Around the wicket gate - Spurgeon - III - Chapter 4

Required reading
Around the wicket gate by C. H. Spurgeon (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Read Chapter 4.

My summary
In Chapter Four Spurgeon explains that faith is not a hard thing, but a very simple thing: 'There is nothing about it to puzzle anyone, except that as everyone expects to be puzzled by it, many are quite bewildered when they find it to be so exceedingly simple.'

What grabbed me
I liked this line: 'Faith is so simple a matter that, whenever I try to explain it, I am very fearful lest I should cloud its simplicity.' 

The gospel is simple:  Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved.  Yet we regularly try to complicate it when explaining it to someone. 

Maybe we need to use the KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) principle in our evangelism.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.

Around the wicket gate - Spurgeon - II - Chapter 3

Required reading
Around the wicket gate by C. H. Spurgeon (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Read Chapter 3.

My summary
Following hard on the heels of Chapter Two which told us that Jesus is the answer to salvation, now Spurgeon gives us Chapter Three which tells us that it is not good enough to acknowledge that Jesus is the answer - we must believe it.

What grabbed me
More good illustrations from the prince of preachers: 'The dove is hunted by the hawk and finds no security from its restless enemy.  It has learned that there is shelter for it in the cleft of the rock and hastens there on glad wing.  Once wholly sheltered within its refuge, the dove fears no bird of prey...So does the guilty soul dart into the pierced side of Jesus by faith and is buried in Him out of sight of avenging justice.'

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.

Around the wicket gate - Spurgeon - I - Preface, Chapter 1 & 2

Today we start a 'Around the wicket gate' by Spurgeon.  This is a filler to tide us over to the new year when we begin the new reading program of a different book each day of the week.  I thought it would be good to do 'Around the wicket gate' right after 'All of grace' to see differences between the two books, since both are aimed at unbelievers.

Required reading
Around the wicket gate by C. H. Spurgeon (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Read the Preface and Chapters 1 and 2.

My summary
In the preface Spurgeon tells us that this book is for the small number of people who have begun to approach the kingdom but have not entered.

In Chapter One Spurgeon tells us how foolish it is to think that having an awakening about our need for salvation is salvation itself. 

In Chapter Two Spurgeon tells us that it is through Jesus alone that salvation may be found.

What grabbed me
Chapter One was jammed with illustrations showing the stupidity of the one who is awakened to danger but never acts.  This was one of my favourites: 'If I start in a fright and find my house on fire, I do not sit down at the edge of the bed, and say to myself, "I hope I am truly awake!  Indeed, I am deeply grateful that I was not left to sleep on!"  No, I want to escape from threatened death, and so I hasten to the door or to the window, so that I may get out and may not perish where I am.  It would be a questionable blessing to be aroused and yet not to escape from the danger.'

How many have had a gracious wake up call from God to the danger of hell and yet sit on the bed for the rest of their lives?  Far too many.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.

All of grace - Spurgeon - XII - Chapter 19 & 20

Required reading
All of grace by C. H. Spurgeon (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Read Chapters 19 and 20.

My summary
Chapter 19 tells us why saints persevere: Because God is faithful.

Chapter 20 concludes the book with a personal appeal from Spurgeon to the reader.

What grabbed me
Spurgeon's unashamed appeal to the reader at the end was gripping.  The last paragraph was particularly good: 'Meet me in heaven!  Do not go down to hell.  There is no coming back again from that abode of misery.  Why do you wish to enter the way of death when heaven's gate is open before you?  Do not refuse the free pardon, the full salvation which Jesus grants to all who trust Him.  Do not hesitate and delay.  You have had enough of resolving; come to action.  Believe in Jesus now, with full and immediate decision.  Take with you words and come unto your Lord this day, even this day.  Remember, O soul, it may be now or never with you.  Let it be now; it would be horrible if it would be never.  Again I charge you, meet me in heaven.'

Yes, Spurgeon, I will most assuredly meet you in heaven and am excited at that thought!

Final verdict
All of Grace is a signpost that solidly points the unbeliever to the God who justifies.  Key concepts such as faith and repentance are illustrated and explained in the clear manner that Spurgeon does so well.  Even over a century after the author's death, I would still be ready to give this book to a non-Christian who was interested in seeking the Lord.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.

All of grace - Spurgeon - XI - Chapter 18

Required reading
All of grace by C. H. Spurgeon (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Read Chapter 18.

My summary

Chapter 18 encourages the reader to remember that God will confirm the Christian to the end.

What grabbed me
I liked how Spurgeon didn't just say that we will be kept safe to the end, but taught us from 1 Corinthians 1:8 that we will be blameless to the end: 'This blamelessness is a precious part of our keeping.  To be kept holy is better than merely to be kept safe.  It is a dreadful thing when you see religious people blundering out of one dishonor into another.  They have not believed in the power of our Lord to make them blameless.  The lives of some professing Christians are a series of stumbles.  They are never quite down and yet they are seldom on their feet.  This is not a fit thing for a believer.' 

Sadly I'm often far more interested in being kept safe as a believer than being kept blameless.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.

All of grace - Spurgeon - X - Chapter 16 and 17

Required reading
All of grace by C. H. Spurgeon (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Read Chapters 16 and 17.

My summary
In Chapter Sixteen Spurgeon makes clear the repentance is a gift from God.

In Chapter Seventeen Spurgeon deals with the fear that a Christian may not persevere to the end.  Spurgeon's answer is that you will only fall if you start out trusting in yourself for part of your salvation: 'I believe that this fear is often the father of the fact - that some who have been afraid to trust Christ for all time and eternity have failed because they had a temporary faith which never went far enough to save them.  They set out trusting Jesus in a measure, but looking to themselves for continuance and perseverance in the heavenward way...If we trust in ourselves for our holding on we will not hold on.'

What grabbed me
I thought Spurgeon made a bit of an unusual statement at the beginning of Chapter Sixteen.  'The work which our Lord Jesus has done has made repentance possible, available, and acceptable.  The Old Testament makes no mention of repentance, but says plainly, "The soul that sinneth, it shall die" (Ezekiel 18:20).' 

Now I know what Spurgeon is getting at, that without Jesus' death repentance would not achieve anything.  But I think his statement about the Old Testament was a bit sweeping or at least lacked some clarification.  There was repentance in the Old Testament and it was effective - you only need to look at David in the histories and in the Psalms to know this.  Now of course David's repentance is only effective because it look ahead to Christ, but it was effective repentance in the Old Testament.  Maybe I'm being pedantic, but it is unusual for Spurgeon to lack clarity and allow misunderstanding, particularly in a book aimed at unbelievers.  What do you think? 

Now it's your turn

Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.

Redemption accomplished and applied - Murray - VII - Part 2, Chapter 3

Still taking a break once a week to join in with the Challies reading group.

Required reading

Redemption Accomplished and Applied by John Murray (available from Amazon) - Part 2, Chapter 3, 'Regeneration'.

My summary
Now Murray looks at the subject of regeneration.

Firstly he looks at how someone who is dead in sin can answer a call to fellowship with Christ.  The answer is that God's call enables the sinner to do so. 

Then Murray examines John Gospel Chapter 3 for its lessons on regeneration.  One lesson is that the new birth is of water - this refers to a purification from sin (not a reference to baptism).  Another lesson is that the new birth is of the Spirit - this refers to the Holy Spirit being the source and agent of regeneration.

Then Murray moves to John's First Epistle for its lessons on regeneration.  One lesson is that regeneration 'is the cause of not doing sin'.  Another lesson is that Jesus is the effect of regeneration.  Yet another lesson is that regeneration cannot be abstracted from the saving exercises which are its effects (namely repentance and faith) - therefore someone cannot be regenerate yet unconverted.

What grabbed me
I liked the emphasis Murray placed on the fact that regeneration is a 'birth' which implies man's passivity in the event: 'We are as dependent upon the Holy Spirit as we are upon the action of our parents in connection with our natural birth.  We were not begotten by our father because we decided to be.  And we were not born of our mother because we decided to be.  We were simply begotten and we were born.  We did not decide to be born.  This is the simple but too frequently overlooked truth which our Lord here teaches us.  We do not have spiritual perception of the kingdom of God nor do we enter into it because we willed to or decided to.  If this privilege is ours it is because the Holy Spirit willed it and here all rests upon the Holy Spirit's decision and action.  He begets or bears when and where he pleases.'

This simple description of regeneration as a birth implies it is an act outside of ourselves.  Yet how many 'born again' Christians claim to have initiated their birth?

It is like the Bible's description of the unconverted as dead people.  Dead people don't tell themselves to come to life.  Yet how many Christians claim to have been dead and then brought themselves back to life?

Now it's your turn

Go over to http://www.challies.com/ and post your thoughts.

All of grace - Spurgeon - IX - Chapter 14 and 15

Required reading
All of grace by C. H. Spurgeon (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Read Chapters 14 and 15.

My summary
In Chapter 14 Spurgeon reminds us that Jesus is not a dead saviour, but an alive one.

In Chapter 15 Spurgeon demonstrates that repentance of sin is required if forgiveness may be found.

What grabbed me
It was a helpful reminder that repentance is an ongoing act: 'Repentance grows as faith grows.  Do not make any mistake about it.  Repentance is not a thing of days and weeks, a temporary penance to be got over as fast as possible!  No, it is the grace of a lifetime, like faith itself.  God's little children repent, and so the young men and the fathers.  Repentance is the inseparable companion of faith...Faith and repentance, like Siamese twins, are vitally joined together.  We repent in proportion to our belief in the forgiving love of Christ.'

We generally want our faith to increase.  Do we want our repentance to increase?  Or would we rather have repentance as a one-off affair? 

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.

All of grace - Spurgeon - VIII - Chapter 12 and 13

Required reading
All of grace by C. H. Spurgeon (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Read Chapters 12 and 13.

My summary

In Chapter 12 Spurgeon provides helps for those who want to believe but cannot:

(i) The shortest way to believe is to believe;

(ii) Take your difficulty before God in prayer;

(iii) Listen often to what you are commanded to believe (a good reason for the gospel to be regularly preached from the pulpit!);

(iv) Consider the testimony of others;

(v) Note the authority upon which you are commanded to believe;

(vi) Think over what it is you have to believe;

(vii) Think about the person of Jesus Christ;

(viii) Submit yourself to God.

In Chapter 13 Spurgeon deals with the difficult subject of the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man in salvation.  Spurgeon points out that the new birth is supernatural AND by the faith of man.  John 3 contains both truths alongside one another.

What grabbed me

I liked how Spurgeon's confronted the reader to not hide behind mysteries as an excuse for not believing: 'If you will not believe till you can understand all mysteries, you will never be saved at all.  If you allow self-invented difficulties to keep you from accepting pardon through your Lord and Savior, you will perish in a condemnation which will be richly deserved.  Do not commit spiritual suicide through a passion for discussing metaphysical subtleties.'

If we waited until we understood everything to believe in Jesus, we would never do so.  I always like to remind myself that if I understood everything, then I would be God.  It makes sense that a finite creature with an infinite God will eventually come across certain mysteries he cannot comprehend.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.

All of grace - Spurgeon - VII - Chapter 11

Required reading
All of grace by C. H. Spurgeon (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Read Chapter 11.

My summary
Now Spurgeon turns his attention to the cries of some of his readers about their weaknesses.

People feel a lack of strength because:
(i) they cannot collect their thoughts and keep them fixed on those solemn topics which concern my salvation;
(ii) they cannot repent sufficiently;
(iii) they are tormented with horrible thoughts;
(iv) they cannot quit sinning;
(v) they cannot keep spiritual things in their mind for long.

For all these concerns, Spurgeon's treatment is essentially the same: fix your mind on the divine assurance that "in due time Christ died for the ungodly" (Romans 5:6).

What grabbed me

I love the argument to use on the devil when he accuses you of being a terrible sinner and unfit to be a Christian: 'Jesus knew where we were and where we should be.  He saw that we could not overcome the prince of the power of the air.  He knew that we would be greatly worried by him.  But even then, when He saw us in that condition, Christ died for the ungodly.  Cast the anchor of your faith on this.  The devil himself cannot tell you that you are not ungodly.  Believe then that Jesus died even for such as you are.  Remember Martin Luther's way of cutting the devil's head off with his own sword.  "Oh," said the devil to Martin Luther, "you are a sinner." "Yes," said Luther, "Christ died to save sinners."  Thus he smote him with his own sword.' 

Of course you're a sinner.  Don't despair about it - all Christians are sinners.  If you weren't a sinner, then Christ didn't die for you.

Now it's your turn

Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.

All of grace - Spurgeon - VI - Chapter 10

Required reading
All of grace by C. H. Spurgeon (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Read Chapter 10.

My summary
Now Spurgeon seeks to answer the question, 'Why are we saved by faith?'  He cites several reasons:

(i) Faith is naturally a receiver;

(ii) Faith gives all the glory to God;

(iii) Faith is a sure method of linking man with God;

(iv) Faith is chosen again because it touches the springs of action;

(v) Faith has the power of working by love;

(vi) Faith creates peace and joy.

What grabbed me
As we've seen earlier, Spurgeon has a good sense of humility when approaching a subject so great as faith: 'It becomes us to be modest in answering such a question [Why are we saved by faith?].  God's ways are not always to be understood; nor are we allowed to presumptuously question them.  Humbly we would reply that, as far as we can tell, faith has been selected as the channel of grace because faith is naturally adapted to be used as the receiver.'  I think I often need more of Spurgeon's humility when I come to teach doctrine.  A certain cockiness often creeps up that tells me I have truly understood when I may have understood, but not truly.

Now it's your turn

Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.

All of grace - Spurgeon - V - Chapter 9

Required reading
All of grace by C. H. Spurgeon (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Read Chapter 9.

My summary
Now that Spurgeon has defined faith for us, he spends a whole chapter doing what he does so well - illustrating the subject at hand.

Faith is like:
- the eye;
- the hand;
- the mouth;
- the farmer burying seed;
- the merchant placing his money in the bank;
- the sailor trusting himself on the water of the sea;
- the goldsmith putting precious metal in the fire;
- the limpets clinging to the rocks;
- the blind man relying on his seeing friend;
- the child trusting his teacher;
- the reader trusting the book;
- the child trusting his father;
- the sick wife trusting her husband who is a doctor;
- the captain of the ship trusting the pilot of the port;
- the traveler trusting the guide;
- the patient trusting the physician;
- the mariner trusting his compass, nautical almanac, his glass and the heavenly bodies. 

What grabbed me
Amongst the illustrations Spurgeon wrote: 'Almost all that you and I know has come to us by faith.  A scientific discovery has been made, and we are sure of it.  On what grounds do we believe it?  On the authority of certain well-known men of learning whose reputations are established.  We have never made or seen their experiments, but we believe their witness.  You must do the same with regard to Jesus.  Because He teaches you certain truths, you are to be His disciples and believe His words.  Because He has performed certain acts, you are to be His client and trust yourself with Him.  He is infinitely superior to you and presents Himself to you as your Master and Lord.'  We need to sit up and trust Jesus as a reliable witness whose reputation is established.  If we trust what we read in scientific journals, how much more should we trust in that which is written in God's word?  Sometimes I wonder if we prefer to believe what is written purely by man than the pure word of God.  Theistic evolution being a clear example.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.

Major restructure of the book club

Today I'm announcing that the Reformed Book Club will change format early in 2010.

Rationale for the change

The current format is too fast for some and yet too slow for others.  So to address the needs of both parties, we will now be reading from seven titles each week.  For those who find the readings too fast, they can choose to read simply from one book a week.  For those who want to read more, they can keep up with some or all of the seven titles.

Changes

The days of the week will be dedicated to different genres of books to diversify the diet of the club.  The genres will be as follows:

• Sunday Supermen (Biographies)
• Monday Major Work (Works that are close to 1,000 pages long)
• Tuesday Theology (Titles that spring from systematic or Biblical theological thought, including what would be classified as devotional works)
• Wednesday Worker (Pastoral works)
• Thursday Theology (Titles that spring from systematic or Biblical theological thought, including what would be classified as devotional works)
• Friday Focus (For the entire year we will read works from one chosen author)
• Saturday Seed Sower (Titles that encourage evangelism)

The size of the daily readings will approximately double in size to around 20 pages.  This will be a welcome increase for those who find the daily readings too short and will also make it easier to divide books with large chapters.

There will also be an attempt to read only books for which there are editions freely available on the internet.  This will ensure that the club caters for those who cannot afford to buy many books.  I do not think this requirement will be detrimental to the club as I think many of us would agree that there are plenty of quality titles free on the internet.

Changeover details

When will the change take place?

We have around around nine readings left in the current format which won't quite see us to the end of 2009.  So we will do the Around the wicket gate by Spurgeon to round off 2009 as it is short and also similar to his All of grace which we are currently reading.

What will we begin reading in 2010?

• Sunday Supermen - Life and Times of George Whitefield by Robert Philip (Available free here)
• Monday Major Work - City of God  by Augustine (Available free here)
• Tuesday Theology - Sinfulness of Sin by Ralph Venning (Available free here)
• Wednesday Worker - Christian Ministry by Charles Bridges (Available free here)
• Thursday Theology - Redemption Accomplished and Applied by John Murray (Could not find free on the internet - let me know if you can)
• Friday Focus - JC Ryle will be the focus for 2010 starting with Holiness (Available free here)
• Saturday Seed Sower - Finally Alive by John Piper (Available free here)

More questions?  Ask them in the comments.

All of grace - Spurgeon - IV - Chapter 7 and 8

Required reading
All of grace by C. H. Spurgeon (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Read Chapters 7 and 8.

My summary
In Chapter Seven Spurgeon shows that salvation is by grace through faith: 'Faith occupies the position of a channel or conduit pipe.  Grace is the fountain and the stream.  Faith is the aqueduct along which the flood of mercy flows down to refresh the thirsty sons of men.'

Then in Chapter Eight Spurgeon discusses what precisely is faith: 'It is made up of three things-knowledge, belief and trust.'

What grabbed me
I appreciated Spurgeon's reverence towards the task of defining faith: 'What is this faith concerning which it is said, "By grace are ye saved, through faith" (Ephesians 2:8)?  There are many descriptions of faith, but almost all the definitions I have heard have made me understand it less than I did before I saw them.  Someone said when he read the chapter that he would confound it.  It is very likely that he did so, though he meant to expound it.  We may explain faith till nobody understands it.  I hope I will not be guilty of that fault.'  I think we always need to be suspicious of whether we are confounding doctrine when are supposed to be expounding it. 

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.

Redemption accomplished and applied - Murray - VI - Part 2, Chapter 2

Still taking a break once a week to join in with the Challies reading group.

Required reading

Redemption Accomplished and Applied by John Murray (available from Amazon) - Part 2, Chapter 2, 'Effectual calling'.

My summary
Today Murray looks at effectual calling.  After distinguishing the effectual call from the universal call, Murray examines the following aspects of the effectual call:
(i) The Author (It comes from God the Father);
(ii) The Nature (It is effective, immutable, high, holy and heavenly);
(iii) The Pattern (It is a determined purpose of God, it is eternal, it is in Christ);
(iv) The Priority (It is before regeneration).

What grabbed me

I liked how Murray made the important point that although we can understand the calling as a 'summons', it is not an ordinary 'summons': 'We do not ordinarily associate the word "summons" the efficacy that is requisite for compliance with that summons.  A summons issued by a court does not of itself empower us to appear in court.  It gives us warrant to appear and it requires us to appear but it does not actually bring us into court.  That depends on our strength and will.  Or, perchance, it depends on the force applied by the executive officers if we are apprehended and compelled to appear.  It is wholly otherwise with God's summons.  The summons is invested with the efficacy by which we are delivered to the destination intended-we are effectively ushered into the fellowship of Christ.  There is something determinate about God's call; by his sovereign power and grace it cannot fail of accomplishment.'  The call of God is a powerful call that cannot be ignored or resisted!

Now it's your turn

Go over to http://www.challies.com/ and post your thoughts.

All of grace - Spurgeon - III - Chapter 6

Required reading
All of grace by C. H. Spurgeon (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Read Chapters 4 and 5.

My summary
Now Spurgeon looks at the deliverance from sin that Christ offers: 'Remember that the Lord Jesus came to take away sin in three ways.  He came to remove the penalty of sin, the power of sin, and last, the presence of sin.  At once you may reach the second part - the power of sin may immediately be broken - and so you will be on the road to the third-the removal of the presence of sin.'  The rest of the Chapter looks at this third removal of sin through sanctification.

What grabbed me
Gotta love his illustrations, even borrowed ones: 'To put the matter very simply, did you ever hear of Rowland Hill's illustration of the cat and the sow?...Do you see that cat?  What a clean animal she is!  How cleverly she washes herself with her tongue and her paws!  It is quite a pretty sight!  Did you ever see a sow do that?  No, you never did.  It is contrary to its nature.  It prefers to wallow in the mud.  Go and teach a sow to wash itself, and see how little success you would have.  It would be a great sanitary improvement if swine would be clean.  Teach them to wash and clean themselves as the cat has been doing!  It is a useless task.  You may by force wash that sow, but it quickly runs to the mud and is soon as foul as ever.  The only way in which you can get a sow to wash itself is to transform it into a cat.  But not until then will it wash and be clean...So it is with an ungodly man; you cannot force him to do what a renewed man does most willingly.  You may teach him and set him a good example, but he cannot learnt he art of holiness because he does not want to.  His nature leads him another way.  When the Lord makes a new man of him, then all things bear a different mark.'  A complete change in nature needs to happen to the sinful man, not an education plan on how to be clean.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.