Charles spurgeon brief biography of martin luther

But Spurgeon believed that the injustice of a state church ought to be the concern not only for Christians, but for all English citizens. In an article describing the horrors of the Inquisition, Spurgeon warned his readers.

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Against her common humanity is up in arms as much as evangelical religion. Her confessional is as dangerous to the mere moralist as to the Christian; her inquisition would be as ruinous to mercantile prosperity as to spiritual activity. Men of all religions and of no religion should deprecate the growth of a system which rendered the Inquisition possible.

Like Luther, Spurgeon employed the media channels of his day to educate the people of his country and engage them in the fight against Roman Catholic teaching. In Luther, Spurgeon found the example of courage needed for reformation, and by his bold leadership, he sought to bring others into the fight along with him. According to historian Owen Chadwick, the Oxford Movement was not so much concerned about religious doctrine as it was about religious experience.

Those within the movement detected an antinomian passivity within Reformed theology and yet they were hesitant to turn to the social works agenda of Rationalism. Even so, they did not hesitate to articulate their theological position in their publications—particularly the Tracts for the Times —and lectures. Led by Newman, Pusey, and others, the Oxford Movement sought to find some compromise—a via media —between Protestantism and Catholicism.

In their doctrine of justification, they rejected the Roman Catholic teaching on merit and works of supererogation, and thus denied any charge of salvation through good works. Spurgeon, however, rejected all this. The only difference he allowed between the Popery of Rome and the Popery of Oxford was in history and circumstances. Could not these things be adiaphorathings indifferent, as the Lutheran tradition taught?

Charles spurgeon brief biography of martin luther: Luther lived by his faith,

Things which were initially tolerated as adiophora by the early English reformers had now come to be viewed as necessary by those within the Oxford Movement. Too often these religious experiences became a substitute for saving faith. This is where Spurgeon and Luther come together. Though Spurgeon and Luther would have disagreed on the allowance of external aspects of liturgy in corporate worship, both agreed on this point: a clear understanding of the doctrine of justification by faith is of ultimate importance.

Whereas Luther confronted the abuse of indulgences, denouncing them as opposed to the truth of justification by faith, Spurgeon confronted the baptismal language of the Anglican liturgy which declared infants regenerate and bypassed the salvation that only happens through faith in Christ. The form for the administration of this baptism is scarcely less plain and outspoken, seeing that thanks are expressly returned unto Almighty God, because the person baptized is regenerate.

His objection here was not with infant baptism, as practiced by other Protestants. According to the Scriptures, regeneration, or new birth, is inseparably tied to salvation and does not happen apart from faith in Christ, by the work of the Holy Spirit. Spurgeon saw how this doctrine inoculated people from the gospel and robbed it of its power in their lives.

Who are you, that you should rebuke me? Call me to repentance? Call me to a new life? Whether expressed in baptism or in burial, membership within the Church of England had become a substitute for a life of repentance and faith in Christ. Thus, he concludes. We shall be clear, I say, of those who teach salvation by baptism, instead of salvation by the blood of our blessed Master, Jesus Christ.

Because the gospel was at stake, no Christian could sit on the sideline, but all would have to be engaged in this battle for the truth. The battle for the gospel was also a battle over authority. The Oxford Movement based their claims in the ancient traditions of the Church of England. Like Luther, Spurgeon proclaimed the authority of the Word of God over all the traditions of men.

Though the Oxford Movement appealed to an older tradition prior to the English Reformation, Spurgeon appealed to an even older authority, the teaching of the prophets and apostles in the Word of God. In the main body of this sermon, he works through the Book of Common Prayer and examines the sacramental language associated with the rites of baptism, confirmation, absolution, burial, ordination, the crowning of monarchy, and excommunication.

Like Luther, Spurgeon understood that true reformation had to be built on the Word of God. There, the gospel is found, and all other systems of salvation are torn down. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. Throughout his ministry, Spurgeon was committed to promoting unity among evangelicals regardless of denomination, so long as the gospel was held in common.

Carey and Spurgeon had both learned of God, both appealed to the whole world, both were indefatigable workers, and both were perfected by suffering. While Carey in India gave a new impulse to the Christian faith, Thomas Chalmers, the greatest man that Scotland has ever produced, fought at the same time for the freedom of faith in his own land.

Other men of the same period arrest us only for the moment: Robert Hall was the greatest preacher in England of his day, of whom it is recorded that sometimes the businessmen of Leicester who heard him on Sunday were unable to attend to their business on Monday. Spurgeon no doubt was greatly influenced by him when he joined the church at Cambridge of which he had been the pastor.

Edward Irving was a popular preacher whose meteoric career blazed with great brilliance, compared with whom Spurgeon shone as a fixed star. Robertson was one of the great pulpit names of the Victorian age, as Mr. Asquith has reminded us in his Romanes Lecture, "Some Aspects of the Victorian Age," but he was in an altogether different category from Spurgeon, who was more nervous and less telling.

Charles spurgeon brief biography of martin luther: Spurgeon loved Luther because

Lacordaire invented a new form of religious service, the "conference," and attracted crowds at Notre Dame, Paris, and at Toulouse, and, speaking of his own unexpected call to preach, said: "Moreover, it is with the orator as with Mount Horeb: before God strikes him he is but a barren rock, but as soon as the divine hand has touched him, as it were with a finger, there burst forth streams that water the desert.

Thomas Binney was London's most popular preacher before Spurgeon's appearance in the metropolis and was soon transformed from a critic of the new minister into his ardent defender. Moody belongs to another order, is to be remembered as one of the great spiritual forces of the world, and is, I suppose, to be classed with Chrysostom, Savonarola, and Tauler, who in a previous chapter have been ruled out of comparison with Spurgeon.

Patrick, Bernard, Francis, Xavier, and William Booth are of the same noble company, and yet do not rise to the highest in the mountain range of church history. It is not for us to apportion greatness to them: the primacy must, of course, be given to the Apostle Paul. But it may be affirmed with some assurance that as many troubled souls looked to Spurgeon for comfort as to any man that ever lived; and since his departure countless others have been influenced by his words, and blessed through the agencies he set in motion.

What service is permitted to those who have passed, we may not know. Written by the prolific German scholar Helmut Thielickethis biography originally titled Vom Geistlichen Reden: Begegnung Mit Spurgeon is perhaps the most surprising of them all. No one knows Spurgeon better than, well, Spurgeon himself. Written by Charles and completed by his wife and secretary, this four-volume autobiography is the best account of the Prince of Preachers.

You can buy the two-volume edition by Banner of Truth, but the original, unabridged edition often appears on eBay and in second-hand bookstores. The search for this treasure is always worth the struggle. Written by Matt Carter and Aaron Ivey, pastor and worship leader of Austin Stone Community Church in Austin, Texas, this hot-off-the-press Spurgeon biography uncovers one of the most interesting aspects of the pastor's life — his friendship with Virginian slave, Thomas L.

A story of grace, redemption, abolition, and remarkable hospitality, this page-turning narrative will make you want to buy several copies for your friends. InCharles Spurgeon promised his readers that he would publish his earliest sermons. Salvation is by grace through faith — not by prayers or fasting or pilgrimages or sacraments.

Righteousness before God was not earned by our works, but was a gift from God to us received by faith! Luther was overjoyed — But this Gospel truth of salvation by grace alone through faith alone and not of works immediately brought Luther into even greater contention with Catholic doctrine. What was he to do? Should he ignore Scripture to obey the church, or should he challenge the church to obey Scripture?

Rather than being subject to both sacred Scripture and sacred tradition, as the church taught, Luther believed that we are to be subject to Scripture alone — and that Scripture has the authority to correct the traditions when they are in error. He said:. A war of words ensued. A papal bull, or edict, called Luther to repent and threatened him with excommunication.

On December 10,Luther burned it. This was tantamount to treason. Luther wrote more theological works, many of which spoke against the sacramental system of the Roman church. On April 17,Luther was summoned to the Diet of Worms — an imperial council held in Worms, Germany which would decide the fate of this troublesome monk. The Holy Roman Emperor, Charles the 5 th presided over the affair.

The Roman charleses spurgeon brief biography of martin luther demanded to know if these were his writings and whether or not he would recant. Luther had expected to debate his ideas, not be forced to recant them. He asked for a day to consider the matter. If he recanted, his life would be saved. If he did not, he would be declared a heretic, which was a death sentence in those days.

Although he had a letter granting him safe passage to and from Worms, when this expired he knew he could be killed by anyone and they would not be punished. The civil government would likewise put him to death, as they had countless others who crossed Rome. Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Holy Scriptures or by evident reason-for I can believe neither pope nor councils alone, as it is clear that they have erred repeatedly and contradicted themselves-I consider myself convicted by the testimony of Holy Scripture, which is my basis; my conscience is captive to the Word of God.

Here I stand, I can do no other. God help me.

Charles spurgeon brief biography of martin luther: This essay will argue

Luther took a stand that his highest authority was going to be the Word of God, regardless of what the church taught. To protect his life, his friends kidnapped him and hid him away in Wartburg Castle. Here he hid for ten months in disguise. He grew a beard and took the name Junker Jorge, or Knight George. He was not simply laying low.

During his time in exile, Luther undertook the translation of the New Testament into the language of the German people. Remember, at this time Scripture was only available in Latin.