If Spurgeon were around today, he would likely come under fire in the Reformed world for portions of the devotions from this morning and this evening.
“[Sanctification] is carried on every day in what is called “perseverance,” by which the Christian is preserved and continued in a gracious state, and is made to abound in good works unto the praise and glory of God…” – July 4, morning reading
“It is to be feared that many professors have perverted the doctrine of justification by faith in such a way as to treat good works with contempt; if so, they will receive everlasting contempt at the last great day.” – July 4, evening reading
Let it be further noted that Spurgeon would likely agree with a small adjustment to this second quote: “…in such a way as to treat all outward obedience with contempt…” It cannot be doubted that the perversion of justification by faith which Spurgeon noticed is still alive and well today, and that it reaches beyond the popular notion of good works and into what was at one time considered to be very simple obedience, like belonging to a local, biblical expression of the visible church.
It cannot be argued that the perfection of Christ and the sufficiency of His mediation were ever intended to supersede the necessity of good works as an expression of living faith. On the contrary, the perfection and sufficiency of Christ should stir us to obedience in all fashions, to the praise and glory of our gracious God.
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