Thy Word is a Lamp unto my feet
I know that we are not “Calvinists” in the sense that we are followers of John Calvin or, for that matter, any man. But I am not ashamed to be identified with faithful men of the past who preached and boldly contended for the gospel of God’s free and sovereign grace. We must not be ashamed of our pedigree. The old truth that Spurgeon preached, that Whitefield preached, that Calvin preached, that Paul preached is the truth that I must preach today or be false to my conscience and my God.
Mr. Spurgeon one said, “The primary need of the church is not simply more evangelism nor even more holiness (in the first place) but a return to the full truth of the gospel of God’s free grace.” For convenience, he was prepared to name “Calvinism.” I cannot SHAPE the truth in order to get along with preachers and organizations which do not believe it. I cannot take the rough edges off nor the offence from such doctrines as the fall, election, and effectual atonement. Most preachers (if they will but admit it) are afraid for their popularity, jobs, and current situations; therefore, they spend their time EXPLAINING the Word of God in a way that will not offend those who do not believe the real gospel of God’s immutable, sovereign grace!
Someone once said, “You need not protect, defend, or make excuses for a LION, turn him loose!” The gospel is the POWER of God; preach it plainly, openly, boldly, and leave the results to the Lord of heaven and earth!
-Gospel
report by preacher Henry
T. Mahan
Comments