I thought it would be appropriate to provide a quote from Charles Spurgeon on the miracle of true saving faith. I think a foundational problem in the Church today is a woefully inadequate understanding of saving faith. I am afraid that many people are convinced they are saved when in reality, they have never actually come through the narrow gate to genuine faith in Jesus Christ. Many do not understand that the Biblical requirements for saving faith are so high and so radical, that it must be a work of sovereign grace to actually bring someone into saving faith and true salvation. Spurgeon explains,
You formerly boasted, ‘I can believe in the Lord Jesus Christ whenever I like, and it will be all right.’ You once thought it such an easy thing to believe; but you do not find it so now. ‘Why,’ you now cry, ’I cannot feel. What is worse, I cannot believe. I cannot remember. I cannot restrain myself. I seem possessed by the devil. God help me, for I cannot help myself.’…;’When a man knows and feels that he is in very deed a sinner before God, it is a miracle for him to believe in the forgiveness of sins; nothing but the omnipotence of the Holy Ghost can work faith in him.‘(The Forgotten Spurgeon, by Iain Murray, 91)
This quote from Spurgeon illustrates the truth that Jesus spoke: “No man can come to me unless the Father draws him” (John 6:44). It also highlights what Jesus meant when He answered the question, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus answered this question by saying, ”What is impossible with men is possible with God” (Luke 18:26-27). True Biblical faith in Christ is impossible for man to attain to or muster up in himself. It must be bestowed by God.
I was talking to a friend of mine yesterday and he mentioned a conversation he recently had with a woman to whom he was witnessing. After he explained to her the requirements of the Christian faith, she replied, “I can’t be perfect.” Exactly! She is getting close! If only all of our evangelistic efforts brought people to realize the impossibility to attain to true saving faith, then maybe they would begin to actually search for a salvation completely outside themselves.
To take the edge off of Christ’s commands to follow Him (“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me”–Luke 9:23) and say that faith is easy, then, is to do a great disservice to unbelievers because we are presenting them with a faith that they can attain to in and of themselves. But, if we lay out all the requirements of the Christian life–the obligation enter by the narrow gate, the necessity to pick up one’s cross and follow after Jesus, the commandment to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength–then it will force people to flee from their self-made faith to Jesus Christ for true salvation. We must bring people to a point where they say, “It is impossible to live up to God’s standard,” so that they will flee to Christ for mercy and a divine work of grace.
Have you fled to Christ?
Yo D, It’s great to see you are updating your blog regularly. I think that you have nailed one of the key issues in the church today. Do we want to focus on telling people how to live the Christian life, assuming that they are already saved? Or de we teach them what it means to be a Christian and let the Holy Spirit convict them of sin and draw them to saving faith or continue sancitification? Perhaps the most dangerous thing we can do is assume salvation. Thanks for “begging the question.”
Bobby,
This is and interesting topic because I learned in Iain Murray’s bio of Edwards that even JE thought many of his people needed exhortation to salvation rather than instruction in Christian living. It scares me to think how true this might be today! If we believe this, it will certainly flavor our preaching with a sense of urgency!!