My Year With Spurgeon #28

Divine Sovereignty
Charles Spurgeon
1856
“Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own?—Matthew 20:15.

There is no attribute of God more comforting to his children than the doctrine of Divine Sovereignty. Under the most adverse circumstances, in the most severe troubles, they believe that Sovereignty hath ordained their afflictions, that Sovereignty overrules them, and that Sovereignty will sanctify them all. There is nothing for which the children of God ought more earnestly to contend than the dominion of their Master over all creation—the kingship of God over all the works of his own hands—the throne of God, and his right to sit upon that throne.

You say all men are God’s children; I demand of you to prove that. I never read it in my Bible. I dare not say, “Our father which art in heaven,” till I am regenerated. I cannot rejoice in the fatherhood of God towards me till I know that I am one with him, and a joint heir with Christ. I dare not claim the fatherhood of God as an unregenerated man. It is not father and child—for the child has a claim upon its father—but it is King and subject; and not even so high a relation as that, for there is a claim between subject and King. A creature—a sinful creature, can have no claim upon God; for that would be to make salvation of works and not of grace. If men can merit salvation, then to save them is only the payment of a debt, and he gives them nothing more than he ought to give them. But we assert that grace must be distinguishing if it be grace at all.

Grace is not a thing which I use; grace is something which uses me. But people talk of grace sometimes as if it was something they could use, and not as influence having power over them. Grace is something not which I improve, but which improves, employs me, works on me.

The Character of Christ's People
Charles Spurgeon
1856
“They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”—John 17:16.

The Lord’s people should not go along with the rest in their worldliness. Their characters should be visibly different.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible