Silverhair
Well-Known Member
I agree. I seem to remember reading that a woman once asked Spurgeon why he didn't preach only to the elect. He replied along these lines (I don't remember the exact words): "Madam, if you go around all the people and lift their coat-tails, and there is a letter "E" marking out the elect, then I will gladly do as you suggest."
Having just read Martin's comment
"Spurgeon et al believed what (almost?) all Calvinists believe: that the Gospel must be preached to all, in the hope and expectation that God will open the hearts of His people to receive the words spoken to them"
and then your response brings some questions to mind.
1] are not all the calvinists that are saved the "elect" from before the foundation of the world?
2] since they were picked out then was there ever any doubt that they would be saved?
3] if they were guaranteed to be saved then why preach the gospel message to them, it would make no difference if they believed or not?
So we see that Martins comment "the Gospel must be preached to all, in the hope and expectation that God will open the hearts of His people to receive the words spoken to them" is actually not applicable to the calvinist.