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Thursday, June 28, 2012

Spurgeon on election

Arminians like to quote Spurgeon allegedly saying “God, save all elect, then elect some more”–or words to that effect. You can find variants of that attributed saying floating around the Internet. Arminians quote this to demonstrate that Calvinists pray like Arminians.

Two issues:

i) The fact that the wording of the statement varies from one Arminian to another is a telltale sign that Arminians are quoting other Arminians rather than quoting Spurgeon directly. They haven’t gone back to the source. If they knew the source, they could give a verbatim quote. Instead, we have Arminians paraphrasing other Arminians paraphrasing what Spurgeon supposedly said.

ii) The Arminian inference is naïve. Spurgeon was a preacher. Preachers consciously indulge in hyperbole to make a point. That doesn’t mean they take their hyperbolic statements at face value.


1 comment:

  1. One version seems to come from a biography of Spurgeon. But it may be more of a paraphrase than an exact quote from a sermon that was diligently written down while being preached.

    ' This breadth of heart was revealed on another occasion when in his prayer at a Thursday evening service he dared to go far beyond his creed, and in his passion for the souls of men cried, "Lord, hasten to bring in all Thine elect—and then elect some more." '
    http://www.spurgeon.org/misc/bio8.htm

    It's clear to me that Spurgeon was being hyperbolic. Especially since he clearly believed in and taught Particular Redemption.

    "We say Christ so died that He infallibly secured the salvation of a multitude that no man can number, who through Christ's death not only may be saved but are saved, must be saved, and cannot by any possibility run the hazard of being anything but saved. You are welcome to your atonement; you may keep it. We will never renounce ours for the sake of it."

    From his sermon Particular Redemption

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