Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 1170
“That I might, by all means, save some.” 1 Corinthians 9:22.
THE Apostle speaks very broadly and talks about saving men. Some of our extremely orthodox Brothers would say at once, “You save men? How can man do that? The expression is inaccurate in the extreme. Is not salvation of the Lord from first to last? How can you, Paul, dare to speak of saving some?” Yet Peter spoke very much like this when he said, “Save yourselves from this untoward generation.” Indeed, the expression is a little more bold, if anything, and if Peter were alive now he would be called to account. When Paul wrote to Timothy, he said to him, “Take heed unto yourself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this you shall both save yourself and them that hear you.” This is another instance of language used in a popular sense by a man who had not the fear of critics before his eyes.
The Apostle did not intend to insinuate that he could save anybody by his own power and no one thought that he could. He used expressions without guarding them because he was writing to people who mixed candor with their knowledge of doctrine and would not willfully misunderstand him. He did not write for those who must have all the creed in every sermon and require all statements of the Truth of God to be cut into one shape. The doctrine that salvation is of God, alone, and is the work of the Holy Spirit was dear to him as life, itself, and having often proclaimed it, he was not afraid of being misunderstood.
Our testimony, also, has, for many years, been clear upon this point, and therefore we shall venture to be as accurately inaccurate as was the Apostle—and to speak of saving souls and winning souls after the manner of ordinary speech. The expression used gives great prominence to instrumentality and this is the use and habit of Scripture. There is not much danger, just now, of exaggerating the power of instrumentality and looking to men instead of their Master. The danger seems to lie in the opposite direction—in the habit of depreciating both an organized Church and a recognized ministry. We have frequently heard it said of certain revivals that no particular person was engaged in them, neither evangelist nor minister had a hand in the work. This is thought to be a recommendation but, indeed, it is not.
I fear that many hopeful beginnings have come to a sudden collapse because faithful and holy ministers have been despised and a slur has been cast upon ordinary instrumentalities. Men talk thus under the notion that they are honoring God, but they are off the track altogether—for God still owns and blesses His chosen ministers and is honored thereby. And as He still works by them He would not have us speak disparagingly of them. The topic of this morning is this—it has pleased God to save souls by His people and, therefore, He places in them a sacred longing to save some by all means. He might, if He had pleased, have called all His chosen to Himself by a Voice out of the excellent Glory, just as He called Saul, the Persecutor.
Or He might have commissioned angels to fly throughout the length and breadth of the world and carry the message of mercy. But in His inscrutable wisdom He has been pleased to bring men to Himself by men. The Atonement is complete and the Spirit’s power is fully given—all that is needed is that men be led to believe for the salvation of their souls—and this part of salvation is accomplished by the Holy Spirit through the ministries of men! Those who have, themselves, been quickened, are sent to prophesy upon the dry bones. In order that this Divine arrangement may be carried out, the Lord has implanted in the hearts of all genuine Believers a passion for the salvation of souls. In some this is more lively than in others, but it ought to be a leading feature in the character of every Christian.
I shall speak upon this sacred instinct and deal with it thus—First, why is it implanted in us? Secondly, how does it exercise itself? Thirdly, why is it not more largely manifested? And fourthly, how can it be quickened and made more practically efficient?
I. WHY IS THIS PASSION FOR SAVING OTHERS IMPLANTED IN THE BREASTS OF THE SAVED? For three reasons, I think, among many others. Namely, for God’s Glory, for the good of the Church, and for the profiting of
the individual. It is implanted there, first, for God’s Glory. It is greatly to the Glory of God that He should use humble instruments for the accomplishment of His grand purposes. When Quintin Matsys had executed a certain wonderful well-cover in iron, it was the more notable as a work of art because he had been deprived of the proper tools while he was executing it, for I think he had little more than his hammer with which to perform that wonderful feat in metal.
Now, when we look at God’s work of Divine Grace in the world, it glorifies Him the more when we reflect that He has achieved it by instruments which, in themselves, would rather hinder than promote His work. No man among us can help God! It is true He uses us, but He could do better without us than with us! By the direct Word of power He could do, in a moment, that which, through the weakness of the instrument, now takes months and years—yet He knows best how to glorify His own name. He puts a longing to save others into our souls, that He may get Glory by using us, even us who have little fitness for such work except this passion which He has implanted in our breasts. He graciously uses even our weak points and makes our very infirmities to illustrate the Glory of His Grace—blessing our poorest sermons, prospering our most feeble efforts—and driving us to see results even from our stray words.