saturneptune said:
"Ah! My dear readers, I will not ask for you that God may lay you on a bed of sickness, that he may strip you of all your wealth, and bring you to beggary; but, oh, if he were to do it, and you were to save your souls, it would be the best bargain you could ever make."
That was a quote from your cut and paste buddy Spurgeon. It is talking about the very essence of the question posed to you. It has nothing to do with salvation? It would be a good skill to learn if you would follow the lead of those your choose as your leader, and then maybe, one day, come up with some thoughts of your own.
what..yet another post about me? Have you ever thought of maybe addressing the Word of God? Now that's a new one. Once again I will address you.
As to Spurgeon...i have no idea why this is such a big deal to you. I said I was busy that day. Even if not busy...why make anything out of the fact that I agree with someone? This has to be the 4th-5th time you brought this up. I have seen nearly every person on this board quote others. Is that wrong? I don't think it is. Just a few pages back webdog did this..was that wrong? I do not think so. Your buddy Bob has quoted people..was he wrong? I don't think so. Why do you feel it is wrong? Or..is it only because i do it? You have a strange way to debate.
2nd..about Spurgeon. I do not have to believe every word of a man...if I use one quote. Now do I? Off the top of my head, I can give you 3 things I disagree with Spurgeon on. Does this mean I trash all his work? In no way.
You clipped 1 line out of a 3 post reply. Lets see if you still mislead. Below is the text around your line. The underline is your clip. Now read around the clip. I think Spurgeon is saying about the same thing. What do you do with what you hear?? Will you use the things of this world to hold back understanding? Will your sin nature stop what God has for you? Spurgeon takes it more toward a respones then I would. Yet even if you take it this way...it is clear that the ground is not salvation..the seed is not salvation...it is what they do with the seed. Does it bring fruit? The fruit is salvation and maybe other things. Its how you use the WORD..that is the point.
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We have this class very largely among us. These hear the word and understand what they hear. They take the truth home; they think it over; they even go the length of making a profession of religion. The wheat seems to spring and ear; it will soon come to perfection. Be in no hurry, these men and women have a great deal to see after; they have the cares of a large concern; their establishment employs so many hundred hands; do not be deceived as to their godliness—they have no time for it. They will tell you that they must live; that they cannot neglect this world; that they must anyhow look out for the present, and as for the future, they will render it all due attention by-and-by. They continue to attend gospel-preaching, and the poor little stunted blade of religion keeps on growing after a fashion. Meanwhile they have grown rich, they come to the place of worship in a carriage, they have all that heart can wish. Ah! Now the seed will grow, will it not? No, no. They have no cares now; the shop is given up, they live in the country; they have not to ask, "Where shall the money come from to meet the next bill?" or "how shall they be able to provide for an increasing family." Now they have too much instead of too little, for they have riches, and they are too wealthy to be gracious. "But," says one, "they might spend their riches for God." Certainly they might, but they do not, for riches are deceitful. They have to entertain much company, and chime in with the world, and so Christ and his church are left in the lurch.
Yes, but they begin to spend their riches, and they have surely got over that difficulty, for they give largely to the cause of Christ, and they are munificent in charity; the little blade will grow, will it not? No, for now behold the thorns of pleasure. Their liberality to others involves liberality to themselves; their pleasures, amusements, and vanities choke the wheat of true religion: the good grains of gospel truth cannot grow because they have to attend that musical party, that ball, and that soiree, and so they cannot think of the things of God. I know several specimens of this class. I knew one, high in court circles, who has confessed to me that he wished he were poor, for then he might enter the kingdom of heaven. He has said to me, "Ah! Sir, these politics, these politics, I wish I were rid of them, they are eating the life out of my heart; I cannot serve God as I would." I know of another, overloaded with riches, who has said to me, "Ah! Sir, it is an awful thing to be rich; one cannot keep close to the Saviour with all this earth about him."
Ah! My dear readers, I will not ask for you that God may lay you on a bed of sickness, that he may strip you of all your wealth, and bring you to beggary; but, oh, if he were to do it, and you were to save your souls, it would be the best bargain you could ever make. If those mighty ones who now complain that the thorns choke the seed could give up all their riches and pleasures, if they that fare sumptuously every day could take the place of Lazarus at the gate, it were a happy change for them if their souls might be saved. A man may be honourable and rich, and yet go to heaven; but it will be hard work, for "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven." God does make some rich men enter the kingdom of heaven, but hard is their struggle. Steady, young man, steady! Hurry not to climb to wealth! It is a place where many heads are turned. Do not ask God to make you popular; they that have popularity are wearied by it. Cry with Agur—"Give me neither poverty nor riches." God give me to tread the golden mean, and may I ever have in my heart that good seed, which shall bring forth fruit a hundredfold to his own glory.
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We have been over this many times. You disagree with me...fine. Now post your point...or do you have one? Again you posted one point..and then you took is back. What does this have to do with the subject? What is your views?
My Saviour overcame death, and has the power in His name alone to raise those who are not only physically dead, but spirtually as well. Logic and common sense tell us that physical corpses cannot respond, but we know from Scipture God outweighs logic and common sense, and a corpse CAN respond to Christ. We need to throw out the same human logic and common sense in dealing with spiritual death.