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The sermon distinguishes genuine assurance grounded in God from presumption grounded in pride, carelessness, and low views of sin and salvation. Spurgeon teaches that even true Christians may fall grievously, though God will not allow them to suffer final destruction. Therefore believers should avoid temptation, learn from failure, pray, read Scripture, and live in a manner worthy of the gospel. Those outside Christ are called to repent and believe in Jesus, since works cannot save and acceptance comes through faith in him.
Theological center: Salvation is received through faith in Christ, while perseverance and holiness require continual dependence on God rather than prideful self-assurance.
Applications: Take heed of presumption · Take sin seriously · Avoid tempting situations · Guard Christ’s reputation
Primary texts: 1 Corinthians 10:12 · Mark 16:16
“Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” 1 Corinthians 10:12 IT is a singular fact, but nevertheless most certain, that the vices are the counterfeits of virtues. Whenever God sends from the mint of heaven a precious coin of genuine metal, Satan will imitate the impress and utter a vile production of no value. God gives love, it is His nature and His essence. Satan also fashions a thing which he calls love, but it is lust. God bestows courage and it is a good thing to be able to look one’s fellow in the face, fearless of all men in doing our duty. Satan inspires fool-hardiness, styles it courage and bids the man rush to the cannon’s mouth for “bubble reputation.” God creates in man holy fear. Satan gives him unbelief and we often mistake the one for the other. So with the best of virtues, the saving grace of faith, when it comes to its perfection it ripens into confidence, and there is nothing so comfortable and so desirable to the Christian as the full assurance of faith. Hence, we find Satan, when he sees this good coin, at once takes the metal of the bottomless pit, imitates the heavenly image and superscription of assurance, and palms upon us the vice of presumption. We are astonished, perhaps, as Calvinistic Christians, to find Paul saying, “Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” But we need not be astonished, for though we have a great right to believe that we stand, if we think we stand through the power of God—though we cannot be too confident of the might of the Most High, there is a thing so near akin to true confidence, that unless you use the greatest discernment you cannot tell the difference. Unholy presumption—it is against that which I am to speak this morning. Let me not be misunderstood. I shall not utter one word against the strongest faith. I wish all Little-Faiths were StrongFaiths, that all Fearings were made Valiant-for-Truth and the Ready-to-Halts, Asahel’s Nimble-of-Foot, that they might all run in their Master’s work. I speak not against strong faith or full assurance. God gives it to us—it is the holiest, happiest thing that a Christian can have and there is no state so desirable as that of being able to say, “I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him.” It is not against that I speak, but I warn you against that evil thing, a false confidence and presumption which creeps over a Christian, like the cold death-sleep on the mountaintop, from which, if he is not awakened, as God will see that he shall be, death will be the inevi…