May 25, 2009

Spurgeon - Life By Faith

Brother Phil Johnson at pyromanics has a weekly citation from Spurgeon. This week's citation was interesting to me. Hyper Calvinists, like the Hardshells, often argue that the gospel cannot be a means in regeneration because the gospel is food and drink, and such can never be a means in giving life, but only a means for preserving life. From the citation from Spurgeon, one might think he agreed with the Hypers, except for his one statement that says that sinners have "life through believing on him," that is, have life through faith.

"OBSERVE carefully the order in which our Lord puts the two blessings he mentions;—first, life through believing on him, and then food to sustain that life;—first, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life;" and next to that, "I am that bread of life." Life comes first, and food follows afterwards. It is impossible for a dead man to feed, or to be fed; only the living can eat and drink."

See here

Were it not for Spurgeon's statement about life through believing, I might think he denied that the gospel brings life.

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