Did Charles H Spurgeon think Calvinism was a deception?

[Dylan569]

Who was Charles Haddon Spurgeon? From Crossway's 10 things to know about Spurgeon
"Spurgeon’s was a cross-centered and cross-shaped theology, for the cross was “the hour” of Christ’s glorification (John 12:23–24), the place where Christ was and is exalted, the only message able to overturn the hearts of men and women otherwise enslaved to sin. Along with Isaiah 45:22, one of Spurgeon’s favorite Bible verses was John 12:32: “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
He insisted on celebrating the Lord’s Supper every Sunday, and often broke bread during the week as well. He believed his preaching of the crucified Christ was the only reason why such great crowds were drawn to his church for so many years."

10 Things You Should Know about Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon was known as the 'Prince of Preachers.' Learn more about the life and ministry of this influential theologian and preacher.

www.crossway.org

Spurgeon's View of Calvinism,
“Salvation is of the Lord.” That is just an epitome of Calvinism; it is the sum and substance of it. If anyone should ask me what I mean by a Calvinist, I should reply, “He is one who says, Salvation is of the Lord.” I cannot find in Scripture any other doctrine than this. It is the essence of the Bible. “He only is my rock and my salvation.” Tell me anything contrary to this truth, and it will be a heresy; tell me a heresy, and I shall find its essence here, that it has departed from this great, this fundamental, this rock truth, “God is my rock and my salvation.” What is the heresy of Rome, but the addition of something to the perfect merits of Jesus Christ the bringing in of the works of the flesh, to assist in our justification? And what is the heresy of Arminianism but the addition of something to the work of the Redeemer? Every heresy, if brought to the touchstone, will discover itself here. I have my own Private opinion that there 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 after having once believed in Jesus. Such a gospel I abhor. “If ever it should come to pass, That sheep of Christ might fall away, My fickle, feeble soul, alas!

CHARLES SPURGEON'S WRITINGS - A DEFENSE OF CALVINISM

 

[Christ4Ever]

[1Co 3:1-23 KJV]
1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, [even] as unto babes in Christ.
2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able [to bear it], neither yet now are ye able.
3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas [there is] among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I [am] of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
5 Who then is Paul, and who [is] Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, [ye are] God's building.
10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and [that] the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which [temple] ye are.
18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;
23 And ye are Christ's; and Christ [is] God's.

 

[Dylan569]

Who was Charles Haddon Spurgeon? From Crossway's 10 things to know about Spurgeon
"Spurgeon’s was a cross-centered and cross-shaped theology, for the cross was “the hour” of Christ’s glorification (John 12:23–24), the place where Christ was and is exalted, the only message able to overturn the hearts of men and women otherwise enslaved to sin. Along with Isaiah 45:22, one of Spurgeon’s favorite Bible verses was John 12:32: “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
He insisted on celebrating the Lord’s Supper every Sunday, and often broke bread during the week as well. He believed his preaching of the crucified Christ was the only reason why such great crowds were drawn to his church for so many years."

10 Things You Should Know about Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon was known as the 'Prince of Preachers.' Learn more about the life and ministry of this influential theologian and preacher.

www.crossway.org

Spurgeon's View of Calvinism,
“Salvation is of the Lord.” That is just an epitome of Calvinism; it is the sum and substance of it. If anyone should ask me what I mean by a Calvinist, I should reply, “He is one who says, Salvation is of the Lord.” I cannot find in Scripture any other doctrine than this. It is the essence of the Bible. “He only is my rock and my salvation.” Tell me anything contrary to this truth, and it will be a heresy; tell me a heresy, and I shall find its essence here, that it has departed from this great, this fundamental, this rock truth, “God is my rock and my salvation.” What is the heresy of Rome, but the addition of something to the perfect merits of Jesus Christ the bringing in of the works of the flesh, to assist in our justification? And what is the heresy of Arminianism but the addition of something to the work of the Redeemer? Every heresy, if brought to the touchstone, will discover itself here. I have my own Private opinion that there 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 after having once believed in Jesus. Such a gospel I abhor. “If ever it should come to pass, That sheep of Christ might fall away, My fickle, feeble soul, alas!

CHARLES SPURGEON'S WRITINGS - A DEFENSE OF CALVINISM

What is the Institutes of the Christian Religion?

The Institutes of the Christian Religion is a seminal work by the Protestant Reformer John Calvin, originally published in 1536. It is a foundational text of Reformed theology and one of the most important works in the history of Christian thought. The Institutes presents Calvin's systematic explanation of Christian doctrine, particularly from the perspective of Reformed theology.

The work is divided into several main sections:

The Knowledge of God the Creator: Calvin begins by addressing the relationship between God and humanity, focusing on the importance of Scripture and the way in which human beings can come to know God through His creation and through divine revelation.

The Knowledge of God the Redeemer: This section deals with the nature of salvation, particularly the role of Jesus Christ in the redemption of humanity. It discusses key Christian doctrines like original sin, justification, and the sacraments.

The Life of the Christian: Calvin emphasizes the moral and ethical implications of Christian doctrine, including how believers should live according to God's will, both in their private lives and within the broader community.

The Church: Calvin provides a vision of the church as a body of believers who are united under Christ. He discusses church government, the role of the clergy, and the relationship between the church and the state.

The Sacraments: Calvin offers a thorough explanation of the sacraments, particularly baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Eucharist), and their significance in the life of a believer.

Throughout the Institutes, Calvin presents a theological framework rooted in God's sovereignty, the centrality of Scripture, the doctrines of grace, and the idea that salvation is a gift from God rather than something earned through human effort.

The Institutes was revised and expanded over the years (with the final edition appearing in 1559), and it has been hugely influential in the development of Protestant thought, particularly in Reformed and Presbyterian traditions. Calvin's emphasis on predestination, the authority of Scripture, and the sovereignty of God continues to shape Reformed theology to this day.

 

[Dylan569]

[1Co 3:1-23 KJV]
1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, [even] as unto babes in Christ.
2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able [to bear it], neither yet now are ye able.
3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas [there is] among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I [am] of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
5 Who then is Paul, and who [is] Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, [ye are] God's building.
10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and [that] the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which [temple] ye are.
18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;
23 And ye are Christ's; and Christ [is] God's.

Brother, I'll add, Paul continues -

"And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another." (1Cor 4:6 KJV)

"Now these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes; that in us ye might learn not to go beyond the things which are written; that no one of you be puffed up for the one against the other." (1Cor 4:6 ASV)

In my studies in hermeneutics, I still come back to this basic instruction. I try to be strict in staying with the explicit statements of God's word, keeping to correct definitions of words in the context, and staying with the grammatical and historical context. I strive to adhere to the "do and do not" and the "believe and believe not" of God's word, to the best of my ability, guided by the Holy Spirit.

 

[Christ4Ever]

Dear @Dylan569
When a Calvinist or anyone for that matter can walk down the street with me and point out which was is saved, or will be saved, I will consider it relevant to what our Lord has asked of us to do. Until then, much to do about nothing but creating disunity, which if you didn't realize it was the point of the verses I shared.

With the Love of Christ Jesus.
YBIC
Nick
\o/
<><

 

[Dylan569]

Dear @Dylan569
When a Calvinist or anyone for that matter can walk down the street with me and point out which was is saved, or will be saved, I will consider it relevant to what our Lord has asked of us to do. Until then, much to do about nothing but creating disunity, which if you didn't realize it was the point of the verses I shared.

With the Love of Christ Jesus.
YBIC
Nick
\o/
<><

John Calvin himself stated that the elect are known only to God, and the only way we can approach this is to be charitable and accept the profession of people, unless betrayed by the evidence of obvious gross sin in the life.

Spurgeon remarked, as I remember reading it, every new believer is an Arminian, he believed because he willed to do so. It is later in Christian maturity that he begins to see that the very will itself was a gift, worked in him by the grace of God. It was not his own doing.

For me, an important factor to consider is that God promises to answer our sincere prayers, and that would surely include our prayers for the salvation of our loved ones. That would indicate that salvation is 100%, all of God because if part is due to man's decision, work, willingness, etc., we have no confidence that the prayer would be answered.

 

[Christ4Ever]

For me, an important factor to consider is that God promises to answer our sincere prayers, and that would surely include our prayers for the salvation of our loved ones. That would indicate that salvation is 100%, all of God because if part is due to man's decision, work, willingness, etc., we have no confidence that the prayer would be answered.

Yes, He will consider them but can only do so in the light of predestination if they are not to be saved, your prayers are useless, but since we don't know one way or another, keep praying! Also, since I believe our God is in the Now, He knows if you were going to pray, and keep praying for them. Even if it seems they have "...the evidence of obvious gross sin in the life." It's His will and not our own after all.

With the Love of Christ Jesus.
YBIC
Nick
\o/
<><