While Spurgeon is read and cited by many who believe him to be a “Calvinist” after their liking, most do not realize that he faced the same theological backdrop that exists today.
Outside of his speaking and writings around what was called the “Downgrade Controversy” (near the end of his life’s ministry) [1], Spurgeon wrote and spoke extensively against the extreme Calvinistic movement that was infecting the theological culture.
Appropriately, Iain Murray chose to devote one of his multitudinous books to make known the historical legacy of Charles Spurgeon’s battle against the Calvinism of his day. [2] Murray’s book is just as relevant today because the same battles continue to surface and resurface. As Murray well understands, . . . .
“To confine our view of the church to a few short and passing years (would be ) a serious mistake.
We need to see and remember the big picture.”
While Spurgeon repeatedly identifies himself as a “Calvinist,” his definition of that term is far more “Gospel general” and is primarily in distinction to those of the Arminian camp.
“And I have my own private opinion that there is no such thing as preaching Christ and him crucified,
unless you preach what nowadays is called Calvinism.…
It is a nickname to call it Calvinism;
Calvinism is the gospel, and nothing else.”
If you want to understand where Spurgeon stands on this issue of his day, read Murray’s book, or even some of the extensive reviews [4] that lay out Spurgeon’s case against extreme Calvinism. Spurgeon’s argument against and utter rejection of the position that “faith is a gift of God” is devasting!
Here is a taste of Iain Murray’s book, and Spurgeon’s refutation of the extreme Calvinism that also marked his day . . . .
“All men,” say they; “that is, some men”: as if the Holy Ghost could not have said “some men” if he had meant some men. “All men,” say they; “that is, some of all sorts of men”: as if the Lord could not have said “All sorts of men” if he had meant that. The Holy Ghost by the apostle has written “all men,” and unquestionably he means all men. I know how to get rid of the force of the “alls” according to that critical method which some time ago was very current, but I do not see how it can be applied here with due regard to the truth. I was reading just now the exposition of a very able doctor who explains the text so as to explain it away; he applies grammatical gunpowder to it, and explodes it by way of expounding it. I thought when I read his exposition that it would have been a very capital comment upon the text if it had read, ‘Who will not have all men to be saved, nor come to a knowledge of the truth.’ Had such been the inspirited language every remark of the learned doctor would have been exactly in keeping but as it happens to say ‘Who will have all men to be saved, his observations are more than a little out of place. My love of consistency with my own doctrinal view is not great enough to allow me knowingly to alter a single text of Scripture. I have great respect for orthodoxy, but my reverence for inspiration is far greater.[3]
“The final conclusion has to be that when Calvinism ceases to be evangelistic, when it becomes more concerned with theory than with the salvation of men and women, when acceptance of doctrines seems to become more important than acceptance of Christ, then it is a system going to seed and it will invariably lose its attractive power.” [5]
2. Spurgeon v. Hyper-Calvinism : the battle for gospel preaching by Iain Murray, pgs. 70-71
3 – Iain Murray — Pgs. 150-161
4 – A Three Part Review Of Murray’s Book, By Sharper Iron Links:
https://sharperiron.org/article/spurgeon-and-battle-for-gospel-preaching-part-1
https://sharperiron.org/article/spurgeon-and-battle-for-gospel-preaching-part-2
Link: https://sharperiron.org/article/spurgeon-and-battle-for-gospel-preaching-part-3
TGC Article Reviewing Murray’s Book Link
Stephen Unthank (MDiv, Capital Bible Seminary) –“I don’t remember how I came across the book but I do remember the warming light of its content breaking into my immature thinking when I started reading it. I couldn’t put it down. And it seemed like after I finished each chapter I found myself repenting and praying, “Lord, help me to love those who are lost like Spurgeon did. No, help me love the lost like you do!” (Link)
5 – Murray, pg. 120
6 – D.A. Carson Link
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