Did Spurgeon Believe In Limited Atonement?

In one of his sermons, Spurgeon reminded his congregation about the doctrine of God's electing some from the foundation of the world. But he noted that our task is to "preach the gospel to every creature," not to find the elect. Spurgeon said that if God had painted a yellow stripe down the back of each of the elect, he would run up and down the streets of London, lifting up shirttails, and preaching the gospel to the elect. But, Spurgeon reminds us, God has not done so. Instead He has commanded us to "preach the gospel to every creature." We must urgently appeal to everyone to come to Christ.
Jim Ehrhard

 

What high profile debates are you refering to??

Not being a Calvinist but having a love for Spurgeons works, one must be ignorant of Spurgeons writtings to make such a claim. But please give me some information on these 'high profile debates' where they make or allude to such statements, as now I'm quite curious .

 

I quite agree, the evidence speaks for itself. I was simply curious as to who the these people were. :thumbs:

 

My Pastor and I were just talking about this last night after church. I had heard from a number of preachers that Spurgeon was Calvanistic, but was not a five point Calvanist, so naturally I believed what these preachers said. Needless to say I was very shocked when I began reading some of Spurgeons works online. I am not sure where these preachers got their info, but from what I gather Spurgeon was not just a "little Calvanistic" but rather in total agreement with John Calvin. I had also heard from the same preachers that Spurgeon was KJVO, which I also found out to be a lie. I guess it just goes to show that you cant believe everything that everybody says.

 

There have been some Fundamentalist works which have deliberately deleted some of Spurgeon's words to convey the opposite of what he actually believed . Also , during the Civil War when Spurgeon was denouncing slavery his works were ah hem ... "edited" .
Some Fundamentalists have claimed that if one adheres to TULIP then they are hyper-Calvinists . They profess a love for Spurgeon and say that he really wasn't Calvinistic , but against Arminianism . Since they belive in OSAS they wouldn't for a moment consider themselves Arminian -- though they share little Calvinistic thought .

 

Hyper-Calvinism has more to do with the order of the decrees than it does with the efficacy of the atoning grace of Christ.

As Calvinist, we often say that the blood of Christ was sufficient for all, but effectual for the elect. Our great commission is to "preach the gospel to the whole world." I would not presume to know who the elect are, and neither did Mr. Spurgeon as attested by anyone who has read his great sermons, including those sermons where he seems to include all humanity in a general call to salvation.

He was prepared to have D.L. Moody, with cerainty not a Calvinist, preach in the Tabernacle pulpit..it didn't happen for other reasons...but he was open enough to allow it. This did not distract the fact that Mr. Spurgeon was Calvinistic to the core and never deviated for a moment.

Cheers,

Jim

 

Sword of the Lord would do that.

 

Actaully, Moody DID preach in his church at least once but I think twice. (the twice I could be mistaken on since there was an issue had arisen and made it possible that this appearance did not transpire). Yet, either way, Spurgeon was a supporter of Moody's ministry Spurgeon also attended Moody revivals and endorsed the same, though he did disagree with the theology specifically.

 

1. Ol' Spurgeon was proud to be a five point Calvinist, and he was not afraid to defend it.

2. I too am glad to be in such a company as Spurgeon.

 

Allan , can you give any evidence that Spurgeon attended any Moody "revivals" ? In general Spurgeon had a great deal of reservations about so-called revivals . He supported Moody and differed with his dear friend John Kennedy on that subject . The "revivals" associated with D.L.M. were not of the depth and quality of the awakening of 1858/59 . And although Spurgeon was an ally of Moody -- Moody's doctrines were closer to Wesley's and Finney's . Moody was not Spurgeonesque .

 

Spurgeon On Revivals

Things are allowed to be said and done at revivals which nobody could defend ... If, for a moment , our improvements seem to produce a larger result than the old gospel , it will be the growth of mushrooms , it may even be of toadstools ; but it is not the growth of trees of the Lord . ( An All-Round Ministry pages 375/76 ) .

As you are aware , I have at all times been peculiarly jealous and suspicious of revivals . Whenever I see a man who is called a revivalist , I always set him down for a cypher . I would scorn the taking of such a title as that to myself... All that I call a farce . There may be something very good in it ; but the outside looks to be so rotten , that I should scarcely trust myself to think that the good within comes to any great amount . ( New Park Street Pulpit Vol. 4 pp.161-2 ) .

Possibly , much of the filmsy piety of the present day arises from the ease with which men attain no peace and joy in these evangelistic days . ( C.H. Spurgeon Autobiography , Vol.1 , p.54 )

What mean these dispatches from the battlefield ? 'Last night 14 souls were under conviction , 15 were justified , and 8 received full sanctification' . I am weary of these public braggings , this counting of unhatched chickens , this exhibition of doubtful spoils . Lay aside such numberings of the people , such idle pretence of certifying in half a minute that which will need the testing of a lifetime ... Flowing tears and streaming eyes , sobs and outcries , and crowds after meetings and all kinds of confusions may occur , and be borne with as concomitants of genuine feeling , but pray do not plan their production . ( The Sword and the Trowel , 1879 , pages 503-505 )

 

Spurgeon is an embarrassment to the calvin haters.
He was such an evangelistic preacher, all the while never watering down the gospel.

As far as the revivalists:
It has led to PTL, the charismatics etc.

 

More Spurgeon On Revivals

We have had plenty of revivals of the human sort , and their results have been sadly disappointing . under excitement nominal converts have been multiplied : but where are they after a little testing ? I am sadly compelled to own that , so far as I can observe , there been much sown , and very little reaped that was worth reaping , from much of that which has been called revival . Our hopes were flattering as a dream : but the apparent result has vanished like a vision of the night . But where the Spirit of God is really at work the converts stand : they are well rooted and grounded , and hence are not carried about by every wind of doctrine . ( Met.Tab. Pulpit , Vol. 27 , 1882 , p. 531 ).

Today we have so many built up who were never pulled down ; so many filled who were never emptied ; so many exalted who were never humbled ; that I the more earestly remind you that the Holy Ghost must convince of sin , or we cannot be saved ... We cannot make headway with certain people because they profess faith very readily , but are not convinced of anything . 'Oh , yes , we are sinners , no doubt , and Christ died for sinners' : that is the free-and-easy way with which they handle heavenly mysteries , as if they were the nonsense verses of a boy's exercise , or the stories of Mother Goose .( M.T.P. Vol.29, 1884 , p.126 ) .

I would condemn no one , but I confess I am deeply grieved at some of the inventions of modern mission work ( An All-Round Ministry ,p.297 ) .

Do you notice , at the present time , the way the gospel is put ? I am uttering no criticism upon anyone in particular , but I continually read the exhortation ,'Give your heart to Christ'... ( An All-Round Ministry , p. 297 ) .

 

In all my years of ministry, I never once invited anyone to come forward. Never gave an altar call. Yet, I did see souls on bended knee before the Lord, quietly seeking God's forgiveness and begging for His mercy.

My personal conversion was very quiet, but moving within my being. It was during my confirmation classes in the Church of England. We preferred to call it realizing the Christ in salvation.

Not every conversion event is a stage performance, not as cataclismic as the Apostle Paul's. I had greater emotion, as it were, when I submitted to believer's baptism in a PB assembly.

Calvinism in action.

Cheers,

Jim

 

Limited atonement

We can all believe in a five point system, but like anything that comes from man it is limited in it's understanding and fall short of every word that comes from the mouth of God.

As long as we know when the Gospel is being preaches whosoever may come. No one is excluded from it.

The Father is drawing you to His Son, everyone of you through the Spirit and life through the words of Jesus, but you can walk away just like the young rich ruler did. He was drawn to Jesus chosen by Jesus and walked away. Do you think your riches is more important than the words of God our Father through Jesus Christ? You come and Jesus will in no wise cast you out. You can come the Father is not stopping you, for God does want all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. God wanted to gather Israel like a hen gathers its chicks. It wasn't God who wasn't willing but them.

Jesus was sent into the world not to condemn it but to save, believe God over men.

For God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

You can lean on your own understanding and believe what you want, but I pray you believe God

 

Can we please leave inflamatory language out or at least one discussion? I see no "calvin haters" here on the BB.