Spurgeon: A man given to excess?

There is something distasteful talking about the sins of past Saints.Whether he was given to excess in these areas or no I have'nt a clue. I do know that he was given to excess in preaching the gosple.He has more sermons published even today than most if not all of his brethern. He was given to excess in his love for Gods people, for how could anyone remain in the pulpit that long week after week and have a sermon that sounded like it came manna from heaven.He was given to excess in his love for children, he bulit an orphanage.He was given in excess in his love for the ministry, he founded a pastors college.Why is it that we Christians always wish to dwell on the negatives and not the positives, Jesus did not do this did HE?

 

As I understand it his overweigth was partly a medical problem.

http://www.spurgeon.org/misc/cigars.htm
Is some information on his cigar smoking. Aparently he also liked a glass of Brandy every so often.

Is this a big deal? No, we are not perfect. If this is the only stuff that can be dug up on him he has lived a much closer life to Christ then all of us I should think.

Bryan

 

Spurgeon was a great man inasmuch as God used him as a powerful powerful tool here on earth. I have been reading his sermons and they are apsolutly incredible. He IS a sinner though, he is NOT Jesus. Jesus saved Him, and he is just as deserving as hell as all the rest of us.

Was he giving to excess? Perhaps . . .
But I love that man as any Christian leader today and will support him inasmuch as he glorified God with his live and ministry.

 

The only thing that moves me about Spurgeon is his preaching... He said by his life... Look at Jesus not at me!... That's the way I see him!... Brother Glen

 

Since when is smoking a sin? A bad habit - yep. But a sin - nope.

Since when is drinking an alcoholic beverage a sin? It isn't. It cannot even be classified as a bad habit. Drunkenness is a sin, not just a bad habit, by the way.

Since when is being overweight a sin? Bad for one's health - yep. But a sin - nope.

I wonder how many members of this Board are overweight. I am. I could drop about 10 pounds. I could also exercise more, get more sleep, eat healthier, be more loving to my wife, spend more time in prayer, spend more time studying the Bible, etc., etc., etc.

Maybe one of these days Christians will learn not to shoot their wounded. And we are all wounded to one degree or another.

Ken
A Spurgeonite

 

Here is a great source of Charles Spurgeon biographical material - www.spurgeon.org/aboutsp.htm

Ken
A Spurgeonite

 

He certainly loved Jesus and he blesses me everytime I read something he wrote. I wish more baptists would read his works.

 

"AMEN"... Brother Ken and Zebedee!... Thank you for the link Ken!... Brother Glen

 

Reading your post brought to mind 1 Cor. 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

Please do not think I'm of necessity taking exception with what you're saying, however, I do believe if we do something which harms our body, we are defiling God's temple. From personal experience, I believe smoking and drinking (even not to excess) does do that.

Or, how about "temperance" being a fruit of the Spirit. If we are indulging in some of these things, perhaps we are sinning from that perspective? Well, I guess I lean towards that.

I am sure some will take exception to what I'm saying, and not agree. That's fine. Just adding my 2 cents. And from the # of posts I've made, I'm sure that's about all some will think my comment is. And, no, I'm not perfect.

Strikes me perhaps we do or can even defile the temple of God by spending too much time mulling over the comments of others, and "tit for tatting" as one put it in another post.

Agree, disagree. No problem. I probably won't see it. (And I mean no disrespect, I just don't log on much.)

[ September 27, 2002, 10:04 PM: Message edited by: Pastor Shumer ]

 

I agree with you Brother Glen. I heard a story a while back that reminds me of this discussion.
If we were to look at sheep in a pasture on a sunny day, we would comment upon how (white) they
were. Yet, if it began to snow, and we looked at them, we would notice that they were not as white as we once thought. Against the fresh white snow, they would appear darker.
This is an analogy about how we compare ourselves to other's. Our standard should be Jesus and His righteousness. Not others. How many times do we do this?
I know I am guilty of doing this !!
God is still working on me!
God Bless!
Naomi

 

Warm Christian greetings!

To be fair to Mr Spurgeon, the health risks of tobbacco were not so widely recognised as they are now. I'm sure he had his faults but we all have our "feet of clay". However, the Lord uses all believers who give themselves over to Him. If he rejected us because of our faults then none of us would get to heaven.

Kind regards

Robert J Hutton

 

So, maybe he's not a Christian after all ?

 

Bro. Ken puts it quite well when he states the following:

A thing to ponder:

"Pure" tobacco vs. chemically treated tobacco. Huge difference. Just ask the Marlboro Man.

Other than these comments, let us consider the Scriptures, which state:

"Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink....Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: 'Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!'? These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom..."
- St. Paul, Colossians 2

 

Actually, cigars and cigarettes are equally hurtful to one's health plus being addictive.

The nicotine from a cigar enters the body via the mucous membrane in the mouth and doesn't need to be inhaled for the effect. Cigars are claimed to cause cancer in the mouth and tongue.

But then again caffeine is also mildly addictive (some say moderately addictive).

HankD

 

Cigarettes addictive? Yes.
Cigarettes and smoke inhalation? Yes.

Cigars addictive? No.
Cigars and smoke inhalation? No.

Cigars giving nicotine to the body? Yes.

Smoking sinful? No. (See Colossians ref. above)

Rev. G

 

I think caffine mixed with some sweat suger taste (ie Pepsi) is extremely addictive!