An all-round ministry by CH Spurgeon (Available from Amazon or free here) - Conclude Chapter 1 (Faith).
Spurgeon now proceeds to answer a second question concerning faith, 'What does our faith work in us?' The answers are:
(i) a glorious independence of man;
(ii) a courage under all circumstances;
(iii) an abundance of good works;
(iv) an ability to bear hardship and exercise much self-denial;
(v) a great enlargement of our souls;
(vi) strength for service;
(vii) refreshment.
Lastly, Spurgeon answers the question, 'What does our faith say to us this morning?' Faith:
(i) claims to be well founded;
(ii) tells you that it does not deceive you;
(iii) asks you to give it a wider range by trusting God more;
(iv) demands you feed it.
I loved Spurgeon's response to those who claim to have great insights which are contradicted by Scripture: 'My brethren, when you hear that a learned man has made a new discovery which contradicts the Scriptures, do not: feel alarmed. Do not imagine that he is really a great man, but believe that he is just an educated idiot, or a self-conceited fool. If you find time to read the works of learned sceptics, you will soon see that their statements of fact are not reliable, their deductions are not logical, their inferences are monstrous, and their speculations are insane. I remember reading some statements of the great German, Oken, which to me sounded singularly like the babblings of Bethlehem Hospital...If I am thought to express myself too strongly, it must be so, for I believe I speak what God Himself would endorse; He applies no soft terms to boastful unbelievers. When He takes any notice of them at all, He calls them fools. You shall find that to be the expression which the Lord constantly uses concerning unbelievers in the Old Testament, and in the New, too: "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools." And, brethren, when I hear my Heavenly Father say that a man is a fool, I dare not think him wise. Do not let us think otherwise than God does.'
Sadly, 'educated idiots' are all too common.
Commence Chapter 2
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