Every week, the Pyromaniacs blog features some excerpt from the writings or sermons of Charles Spurgeon, and this week is no different. The current selection is from an article Spurgeon wrote on the topic of Progressive Theology.

The entire thing is well worth reading. It has reminded me of several things that I need to spend more time thinking and acting on…

1. The more things change, the more they stay the same. We deceive ourselves if we think that the challenges facing the Church today are any different than those in the past.

2. For that reason, we must continue to study the great Christian thinkers of the past. Why fight the same battles afresh without seeing how they were fought in the past?

3. The idea that “we’re a lot smarter than we used to be” is nothing new. But it’s still wrong.

4. Why? Because we know absolutely nothing more about Christ today than we did the moment the canon was closed.

5. Those who say, “hey, I’ve got a new idea about the Gospel” are almost definitely wrong. I say “almost definitely” because someone will counter with Luther, but on that note…

6. If someone does have a new idea about the Gospel, it had better be well grounded in and well supported by Scripture. And expect to be challenged on it. Deeply. Intensely. Like the Bereans did to Paul. Like Paul exhorted us to.

7. Calling error “error” is not unloving. Refusing to do so is.

James 5:19-20

19 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. (ESV)

8. We all have a responsibility to protect the Church and the Gospel. There is no excuse:

But what if earnest protests accomplish nothing, because of the invincible resolve of the infatuated to abide in fellowship with the inventors of false doctrine?

Well, we shall at least have done our duty. We are not responsible for success. If the plague cannot be stayed, we can at least die in the attempt to remove it.

Every voice that is lifted up against Anythingarianism is at least a little hindrance to its universal prevalence. It may be that in some one instance a true witness is strengthened by our word, or a waverer is kept from falling; and this is no mean reward.

It is true that our testimony may be held up to contempt; and may, indeed, in itself be feeble enough to be open to ridicule; but yet the Lord, by the weak things of the world, has overcome the mighty in former times, and he will do so again.

(from the article)