Spurgeon Says I’m Not Crazy

September 23, 2007

Joe,

As you know, I was blessed yesterday by many of my close friends and family members at a surprise birthday party. The highlight for me was the time when many friends and family shared encouraging words about how they have seen me growing or how I have been a blessing to them. I hope this was a blessing not because it made much of me, but because it was so gratifying to hear people share ways in which Christ has been made much of through me.

One particular highlight was this quote which our friend Anthony shared with us from Charles Spurgeon. While Spurgeon is no infallible authority, I felt pretty good to be reminded that someone as tested and wise as the great Spurgeon affirms that I am not crazy for clinging passionately to something which is often called non-essential. For those who were there and would like to read the quote again (and for those who weren’t there who can be blessed by it!), here it is:

Let us hold God’s truth, but not with a slippery hand. If a doctrine be true, let us grip it [tightly], though the earth shake or the heavens fall. Christian men, where there is a love for God’s truth, God will bless his Church; but because this is a time-serving age, because we have not come out plainly with those things which distinguish us from each other, because we have paid too much deference to each other’s views, and have not boldly declared the great truths of his Word. - these are the reasons why God has to some extent deserted us. You say, “I do not see so much [value] in doctrines, after all.” Then you will not see much blessing. I love so much what I believe to be true, that I would fight for every grain of it; not for the “stones” only, but for the very “dust thereof.”

I believe that we ought not to say that any truth is non-essential; it may be non-essential to salvation, but it is essential for something else. Why! you might as well take one of the jewels out of the Queen’s crown, and say it is non-essential, but she will be Queen all the same! Will anyone dare to tell God that any doctrine is non-essential? Oh gracious Spirit, hast thou written what is non-essential?

Hast thou given me a Book respecting which I say, “My father and mother believed it all, but it is not necessary for me to believe it”? God has given me a judgment; am I to follow in the wake of other people, thinking I shall be sure to be right and that God will never ask me what I was? An easy kind of religion is this! It was not so in the days of good old John Bunyan and Berridge; they sang a far different song. But now people are saying, “I can listen to So-and-so and So and-so” - men who contradict one another. We cannot think [highly] of people, who can hear opposite opinions, and yet believe both to be correct. We cannot expect much growth unless you hold the truth, and take pleasure in the stones of Zion , and, “favor the dust thereof,” - every atom of [the truth].…

Do not follow a part of his orders, and neglect the rest. The Lord Jesus must be received as a whole, or not at all. Do not say “This is non-essential”, for such a speech is flat rebellion. I do not believe in any words of our Lord being non-essential. They may not be essential to our salvation, but every word of Christ is essential to our spiritual health; neither can we disregard the least of his precepts without suffering loss through our disobedience.

Thankful for a blessed day (and for confirmation from one of the great preachers of old that I am not crazy!),

Larry

Posted by Larry | Filed Under Quotes, Seeking Him