to recognize, that this listing of virtues is principally designed to define the Body of Christ, and we all ought to be diligent about applying the lessons herein to ourselves.

But today we are talking about feminine Christian graces, so it does serve our purposes to peruse this section and mine it for valuable material, since God felt it necessary to use the virtuous woman as an example to the Church.

First, let's define Feminine Christian Graces:

Feminine: 1. Pertaining to a woman, or to women, or to females; as the female sex. 2. soft; tender; delicate. Her heavenly form angelic, but more soft and feminine. 3. Effeminate; destitute of manly qualities.

Christian: A real disciple of Christ; one who believes in the truth of the Christian religion, and studies to follow the example, and obey the precepts, of Christ; a believer in Christ who is characterized by real piety. One who is saved by Christ, born-again, and separated unto God for His purposes.

Graces: Gifts, favors, evidences of God's work wrought in the believer, excellencies of character, tendencies and proclivities that evidence regeneration and conversion.

In short, Feminine Christian Graces are gifts of God that evidence or expose a woman as a true Christian (and not a fake or a fraud); as having been the subject of the new birth, and of having a new heart and renovation of life. Feminine Christian Graces are symbols of God's miraculous and overwhelming work in the life of a woman.

It is often helpful to know what something ISN'T, in order to better identify what it IS

These are not Feminine Christian Graces:

False humility.
Immodesty.
Drawing attention to ones self, ones figure, or any (or all) physical attribute; nor is the false enhancement or amplification of any physical attribute.
False friendliness masking jealousy and envy.
Gossip.
Domination, Manipulation, or Manipulation by false or insincere submission.
Weakness, subterfuge, or trickery.
Emotion, Pride, Anger, Contrariness, Willfullness
Contentiousness
Laziness
Complaining, Whining, Griping, Nagging

I think you get the picture.

The problem is that modern society has portrayed an image of "femininity" which is not feminine at all. It is weak, tired, fake, manipulative, and whorish. Just picture in your mind the modern Charismatic woman, standing on Sunday morning in front of a mirror, plucking her eyebrows and teasing her hair, before squeezing into a tight skirt and putting on high-heels so she can go "worship Christ"; first in her singles class. She drops her children from her first marriage off and slinks into her class in the same way she used to slink into the bar or the night club. During the service she closes the eyes on her heavily made-up face (remember, "all clowns are liars") and sways to the music... and then she'll gush about how "the Holy Spirit really moved", etc. Remember, she is at the night club, not the true Church of Jesus Christ. THIS is what the world sells as Christian femininity. Like I said, sometimes we can find out what something is (or get a better feel for it), by seeing what it is not. Go to just about any street-corner "church" in America today. Write down how the women look, how they act, and examine how they work. When you are done, you should have a good idea of what Feminine Christian Graces ARE NOT.

Ok, so what are the Feminine Christian Graces?

Let us take a look at Chapter 31 of Proverbs. We'll start near the end, since in it we find a great distillation of what we should be looking for in our study: "Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised" (Prov. 31:30). Isn't that interesting? You see, what most women consider to be the most important (or one of the most important) things in life, the Bible calls "deceitful" - it evidences that the woman is not a Child of God, but is deceived about her condition. When a woman says "I want to do better, but I can't stop wearing makeup!", or "I just don't think covering my head makes me more spiritual", what she is really saying is, "You are trying to take from me the one thing I have that I value! I have no spiritual graces, so I cannot give up any physical ones!". When a woman says, "I want to wear pants or jeans because they are more comfortable!", she is saying, "My comfort comes before your honor, and I care not for how the Church of Jesus Christ is portrayed by me".

Unhappily, what I say is a fact, even if the woman wants to deny it.

In verse 11 of Chapter 31 of Proverbs we find that a virtuous woman is trustworthy, but not only that. She provides for the needs of her husband:

a) because it is her duty to do so, and
b) because if she does not, her husband is likely to look elsewhere

Unhappily, according to my experiences in counciling, many women are too ignorant to figure out what this means, but I won't spend any time explaining it. It's pretty obvious. In short, it is a woman's job to keep her husband home and happy. With 90%+ of the women who contact me complaining about their husbands (or their ex-husbands), I can trace their troubles to somewhere in this vicinity. To be really clear in Agrarian terms: If you do not provide feed for your cattle - do not be surprised or shocked to learn that they are in the neighbors pasture. And it IS your fault (1 Cor. 7:2-5).

Verse 12 exposes many professing "christian" women. A Godly woman's energies and her heart are to do her husband good and not evil; to make his life easier and not more difficult; to smooth his path and not disturb it. Her time ought to be spent thinking of ways to please her husband, and to make his life better. She will do Him good and not evil, all the days of his life.

Verses 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 24 and 27 all point out that a virtuous woman is industrious, creative, thrifty, hard-working, intelligent, strong (and not like these weak modern women), tough, gritty, etc. Read these over and over, because there is a reason God mentioned these qualities so many times in such a short section.

Verse 20 commends a virtuous woman for being charitable. This means that she has care and love for others in her community, and that (rather than exhibiting vanity, vapidity, jealousy, and competition) she extends her heart and care towards those who have a need.

Verses 22 and 23 show that she is concerned for the reputation of her family, and for her husband. Hers is not a life of decorating just because she is vain and stupid. Hers is a life of outward work. She considers how her home looks, not because she is in love with spending her family's money on quilts, doilies, and aprons, but because she desires for her family to be considered clean and orderly. She dresses her family properly, not because she is in a competition with the neighbors, or because she can't stay out of the shops, but because the reputation of her husband is her care.

In Verse 23 we see that the woman works diligently in the home and on the farm so that her husband can serve others. When he is "at the gates", he is serving as an Elder or a counselor. She works doubly hard inside to give him the ability to work outward evangelically. Every minute that her husband is spared for this valuable duty, is a credit to his wife.

Verse 25 - She is strong, and not just outwardly. She is strong in mind and faith. She stengthens herself in the inner man so that she is automatically rewarded for her endeavors by a knowledge that she is glorifying Christ. She knows she serves Christ, and does not doubt it one bit. If doubt creeps in, then she will seek herself, her comfort, her vanity, her silly pride - so she guards against that by reminding herself that she seeks to serve Christ and His Kingdom. She is honorable because she is the "type" that God has used to represent His Bride, and she knows that the picture the world gains of the true Church is directly related to the picture she portrays of a Godly woman. In short, if the woman is dressed like a whore, uncovered, vain, fatuous, competitive, and manipulative - then it is no wonder that the Church is seen in the same light.

In Verse 26 we see that the mouth and the tongue of the virtuous woman are guarded by wisdom and prudence. When she opens her mouth, it is in wisdom, not because there are vanities and vacuous thoughts that need to spill out of a diseased mind. Her tongue is used for kindness, not vitriol, and not manipulation. She is not fake or false. If she says it, she means it.

These understandings paint a picture of a virtuous and beautiful Christian woman. While the carnal person might say, "These are all works!", it is not true at all, and that thought exposes the wicked heart that cares not for Christ's glory. These are works, sure, but they are the RESULT of a spiritual work being done in the heart of the elect of God. They are works of God on a vessel of honor. The scary thing is this...

They are almost always (I'll leave a little room for some extenuating circumstances) INEVITABLE results of a woman being born again.

***crickets***

I would like to emphasize a point before I finish. Some people might think that what I have said applies only to married women. That is not true. Every woman is, and ought to be, under some masculine authority. If she is not, then I shudder for her future, both here and at the judgment seat of Christ. And since every woman is to be under authority, then these attitudes (because that is what they really are) are to be demonstrated to any and all spiritual authority.

Women, I want you to do a little "Twilight Zone" imagining with me. Imagine, if you will, that you are busy doing whatever it is you do during the day. Close your eyes and picture yourself doing some daily task. As you are working, a messenger directly from the throne of God shows up to speak to you. It is absolutely clear to you in your mind and in your spirit, that a prophet of God has come to you to speak to you directly on behalf of the One who made everything that exists; the One who holds all of creation together with His Word. This prophet enters the room... How do you respond? Is your heart in your chest... pounding? Do you have awe and reverence? Now... Did you know that the God of Creation considers your husband (or any spiritual authority God has placed over you) to be His prophet sent to you? Did you know that God has promised to judge individuals and the world based on how they have reverenced His prophets? The way that a woman refers to, defers to, and honors her spiritual authority is a Feminine Christian Grace.

What if God sent a special servant to intervene with Him on your behalf? In the old days we called these guys "priests", but, unhappily, false religion has destroyed the impact of the term. But what if God sent a special person, an intermediary, to intervene for you before Him? Sure, you are free to pray for yourself, and to go to God directly - this we do not deny; but wouldn't it be a special sign of love if God also sent a special priest just for you? How would you treat that special messenger? Well, the Bible says that your husband or your spiritual authority is the Priest of your family. He is sent to stand for you before God, and to intervene for your soul and your eternal safety.

I could go on, because God also sent your husband or authority to serve as King to you. But if someone will not honor her husband as "husband", how can she undestand what it is to serve and honor a King? Our society has overthrown the King, so it may be too difficult for me to relay to you what deference a King deserves.

In short, Feminine Christian Graces are those excellencies of character and of spirit that are evidence of God's power overwhelming a woman in a loving way. She is baptised in faith, so that she sees God and has the ability to know what His desire is for her. She looks on her family as a special care, delivered to her by God - and knows intimately that she will give an account for what she has done with what she has received. Feminine Christian Graces are representations (types) of the true Church. If you were to write down all of the excellent characteristics of the true Church throughout time, these characteristics are plain and evident in a truly Christian woman. If the Church was patient in tribulation, then so is a Godly woman. If the Church was beautiful and strong in persecution, then so is a Godly woman. If the Church was humble and meek under the rod of correction, or the scourge of chastisement, then so is a Godly woman. If the Church ever showed love and care and self-abandonment for others, then so does a Godly woman. If the Church ever exhibited charity and goodness, then so does a Godly woman. If the Church ever prostrated herself in honor and reverence before her Husband, then so does a Godly woman.

I hope I have been clear. Now, let us open our eyes and look at the state of the so-called "church" today. She is slutty and stiff-necked, manipulative and self-centered, vain and weak. She is in Proverbs, but not in chapter 31. She is found in chapter 7. If this is true of the mainsteam "church", then it is true of most women who call themselves "Christian". I know these things, because God has given me a vision of the true Church. Pray that He will do so for you.

After all, most of you won't even call your husband "sir".

I am your servant in Christ Jesus,

Michael Bunker

source

A Word to PARENTS Taken from The Ten Commandments by AW Pink

One of the saddest and most tragic features of our twentieth-century "Civilization" is the awful prevalence of disobedience on the part of children to their parents during the days of childhood, and their lack of reverence and respect when they grow up. This is evidenced in many ways, and is general, alas, even in the families of professing Christians. In his extensive travels during the past thirty years the writer has sojourned in a great many homes. The piety and beauty of some of them remain as sacred and fragrant memories, but others of them have left the most painful impressions. Children who are self-willed or spoiled, not only bring themselves into perpetual unhappiness but also inflict discomfort upon all who come into contact with them, and auger, by their conduct, evil things for the days to come.

In the vast majority of cases the children are not nearly so much to be blamed as the parents. Failure to honor father and mother, wherever it is found, is in large measure due to parental departure from the Scriptural pattern. Nowadays the father thinks that he has fulfilled his obligations by providing food and raiment for his children, and by acting occasionally as a kind of moral policeman. Too often the mother is content to be a domestic drudge, making herself the slave of her children instead of training them to be useful. She performs many a task which her daughters should do in order to allow them freedom for the frivolities of a giddy set. The consequence has been that the home, which ought to be — for its orderliness, its sanctity, and its reign of love — a miniature heaven on earth, has degenerated into "a filling station for the day and a parking place for the night," as someone has tersely expressed it.

Before outlining the duties of parents toward their children, let it be pointed out that they cannot properly discipline their children unless they have first learned to govern themselves. How can they expect to subdue self-will in their little ones and check the rise of an angry temper if their own passions are allowed free reign? The character of parents is to a very large degree reproduced in their offspring: "And Adam lived a hundred and thirty years and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image" (Gen_5:3). The parent must himself or herself be in subjection to God if he would lawfully expect obedience from his little ones. This principle is enforced in Scripture again and again: "Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself?" (Rom_2:20). Of the bishop, that is, elder or pastor, it is written that he must be "one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity. For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?" (1Ti_3:5-6). And if a man or woman knows not how to rule his own spirit (Pro_25:28), how shall he care for his offspring.

God has entrusted to parents a most solemn charge, and yet a most precious privilege. It is not too much to say that in their hands are deposited the hope and blessing, or else the curse and plague, of the next generation. Their families are the nurseries of both Church and State, and according to the cultivating of them now will be their fruitfulness hereafter. Oh, how prayerfully and carefully should you who are parents discharge your trust. Most assuredly God will require an account of the children from your hands, for they are His, and only lent to your care and keeping. The task assigned you is no easy one, especially in these superlatively evil days. Nevertheless, if trustfully and earnestly sought, the grace of God will be found sufficient in this responsibility as in others. The Scriptures supply us with rules to go by, with promises to lay hold of, and, we may add, with fearful warnings lest we treat the matter lightly.

Instruct Your Children

We have space to mention but four of the principal duties devolving on parents. First, it is your duty to instruct your children. "And these words which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up" (Deu_6:6-7). This work is far too important to allocate to others; parents, and not Sabbath School teachers, are Divinely required to educate their little ones. Nor is this to be an occasional or sporadic thing, but one that is to have constant attention. The glorious character of God, the requirements of His holy Law, the exceeding sinfulness of sin, the wondrous gift of His Son, and the fearful doom which is the certain portion of all who despise and reject Him are to be brought repeatedly before the minds of your little ones. "They are too young to understand such things" is the Devil’s argument to deter you from discharging your duty.

"And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord" (Eph_6:4). It is to be noted that the "fathers" are here specifically addressed, and this for two reasons:

(1) because they are the heads of their families and their government is especially committed to them; and

(2) because they are prone to transfer this duty to their wives. This instruction is to be given by reading to them the Holy Scriptures and enlarging upon those things most agreeable to their age. This should be followed by catechizing them. A continued discourse to the young is not nearly so effective as when it is diversified by questions and answers. If they know they will be questioned on what you read, they will listen more closely, and the formulating of answers teaches them to think for themselves. Such a method is also found to make the memory more retentive, for answering definite questions fixes more specific ideas in the mind. Observe how often Christ asked His disciples questions.

Be a Good Example

Second, good instruction is to be accompanied by good example. That teaching which issues only from the lips is not at all likely to sink any deeper than the ears. Children are particularly quick to detect inconsistencies and to despise hypocrisy. It is at this point that parents need to be most on their faces before God, daily seeking from Him that grace that they so sorely need and that He alone can supply. What care you need to take, lest you say or do anything before your children that would tend to corrupt their minds or be of evil consequence for them to follow! How you need to be constantly on your guard against anything which might render you mean and contemptible in the eyes of those who should respect and revere you! The parent is not only to instruct his children in the ways of holiness, but is himself to walk before them in those ways, and show by his practice and demeanor what a pleasant and profitable thing it is to be regulated by the Divine Law.

In a Christian home the supreme aim should be household piety — the honoring of God at all times. Everything else must be subordinated to this high purpose. In the matter of family life, neither husband nor wife can throw on the other all the responsibility for the religious character of the home. The mother is most certainly required to supplement the efforts of the father, for the children enjoy far more of her company than they do of his. If there is a tendency in fathers to be too strict and severe, mothers are prone to be too lax and lenient; and they need to be much on their guard against anything which would weaken their husband’s authority. When he has forbidden a thing, she must not give her consent to it. It is striking to note that the exhortation of Eph_6:4 is preceded by instruction to "be filled with the Spirit" (Eph_5:18), while the parallel exhortation in Col_3:21 is preceded by the exhortation to "let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly" (Col_3:16), showing that parents cannot possibly discharge their duties unless they are filled with the Spirit and the Word.

Discipline Your Children

Third, instruction and example is to be enforced by correction and discipline. This means, first of all, the exercise of authority — the proper reign of Law. Of "the father of the faithful" God said, "For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which He hath spoken of him" (Gen_18:19). Ponder this carefully, Christian fathers. Abraham did more than proffer good advice; he enforced law and order in his household. The rules he administered had for their design the keeping of "the way of the Lord" — that which was right in His sight. And this duty was performed by the patriarch in order that the blessing of God might rest on his family. No family can be properly brought up without household laws, which include reward and punishment, and these are especially important in early childhood, when as yet moral character is unformed and moral motives are not understood or appreciated.

Rules should be simple, clear, reasonable, and inflexible like the Ten Commandments — a few great moral rules, instead of a multitude of petty restrictions. One way of needlessly provoking children to wrath is to hamper them with a thousand trifling restrictions and minute regulations that are capricious and are due to a fastidious temper in the parent. It is of vital importance for the child’s future good that he or she should be brought into subjection at an early age. An untrained child means a lawless adult. Our prisons are crowded with those who were allowed to have their own way during their minority. The least offense of a child against the rulers of the home ought not to pass without due correction, for if he finds leniency in one direction or toward one offense he will expect the same toward others. And then disobedience will become more frequent till the parent has no control save that of brute force.

The teaching of Scripture is crystal clear on this point. "Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him" (Pro_22:15; and cf. Pro_23:13-14). Therefore God has said, "He that spareth the rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes (speedily)" (Pro_13:24). And again, "Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying" (Pro_19:18). Let not a foolish fondness stay thee. Certainly God loves His children with a much deeper parental affection that you can love yours, yet He tells us, "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten" (Rev_3:19; and cf. Heb_12:6). "The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame" (Pro_29:15). Such severity must be used in his early years, before age and obstinacy have hardened the child against the fear and smart of correction. Spare the rod, and you spoil the child; use it not on him, and you lay up one for your own back.

It should hardly need pointing out that the above Scriptures are by no means teaching that a reign of terror is to mark the home life. Children can be governed and chastened in such a way that they lose not their respect and affection for their parents. Beware of souring their temper by unreasonable demands, or provoking their wrath by striking them to vent your own rage. The parent is to punish a disobedient child not because he is angry, but because it is right — because God requires it, and the welfare of the child demands it. Never make a threat which you have no intention of executing, nor a promise you do not mean to perform. Remember that for your children to be well informed is good, but for them to be well controlled is better.

Pay close attention to the unconscious influences of a child’s surroundings. Study how to make your home attractive, not by introducing carnal and worldly things, but by noble ideals, by the inculcating of a spirit of unselfishness, by genial and happy fellowship. Separate the little ones from evil associates. Watch carefully the periodicals and books which come into your home, the occasional guests which sit at your table, and the companionships that your children form. Parents often carelessly let others have free access to their children who undermine the parental authority, overturn the parental ideals, and sow seeds of frivolity and iniquity before they are aware. Never let your child spend a night among strangers. So train your children that your girls will be useful and helpful members of their generation and your boys industrious and self-supporting.

Pray for Your Children

Fourth, the last and most important duty, respecting both the temporal and spiritual good of your children, is fervent supplication to God for them; for without this all the rest will be ineffectual. Means are unavailing unless the Lord blesses them. The Throne of Grace is to be earnestly implored that your efforts to bring up your children for God may be crowned with success. True, there must be a humble submission to His sovereign will, a bowing before the truth of Election. On the other hand, it is the privilege of faith to lay hold of the Divine promises and to remember that the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Of holy Job it is recorded concerning his sons and daughters that he rose up early in the morning and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all" (Job_1:5). A prayerful atmosphere should pervade the home and be breathed by all who share it.

THE END

ARE YOU SURE YOU LIKE SPURGEON?

 

By Alan Maben

"The doctrine of justification itself, as preached by an Arminian, is nothing but the doctrine of salvation by works..." -- C.H. Spurgeon

Praised by many evangelicals as a great preacher, Charles H. Spurgeon is considered a successful and "safe" example of a "non-theological" ministry. His works are recommended as a means to lead many aspiring pastors into developing their own successful ministries. His Lectures to My Students are often used for this purpose, emphasizing the "practical" aspects of evangelism. But while the form of Spurgeon's successful preaching is often studied by would-be pastors, the content of this Christian giant's preaching and teaching is often ignored. Rather Spurgeon is popularly thought to have heartily approved of the same theology that is presently 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.1 It is further argued that the success of his ministry in the mid-to-late 19th century was due to his anti-intellectual piety, "his yieldedness to the Spirit," and his Arminianism. The fact is, Spurgeon was not anti-intellectual, nor did he entertain delusions of being so holy that he could allow God to work only if he was "yielded." Most importantly, he was not an Arminian. He was a staunch Calvinist who opposed the dominant religious view of his day (and of ours), Arminianism.2 Even toward the end of his life he could 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 firmly to the doctrine of grace than do I..."5 Reading 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 Calvinism," 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 not believe we can preach the gospel, if we do not preach justification by faith, without works; 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 I think 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

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 Selections 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 herein rests 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 be saved; Christ says you shall be. He makes our will turn round, and then you cry,"'Lord save, or I perish!"8

Regarding Unconditional Election:
I do not hesitate to say, that next to the doctrine of the crucifixion and the resurrection of our blessed Lord--no doctrine had such prominence in the early Christian Church as the doctrine of the election of grace.9 And when confronted with the discomfort this doctrine would bring, he responded with little sympathy: "'I do not like it [divine election],' saith one. Well, I thought you would not; whoever dreamed you would?"10

Regarding Particular Atonement:
[I]f it 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 burneth 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 bought with His blood.11

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 cannot destroy the soul for whom Jesus died.12

Regarding the Perseverance of the Saints:
I do not know how some people, who believe that a Christian can fall from grace, manage to be happy. It must be a very commendable thing in them to be able to get through a day without despair. If I did not believe in the doctrine of the final perseverance of the saints, I think I should be of all men most miserable, because I should lack any ground of comfort.13
The selections above indicate that C. H. Spurgeon was without a doubt an affirmed, self-professing Calvinist who made his ministry's success dependent upon truth, unwilling to consider the "Five Points of Calvinism" as separate, sterile categories to be memorized and believed in isolation from each other or Scripture. He often blended the truths represented by the Five Points, because they actually are mutually supportive parts of a whole, and not five little sections of faith added to one's collection of Christian beliefs. Spurgeon never presented them as independent oddities to be believed as the sum of Christianity. Rather, he preached a positive gospel, ever mindful that these beliefs were only part of the whole counsel of God and not the sum total. These points were helpful, defensive summaries, but they did not take the place of the vast theater of redemption within which God's complete and eternal plan was worked out in the Old and New Testaments.

Certain that the Cross was an offense and stumbling block, Spurgeon was unwilling to make the gospel more acceptable to the lost. "The old truth that Calvin preached, that Augustine preached, is the truth that I must preach today, or else be false to my conscience and to God. I cannot shape the truth; I know of no such thing as paring off the rough edges of a doctrine."14 Elsewhere he challenged "I cannot find in Scripture any other doctrine than this. It is the essence of the Bible....Tell me anything contrary to this truth, and it will be heresy..."15 Spurgeon believed that the price of ridicule and rejection was not counted so high that he should refuse to preach this gospel: "[W]e are reckoned the scum of creation; scarcely a minister looks on us or speaks favorable of us, because we hold strong vies upon the divine sovereignty of God, and his divine electings and special love towards His own people."16

Then, as now, the dominant objection to such preaching was that it would lead to licentious living. Since Christ "did it all," there was no need for them to obey the commands of Scripture. Aside from the fact that we should not let sinful people decide what kind of gospel we will preach, Spurgeon had his own rebuttals to this confusion:

[I]t is often said that the doctrines we believe have a tendency to lead us to sin....I ask the man who dares to say that Calvinism is a licentious religion, what he thinks of the character of Augustine, or Calvin, or Whitefield, who in successive ages were the great exponents of the systems of grace; or what will he say of the Puritans, whose works are full of them? Had a man been an Arminian in those days, he would have been accounted the vilest heretic breathing, but now we are looked upon as the heretics, and they as orthodox. We have gone back to the old school; we can trace our descent from the apostles....We can run a golden line up to Jesus Christ Himself, through a holy succession of mighty fathers, who all held these glorious truths; and we can ask concerning them, "Where will you find holier and better men in the world?"17

His attitude toward those who would distort the gospel for their own ideas of "holiness" is clear from the following: No doctrine is so calculated to preserve a man from sin as the doctrine of the grace of God. Those who have called it 'a licentious doctrine' did not know anything at all about it. Poor ignorant things, they little knew that their own vile stuff was the most licentious doctrine under Heaven.18

According to Spurgeon (and Scripture as well), the response of gratitude is the motive for holy living, not the uncertain status of the believer under the influence of Arminianism and its accompanying legalism. "The tendency of Arminianism is towards legality; it is nothing but legality which lays at the root of Arminianism."19 He was very clear on the dangerous relationship of Arminianism to legalism: "Do you not see at once that this is legality--that this is hanging our salvation upon our work--that this is making our eternal life to depend upon something we do? Nay, the doctrine of justification itself, as preached by an Arminianism, is nothing but the doctrine of salvation by works...."20

A status before God based upon how we "use" Christ and the Spirit to feign righteousness was a legalism hated by Spurgeon. As in our day, Spurgeon saw that one of the strongholds of Arminianism included the independent churches.21 Arminianism was a natural, God-rejecting, self-exalting religion and heresy.22 As Spurgeon believed, we are born Arminians by nature.23 He saw this natural aversion to God as encouraged by believing self-centered, self-exalting fancies. "If you believe that everything turns upon the free-will of man, you will naturally have man as its principal figure in your landscape."24 And again he affirms the remedy for this confusion to be true doctrine. "I believe that very much of current Arminianism is simply ignorance of gospel doctrine."25 Further, "I do not serve the god of the Arminians at all; I have nothing to do with him, and I do not bow down before the Baal they have set up; he is not my God, nor shall he ever be; I fear him not, nor tremble at his presence...The God that saith today and denieth tomorrow, that justifieth today and condemns the next...is no relation to my God in the least degree. He may be a relation of Ashtaroth or Baal, but Jehovah never was or can be his name."26 Refusing to compromise the gospel in any way, he soundly refuted and rejected common attempts to unite Calvinism and Arminianism into a synthesized belief. Nor would he downplay the importance of the differences between the two systems:

This may seem to you to be of little consequence, but it really is a matter of life and death. I would plead with every Christian--think it over, my dear brother. When some of us preach Calvinism, and some Arminianism, we cannot both be right; it is of not use trying to think we can be--'Yes,' and 'no,' cannot both be true.Truth does not vacillate like the pendulum which shakes backwards and forwards....One must be right; the other wrong.27

Alan Maben

Notes

1. Walter A. Elwell, ed. Evangelical Dictonary of Theology (Grand Rapids,
Michigan: Baker Book House, 1984), s.v. "Spurgeon, Charles Haddon," by J. E. Johnson. 2. From sermon cited in Iain Murray, The Forgotten Spurgeon, 2d ed., (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1986), 52. 3. "A Defense of Calvinism," by C. H. Spurgeon, in C. H. Spurgeon Autobiography, eds. S. Spurgeon and J. Harrold, Rev ed., vol I, The Early Years 1834-1859 (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1976: reprint), 165. 4. J. E. Johnson, 1051 5. Spurgeon, "A Defense of Calvinism," 173. 6. Ibid. 168. 7. Ibid., 168. 8. As cited in Murray, 93. 9. From a sermon cited in Murray, Ibid., 44. 10. Ibid., 60. 11. Spurgeon, 172. 12. From a sermon cited in Murray, 245. 13. Spurgeon, 169. 14. Ibid., 162. 15. Ibid., 168. 16. Murray, 168. 17. Spurgeon, 174. 18. Ibid. 19. Murray, 79. 20. Ibid., 81. 21. Murray, 53. 22. spurgeon, 168. 23. Ibid., 164. 24. Murray, 111. 25. Ibid., 68. 26. Spurgeon's Sermons, vol. 6 (Baker, 1989), p.241 27. Murray, op. cit., 57.

 

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