Posterous theme by Cory Watilo

mckaycaston.com

Living All of Life in View of the Cross

Filed under: Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon and Sola Gratia

Charles Spurgeon was a preacher of grace in 19th century England. I don't know where I found this Spurgeon quote, but I've had it on my desk for several years, hoping that one day, after repeated exposure, the nickel will drop and I will get it. 

"If there be one stitch in the celestial garment of our righteousness which we are to insert ourselves, then we are lost."
As Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:21, "He who knew no sin became sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."  The key words are "in him"—in Jesus. Self-righteousness will never do. My righteousness before God must be received as a gift of grace. In Latin, we say sola gratia. 

 

The Doctrine of the Atonement is Very Simple

"The doctrine of the atonement is very simple. It just consists in the substitution of Christ in the place of the sinner; Christ being treated as if he were the sinner and then the transgressor being treated as if he were the righteous one. It is a change of persons. Christ becomes the sinner. He stands in the sinner's place the sinner becomes righteous. He stands in Christ's place and is numbered with the righteous ones. Christ has no sin of His own, but he takes human guilt and is punished for human folly. We have no righteousness of our own, but we take the Divine righteousness; we are rewarded for it and stand accepted before God as though that righteousness had been worked out by ourselves.""

Charles Spurgeon, The King's Highway

 

HT: Tom Wood @ Graced Again

I am Barabbas: None of What is Deserved, Far More Than What is Expected

I am re-reading a wonderful biography of Charles Spurgeon by Arnold Dallimore. In it, he quotes from Spurgeon's Autobiography:

“Too many people think lightly of sin, and therefore think lightly of the Savior. He who has stood before his God, convicted and condemned, with the rope about his neck, is the man to weep for joy when he is pardoned...”  Charles Spurgeon, c. 1890 from his Autobiography (Cited in Arnold Dallimore, Spurgeon: A New Biography, p. 14).

I'm thinking of this because tomorrow night I am teaching on Acts 3:1-10, where a lame man from birth is healed, and begins leaping and praising God for his remarkable, miraculous healing. It is far more than he expected to receive while begging at one of the Temple gates. He was asking for pennies, and received an unthinkable blessing of complete healing.

In the gospel, I get none of what I deserve, and far more than I could ever expect. I am the convicted and condemned sinner. But on the cross, Jesus allows the rope of my condemnation to be placed around his own neck. He is convicted and condemned in my place. I am released. Completely forgiven. Justified. I am Barabbas.

​