I Sleep Like a Calvinist

I stumbled on this quote from C.H. Spurgeon: 

“The gospel is preached in the ears of all men; it only comes with power to some. The power that is in the gospel does not lie in the eloquence of the preacher otherwise MEN would be converters of souls. Nor does it lie in the preacher’s learning; otherwise it would consist of the wisdom of men. We might preach till our tongues rotted, till we should exhaust our lungs and die, but never a soul would be converted unless there were mysterious power going with it – the Holy Ghost changing the will of man. O Sirs! We might as well preach to stone walls as preach to humanity unless the Holy Ghost be with the word, to give it power to convert the soul.” 

This quote lines up very much with something I also heard recently from a new friend called to plant a church in the area.  We were talking about Calvinism/Arminianism and I asked where he stood on the matter.  The response was, "I preach like an Arminianist but I sleep like a Calvinist."  I love that mindset.  Approach the unbeliever as if their eternal salvation will be determined by your knowledge and presentation of the Gospel.  But, rest on the assurance that we worship a sovereign God who knows those who are called "according to His purpose.  For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His son...and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified." (Romans 8:28-30)  Nothing we can do or say can move the hand of the almighty God.  His people know His voice.  The power of His voice is what calls us to Him.  The power of the Holy Ghost changes the will of man.

Rest easy, Calvinist, tomorrow you wake to more work of an Arminianist.