Why does Charles Spurgeon mean in this quote in his full redemption sermon? It greatly frightens me.

[Thomas_Goodwin]

¨And if I have had seven evil vices, and if by the grace of God six of these have been driven out, should I yet indulge and pamper one that remaineth, I am still a lost man. I am not his so long as I willingly yield, and joyfully hold fellowship with a single evil and false thing. I contend not for creature perfection; I believe it to be impossible for us to attain it in the present life, but I do contend for perfection in purpose, perfection in design; and if we wantonly and wilfully harbour a solitary sin, we are no friends of Jesus Christ.¨

 

[Thomas_Goodwin]

I am aware of the Hebrews and 1 John passages on willful sin, in addition to the realities of scripture of total depravity (take Romans 7 or any other numerous passages) and the indwelling sin in a believer. I am also aware that Christ says His work of redemption is finished, and that we add nothing to it except the sin that made it necessary.

The quote above frightens me due to my inward worldly lusts of the love of applause and approval and some periods of coldness to Christ in my past and enjoyments in the world (though these periods were met with a disturbed conscience, grief and sadness).

Of note, Spurgeon also goes on to say

Ah, but if the erring ones in the Church be lost then should all be lost, for they all err. "But suppose there be some that specially err?" Well, if these were lost, it would be to impugn the grace of God, because then it might be said, and said with truth, "It was of works and not of grace," for if it be of grace then must the erring be brought back and forgiven, and even those sheep that break the hedge and leave the pasture, these must be brought in, that it may be said on earth and sung in heaven that it was of grace, free grace, and grace alone, that any were saved—that all were saved—that none are left behind.

and

Methinks I see the great Shepherd now, and there are all his sheep. They have been wandering. They have got into a dark glen in the mountains and a snow-storm is coming on, and he goes to seek them. There they are. The grim spirit of the tempest, the Prince of the power of the air meets him, and says, "Back, shepherd! What dost thou here?" "I have come to reclaim my own." "They are not thine now," saith he, "they have strayed into my grounds and they are mine, not thine." "Nay, fiend," saith he, "they are mine; they have my blood-mark on them; they were given me of my Divine Father, and I am bound by solemn obligations to keep ever one of hem safely." "Thou shalt not have them," saith the fiend. "I must, I will," saith he. They fought and the good Shepherd he overcame. He dashed down the enemy and trod him underfoot, and crushed him—crushed the serpent. Then the serpent with wily craft replied, "They are thine—thine, I confess, and I will give thee some of hem—the fattest of them." "Nay," saith he, "Nay, fiend, I have bought them all, and I will have them all." And there they come, a goodly company; but he keeps back a few. "They are not all here," says the Shepherd, "and I will have all." "But," saith the fiend, "there are some of them that are speckled sheep, and some that are black and diseased; dost thou want them? Let me have a few at least." "No," saith he, "No; I must have the black ones, the speckled ones, the diseased ones: let them all come. Fiend, stand back, let them come I tell thee, or my right arm shall fell thee to he ground again." And now they all come but one, and Satan says, "Nay, but this is such a little one; this is so weak. Thou wouldst not have such a shrivelled, scabby one as this in thy bright flock, thou fair Shepherd of God." "Ay," saith he, "but sooner than lose one of hem I will die again, and shed my blood once more to buy it back. Avaunt! All that my Father gave me I will have." And now methinks I see him in the last tremendous day when the sheep pass again under the hand of him that telleth them. He cries, "Of all thou hast given me, I have lost none. They have none of them perished. The lion has not devoured them, nor has the cold destroyed them. I have brought them all safely here, "not a hoof is left behind."


I dont know how Spurgeon synergized these beliefs.

 

[VictorBravo]

Maybe put it this way: can you ever be a good enough friend to Jesus?

If your salvation depended on that, you likely would be in trouble.

 

[Reformed Covenanter]

¨And if I have had seven evil vices, and if by the grace of God six of these have been driven out, should I yet indulge and pamper one that remaineth, I am still a lost man. I am not his so long as I willingly yield, and joyfully hold fellowship with a single evil and false thing. I contend not for creature perfection; I believe it to be impossible for us to attain it in the present life, but I do contend for perfection in purpose, perfection in design; and if we wantonly and wilfully harbour a solitary sin, we are no friends of Jesus Christ.¨

I think that he means if we wantonly and wilfully harbour a sin without a struggle against it. He probably does not mean that a believer could not have major issues with a besetting sin, as that notion is contrary to both scripture and experience.

 

[Thomas_Goodwin]

Maybe put it this way: can you ever be a good enough friend to Jesus?

If your salvation depended on that, you likely would be in trouble.

I thought at first he was saying a sign of being saved is the agreement of the will in the struggle against sin.

 

[Thomas_Goodwin]

I think that he means if we wantonly and wilfully harbour a sin without a struggle against it. He probably does not mean that a believer could not have major issues with a besetting sin, as that notion is contrary to both scripture and experience.

I dont disagree at all with what you have said. So I can exhort this truth more clearly with other brother and sisters in Christ and also understand it as it is with my life, could you please explain/define what you mean by without a struggle. I shall also pray that for the eyes of my heart to be opened to the meaning of this issue, for without divine illumination I know I will suredly misunderstand. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, however that which is born of the spirit is spirit. Apart from Christ, I can do nothing, let alone understand deep spiritual realities.