“The chief of sinners are objects of the choicest mercy. Christ is a great Saviour to meet the great transgressions of great rebels.”
Charles Spurgeon loved the glory of God. He was captivated by the majestic greatness of God, and so he lamented that often saints and sinners have a “limited idea of the goodness of God.” They erred in judging God by their own feeble standards.
In this sermon Spurgeon demonstrated that the “vast machinery of redemption” had one “great end”: to bring “great glory to God.” Spurgeon observed that God exercised his wisdom, grace, and power to save the worst of sinners in order to win a glory which “mortal comprehension can never grasp.”
In the first section of his sermon Spurgeon reflected on “Sinners of the deepest dye.” With respect to Isaiah 1:18 he noted, “A more accurate description of careless, worthless, ungodly, abandoned souls, never was given anywhere.”
In Spurgeon’s view, mankind wasn’t just “bad” rather, “man is bad – bad – bad – from beginning to end.” Indeed, mankind was so evil he said “the worst is come to its worst.”
In his sermon he identified four types of scarlet sinners. The first were senseless sinners, those so thoroughly corrupted by sin that they gave no thought to God or his imminent judgment.
The second were ungrateful sinners. Those so corrupted that they “have forgotten his mercies” they experience in daily life.
The third were sinners worse than beasts. Those so vile that it would be an insult and “slander” against creation to call them beasts.
The fourth were sinners laden with iniquity. Those so engrossed in sin that not only was it their nature, it was their “second nature.”
However, Spurgeon acknowledged such people could be superstitious and adhere to merely “formal” religion, but he said “the real religion of God they are careless of.” In Spurgeon’s view these were sinners who would “leap over hedge and ditch to be damned.”
In the second section of his sermon Spurgeon argued with “Reasoning of the most prevalent power.” He knew that “Faith takes away all sin, through the precious blood of Jesus.” Furthermore, God was not passive, rather he “meant to lay hold on the vilest of the vile.”
Spurgeon argued forcefully with sinners who thought themselves too vile to be saved, “Since the Lord has never yet refused thee – Come!” Since God was powerful to save Spurgeon shouted, “COME!”
Indeed, as Spurgeon said, “There is not a soul [in Hell] that ever sought mercy through Christ.” Rather, Spurgeon warned, “There is no soul in hell that ever repented of sin.”
Furthermore, Spurgeon argued, since “One of God’s ends in salvation is to honour himself” the vilest of the vile was encouraged to seek the Lord because that “[would] show forth God’s grace the better.” So in Spurgeon’s view there was no excuse for not seeking salvation in Jesus Christ.
In the third section of his sermon Spurgeon extolled the “Promise of Pardon of the Fullest force.” Here he noted that “the most wonderful thing about the gospel” was that it “does not take away a part of our sin, but the whole of it,” and “not for a little time, but for ever.”
Spurgeon knew that the answer for sin was the “precious blood of Jesus.” Reflecting on the Hebrew for “scarlet,” Spurgeon noted that word implied “doubly dyed – what we call ingrained colours.” Colours so deeply soaked into the fabric that “it cannot be [got] out,” except by the crimson blood of Christ.
To Spurgeon, the blood of Christ ensured such a pardon that even if one had “committed every crime in the world, yet the moment you believe in Jesus, you are saved.” Thus, scarlet sinners become snow-white saints.
In the fourth and final section of his sermon Spurgeon observed a time of “most solemn significance.” Spurgeon cried, “Come now, no season can be better,” still further “Come now; you may never have another warning.”
Indeed, Spurgeon lamented that he did not have the power to “send home” the invitation. He knew that the salvation of souls “must be left in the Master’s hands,” and so he concluded praying “Lord apply it. Come forth great Spirit.”
Why you should take up and read:
In this sermon Spurgeon pleaded with sinners to seek Jesus Christ because he knew that the blood of Christ was sufficient to save the “vilest of the vile.” Spurgeon also demonstrated that no sinner is beyond reach and that God gets great glory for saving great sinners. In light of the sermon’s gospel clarity, the reader is encouraged to take up and read.
Here is the link to the Sermon of the Week: https://www.spurgeon.org/resource-library/sermons/the-silver-trumpet#flipbook/
Phillip Ort serves at the Director of The Spurgeon Library at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City where he is also pursuing a Master of Divinity degree.
