Tragically, Charles
Spurgeon did at times preach Lordship Salvation. All preachers tend to grasp
for extremes while preaching to drive home their point, but in so doing if
we are not careful we can horribly contradict ourselves and confuse the
people. This was definitely the case with Spurgeon! Will the real Charles
Spurgeon please stand up in the building!!!
As the preceding quote at the top of the page evidences (preached in 1855
when Spurgeon was only 21 years old), Charles
Spurgeon didn't seem to believe that changing one's life was necessary to be saved.
And yet in his 1962 sermon (he is 28 years old here), Spurgeon preaches that
damnable heresy:
“Repentance is to leave
The sins we loved before,
And show that we in earnest grieve,
By doing so no more.”
SOURCE: Charles Spurgeon, 'Faith
And Repentance Are Inseparable,' July 13, 1862; Text: Mark 1:15
That is NOT what Bible repentance unto life means!
The Greek word for “repent” in Mark 1:15 is metanoeo, a verb meaning:
“to think differently.” The Bible does not tell us what to think differently
about. God intentionally used an open-ended, all-inclusive term, which
encompasses everything. Of what must we think differently to be saved? Only
that which has been hindering you from coming to Christ by faith alone to be
saved. Unbelief is the only sin that can keep a person out of Heaven. So
regardless of how much sinning you are doing, or how little you hate your
sins, God will still gladly save you by His grace alone, if you'll simply
BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST (Acts 16:30-31).
At age 21 Spurgeon viewed repentance as a grace from God, not human effort required
for salvation. Yet, indeed Spurgeon does seem to teach Lordship Salvation in other
sermons, as I have plainly shown you. The
rotten doctrinal fruit from John Calvin's (1509-1564) tree has infected
the religious world for nearly the past 500 years. Unfortunately,
Charles
Spurgeon was also tarnished to some degree by Calvin's heresies. Remember,
Spurgeon was only a mortal man, capable of doctrinal error just like anyone
else is capable of doctrinal error. The Word of God, and not man, is our
only authority on all matters of doctrine, morality and faith. I do not
doubt Spurgeon's sincerity in the matter. It appears that by age 30 that
Charles has become a full-blown Calvinist.
I think Dr. Jack Hyles best explains this issue in his awesome sermon
titled, “Steps
in Sanctification (Or, The Root Of All Heresy).” Every decent preacher
is compelled at times (because of shallow Christianity), to say things like,
“If you still drink booze, smoke cigarettes and don't tithe, you didn't get
what I got when I got saved!” Truthfully, that is heresy! Changing one's
life is not a part of the gift of eternal life. It's a gift! It is free!
Salvation is a TAKE proposition, not a GIVE proposition. Anyone who adds
even the slightest amount of human effort to the simplicity (that is by faith
in Christ) is corrupting the Gospel.
And then on the opposite extreme there are
preachers who are so tired of those who corrupt the Gospel (by adding to it)
that they simply say to “Trust Jesus to be saved,” failing to tell people
that they are sinners. This is equally a false teaching! A person must
realize their sinnership to be saved, but they do not have to cease from
sinful behavior as a requirement to be saved (for to do so would be a
works-based salvation). THE TRUTH is that no one has ever turned away from
sinful behavior. Even the best saints still sin (Romans 7:14-25). You need to know what you're being saved from.
Christ died on the cross FOR OUR SINS! Eternal life is a free gift. Here is an excellent
writing by Dr. Ray Stanford titled, “Eleven
Reasons For Not Teaching Lordship Salvation!” Also, for an excellent
understanding of the matter,
please read the awesome sermon by Pastor Harry A. Ironside (1876-1951)
titled, “WHAT IS
THE GOSPEL?”
Heresy is creeping into our fundamental Baptist churches by the hour (hear
the awesome MP3 sermon by Dr. Hyles, “Our
Mixed Up Fundamental Christianity”).
Nothing is more important than defending and contending for the Christian
faith. It is the new corrupt Bible versions that are
redefining what it means to repent
to be saved. God only wrote one book, not 320 different Bible versions! Thank God
for the preserved pure Words of God in the King James Bible. There has
always been only one plan of salvation, which is to realize that one is a
sinner and to BELIEVE the Gospel (good news) of Jesus Christ crucified to
death for our sins on the cross, buried and risen bodily three days later
(1st Corinthians 15:1-4).
What Did Pastor Charles Spurgeon Believe About Repentance?
Spurgeon Clearly Believed “God
Justifieth the Ungodly”
My friend, God's Word is our only authority!
The King James Bible is our final and only authority in all matters. 2nd
Timothy 3:16, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness.” At age 52, Mr. Spurgeon wrote a wonderful book, published in 1886,
titled “ALL OF GRACE.” You can
download a free .pdf
copy here. I love chapter one, because it theologically silences John
MacArthur, Ray Comfort and Paul Washer (who have all horribly tried to use
Spurgeon as a secondary authority to bolster up their Lordship Salvation
heresy). The Holy Bible teaches that salvation is simple—you receive
Christ's payment on the cross as payment for your sins, believing that He
was buried and raised up three days later. This is the Gospel that saves
(Romans 1:16; 1st Corinthians 15:1-4). You DON'T have to turn away from
committing sins to be saved, nor promise to do better or reform in the
future. Rather, you must think differently about your sins, seeing your
desperate need as a guilty sinner in the eyes of a holy God (Romans 3:19);
and thus, you believe the Gospel and are saved (Mark 1:15).
“God
Justifieth The Ungodly” (chapter one from Spurgeon's most popular book “All
Of Grace”). The following citations are taken from chapter one, and
plainly refute anyone who would dare claim that Mr. Spurgeon taught Lordship
Salvation. I do admit that at times Spurgeon, in other writings, seems to
teach Lordship Salvation; BUT this chapter, God Justifieth
The Ungodly, speaks volumes in defence of Mr. Spurgeon's true intentions
concerning the Gospel. The heretics who often use Spurgeon as a secondary
authority DON'T quote from this chapter. Their theology is lopsided, a cake
unturned, half-cocked, unbalanced, twisted (2nd Peter 3:16-17).
You'll never hear Evangelist Ray Comfort or
Pastor John MacArthur cite these quotes from Spurgeon:
I would like to make
this very plain. I hope that I have done so already; but still, plain as it
is, it is only the Lord that can make a man see it. It does at first seem
most amazing to an awakened man that salvation should really be for him as a
lost and guilty one. He thinks that it must be for him as a penitent man,
forgetting that his penitence is a part of his salvation. "Oh," says he,
"but I must be this and that,"--all of which is true, for he shall be this
and that as the result of salvation; but salvation comes to him before he
has any of the results of salvation. It comes to him, in fact, while he
deserves only this bare, beggarly, base, abominable description, "ungodly."
That is all he is when God's gospel comes to justify him.
May I, therefore, urge upon any who have
no good thing about them—who fear that they have not even a good feeling,
or anything whatever that can recommend them to God—that they will firmly
believe that our gracious God is able and willing to take them without
anything to recommend them, and to forgive them spontaneously, not because
they are good, but because He is good. Does He not make His sun to shine
on the evil as well as on the good? Does He not give fruitful seasons, and
send the rain and the sunshine in their time upon the most ungodly nations?
Ay, even Sodom had its sun, and Gomorrah had its dew. Oh friend, the great
grace of God surpasses my conception and your conception, and I would have
you think worthily of it! As high as the heavens are above the earth; so
high are God's thoughts above our thoughts. He can abundantly pardon. Jesus
Christ came into the world to save sinners: forgiveness is for the guilty.
Do not attempt to touch yourself up and
make yourself something other than you really are; but come as you are to
Him who justifies the ungodly. A great artist some short time ago had
painted a part of the corporation of the city in which he lived, and he
wanted, for historic purposes, to include in his picture certain characters
well known in the town. A crossing-sweeper, unkempt, ragged, filthy, was
known to everybody, and there was a suitable place for him in the picture.
The artist said to this ragged and rugged individual, "I will pay you well
if you will come down to my studio and let me take your likeness." He came
round in the morning, but he was soon sent about his business; for he had
washed his face, and combed his hair, and donned a respectable suit of
clothes. He was needed as a beggar, and was not invited in any other
capacity. Even so, the gospel will receive you into its halls if you come
as a sinner, not otherwise. Wait not for reformation, but come at once for
salvation. God justifieth the ungodly, and that takes you up where you now
are: it meets you in your worst estate.
SOURCE:
Charles Spurgeon;
All of
Grace;
Chapter 1 - God Justifieth The Ungodly!
Whew, that is great stuff! In case you missed
it, read this again by Mr. Spurgeon:
“but salvation comes to
him before he has any of the results of salvation. It comes to him, in fact,
while he deserves only this bare, beggarly, base, abominable description,
'ungodly.' That is all he is when God's gospel comes to justify him.”
SOURCE:
Charles Spurgeon;
All of
Grace;
Chapter 1 - God Justifieth The Ungodly!
Folks, that is something completely different than
the garbage Spurgeon preached 24 years earlier, which I quoted to you from
his heretical sermon: 'Faith
And Repentance Are Inseparable.' In 1855
Spurgeon taught that you don't have to repent of any sins to be saved; but
then in 1862 he teaches that you must repent of your sinful behavior, and
stop doing it, or you cannot be saved. Clearly, Charles was a confused man
theologically! I have heard John MacArthur do the same thing, preaching two
very different things at different times and places, which are
contradictory.
Clearly, in 1855 Charles Spurgeon DIDN'T believe nor
teach that a person must forsake their sins TO BE SAVED. As you just read,
Spurgeon believed that salvation comes to a person BEFORE the fruit of the
indwelling Holy Spirit becomes evident. Spurgeon is 100% correct—a person is
“UNGODLY,” and “that is all he is when the Gospel comes to justify
him!” Amen!!! Why don't Ray Comfort, Paul Washer and John MacArthur
quote these teachings from Mr. Spurgeon? Do you see how dishonest they are
theologically?
The Demonic Heresy of 'Lordship Salvation'
There is a popular heresy spreading in today's churches which adds works to
the simple plan of salvation. This false doctrine is called
Lordship Salvation. In essence,
this false teaching says that in addition to believing the Gospel message,
you must also declare “Jesus is Lord” to be saved, and you must be willing
to forsake sinful bad habits, and also surrender your life to live for
Christ. They claim that mere trust upon the name of the Lord is insufficient
to save a person. This is a false plan of salvation. There are many
variations of this false doctrine, but in each case some form of human
effort is always required to be saved.
Lordship Salvation is nothing new. In every generation throughout history,
sinful men have attempted to corrupt God's plan of salvation by adding human
effort to it. Cain did this, offering the best grain which his fields could
produce. God rejected Cain's sacrifice. Instead, the Lord received Abel's
blood sacrifice, from the innocent lamb that was slain, which demonstrated
Abel's faith in the coming Messiah, the Lamb of God!
The Holy Scriptures teach that eternal life is
a free gift, paid for by Christ as our sacrifice on the cross, and the
precious blood that He shed and applied to the heavenly Mercy Seat for our
sins. We are literally saved by God's righteousness through faith in Jesus
Christ. No human effort is required nor allowed for salvation! As you can
see, these are two very different plans of salvation. They are drastically
different! It is tragic that the most dangerous place to be these days
spiritually is in a church. Christians are commanded by God in Jude 1:3
to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the
saints.” The need has never been greater for faithful Christians to
earnestly contend for the faith in our apostate churches today!
According to the Holy Bible, you simply admit that you are a guilty sinner
in God's holy eyes (Romans 3:19), and you BELIEVE the Gospel to be saved
(Mark 1:15). The Gospel (good news) is that Jesus is the Christ Who died on
the cross for our sins, was buried, and then resurrected after three days
(1st Corinthians 15:1-4). It is so simple to be saved that 2nd Corinthians
11:3 calls this, “THE SIMPLICITY THAT IS IN CHRIST.”
Spurgeon Was Just a Sinful Man, Not an Authority
On Bible Doctrine
Many Baptists elevate Spurgeon as a great hero of the faith, and he was in
his own right. Unfortunately, Spurgeon was a one-point Calvinist, adhering
to the heresy that Christ only died for the elect (the saved). Spurgeon
adopted John Calvin's heresy that says Jesus did not die for all men. In
sharp contrast, the Bible teaches in John 3:16 that “God so loved THE WORLD” and
gave His only begotten Son to die for the world. 1st Timothy 4:10 calls
Jesus “THE SAVIOUR OF ALL MEN, SPECIALLY OF THOSE THAT BELIEVE.”
I have read many dozens of sermons over the
years by Spurgeon. I recently gave away to a local pastor, five printed copies of
Spurgeon's sermons from the
London Metropolitan Tabernacle where he preached regularly. May I say,
Spurgeon was only a flawed man at best, just as are all men. No human being
is supposed to be our authority as Christians. The inspired Words of God are
not only our final authority, they are also our only authority!
Again, I refer you to Dr. Jack Hyles' awesome sermon titled, “Steps
in Sanctification (Or, The Root Of All Heresy).” This MP3 sermon
explains the two extremes to which preachers often go, which are both
heresy. On one extreme you've got preachers who are so sick and tired of
shallow Christianity, just outside the gate, that they change the plan of
salvation in an attempt to force people to live right. On the other extreme
you've got preachers who are so sick and tired of people adding works to the
plan of salvation that they simply say to, “trust Jesus,” failing to teach
people that they must realize their guilt of sin to be saved (Romans 3:19).
No one ever got saved who didn't realize that he was a sinner!!! You've got
to know what you're being saved from!
Having said that, I believe that Charles
Spurgeon often preached from these two extremes (I think due to
ecclesiastical pressure from ministry peers) as evidenced by the following
quotes and information . . .
Dr. John MacArthur of the Grace Community
Church is aired on radio stations nationwide, teaching his heresies to
millions of listeners. One day I heard Dr. John MacArthur speaking on the radio. The
sermon is available and is titled,
“The Call To Repentance.” In the sermon Dr. MacArthur quotes Charles
Spurgeon concerning the matter of repentance...
Of all
the statements that I have read on the subject, the strongest one comes
from Charles Haddon Spurgeon. Listen to what Spurgeon said. "There must
be a true and actual abandonment of sin and a turning unto righteousness
in real act and deed in every day life. Repentance, to be sure, must be
entire. How many will say, Sir, I will renounce this sin and the
other...but there are certain darling lusts which I must keep and hold?
Oh, sirs, in God's name let me tell you, it is not the giving up of one
sin, nor 50 sins which is true repentance. It is the solemn
renunciation of every sin. If thou dost harbor one of those accursed
vipers in thy heart and dost give up every other, that one lust like one
leak in a ship will sink thy soul. Think it not sufficient to give up
thy outward vices, fancy it not enough to cut off the more corrupt sins
of thy life, it is all or none which God demands. Repent, says He, and
when He bids you repent, He means repent of all thy sins otherwise He
can never accept thy repentance as real and genuine. All sin must be
given up or else you will never have Christ. All transgression must
be renounced or else the gates of heaven must be barred against you.
Let us remember then that for repentance to be sincere, it must be
entire repentance. True repentance is a turning of the heart as well as
of the life. It is the giving up of the whole soul to God to be His
forever and ever. It is the renunciation of the sins of the heart
as well as the crimes of the life." [emphasis added]
SOURCE:
Quote by Spurgeon provided by John MacArthur,
The Call to
Repentance -- John MacArthur
(Note:
Charles Spurgeon originally made this statement in a sermon entitled,
TURN OR BURN,
preached December 7, 1856, at the Music Hall, Royal Surrey Gardens).
The following quote from Charles Spurgeon
totally contradicts Dr. MacArthur's Lordship Salvation heresy, which he
attempts to establish by bolstering Spurgeon as a straw-man, as a secondary
authority, since he cannot support his heresy with the Holy Bible . . .
“'Repentance' is a
grace. Some people preach it as a condition of salvation. Condition of
nonsense!
There are no conditions of salvation.”
—Pastor Charles H. Spurgeon
SOURCE:
https://www.spurgeon.org/resource-library/sermons/the-repentance-unto-life (Charles
Spurgeon, from
a sermon titled, REPENTANCE UNTO LIFE, preached at the New Park Street Chapel, Southwark, on
Sept. 23, 1855)
That's what Spurgeon said. Why don't John MacArthur and Ray Comfort quote
this from Spurgeon? It's because they are deceivers and theological liars! I'm tired of
modernists (who dare call themselves 'Christians') corrupting the teachings of
Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892). Spurgeon was unquestionably London's
mightiest Baptist preacher. It is true that Spurgeon DID teach Lordship
Salvation at times, but it is also true that in other sermons (as you just
read for yourself), Spurgeon refuted it. This is a common occurrence amongst
preachers who preach thousands of sermons over a period of decades.
Again, I think
Dr. Jack Hyles explains it well in his MP3 sermon, “Steps
in Sanctification (Or, The Root Of All Heresy).” As with Charles
Spurgeon, Dr. Hyles is merely a sinful man, as am I and you are, and
everyone else is too. The Word of God is our sole authority in all doctrinal
matters!!! And may I say, the King James Bible is the only Holy Bible we
have today that we can trust! All modern Bible versions are corrupted by
Satan!
In Ray Comfort's
THE EVIDENCE BIBLE,
Mr. Comfort quotes Spurgeon extensively in hundreds of places, giving the
impression that Ray Comfort agrees with the teachings on salvation by
Charles Spurgeon. The truth is that Charles Spurgeon DIDN'T fully agree with
the false teaching of Lordship Salvation, as you just read in the quote I
gave you. Here is the full quote . . .
“You must not expect
that you will be perfect in 'repentance' before you are saved. No
Christian can be perfect. 'Repentance' is a grace. Some people preach it
as a condition of salvation. Condition of nonsense! There are no
conditions of salvation. God gives the salvation
himself...” —Pastor Charles Spurgeon
SOURCE:
https://www.spurgeon.org/resource-library/sermons/the-repentance-unto-life (Charles
Spurgeon, from
a sermon titled, REPENTANCE UNTO LIFE, preached at the New Park Street Chapel, Southwark, on
Sept. 23, 1855)
People during the 19th century were no
different than people today in the 20th century. You had different groups of
people who taught different doctrines (and they fought like cats and dogs).
The fierce battle over the meaning of repentance is not a new battle,
although the terms have changed. The phrase, “Lordship Salvation” is a
contemporary term used to identify the false doctrine of requiring sinners
to cease from sinful acts to be saved. When Spurgeon preached the sermon
that you just read, the heretics had a hey day and attempted to misquote
Spurgeon, claiming that he requires self-righteousness to be saved.
God Intensely Cares About Even the Smallest
Grammatical Marks in His Word
You must keep in mind that Charles Spurgeon's
words are NOT INSPIRED as are the Words of God. We can base doctrines on
every word of God, including the articles, pronouns and smallest of
grammatical marks (jots and tittles... like the jot above the i and
the tittle in the t). If you were to ask me, “Brother David, do you
believe in the word-for-word inspiration of the Holy Bible?” I would
immediately reply, “My friend, I believe in jot and tittle inspiration!!!”
Matthew 5:18, “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass,
one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law,
till all be fulfilled.” Every grammatical mark matters!
To clarify, the original languages did NOT have
commas, semicolons, colons, parenthesis, periods, et cetera. Jots and
tittles refer to the smallest grammatical marks of the Hebrew and Greek
language; such as, the dot over the letter i in the English alphabet,
or the cross through the letter t. Jesus said that not even the
smallest grammatical marks would pass away until every single word from God
is fulfilled. How does this intense emphasis upon the very pure Words of
God, reiterated by the Lord Jesus Christ, compare to today's never-ending
publishing of more-and-more English Bible versions each year? Literally,
there are HUNDREDS of Bible versions in the English-speaking language, and
the churches are utterly confused theologically concerning key doctrines;
such as repentance, faith and what it means to be born-again. Satan has
redefined key theological terms, substituting spirituality for theology
(“Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof,” which is THE
GOSPEL (2nd Timothy 3:5; Romans 1:16).
Satan Has a Plan of Salvation Too, Offering
False Hope
Satan's greatest weapon is to con people into
living the Christian life without ever being born-again. A demon's favorite
activity is to make people feel comfortable in their false religion,
offering them false hope to hinder them from ever coming to Christ to be
genuinely saved (2nd Corinthians 4:4).
Whereas Surgeon's words are merely that of a frail man—a sinful human
being like you and me—it is tragic and sad that Pastor John MacArthur and
Evangelist Ray Comfort are
desperately trying to associate their heretical teachings with Charles
Spurgeon. No doubt these religious men are very sincere, but sincerely
wrong. Proverbs 14:12, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man,
but the end thereof are the ways of death.” The road to Hell is paved
with neon lights and sincere intentions. It doesn't matter what I think or
say. The only thing that matters is what God says in His Holy Word.
As genuine believers, we view salvation as
being wholly the gift of God, provided freely and completely in Christ
Jesus, without any strings attached. But Lordship Salvation produces an
entirely different mindset in the adherent's mind, producing a spirit of
fear and uncertainty, conditioning a person's salvation upon a changed life.
The new corrupted Bible versions teach this. Mark 1:15 in the
Easy-To-Read Version
(ERV) of the Bible literally defines repentance as changing one's
heart and life. In drastic contradiction, the original Greek defines
repentance as “a change of mind.” Changing the Word of God into a lie is the
most serious of offenses! It is worse than murder, idolatry, adultery and
even worshipping the Devil. When the Bible is changed, the truth is gone!
There is absolutely nothing in the Scriptures
about changing one's life as a prerequisite to saving faith. God changes a
believer's life, if they will let Him. This is why the Apostle Paul begged
his Christian brethren in Romans 12:1-2 to present their bodies as a living
sacrifice to God, which is their reasonable service. Christ died for us, so
it is reasonable that we should live for Him; but this is NOT necessary, nor
required, nor allowed to be saved. Eternal life is a gift from God to those
who believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, to those who receive Him
as their personal Savior (John 1:12; 1st Timothy 4:10).
Kindly said, in THE EVIDENCE BIBLE
Ray Comfort butchers Matthew 7:22-23
teaches that religious people with a roaming eye for the opposite sex have
never been saved. This is his flawed understanding of what Matthew 7:22-23
means. Unfortunately for Mr. Comfort and all his followers, he didn't
include verse 21 in his interpretation.
Spurgeon plainly stated in response to people
like MacArthur and Ray Comfort...
“'Repentance' is a grace.
Some people preach it as a condition of salvation. Condition of nonsense!”
—Pastor Charles Spurgeon
SOURCE:
https://www.spurgeon.org/resource-library/sermons/the-repentance-unto-life (Charles
Spurgeon, from
a sermon titled, REPENTANCE UNTO LIFE, preached at the New Park Street Chapel, Southwark, on
Sept. 23, 1855)
Keep in mind that there are two different Biblical
meanings of the word repentance (as explained in detail below). Repentance
(a change of mind) is necessary for salvation; but forsaking a sinful
lifestyle (which is another meaning of repent) is not necessary to be saved.
Spurgeon is condemning the latter, because it is not required for salvation.
A changed life is the FRUIT of genuine repentance; and NOT a part of the
ROOT of saving-faith...
Repentance as a Lifestyle is
Not Taught in the Scriptures for Salvation
The heresy of Lordship Salvation defines “repentance” as a lifestyle;
whereas the Word of God does not. Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary
provides the following definition of repentance:
“re•pen•tance \ri-'pent-en(t)s\
n: the action or process of repenting especially for misdeeds or moral
shortcomings; synonyms see PENITENCE”
SOURCE:
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/repentance
For many people nowadays, Webster’s definition
represents the common understanding of repentance within religious circles.
However, this is NOT the Biblical nor historical meaning of the word
"repent." Prior to the modern meaning of the word, which for the most part
is similar to Webster’s definition, the Classical Greek “metanoia” meant
something quite different—changing one’s mind or heart about
someone or something.
There are two New Testament Greek words which
are translated "repentance" in modern English translations: metanoia
(including its verbal counterpart metanoeo) and metamelomai. The
first term is translated as "repentance" fifty-eight times in the New
Testament, the latter only six times.
In the Greek Old Testament (aka, the
Septuagint) metanoia and metanoeo occur twenty times in the
canonical books and seven times in the apocryphal books and maintained the
SAME meaning. In most cases metanoia in the translations held to the
pre-Christian meaning of “a change of mind about someone or something.”
During the early Christian period of
Koine Greek (ca. 300
BC to 100 AD) metanoia continued to carry a sense of “a change of
mind about someone or something.”
A changed lifestyle is the hopeful, but not
guaranteed, fruit of genuine repentance; and NOT repentance itself. Paul
Washer states...
“There is no such thing as a carnal Christian (time: 21:40 in video)...
The Bible never teaches that a person, can be a genuine Christian and
live in continuous carnality and wickedness and sin all the days of
their life...” (time:22:20 in video)
SOURCE:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuabITeO4l8
That is simply not true!
Sadly, Washer falls short of 2nd
Timothy 2:15. He simply does not study! If
there's no such thing as a "carnal Christian," then why did the Apostle Paul
say to the believers at Corinth... “And I, brethren, could not speak unto
you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ”
(1st Corinthians 3:1).
Things have become doctrinally awry in Southern
Baptist churches today.
Watch this video sermon clip
of Paul Washer teaching: “No, No, If you don't have works, you're going to
Hell!” That is blasphemy! That is NOT the Gospel! That is a hellish false doctrine of devils.
Romans 4:5-6 says, “But to him that worketh not,
but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for
righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man,
unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works.”
In sharp contrast to Paul Washer's claim, the
Bible teaches that there is such a thing as a “carnal Christian.” King David
was a “man after God's own heart” (1st Samuel 13:14); yet he commit adultery
with Bathsheba, impregnated her, and then murdered her husband to hide his
sin (2nd Samuel 11). Noah got drunk (Genesis 9:21). Samson had sex with a
prostitute (Judges 16:1). Jonah ran from God (Jonah 1:3). Peter cursed the
name of Jesus and used profanity (Mark 14:71). One-third of the Bible was
written by murderers: Moses, David and Paul (formerly Saul of Tarsus). With
the exception of Paul, Moses and David were already saved when they commit
murder.
In Romans 12:1 we find the Apostle Paul
pleading with the believers at Rome to “present their bodies a living
sacrifice” in service to God. Clearly, those believers were saved but not
surrendered to Christ's will for their lives. This proves Lordship
Salvation is a lie.
Also, consider the unrepentant BELIEVER in 1st
Corinthians 5:5 who had been living in fornication in the church... “To
deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the
spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” Even though Satan
would destroy the man because of sinful living, Paul clearly stated that his
spirit would be saved. This sinful man was obviously a believer, for only
the saved will be blessed in eternity. 2nd Thessalonians 1:8 tells us that
those who disobey the Gospel will be punished by a vengeful God in flaming
fire.
Spurgeon simply
meant that a person who attempts to justify any sins in their life cannot be
saved, until they RENOUNCE all sins as being a violation of God's Holy
Law... “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to
them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the
world may become guilty before God” (Romans 3:19). Jesus said in John
3:20, “For every one that doeth evil hateth the light,
neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.”
The world doesn't want to renounce their sins,
nor to be reproved for them. This is why there are many false gospel's
today, which don't include the Law of God. For there to be salvation,
one MUST realize his or her guilt of sin (and thus need for a Savior), being
condemned under God's Holy Law, and then believe upon the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to be
forgiven of those sins and saved.
Spurgeon didn't mean that repentance (metanoia) wasn't necessary for
salvation; but rather, that repentance (metamellomai)
is not required. What's the difference? Metanoia is “a change
of mind”; whereas metamellomai
means “regret, to feel remorse afterwards.” In Matthew 27:3 we read that
Judas “repented” (metamellomai), but Judas still died in his sin of
unbelief and went to Hell. Those false ministers (like Paul Washer, Ray
Comfort, Paris Reidhead, John MacArthur, Aiden Tozer and William Lane Craig)
who teach that a person cannot be saved until they literally turn away from
the act of sin, have intent to reform, and make a full surrender to do
Christ's will from that day forward, are preaching “ANOTHER GOSPEL” of
damnation (2nd Corinthians 11:3-4)!!!
Clearly, at age 21 in 1855 Charles Haddon Spurgeon DIDN'T believe
that making full surrender to serve Christ as Lord, or grieving, or feeling sorrow, or being willing
to stop committing sins, is necessary to be saved. Rather, Spurgeon
believed that these were evidences of genuine repentance. Spurgeon
did in fact teach, as have other great men of God, that a sinner ought to
turn from his or her sins as evidence of genuine repentance; but this is
after-the-fact, and not a requirement for salvation itself. Spurgeon plainly
taught “there are no conditions of salvation,” which
is what the Bible teaches. We are SINNERS and Jesus is the SAVIOR, Who
died upon the cross for our sins, was buried, and then resurrected from the
dead after three days (1st Corinthians 15:1-4). Jesus is precious!
What happened to Spurgeon, that several years later
in 1862 he lost his mind and is now preaching Lordship Salvation?
Dr. John MacArthur's Secondary Authority
John MacArthur deceitfully cherry-picks and chooses
quotes by great men, twisting their words, in a malicious attempt to support
his false teachings. This has been the deceitful, lying tactic incorporated
by the entire Lordship Salvation crowd. However it shows the fatal
flaw and weakness of their perverted theology. They cannot use the Bible,
so as a secondary authority, "great men of the past" are being erected as
straw-men to bolster their false gospel. They take excerpts carefully chosen
from archived sermons, twisted them out of context, well suited with the
error of Cain, to deceive the Church. So now we have Satan’s new gospel
(actually the same old lie) for our modern day.
These men are motivated by the flesh, so it is not strange they will use the
sins of the flesh (lying) to exalt the flesh. Sadly, they believe that they
are spiritual! They do not fully understand true GRACE and Christ’s imputed
righteousness. How can a person truly be saved and follow the perverted
gospel of Lordship Salvation? There are really only 2 religions in
the world; it is salvation by human works or by God's Grace alone.
Today's Alexandrian revision crowd (all the
modern Westcott and Hort Bible perversions) are utter hypocrites!!! They
relentlessly quote from Charles Spurgeon, yet fail to use only the King
James Bible as Spurgeon did! Mr. Spurgeon didn't have all these hundreds of
English Bibles to choose from, and he did just fine WITHOUT THEM! So why do
we need hundreds of English Bible revisions today? It is utter wickedness!!!
If you admire Charles Spurgeon so much, then why don't you use the only
Bible that he used—the precious King James Bible!!! I admire Spurgeon, and
I'm wise enough in the Lord to stick to the old paths, the proven paths, the
right paths!
Pastor Charles Spurgeon on Repentance Unto Life
Here is a lengthy quote by Charles Spurgeon
concerning Biblical repentance for salvation...
You know there are
degrees of faith, and yet the least faith saves; so there are degrees of
repentance, and the least repentance will save the soul if it is
sincere. The Bible says, "He that believeth shall be saved," and when it
says that, it includes the very smallest degree of faith. So when it
says, "Repent and be saved," it includes the man who has the lowest
degree of real repentance. Repentance, moreover, is never perfect in
any man in this mortal state. We never get perfect faith so as to be
entirely free from doubting; and we never get repentance which is free
from some hardness of heart. The most sincere penitent that you know
will feel himself to be partially impenitent.
Repentance is also a
continual life-long act. It will grow continually. I believe a Christian
on his death-bed will more bitterly repent than ever he did before. It
is a thing to be done all your life long. Sinning and repenting—sinning
and repenting, make up a Christian's life. Repenting and believing in
Jesus—repenting and believing in Jesus, make up the consummation of his
happiness. You must not expect that you will be perfect in "repentance"
before you are saved. No Christian can be perfect. "Repentance" is a
grace. Some people preach it as a condition of salvation. Condition of
nonsense! There are no conditions of salvation. [emphasis added]
SOURCE:
https://www.spurgeon.org/resource-library/sermons/the-repentance-unto-life (Charles
Spurgeon, from
a sermon titled, REPENTANCE UNTO LIFE, preached at the New Park Street Chapel, Southwark, on
Sept. 23, 1855)
Spurgeon plainly taught that he believed
repentance “includes the man who has the lowest degree of real repentance.” You'll never hear this quote from Ray Comfort, Paul Washer, John MacArthur,
Jack Chick, or others today who are sinfully teaching Lordship Salvation. Biblically,
repentance is a “change of mind.” The changes that follow
are the result of true repentance at work; and not repentance itself. In
case you missed it, read this again by Mr. Spurgeon:
“but salvation comes to
him before he has any of the results of salvation. It comes to him, in fact,
while he deserves only this bare, beggarly, base, abominable description,
'ungodly.' That is all he is when God's gospel comes to justify him.”
SOURCE:
Charles Spurgeon;
All of
Grace;
Chapter 1 - God Justifieth The Ungodly!
Also, notice that Spurgeon stated: “Repentance
is also a continual life-long act.” Spurgeon was not teaching that
salvation is a process, because it's not. Spurgeon simply meant that
once a person initially repents, thus acknowledging their guilty sinful
condition and trusting the Lord by faith to be forgiven, those same elements
of repentance and faith will work in the believer's mind and heart for the
rest of their life. Salvation is more than being saved. When God saves us, the
lifelong process of growing in the Lord begins. But this has nothing to do
with the GIFT OF GOD, WHICH IS ETERNAL LIFE (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9).
It is heresy to say that if a person is really saved, they should have a
desire to turn away from sinful behavior. That is works salvation! The
desire to turn from sin comes from the indwelling Holy Spirit, but if a new
believer is not involved in a good Bible-preaching church, they are highly
likely to continue in sin. New converts need to be mentored!
Despite Spurgeon's numerous heretical
statements in various sermons, his bold defense of the simplicity that is in
Christ cannot be ignored. Spurgeon plainly stated that repentance is a grace
and that THERE ARE NO CONDITIONS OF SALVATION. Clearly, Spurgeon taught a
Free Grace view of the Gospel, and not a false gospel that requires lost
sinners to forsake personal bad habits and sins to be saved. Who can do
that? If we have to repent of all our sins in the sense of forsaking them,
then we are all going straight to Hell when we die. Even the best of
Christians still sin every day! Even our ignorance is part of our sin. Like
it or not, Charles Spurgeon plainly taught the truth that “there are no
conditions of salvation.” Eternal life is a free gift (Romans 5:15; 6:23), freely
received (Revelation 22:17), and without works (Romans 4:5; Ephesians 2:8,9;
Titus 3:5; Romans 10:3,4; 2nd Corinthians 5:21).
Biblical repentance concerning salvation simply
means “to think differently,” nothing less or more. It is wrong and a false
teaching to say that repentance is a change of mind that leads to a change
of life. That is manmade doctrine, not God's Word. The indwelling Holy
Spirit brings the capacity for a changed life, if the child of God yields to
the Holy Spirit, that is, walks in the Spirit. This is why we read in
Galatians 5:25, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”
Every born-again Christian lives in the Spirit (i.e., has the Spirit
living in them - 1st Corinthians 3:16-17). Thus, as a true believer, every
Christian should also walk in the Spirit. Galatians 2:20, “I am crucified
with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:
and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of
God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” We don't live the Christian
life; but rather, we let Jesus live the Christian life through us by abiding
in and obeying the precious Words of God.
We are saved by receiving the Gospel as
full-payment for our sins. Christ died, was buried and raised-up three days
later. That is the Gospel message, that is, the good news. The Gospel is not
a lifestyle to be lived; but rather, good news to be believed. If you add
anything to the finished work of Christ, then you have a false plan of
salvation. Salvation is without
works of self-righteousness. Romans 4:5 plainly teaches that a man's faith
is COUNTED for righteousness, i.e., the righteousness of Jesus Christ is
imputed to one's heavenly record by faith.
There Are No Perfect Preachers Doctrinally
Spurgeon was not 100% doctrinally perfect. He
was a great theologian in most respects, but had his flaws. I have found
this to be true of all preachers, including myself at times. I used to tell
people to, “Ask Jesus into your heart to be saved.” But then I learned that
the Bible does NOT teach that. The heart doctrinally is one's
subconscience. Most people think “heart” refers to a muscle twice the size
of our fist that pumps blood. The Scriptures teach us in John 6:28-29,
“Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of
God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work
of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” There's
nothing in the Bible about asking or inviting Jesus to come into one's
heart. You can invite Jesus into your heart and never be saved at all,
because that is not the Gospel. And so I stopped using such religious
terminology when witnessing to people.
As far as I know, everything that I teach,
preach, share and promote on my ministry websites is true. If I thought
otherwise, I'd immediately make changes. Sword of the Lord founder, Dr. John
R. Rice taught a Young Earth view, but his successor Dr. Curtis Hutson
taught an Old Earth position, which is what I believe and teach. Dr. Oliver
B. Greene taught that Old Testament saints went to paradise in Hades when
they died, but Dr. John R. Rice taught that Old Testament saints all went
directly to Heaven. There are many such doctrinal differences between great
men of God. It is when such disagreements arise over the plan of salvation
that it becomes a very serious matter. Any preacher who defines repentance
as a change of lifestyle is preaching heresy! Biblically, which cannot be
denied, “repentance” (metanoeo, as in Mark 1:15) simply means “to
think differently.”
The Biblical Plan of Salvation
The Biblical plan
of salvation is simply that we are all guilty sinners, but Christ paid our
debt of sin, and if we BELIEVE the good news that Jesus died on the cross for
our sins, was buried and bodily resurrected, we are saved. In sharp contrast,
the Devil has infiltrated evangelical churches with counterfeit Bible
versions, which change the Holy Scriptures instead to teach that repentance is a change of
lifestyle instead of a change of mind. Here is a classic example of what I am
telling you . . .
The Greek word for
“repent” in Mark 1:15 in the King James Bible is metanoeo, which means,
“to think differently.” It is a change of mind. It DOESN'T mean to
“change your hearts and lives,” which is what the corrupt ERV says!!! . . .
KING JAMES BIBLE (KJB) — Mark 1:15, “And saying, The time is fulfilled, and
the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.”
[emphasis added]
EASY-TO-READ VERSION (ERV)
— Mark 1:15, “He said, “The right time is now here. God’s kingdom is very
near. Change your hearts and lives, and believe the Good News!”
[emphasis added]
That is wrong,
wrong, wrong! You don't have to change your own life as a requirement to be
saved. Rather, it is the indwelling Holy Spirit that comes into a person at
the time of salvation that changes one's heart and life, over time as they
grow in grace by nurturing on the milk of the Word (1st Peter 2:2). Anyone who
tells you that you must change your ways, habits or sinful lifestyle to be
saved is a BIG LIAR! Eternal life is a gift (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9). A
gift must simply be received, not achieved.
The Holy Bible is God's inspired Word, our final and sole authority.
We must always keep in mind that Spurgeon did at times teach
heresy, as does every preacher who preaches thousands of sermons. I do NOT
recommend reading the works of Spurgeon, lest you be doctrinally corrupted.
Granted, even the
best of preachers sometimes get it wrong, which is why we should always
verify the things that we hear with the pure, infallible, inerrant,
preserved, inspired, Words of God. And please be aware, the only reliable
Bible today in English is the King James Bible. Romans 4:3a, “For what saith the
Scripture?”
Was London's mightiest Baptist preacher, Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892), a heretic on salvation?
Yes and no, depending on which sermon that you choose to listen to. Spurgeon
was a doctrinal train wreck!!! In the past I had only read Spurgeon's good
quotes, thinking he was saved; however, after doing further research and
analyzing the entirety of the man's preaching, I do not believe Spurgeon was
saved. Sadly, in his time Charles Spurgeon was the John MacArthur of the
19th century. Spurgeon was in fact, a CALVINIST!!! ...
