salvation

Run to Obtain the Crown

Sherry Christian Life, promises, salvation 3 Comments

So run, that ye may obtain. – 1Corinthians 9:24

We are continually insisting upon it from day to day, that salvation is not of works, but of grace. We lay this down as one of the very first doctrines of the gospel. “Not of works, lest any man should boast.” “By grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.” But we find that it is equally necessary to preach the absolute necessity of a religious life for the attainment of heaven at last. Although we are sure that men are not saved for the sake of their works, yet are we equally sure that no man will be saved without them; and that he who leads an unholy life, who neglects the great salvation, can never inherit that crown of life which fadeth not away. In one sense, true religion is wholly the work of God; yet there are high and important senses in which we must ourselves “strive to enter in at the strait gate.” We must run a race; we must wrestle even to agony; we must fight a battle, before we can inherit the crown of life. We have in our text the course of religion set down as a race; and inasmuch as there be many who enter upon a profession of religion with very false motives, the apostle warns us that although all run in a race, yet all do not obtain the prize: they run all, but only one is rewarded: and he gives us, therefore, the practical exhortation to run that we may obtain; for unless we are the winners we had better not have been runners at all; for he that is not a winner is a loser; he who makes a profession of religion, and does not at last obtain the crown of life, is a loser by his profession; for his profession was hypocrisy or else formality, and he had better not have made a profession, than fall therein.~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/0198.cfm

Secure in Thy Eternal Hand

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, Christian Life, promises, salvation, The Father 6 Comments

My times are in Thy hand…Oh how great is Thy goodness, which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee; which Thou hast wrought for them that trust in Thee before the sons of men! – Psalm 31:15, 19

Sit thou still, O child, at thy great Father’s feet, and let Him do as seemeth Him good! When thou canst not comprehend Him, know that a babe cannot understand the wisdom of its sire. Thy Father comprehends all things, though thou dost not: let His wisdom be enough for thee. Everything in the hand of God is where it may be left without anxiety; and it is where it will be carried through to a prosperous issue. Things prosper which are in His hand. “My times are in Thy hand,” is an assurance that none can disturb, or pervert, or poison them. In that hand we rest as securely as rests a babe upon its mother’s breast. Where could our interests be so well secured as in the eternal hand? What a blessing it is to see by the eye of faith all things that concern you grasped in the hand of God! What peace as to every matter which could cause anxiety flows into the soul when we see all our hopes built upon so stable a foundation, and preserved by such supreme power! “My times are in Thy hand!”

“Our times are in Thy hand,
Whatever they may be,
Pleasing or painful, dark or bright,
As best may seem to Thee.”

 The Lord Jesus loved me, and gave Himself for me, and my times are in those hands which were nailed to the cross for my redemption. What will be the effect of such a faith, if it be clear, personal, and enduring? ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/2205.cfm

Sinner, It is To You that Mercy is Sent

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, promises, salvation, The Holy Spirit Leave a comment

He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. – Hebrews 7:25

“Come, in all thy filthy garments,
Tarry not to cleanse or mend;
Come, in all thy destitution,
As thou art, and He’ll befriend.
By the tempter’s vain allurements,
Be no longer thou beguiled:
God the Father waits to own thee
As His dear adopted child.”

It is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. All manner of sin and of blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men. It is true that you are much worse then you think you are: you may tell me you are horribly bad, but you have no idea how bad you are: the hottest place in hell is your desert; but it is to you the mercy is sent; to you, O man, to you, O woman, to you who have defiled yourself with all manner of unmentionable enormities, even to you, thus saith the Lord, “I have blotted out thy sins like a cloud; return unto Me and I will have mercy upon thee.” I cannot say more. I wish I had the power to speak, I was about to say, with the tongues of men and of angels, but I have such a blessed message to deliver to you, that I feel it need not goodly words, the message itself is all that is needed if the Spirit bless it. Oh, do not reject it, I beseech you, you guilty ones! you despairing ones, do not turn from it, put not away from you the kingdom lest you prove yourselves unworthy, and bring upon yourselves wrath unto the uttermost. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/1010.cfm

Jesus’ Love for Sinners

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, promises, salvation, The Holy Spirit 1 Comment

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit – 1 Peter 3:18

Friend of sinners was His name, and is still. Think of that self-denying life spent among the sick and the sinful for their good. And then think of His death, for here the light of grace is focused; the cross, like a burning-glass, concentrates the light and heat of Christ’s love upon the sinner. See Him agonizing in the garden for sins that were not His own: see Him scourged with awful flagellations for transgressions in which He had no share: behold Him bleeding and dying on the tree for His enemies; sufferer for iniquities in which He never was a participator, for in Him was no sin. It must be true that God can save me, if Christ has died in the stead of the guilty. This argument has killed my unbelief. I cannot disbelieve, when I see incarnate God suffering for the guilty, the just for the unjust, to bring them to God.

“Sinners! come, the Savior see,
Hands, feet, side, and temples view;
See Him bleeding on the tree,
See His heart on fire for you!

I wish it were in my power to convey the light which I see in the cross into the mental eyeballs of all my hearers, but I cannot; God the Holy Ghost must do it…Give up self, give up self-hope, be in utter despair of anything that you can do, and now, whether you sink or swim, throw yourself into the sea of Christ’s love: rest in Him and you shall never perish, neither shall any pluck you from His hands. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/1010.cfm

O Sinner, Could He Refuse Thee?

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, prayer, promises, salvation 1 Comment

But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us…- Titus 3:4, 5

God must punish sin, every transgression must receive its just recompense of reward; but, lo, Christ has come, and as the scape-goat He has carried sin away; as the sin-offering He has removed transgression. Is not this good news? But I hear you say that your sins are too many and great. Do you then foolishly think that Christ is a sin-bearer for the innocent? That would be ridiculous. Do you suppose that Christ bore little sins only? That is to make Him a little Savior. Beware of this. Nay, but mountain sins, heaven-defying sins, were laid on Him when He hung upon the tree, and for these He made effectual atonement.

Perhaps, one of your greatest difficulties is that you cannot pray. You say, “I cannot put a dozen words together; if I groan, I fear I do not feel in my heart what I ought to feel.” Well, there is One who can pray for you if you cannot for yourself. Give Him your cause to plead, and do not doubt but that it shall succeed.

Think of His character as the meek and lowly Savior. Little children loved Him; He called them and they willingly came, for He was meek and lowly of heart. O sinner, could He refuse thee? Do you think He could give you a hard word and send you about your business, if you were to seek mercy today? It could not be; it is not in the nature of Him, who is both the Son of God and the Son of Man, ever to repel a heart that fain would cling to Him. Until He has once acted harshly to a coming sinner, you have no right to dream of His rejecting you, if you come to Him.~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/1010.cfm

 

Trust the Incarnate God

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, promises, salvation 3 Comments

Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil…For verily He took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abraham. – Hebrews 2: 14, 17

Mark right well who this Jesus Christ is. He is in the constitution of His person both God and man, divine and human, equal with God and fellow with man. Do you not see in this fact the love of God, that He should be willing to take humanity into union with Himself? If God becomes man, He does not hate men, but has love towards them. Do you not see the suitability of Christ to deal with you, for He is like yourself a man, touched with the feeling of your infirmities; of a human mother born, He hung at a woman’s breast, he suffered hunger and thirst and weariness, and, dead and buried in the tomb, He was partaker in our doom as well as our sorrow? Jesus of Nazareth was most truly a man, He is bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh. O sinner, look into the face of the Man of sorrows and you must trust Him. Since He is also God, you therein see His power to carry on the work of salvation. He touches you with the hand of His humanity, but He touches the Almighty with the hand of His Deity. He is man, and feels your needs; He is God, and is able to supply them. Is anything too tender for His heart of love? Is anything too hard for His hand of power? When the Lord Himself, that made the heavens and digged the foundations of the earth, comes to be your Savior, there remains no difficulty in your being saved. Omnipotence cannot know a difficulty, and, O sinner, to an omnipotent Savior it is not hard to save even you. A look of faith will give you perfect pardon. A touch of the hem of the Redeemer’s garment will heal you at once. Come, then, and trust the incarnate God. Cast yourself into His arms at once.~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/1010.cfm

Christ is That Great Light

Sherry Attributes of God, Character of Jesus, promises, salvation Leave a comment

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light…- Isaiah 9:2

Now Christ is not only light, but great light; He reveals great things, He manifests great comforts, saves us from great sin and great wrath, and prepares us for great glory. He is, however, a Savior that must be seen…We must see the Savior with a glance of faith, then have we light. Let us consider how clearly Christ Jesus Himself is the light of every believing eye, and delivers the most troubled soul from its misery. In Him is light, and the light is the light of men. Jesus, personally, is the day-dawn and the morning without clouds…I am a sinner lost and ruined, but I rejoice, for Jesus has come to seek and to save that which was lost. My sins trouble me, but He shall save His people from their sins. Satan annoys me, but He has come to destroy the works of the devil. He is not a nominal, but a real, Savior. We know captains and colonels who have no troops, and never saw fighting, but not so the Captain of our salvation; He brings many sons unto glory. If a man is called a builder, we expect him to build; if a merchant, we expect him to trade; and as Jesus is a Savior, He will carry on His sacred business, He will save multitudes. Why, surely there is comfortable hope here. Do you not see the dawning in the name of Savior? Surely if He comes to save, and you need saving, there is a blessed suitability in you for one another. A prisoner at the bar is glad to meet one who is by profession an advocate; a ship out of its track welcomes a pilot; a traveler lost on the moors is delighted if he meets one who is by trade a guide; and so a sinner should rejoice at the bare mention of a Savior. ~ C.H. Spurgeon

https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/1010.cfm