11 August 2007

God's Love Known and Believed

Your weekly dose of Spurgeon
posted by Phil Johnson

The PyroManiacs devote some space each weekend to highlights from The Spurgeon Archive. The following excerpt is from "A Psalm of Remembrance," a sermon preached Sunday morning, May 22nd, 1859, at the Music Hall, Royal Surrey Dardens. Spurgeon's text was 1 John 4:16: "We have known and believed the love that God hath to us." (This may be slightly more than 50 words, but we'll cut Spurgeon a little slack.)


o feel God’s love is very precious, but to believe it when you do not feel it, is the noblest. He may be but a little Christian who knows God’s love, but he is a great Christian who believes it when the visible contradicts it and the invisible withholds its witness.
C. H. Spurgeon


15 comments:

the postmortem said...

Ahhh, thank you! I was really anticipating this. I love the Spurg. More importantly, I love how he compels my own focus on the Savior in such a distinct and lucid manner.

-David

DJP said...

That really is magnificent.

It reminds me of how Boice (in his volume on the Gospel of John) opened my eyes to the therefore in John 11:5-6 — "Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. 6 When therefore He heard that he was sick, He stayed then two days longer in the place where He was."

He made the point that we should always judge circumstances in the light of God's love. Never the reverse. (Hm, this may be worth a post of its own.)

Strong Tower said...

...in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often...stoned...shipwrecked...in the deep...in journeys often.. in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen...of the Gentiles...in the city...in the wilderness...the sea...among false brethren...weariness and toil...sleeplessness...hunger and thrist, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness...For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord...In this life you will have tribulations, take comfort...I will not leave you orphans...Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you...if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together....

Oh, what love is this?

FX Turk said...

So are we over with the brevity posts? Or are we going to post 50-word posts until one of us pops?

Stefan Ewing said...

Good stuff.

Cent, I was JUST about to ask:

"Can we go back to full-length posts now? I'm desparately in need of something I can really sink my teeth into."

I missed the midweek prayer service this week, and these little daily nuggets, though a delight, are leaving me feeling like I've eaten a minimalist, overpriced, nouvelle cuisine meal after starving and craving steak for a week.

I've had to go and read long scholarly articles on Finney and Pelagianism to make up for the lack—which has not been a bad thing, but the dystopic realization that this world is so much under the sway of the idol of Pelagianism has been a depressing discovery.

Stefan Ewing said...

Just to take things completely off topic—or not: the point being I need meaty stuff I can read and discuss with fellow readers, so as not to feel that I'm having to work this stuff out entirely on my own.

Phil Johnson said...

That's the end of the 50-word limit. I, the blog boss, have decreed it.

But I liked the short posts. I'll prolly do some of those more often.

Robert N. Landrum said...

Spiritual maturity is only gained thriugh much faith and great loss of doubt. I am finally getting this point. I hope! Thanks for thw quote.

FX Turk said...

We don't want to see Phil pop. I promise.

donsands said...

"To feel God's love is very precious"

It surely is.


To trust God's love in afflictions is someone who is mature.

Seems most want to feel His love, and not sinply trust it in our geberation.

Thanks for this excellent quote from the prince of preachers.

Have a great Lord's Day.

Stefan Ewing said...

Donsands:

"geberation"?

The Lord be with you on this day, too.

4given said...

Since I read this quote yesterday... I cannot get it out of my thoughts. It really spoke volumes to me. This is one of my greatest struggles when in the midst of a difficult trial. I think that is why the Lord blessed me with a husband that is one of those great witnesses who not only knows the love of God, but believes it without wavering when the visible contradicts it and the invisible withholds its witness.

donsands said...

Sewing,
Yeah geberation is another way of saying generation.

I am the worst typist East of the Mississippi, and West of the Mississippi too.

I had a great time with my local church.
Tremendous time of singing hymns and spiritual songs in the "Spirit of unity in the bond of peace", and another superb message from the book of Romans from my pastor.
Hearing the Word, worshipping the Father in Spirit and truth, and being built up in the faith; what could be more of a blessing in this life for a disciple of Christ?

Stefan Ewing said...

Donsands:

Amen. Let us find teaching and building up among our fellow believers, and praise God for what he has done to us that has caused us to come together.

Our pastor covered Psalm 13 today. It ties in to a lot of what Phil and Dan have been writing lately (including this very post), on wrestling with times when God seems distant, or his blessings seem to have disappeared.

P.S.: You can't be that bad...you got "Mississippi" right—twice!

CatGA86 said...

Amazing quote!