The Minimum Christian!
(C.H. Spurgeon, "Sword and the Trowel")
The minimum Christian! And who is he? The Christian who is going to heaven at the cheapest rate possible. The Christian who intends to get all of the world he can--and not meet the worldling's doom. The Christian who aims to have as little religion as he may--without lacking it altogether.
The minimum Christian goes to worship in the morning; and in the evening also--unless it rains, or is too warm, or too cold, or he is sleepy, or has the headache from eating too much at dinner. He listens most respectfully to the preacher, and joins in prayer and praise. He applies the truth very judiciously--sometimes to himself, oftener to his neighbors.
The minimum Christian is very friendly to all good works. He wishes them well, but it is not in his power to do much for them. The Sunday-school he looks upon as an admirable institution--especially for the neglected and ignorant. It is not convenient, however, for him to take a class--his business engagements are so pressing during the week that he needs the Sabbath as a day of rest; nor does he think himself qualified to act as a teacher. There are so many persons better prepared for this important duty--that he must beg to be excused. He is very friendly to home and foreign missions, and colportage, and gives his mite--but he is quite unable to aid in the management, for his own concerns are so excessively important. He thinks there are "too many appeals;" but he gives, if not enough to save his reputation, pretty near it--at all events he aims at it, and never overshoots the mark.
The minimum Christian is not clear on a number of points. The opera and dancing, the theater and card-playing, and large fashionable parties give him much trouble. He cannot see the harm in this, or that, or the other popular amusement. There is nothing in the Bible against it. He does not see why a Christian may not dance or go to the opera. He knows several excellent persons who do so--at least, so he says. Why should not he? He stands so close to the dividing-line between the people of God and the people of the world--that it is hard to say on which side of it he is actually to be found.
Ah, my brother, are you making this attempt? Beware, lest you find at last that in trying to get to Heaven with a little religion--you miss it altogether; lest without gaining the whole world--you lose your own soul. True godliness demands self-denial and cross-bearing--and if you have none of these, you are making a false profession!
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The cup of wrath!
(Andrew Bonar, "The Cup of Wrath!")
"In the hand of the LORD is a cup full of red wine mixed with spices! He pours it out, and all the wicked of the earth drink it down to its very dregs!" Psalm 75:8
There has been only One who has ever drunk this cup down to its very dregs!
Cain has been drinking it for 5,000 years and finds that his punishment greater than he can bear--but has not come to the dregs.
Judas had been drinking it for some 2000 years, often crying out with a groan that shakes Hell, "Oh that I had never been born! Oh that I had never seen or heard of the Lord Jesus Christ!" But he has not reached the dregs.
The fallen angels have not come near the dregs!
The only One who has taken, tasted, drunk, and wrung out the bitterest of the bitter dregs--has been the Judge Himself, the Lord Jesus!
You know how often, when on earth, He spoke of it. "Are you able to drink the cup that I shall drink of?" (Matthew 20:22). "The cup which My Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?" (John 18:11).
The universe saw Him with it at His lips. It was our cup of trembling--the cup in which the wrath due to His people was mixed. What wrath, what woe! A few drops made Him cry, "Now is my soul deeply troubled!" In the garden, the sight of it wrung out the strange, mysterious words, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death!" Though God-man, He staggered at what He saw, and went on trembling.
The next day, on Calvary, He drank it all! I suppose the three hours of darkness may have been the time when He was drinking it down the very dregs; for then arose from His broken heart, the wail which so appealed to the heart of the Father, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me!" As He drank the last drop, and cried out, "It is finished!" we may believe that the holy angels felt an inconceivable relief--and even the Father Himself! So tremendous was the wrath and curse!--the wrath and curse due to our sin!
Jesus drank that cup as the substitute for His innumerable people, who were given to Him by the Father; and thereby freed them from ever tasting even one drop of that fierce wrath, that "cup of red wine, mixed with spices," with its dregs--its unknown terrors!
"In the hand of the LORD is a cup full of red wine mixed with spices! He pours it out, and all the wicked of the earth drink it down to its very dregs!" Psalm 75:8
There has been only One who has ever drunk this cup down to its very dregs!
Cain has been drinking it for 5,000 years and finds that his punishment greater than he can bear--but has not come to the dregs.
Judas had been drinking it for some 2000 years, often crying out with a groan that shakes Hell, "Oh that I had never been born! Oh that I had never seen or heard of the Lord Jesus Christ!" But he has not reached the dregs.
The fallen angels have not come near the dregs!
The only One who has taken, tasted, drunk, and wrung out the bitterest of the bitter dregs--has been the Judge Himself, the Lord Jesus!
You know how often, when on earth, He spoke of it. "Are you able to drink the cup that I shall drink of?" (Matthew 20:22). "The cup which My Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?" (John 18:11).
The universe saw Him with it at His lips. It was our cup of trembling--the cup in which the wrath due to His people was mixed. What wrath, what woe! A few drops made Him cry, "Now is my soul deeply troubled!" In the garden, the sight of it wrung out the strange, mysterious words, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death!" Though God-man, He staggered at what He saw, and went on trembling.
The next day, on Calvary, He drank it all! I suppose the three hours of darkness may have been the time when He was drinking it down the very dregs; for then arose from His broken heart, the wail which so appealed to the heart of the Father, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me!" As He drank the last drop, and cried out, "It is finished!" we may believe that the holy angels felt an inconceivable relief--and even the Father Himself! So tremendous was the wrath and curse!--the wrath and curse due to our sin!
Jesus drank that cup as the substitute for His innumerable people, who were given to Him by the Father; and thereby freed them from ever tasting even one drop of that fierce wrath, that "cup of red wine, mixed with spices," with its dregs--its unknown terrors!
"Death and the curse were in our cup,
O Christ, 'twas full for Thee!
But Thou hast drained the last dark drop,
'Tis empty now for me!"
O Christ, 'twas full for Thee!
But Thou hast drained the last dark drop,
'Tis empty now for me!"
"Once it was mine, that cup of wrath,
And Jesus drank it dry!"
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Lord, smite this sin!
(Thomas Watson, "The Godly Man's Picture Drawn with a Scripture Pencil)
"Your Word is completely pure, and Your servant loves it." Psalm 119:140
Do we love the holiness of the Word? The Word is preached--to beat down sin, and advance holiness. Do we love it for its spirituality and purity? Many love the Preached Word only for its eloquence and notion. They come to a sermon as to a performance (Ezekiel 33:31,32) or as to a garden to pick flowers--but not to have their lusts subdued or their hearts purified. These are like a foolish woman who paints her face--but neglects her health!
Do we love the convictions of the Word? Do we love the Word when it comes home to our conscience and shoots its arrows of reproof at our sins? It is the minister's duty sometimes to reprove. He who can speak smooth words in the pulpit--but does not know how to reprove, is like a sword with a fine handle, but without an edge! "Rebuke them sharply!" (Titus 2:15). Dip the nail in oil--reprove inlove--but strike the nail home!
Now Christian, when the Word touches on your sin and says, "You are the man!"--do you love the reproof? Can you bless God that "the sword of the Spirit" has divided between you and your lusts? This is indeed a sign of grace, and shows that you are a lover of the Word.
A corrupt heart loves the comforts of the Word--but not the reproofs: "You hate the one who reproves--and despise him who tells the truth!" (Amos 5:10). "Their eyes flash with fire!" Like venomous creatures that at the least touch, spit poison! "When they heard these things, they were enraged in their hearts and gnashed their teeth at him!" (Acts 7:54). When Stephen touched their sins--they were furious and could not endure it.
How shall we know that we love the reproofs of the Word?
When we desire to sit under a heart-searching ministry. Who cares for medicines that will not work? A godly man does not choose to sit under a ministry that will not work upon his conscience.
When we pray that the Word may meet with our sins. If there is any traitorous lust in our heart--we would have it found out, and executed! We do not want sin covered--but cured!
(Thomas Watson, "The Godly Man's Picture Drawn with a Scripture Pencil)
"Your Word is completely pure, and Your servant loves it." Psalm 119:140
Do we love the holiness of the Word? The Word is preached--to beat down sin, and advance holiness. Do we love it for its spirituality and purity? Many love the Preached Word only for its eloquence and notion. They come to a sermon as to a performance (Ezekiel 33:31,32) or as to a garden to pick flowers--but not to have their lusts subdued or their hearts purified. These are like a foolish woman who paints her face--but neglects her health!
Do we love the convictions of the Word? Do we love the Word when it comes home to our conscience and shoots its arrows of reproof at our sins? It is the minister's duty sometimes to reprove. He who can speak smooth words in the pulpit--but does not know how to reprove, is like a sword with a fine handle, but without an edge! "Rebuke them sharply!" (Titus 2:15). Dip the nail in oil--reprove inlove--but strike the nail home!
Now Christian, when the Word touches on your sin and says, "You are the man!"--do you love the reproof? Can you bless God that "the sword of the Spirit" has divided between you and your lusts? This is indeed a sign of grace, and shows that you are a lover of the Word.
A corrupt heart loves the comforts of the Word--but not the reproofs: "You hate the one who reproves--and despise him who tells the truth!" (Amos 5:10). "Their eyes flash with fire!" Like venomous creatures that at the least touch, spit poison! "When they heard these things, they were enraged in their hearts and gnashed their teeth at him!" (Acts 7:54). When Stephen touched their sins--they were furious and could not endure it.
How shall we know that we love the reproofs of the Word?
When we desire to sit under a heart-searching ministry. Who cares for medicines that will not work? A godly man does not choose to sit under a ministry that will not work upon his conscience.
When we pray that the Word may meet with our sins. If there is any traitorous lust in our heart--we would have it found out, and executed! We do not want sin covered--but cured!
When we can open our heart to the sword of the Word and say, "Lord, smite this sin!"
When we are thankful for a reproof. "Let a righteous man strike me--it is a kindness; let him rebuke me--it is oil on my head. My head will not refuse it." (Psalm 141:5). David was glad for a reproof.
Suppose a man were in the mouth of a lion, and another should shoot the lion and save the man--would he not be thankful? Just so, when we are in the mouth of sin, as of a lion, and the minister by a reproof shoots this sin to death--shall we not be thankful?
A gracious soul rejoices, when the sharp lance of the Word has pierced his abscess of sin! He wears a reproof like a jewel on his ear: "Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold is a wise man's rebuke to a listening ear." (Proverbs 25:12).
To conclude, it is convicting preaching which must do the soul good. As a nipping frost prepares for the sweet flowers of spring--so a nipping reproof prepares the soul for comfort!
When we are thankful for a reproof. "Let a righteous man strike me--it is a kindness; let him rebuke me--it is oil on my head. My head will not refuse it." (Psalm 141:5). David was glad for a reproof.
Suppose a man were in the mouth of a lion, and another should shoot the lion and save the man--would he not be thankful? Just so, when we are in the mouth of sin, as of a lion, and the minister by a reproof shoots this sin to death--shall we not be thankful?
A gracious soul rejoices, when the sharp lance of the Word has pierced his abscess of sin! He wears a reproof like a jewel on his ear: "Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold is a wise man's rebuke to a listening ear." (Proverbs 25:12).
To conclude, it is convicting preaching which must do the soul good. As a nipping frost prepares for the sweet flowers of spring--so a nipping reproof prepares the soul for comfort!
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