The Vocation of the Christian in Spurgeon’s Understanding
Several lines are evident in Spurgeon’s vision of the value of following faith and God—first, his attitude toward preaching and its impact on others. The most crucial point here is his belief that one cannot help another solve a similar problem without experiencing it firsthand. Spurgeon believes that before you can help, you must realize whether you are following the doctrine yourself.
According to Scripture, opening one’s heart and mind to Christ is an opportunity for reflection. Salvation awaits those who understand their mission, follow it, and always bear the burdens of worldliness. Spurgeon believed that following Scripture is the only possible way to reach the Christian’s ultimate goal.
Second, Spurgeon followed what he saw as the right way to serve Jesus Christ. He demonstrated with all his being that it is the highest goal of a Christian to do anything for Christ. He distributed pamphlets, prayed, and read extensively to deepen his understanding of his love for the Savior. Spurgeon was an example of the kind of Christian he believed in and read about in his sermons.
In Spurgeon’s mind, a Christian devotes all his time to God and his reverence. It is not enough to believe and remember Sunday prayer; one must try to have Christ share amazing grace with those who ask for it. It should also be noted that Spurgeon also wanted Christians to see a mission to open their hearts and heads to lifelong service to Jesus. He was convinced that there should be no obstacle to a Christian praying or listening to sermons: weather conditions or hardships should not stop him. Confidence in the Lord is the most important pillar for the Christian; without it, one cannot spread his doctrine and attract new people. Spurgeon was devoted to God and His teachings, so his goal was to bring as many followers as possible to his sermons and expose them to the divine light of the gospel.
Spurgeon’s Soteriological Understanding
Many factors, including family and early preaching experiences, influenced Spurgeon’s vision of Salvation and its possibility. For many generations, his family allowed Spurgeon to immerse himself in Scripture and belonged to the Catholic branch of the family. His family’s prayers led them to believe that Salvation is only attainable if God himself sees you. Spurgeon argued that the simple will of man is not enough to achieve Salvation, so one must believe and diligently carry out the mission of Christians to attract followers so that Christ will notice these labors. In Spurgeon’s understanding, education meant enlightenment, and through it and working for the Lord, one could eventually earn forgiveness.
The Word of God is an undeniable treatise to many Christians, and Spurgeon built his ministry on a deep devotion to the Bible. Revelation dominated for Spurgeon because he believed it was the way to open his heart and mind to the Lord. He understood the Word of God from what he saw, what happened to him, and the people around him who, like him, sought to devote all their time to Christ and his teachings.
Scripture was his primary source of material for his sermons, so he “depended entirely upon the Scriptures to do the work of revealing Christ to the sinner”. Spurgeon’s understanding is based on the assertion that faith is a mind resting in God, so interventions will not bring a person closer to what they want or cause Christ to behave as the investigators want. Human liberty is a complex concept, and Spurgeon is convinced that it must ultimately be abolished to obtain a universal priesthood. Thus, Spurgeon is convinced that without allowing God’s Word to flow through oneself and recognizing the limits of the Christian’s freedom and responsibility, the attainment of Salvation is impossible without fulfilling Christ’s mission.
Salvation is attainable only when a Christian’s heart is fully open to God. People need to wait and pray for forgiveness and blessing, but they are not the engines of Salvation. Instead, they wait for grace to descend upon them from the desire of God, the Savior of sin. I have concluded that no matter how sacred, reasonable, and focused people’s works are on praising God, they will never fully satisfy him. Like all Christians, I must remember that to be saved, I must believe, and only in this way will God send me grace.
The understanding of justification in Spurgeon’s eyes is based on the offense for which one must be justified. Citing the example of trial and investigation, Spurgeon argues that, in the Christian context, “we are all guilty.” Only God can grant justification, giving his grace to overshadow sins.
Spurgeon reveals the natural meaning of the doctrine of Christ taking the blame for the Christian’s sins and being willing to be justified without the Father. The sinner will receive forgiveness through grace if Christ stands in his place. This is the only way that redemption and Salvation can result because Christ stepped in and took the burden of responsibility for the sins of Christians. Ultimately, the sinner accepts the righteousness of Christ, which can justify him in the eyes of the Father.
Love dominates the relationship between Christ and the sinner, despite its complexities. Justification by grace is the most important and perfect pardon a Christian can receive. No other atonement will be perfect because “who are once justified are justified irreversibly,” and Christ will not depart from his followers. Thus, Spurgeon emphasizes that justification by grace stands at the pinnacle of the Christian’s journey, and that the exchange of sin between him and Christ is the most intimate act.
Bibliography
Earls, Rod. Spurgeon’s Theology for Multiplying Disciples and Churches: The Story of How Spurgeon and the Metropolitan Tabernacle Followed Christ. Eugene: Wipf & Stock, 2022.
Spurgeon, Charles. An All-Round Ministry: Addresses to Ministers and Students. 3rd ed. London: Counted Faithful, 2020.
Spurgeon, Charles. Justification by Grace No. 126, in A Sermon Delivered On Sabbath Morning, 1857.
Spurgeon, Charles. The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, vol. 34 (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1888), 364.
Spurgeon, Charles. The New Park Street Pulpit. London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1856-1861 reprint Grand Rapids: Baker, 1990, 337.
Spurgeon, Charles. The True Apostolical Succession. Sermon, the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington, December 15, 1861.
The Holy Bible: NIV. Bible. Last modified 2011.