Spurgeon

I was reading a Charles Spurgeon sermon today called "The Warning Neglected." The sermon was on Ezekiel 33:5 "He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him." It was an extremely insightful and sobering text. Gods wrath is on the wicked, but how much more unbelievers who hear the truth of God and reject it. Spurgeon made the point that those who hear it and reject it once are condemned how much greater those who hear it all the time and reject it over and over again. Spurgeon said:

"Oh, sirs, if a man had but once poured out his heart before you concerning your eternal interests, and if he had spoken to you earnestly, and you had rejected his message, then, even then, ye had been guilty. But what shall we say to you upon whom the shafts of the Almighty have been exhausted?" http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/0165.htm

Thinking of the truth that I am taught in Grace Bible Church, I am sobered heavily knowing that because of this teaching I am held to a high standard. We will all be held accountable to our actions, but even more to us who know the truth. I am a christian and can never be under Gods wrath, Christ has sealed that for me. But do I want to stand before my loving Father with unrepentant sin on judgement, when I knew what I was doing was showing hatred to Him? In a different context but still true, the words of Paul, "May it never be!"

Spurgeon went on to discuss how so many people reject the truth of the Gospel because of the messenger. They may have a problem with the person bringing the message. I'm paraphrasing what he said about it. He gave two examples. The first talked about a burning building, and that one was inside the building and one outside. The one outside the burning building was yelling "Fire! Fire!" Spurgeon asked, would the man in the building begin to say, "I don't like his tone so I'm not going to listen to him. He's saying that very rude and mean. He's yelling at me!" There's no way the man inside would say that! The second example he gave was of a man thrown overboard on a ship, another man tossed him a rope. Spurgeon asked, would the man being to say, "I don't like this rope, it hasn't been made at the best manufactures, and besides that it's got tar all over it! And I don't like the sailor who tossed it to me." Spurgeon then explained that as the men gurgled and when sinking into the water people would say of him, "Fool! His blood is on his own head." And rightfully so.

Well it's the same with the Gospel or any divine truth someone brings you. Just because you do not like the messenger doesn't make a difference. It doesn't matter what the messenger does with his time if he is reproving you on yours. If what he is saying is true, you need to do what is right before God and repent. What he does is between him and God. If later you have gotten the log out of your eye and feel need to approach him, by all means do. But never pridefully reject truth because you have beef with the person bringing it. As Christians, I have often thought, we even have need to listen to unbelievers if they bring merited accusations against us! Humbly repent, because we will stand before God, and we must give an account. Do not grieve the spirit of God! But have him smile down on what you are doing saying, "This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased." And in the end, "Well done good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Master."