by C. H. Spurgeon

“But we are bound to give thanks always to God for
you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the
beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the
Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our
gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus
Christ.”—2 Thessalonians 2:13-14.

If there were no other text in the sacred Word except this one, I think we should all be bound to receive and acknowledge the truthfulness of the
great and glorious doctrine of God’s ancient choice of his
family. But there seems to be an inveterate prejudice in the
human mind against this doctrine; and although most other
doctrines will be received by professing Christians, some with
caution, others with pleasure, yet this one seems to be most
frequently disregarded and discarded. In many of our pulpits it
would be reckoned a high sin and treason to preach a sermon upon
election, because they could not make it what they call a
“practical” discourse. I believe they have erred from the truth
therein. Whatever God has revealed, he has revealed for a
purpose. There is nothing in Scripture which may not, under the
influence of God’s Spirit, be turned into a practical discourse:
for “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is
profitable” for some purpose of spiritual usefulness. It is true,
it may not be turned into a free-will discourse—that we know
right well—but it can be turned into a practical free-grace
discourse: and free-grace practice is the best practice, when the
true doctrines of God’s immutable love are brought to bear upon
the hearts of saints and sinners. Now, I trust this morning some
of you who are startled at the very sound of this word, will say,
“I will give it a fair hearing; I will lay aside my prejudices; I
will just hear what this man has to say.” Do not shut your ears
and say at once, “It is high doctrine.” Who has authorized you to
call it high or low? Why should you oppose yourself to God’s
doctrine? Remember what became of the children who found fault
with God’s prophet, and exclaimed, “Go up, thou bald-head; go up,
thou bald-head.” Say nothing against God’s doctrines, lest haply
some evil beast should come out of the forest and devour you
also. There are other woes beside the open judgment of heaven—
take heed that these fall not on your head. Lay aside your
prejudices: listen calmly, listen dispassionately: hear what
Scripture says; and when you receive the truth, if God should be
pleased to reveal and manifest it to your souls, do not be
ashamed to confess it. To confess you were wrong yesterday, is
only to acknowledge that you are a little wiser to-day; and
instead of being a reflection on yourself, it is an honour to
your judgment, and shows that you are improving in the knowledge
of the truth. Do not be ashamed to learn, and to cast aside your
old doctrines and views, but to take up that which you may more
plainly see to be in the Word of God. But if you do not see it to
be here in the Bible, whatever I may say, or whatever authorities
I may plead, I beseech you, as you love your souls, reject it;
and if from this pulpit you ever hear things contrary to this
Sacred Word, remember that the Bible must be the first, and God’s
minister must lie underneath it. We must not stand on the Bible
to preach, but we must preach with the Bible above our heads.
After all we have preached, we are well aware that the mountain
of truth is higher than our eyes can discern; clouds and darkness
are round about its summit, and we cannot discern its topmost
pinnacle; yet we will try to preach it as well as we can. But
since we are mortal, and liable to err, exercise your judgment;
“Try the spirits whether they are of God”; and if on mature
reflection on your bended knees, you are led to disregard
election—a thing which I consider to be utterly impossible—then
forsake it; do not hear it preached, but believe and confess
whatever you see to be God’s Word. I can say no more than that by
way of exordium.

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