Spurgeon's Battles with the Hyper-Calvinists

In the aftermath of the now infamous ( "In famous?") John 3:16 Conference, a debate that is swirling is over Hyper-Calvinism. What is Hyper-Calvinism? Who is one, and who isn't? Is Dr. James White? (He isn't, but why or why not?)

It has become typical for anti-Calvinists, especially those within the Southern Baptist Convention, to freely apply the epithet, Hyper-Calvinist, to anyone who is

a) more Calvinistic than I am, or
b) holding to all five points of the TULIP, or
c) is fierce in their defense of Calvinism, or
d) is unapologetic about showing where my own home-grown soteriology is not consistently Biblical, and does not respect how good my own system makes me feel about God, etc.

Clearly, it's a good time for all who are concerned about things like Truth, to become more familiar with the issues that are at stake in this argument. To that end, may I humbly recommend the following book to your consideration. It will not make you an expert in Hyper-Calvinism, but it will go a long way toward shedding historical and Biblical light on the current controversy.

Spurgeon vs. Hyper-Calvinism: The Battle for Gospel Preaching By Iain H. Murray / Banner Of Truth In the wide coverage given to Spurgeon's ministry since his death in 1892, one controversy in which he was at the centre has been left largely untouched. It concerned what his Autobiography called 'the first serious attack' on his ministry. Fellow Baptists of Hyper-Calvinistic persuasion condemned him for believing that along with 'impassioned appeal to every sinner to come to Christ and be saved'. To this Spurgeon replied that he was not only teaching what was in the old Baptist Confessions, but, more important, his evangelistic preaching was true to the New Testament itself. After a portrait of Spurgeon as a man living for the Word of God, Iain Murray details the furore which his preaching caused among those who opposed his gospel preaching. 176 pgs.

Forgetting Spurgeon all over again

In 1966 Iain H. Murray's book The Forgotten Spurgeon was published by the Banner of Truth Trust. On the back of the book the blurb reads:

"This book seeks to throw light on the reasons which have given rise to the superficial image of Spurgeon as a genial Victorian pulpiteer, a kind of grandfather of modern evangelicalism."

Murray's chapter titles are highly suggestive: 'Arminianism against Scripture', 'Arminianism and Evangelism' stand out in particular. What was forgotten about Spurgeon, Murray says, is his Calvinism. A modern, 'non-doctrinal' evangelicalism is uncomfortable with a man like Spurgeon, who believed a decided doctrine, and a doctrine that is so opposed to the man-centred theology of free-will, a theology that is quite acceptable to the natural man.

Yet Spurgeon is forgotten again. Modern free-willer Baptists, trying to shore up their ahistorical claims that their position is 'the Baptist position', claim Spurgeon for themselves, either ignorant of his true position or, what is worse, they know the truth and choose to pretend that the reverse is true. Yes, Spurgeon opposed hyper-calvinism, but he opposed it as a distortion of true Calvinism, which he held to be the teaching of the Bible.
Spurgeon's Gospel preaching presupposed two things - the total depravity and inability of human nature, and the sovereign power of God to work through the Word preached. That is to say, if Spurgeon called on his congregation and readers to repent and believe the Gospel, he did not call on them to do this because they had the ability to do so in themselves naturally, but because he believed the Holy Spirit was able to regenerate them (we know this statement will give free-willers all kinds of fits, but it happens to be true). Spurgeon liked to quote Dr. Isaac Watts:

Why was I made to hear thy voice,
And enter while there's room;
When thousands make a wretched choice,
And rather starve than come?

'Twas the same love that spread the feast
That sweetly forced me in;
Else I had still refused to taste,
And perished in my sin.

I hope that any free-willers were paying attention to those words. "But love doesn't force!" Really? The love of God, shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, does not compel us? You see, this is what effectual calling is, it is that God draws us, not by force (except poetically speaking), but by the sweet, strong and irresistible motions of His love. What, when the Holy Spirit teaches me that the Son of God loved me and gave Himself for me, can I do anything but fall at His feet in wonder, love and praise? No! as God says to His people: "I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee, "No man can come unto me unless the Father which hath sent me draw Him, and all that the FAther hath given me shall come unto me."

Again, I point back to 'All of Grace', Spurgeon's little Gospel presentation book. This is a book that is such a contrast to free-will preaching today that the reader will feel as if he has gone from marshmallow to 70% cocoa dark chocolate, it is so rich.
I have no objection to non-Calvinists quoting Spurgeon. I often quote John Wesley myself, and the only reason I was able to quote Adam Clarke in an earlier post is that I consult his commentary. But please, I would never dream of making Adam Clarke or either of the Wesleys Calvinists. Honour Calvin as I honour those men - don't pretend that he held a theology different from the one he really did hold.

'All of Grace'

Last week 'Peace and Truth', the magazine of the Sovereign Grace union, sent me the latest edition of Spurgeon's All of Grace to review for the next issue. This book is subtitled 'An earnest word with those seeking Salvation by the Lord Jesus Christ'. All I can say after intensively reading the book is "Wow!" It is the exact polar opposite to the sort of man-centred, free-will literature that so often masquerades as evangelistic in this present day and age. Where so much modern 'evangelistic' literature is the equivalent of candyfloss (that's cotton-candy in England), mostly air, with no subtance at all, All of Grace is like a bar of that 70% cocoa dark chocolate, incredibly rich! This is a book that is all substance!
It is very readable, though modern readers may find that reading a chapter gives them the same feelings as imbibing one of those chocolate bars - it makes you feel very full.
'All of Grace' gives the lie to those who say that Calvinism is not evangelistic. It is a whole book written for seekers - real seekers, not pleasure-seekers, or those seeking a palliative for the conviction of sin.
Chapter titles like 'God Justifieth the Ungodly', 'It is God that Justifieth', '\By Grace Through Faith', 'Why Repentance Must go with Forgiveness', and 'Why Saints Persevere', tell the reader all he or she needs to know. Spurgeon is serious about sin, about Christ and about faith.

Calvinists, read this book, find out how the Gospel can be preached to sinners without compromising the holiness of God and the inability of man. Ask yourself, can you present the Gospel like this?

Arminians, go and read this book. Ask yourself, is this book Biblical? Not, does it conform to my tradition? but, is it Biblical? I think you'll find that it is. Then ask yourself, how often have you heard this sort of preaching from any of your so-called evangelists?

Ministers, read this book, ask yourself, is my preaching like this? Is it centred upon Christ? Do I exalt God and abase man? Do I call upon sinners, as sinners, to come to Christ? Am I in earnest as Spurgeon was?

Unbelievers, read this book. This is the way of salvation made plain for you. If you feel your sin, Spurgeon will tell you how to get rid of it. Not how to hide it, to conceal it, but to get rid of it once and for all.

[Note: This review bears little resemblance to the one that will, God willing, appear in 'Grace and Truth'. All of Grace is published by Christian Focus ]