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Enjoying God Blog

Few theological issues are as fraught with as much controversy and rancor as that of the security of the believer in Jesus Christ. I continue to marvel at how energetic people are on both sides of this issue when it comes to defending their cherished view. Without delving into the subject in exegetical detail, I would like to cite the words of Charles Spurgeon. His zeal for the truth of eternal security is deserving of our careful and prayerful consideration.

“If one dear saint of God had perished, so might all; if one of the covenant ones be lost, so may all be; and then there is no gospel promise true, but the Bible is a lie, and there is nothing in it worthy my acceptance. I will be an infidel at once when I can believe that a saint of God can ever fall finally. If God hath loved me once, then He will love me forever. God has a master-mind; He arranged everything in His gigantic intellect long before He did it; and once having settled it, He never alters it, ‘This shall be done,’ saith He, and the iron hand of destiny marks it down, and it is brought to pass. ‘This is my purpose,’ and it stands, nor can earth or hell alter it. ‘This is My decree,’ saith He, ‘promulgate it, yet holy angels; rend it down from the gate of Heaven, ye devils, if ye can; but ye cannot alter the decree, it shall stand forever.’ God altereth not His plans; why should He? He is Almighty, and therefore can perform His pleasure. Why should He? He is the everlasting God, and therefore cannot die before His plan is accomplished. Why should He change? Ye worthless atoms of earth, ephemera of a day, ye creeping insects upon this bay-leaf of existence, ye may change your plans, but He shall never, never change His. Has He told me that His plan is to save me? If so, I am forever safe.”

Spurgeon continues:

“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 the doctrine of the final perseverance of the saints, I think I should be of all men the most miserable, because I should lack any ground of comfort. . . . I believe that the happiest of Christians and the truest of Christians are those who never dare to doubt God, but who take His Word simply as it stands, and believe it, and ask no questions, just feeling assured that if God has said it, it will be so.”

This is why Spurgeon could sing, and I hope you can as well:

“My name from the palms of His hands,
Eternity will not erase;
Impressed on His heart it remains,
In marks of indelible grace.”

“A Defence of Calvinism,” in C. H. Spurgeon Autobiography: Volume 1: The Early Years, 1834-1859 (The Banner of Truth Trust, 1973) 169-70.

 

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