Spurgeon: "The guarantees of the believer"

Presumptuous! Presumptuous! Thus is indicated that person who claims to be certain of eternal salvation.

It is not a risky statement to claim to trust in the salvation of Christ, especially if he knows he doesn't have, in itself, no good? He who claims to trust in Christ is not haughty and proud? Absolutely not! The immense and wonderful work of the Holy Spirit in the believer consists precisely in making him admit his sins, in making him recognize that what God declares is true and in making him believe in the saving virtues of the blood of Christ.

Where does this certainty come from? What are the guarantees of the believer?

Someone answers: “I trusted in Christ because I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit working in me”. Others claim: “I trust in Christ's salvation because I feel His presence in me”.

It surprises you that I say that these are not sufficiently good guarantees? What is it then that guarantees man to have believed in Christ and therefore to be saved? The guarantee is that Christ told him. The word of Christ is an absolutely sure guarantee for all who have believed – not what they feel and what they are, or what they don't feel and what they are not, the fact that Jesus said it is enough! Jesus himself declares:

“Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; but whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Marco 16:16)!

Faith in Christ is both a privilege and a duty. Being God commanding us to believe, we therefore have the full right to believe, whoever we are. The Gospel was offered to every creature, and I belong to this category. I can't go wrong because I do my duty, I only do what I have been commanded, I am never wrong when I obey a command from God.

Now, what God commands every creature to believe in Christ, He whom he himself sent to save us. This is your guarantee, sinner, and it is a precious guarantee that hell itself cannot contradict and that Heaven cannot retract. Pay no attention to the vague guarantees that come from your experience, from your works, from your feelings: trust Christ because He told you to. This is a sure foundation to lean on, capable of removing any doubt.

Suppose we are in the midst of a famine. The city has been under siege for a long time, the food is gone and we are going to starve. At this point we are invited to take refuge in the king's palace, where there is plenty to eat and drink, but we are so crazy as to refuse the invitation. Suppose some form of madness has taken over us, pushing us to prefer death rather than accept the invitation. Suppose the king's messenger announces: “You are invited to the party, poor hungry souls, and since I know you don't want to come, I add this threat: if you don't come, my soldiers will make you taste the blade of their swords”. I think we should thank the king for this threat, because now no one can tell: “I can not come” O “I'm not fit to come”; Unlike, we can no longer stay comfortably at home. There is no longer any reason or excuse for not coming!

The terrible sentence: “Whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Marco 16:16), it is not born from a fit of anger, but from the fact that the Lord knows our foolishness and madness, and he knows we would refuse His grace if He didn't thunder at us to come to His party. “Force them to enter”, says the host of the parable of the Grand Banquet (cf.. Luca 14:15-24). Sinner, you will not get lost if you believe in Christ, but you will surely be lost if you do not trust in Him; indeed you will be lost precisely because you have not trusted in him. Let's put it this way: not only can you come, but please do not challenge the wrath of God by refusing the invitation.

The doors of grace are still wide open, because you don't want to come? Why are you so proud? Because you want to keep refusing His salvation and thus perish in your sins? See you, the fault will not be of God or Christ, it will be yours alone! You will be numbered among those Jesus spoke of when he said: “Yet you don't want to come to me for life” (Giovanni 5:40)! If you want to come instead, know that there is nothing in the Word of God that can prevent you from coming or being welcomed, rather, to push you effectively, God challenges you and gives you the strength to approach.

But there are still those who say: “I don't feel like going to Christ”. Here we are back to square one! You say you don't want to do what God says, because of your silly feelings! But you aren't told to trust Christ if you feel like it, but only because you are a sinner.

“I know I'm a sinner, and that's exactly why I don't want to come. I don't feel sinful enough, I don't feel sorry for my sin and the urgency to go to Christ”. Whether you feel strongly that you are a sinner or that you don't feel it at all, You are, e “This statement is certain and worthy of being fully accepted: that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (I Timoteo 1:15).

“But I'm too hardened. I have been sinning for sixty years”. Where it is written that after sixty years one cannot be saved? Friend, Christ could save you a hundred years or more. “The blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin” (I Giovanni 1:7); “Who is thirsty, come; who wants, take the water of life as a gift” (Apocalypse 22:17); “…he can perfectly save those who draw near to God through him” (Jews 7:25).

“Agree, but I've been a drunkard, a determinant, a disheveled, a layman”. Then you are a sinner, and Jesus came just to save guys like you.

Yup, another will say, “but you don't know how serious my fault is”. This only further proves that you are a sinner and therefore must come to Christ to be saved.
“But you don't know how many times I have rejected Christ”. This makes you even more sinful.

“But you don't know how hard my heart is”. Good, one more reason to prove that Jesus came to seek and save you.

“But there is nothing good about me. If there was anything I would be encouraged to come”. The fact that you have no good shows me that you are just the right person that I need to evangelize. Christ came to save what was lost and what you say only proves that you are lost, therefore He has come for you. Come to Him, trust in him.

“But if he saved me, I'd be the biggest sinner that's ever been saved”. And in this case there would be more celebration in heaven and greater glory would return to Christ, because the greater the sin, the more honor is given to the One who succeeded in bringing it back to the Father's house.

“But my sin abounded”. Then His grace will overflow (cf.. Romans 5:20).

“But my sin is as red as scarlet”. Yup, but His blood is more scarlet than your sin and can turn you white as snow (cf.. Isaiah 1:18).

“But I deserve damnation, and hell claims my soul”. Yup, but the blood of Christ cries out louder than hell, and still begs today: “Father saves the sinner!”.

I really wish this concept was clearly understandable: when God saves you it is not because there is something good in you, in your works or in your feelings, but only for something sublime that is in him. God's love is unconditional and the reason why He saves the sinner is in His heart, not ours. You must accept His loving invitation and come to the Savior because He commands you to do so and because He guarantees you eternal life in return..