Foundation or Stumbling Stone?
Why the Guilty Find a Rock to Stand On While the Proud Stumble in the Dark
There are none who love God like those who are saved by grace. - Spurgeon
Introduction
We have reached the conclusion of Spurgeon’s sermon on the grace of God. After defining, defending, and describing how to approach God through grace, this final article shows that grace not only finds you but also sustains you through the Christian life. Read on to see the full extent of God’s grace.
Next week, we are heading back much further than Spurgeon—all the way to the early church—where we will get to know the Bishop of Smyrna, Polycarp. See y’all then.
Note: We have two booklets in the making: one by J.C. Ryle and this current series by Charles Spurgeon. We’ll update you here and on social media as soon as they’re ready!
Salvation All Of Grace
A Sermon by C. H. Spurgeon, 1872.
‘By grace are ye saved.’ — Ephesians 2:8
Sovereignty of the Giver
I feel in my own heart—and I believe every believer here does as well—that if salvation is by grace, then God must be allowed to do as He wills with His own. None of us can say to Him, “What are You doing?” If there were any element of debt, justice, or obligation involved, we might begin to question God. But since there is none, we will from this point on stop our questioning and simply trust Him.
As for the people He chooses to save, let Him save whoever He wills. His name shall be honored forever, regardless of His choice. As for the instruments He uses to save, let Him save through the coarsest speaker or the most eloquent; let Him do what seems good to Him. If He chooses to save through the Bible alone without a preacher, we will be glad to remain silent. If He chooses to save souls through one of our brothers and not through us, we will still say, “Blessed be His name.”
Simplicity of the Gospel
And here I speak to the sinner again: we will raise no dispute with the two great gospel commands. Has He said, ‘He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved’? We will never question the necessity of either believing or baptism. If the Lord chooses to say, “I will save those who trust in Christ,” it is both a natural thing that He should claim our faith, and a gracious thing that He should give us the faith He claims. We cannot question it. (Mar. 16:16)
Even if it were not so, He has the right to make whatever rules He pleases. If God permits entrance through only one door, let us enter by it without a fight. If He had commanded you to do some “great thing,” would you not have done it? How much more should you obey now when He says simply: trust in Jesus and be saved?
The Posture of Obedience
I know that if I were authorized to preach this morning that every person who sailed around the world would be saved, you would start saving your money for the journey. But when the gospel comes to you right there in those pews and aisles and bids you to simply turn your eyes to the crucified Savior and look only to Him, I know that if you have not learned that salvation is by grace, you will rebel against that command. But if you know it is by grace—and grace alone—you will say, “How sweet is the command of God! Lord, enable me now to trust myself to Your dear Son.”
Furthermore, you will not argue with the ordinance of baptism either. I know it is very natural to ask, “What is the point of it?” I would ask the same: what is there in it? What can there be in a mere washing with water? If you thought there was any merit or “earning” of salvation in it, you would have missed the track entirely. But the Lord has stated it this way: ‘he that believeth and is baptised, shall be saved,’ and therefore, you obey. (Mar. 16:16)
I do not attempt to justify my Lord for commanding this; He needs no defense from me. But if He chooses to set it forth this way, a true heart will yield a prompt obedience to His will.
Trusting God’s Timing and Method
As for the manner and time in which the Lord reveals Himself to any of us, I am sure that if we truly know salvation is by grace, we will never quarrel about that again. To some of us, the Lord revealed Himself suddenly. We can point to the exact day we were converted; I know the very place to within a yard. But for many others, it is not so. The day breaks on them gradually—first the twilight, then a brighter light, and finally the full noon. s long as I have a Savior, I do not mind how I found Him. As long as He blots out my sins, I will not complain about the way He manifests His love to me.
The Engine of Holiness
The doctrine that salvation is by grace provides a most powerful motive for future holiness.
A New Motive, Love
A person who truly feels they are saved by grace says, “Did God, out of His free favor, blot out my sins? Then, oh, how I love Him! Was it nothing but His love that saved an undeserving person like me? Then my soul is knit to Him forever.” In this case, great sin is no barrier to great holiness; rather, it becomes a motive for it. The one who has been forgiven much, loves much—and loving much, they immediately become earnest in serving the One they love.
I ask you, sinner: if the Lord were to appear to you this morning and say, “All your sins have been blotted out,” would you not love Him? Even a dog would love such a Master. I know that the proud, self-righteous people would not; but you “real” sinners—if pardon were to come to you, would you not love God with all your hearts? Of course you would!
There are none who love God like those who are saved by grace. The person who thinks they save themselves by their own works doesn’t love God at all; they love themselves. They are like a hired servant working only for wages—the kind of servant who would leave for another master tomorrow if they were offered better pay.
But the “old-fashioned” servants were the best in the world because they loved their masters; even if they were paid no wages at all, they would have stayed with the family for love’s sake. Such are the servants of God who are saved by His grace. “Why,” they say, “He has already pardoned and saved me! Therefore, my ear is ‘marked’ and fastened to the door of His house to be His servant forever.” Their glory is this: ‘I am thy servant, and the son of thy handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds.’ (Psa. 116:16)
The Pursuit of Holiness
Such a person feels they must pursue perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord. They won’t settle for a “measure” of grace; they want immeasurable grace. They won’t say, “There are some sins in me I just can’t overcome,” but by God’s grace, they will seek to drive out every enemy. They won’t say, “I’m commanded to go this far, but I have a license to keep my ‘besetting sin.’” No! Loving God with all their heart, they will hate sin with all their heart. They will war against sin with all their might.
The Lord fires us with this kind of ardent love. I know no other way to get it except by coming to Him on the basis of grace—confessing sin, receiving mercy, and feeling love kindle in the heart as a result. This is how the entire soul becomes consecrated to the Lord.
The Test: Foundation or Stumbling Block
The way you treat this message will reveal exactly who you are. It will either be a “stone of stumbling” for you this morning, or it will be the “foundation stone” on which you build.
The Danger of Self-Righteousness
Is it a stone of stumbling to you? Do I hear you murmuring, “Why, this man doesn’t emphasize morality and good works; he preaches salvation for the guilty and the vile! I don’t want a religion like that”? Alas! You have stumbled over this stumbling stone, and you will be broken by it. You will perish because you insult your God by thinking yourself wiser than His Word—by imagining that your righteousness is purer than the righteousness of Christ. You imagine you can force your way to heaven by a road that is completely blocked, while you despise the path the Lord has actually opened.
Beware of self-righteousness! The “black devil” of immorality destroys hundreds, but the “white devil” of self-righteousness destroys thousands.
Accept the Foundation
But do you accept this text as your foundation stone? Do you say, “I truly need grace, for I am guilty”? Then come and take all the blessings of the covenant, for they are yours! ‘He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and he hath exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things, but the rich he hath sent empty away.’ Are you guilty? Come and trust your Savior. Believe in Jesus now, for one act of faith sets you free from all sin. (Luk. 1:52-53)
Oh, how I wish that every soul here would be washed in the blood of Christ this morning! I pray to God that every one of you would be clothed in the righteousness of Christ today, prepared to enter into His rest. Pray for this, brothers and sisters. Why shouldn’t we have it? Say, “By Your mercy and Your lovingkindness, save me, for Christ’s sake.” Amen.
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