“Salvation is of the Lord.” That is just an epitome of Calvinism; it is the sum and substance of it. If anyone should ask me what I mean by a Calvinist, I should reply, “He is one who says, Salvation is of the Lord.” I cannot find in Scripture any other doctrine than this. It is the essence of the Bible. “He only is my rock and my salvation.” Tell me anything contrary to this truth, and it will be a heresy; tell me a heresy, and I shall find its essence here, that it has departed from this great, this fundamental, this rock-truth, “God is my rock and my salvation.” What is the heresy of Rome, but the addition of something to the perfect merits of Jesus Christ—the bringing in of the works of the flesh, to assist in our justification? And what is the heresy of Arminianism but the addition of something to the work of the Redeemer? Every heresy, if brought to the touchstone, will discover itself here. I have my own private opinion that there is no such thing as preaching Christ and Him crucified, unless we preach what nowadays is called Calvinism. It is a nickname to call it Calvinism; Calvinism is the gospel, and nothing else. I do not believe we can preach the gospel, if we do not preach justification by faith, without works; nor unless we preach the sovereignty of God in His dispensation of grace; nor unless we exalt the electing, unchangeable, eternal, immutable, conquering love of Jehovah; nor do I think we can preach the gospel, unless we base it upon the special and particular redemption of His elect and chosen people which Christ wrought out upon the cross; nor can I comprehend a gospel which lets saints fall away after they are called, and suffers the children of God to be burned in the fires of damnation after having once believed in Jesus. Such a gospel I abhor.

—C. H. Spurgeon

1834 – 1892

Excerpt taken from a sermon titled “A Defense of Calvinism” by C. H. Spurgeon

HAT TIP: The Bororean

Postmodernism is simply the latest expression of worldly unbelief. It’s core value–a dubious ambivalence toward truth–is merely skepticism distilled to its pure essence. There is nothing virtuous or genuinely humble about it. It is proud rebellion against divine revelation.

– John MacArthur

What about the heroes of the faith down through the ages? The apostles laid down their lives for the Lord. Christian martyrs have written their names on every page of history.

– K.P. Yohannan

One of the greatest sins of pastors in America today is self-preservation. To preserve self they will turn away from preaching the truth.

– Paul Washer

I believe that there are too many accommodating preachers, and too many practitioners in the Church who are not believers. Jesus Christ did not say, “Go into all the world and tell the world that it is quite right.” The Gospel is something completely different. In fact, it is directly opposed to the world.

– C. S. Lewis

1898 – 1963

Let’s just look at the Church for a moment as a vineyard. Within this vineyard there are some who kind of look like branches, they kind of act a bit like branches, on a superficial level, but when you really look at them they are fruitless, they are unbelieving, they’re not connected to the vine, and they will be judged, they will be torn away, they will be judged, they will be cast into Hell.

– Paul Washer

If we have deficient and light views about sin, then we are liable to have defective views regarding the means necessary for the salvation of the sinner.

– W. J. Seaton

There are very few errors and false doctrines of which the beginning may not be traced up to unsound views about the corruption of human nature. Wrong views of a disease will always bring with them wrong views of a remedy. Wrong views of the corruption of human nature will always carry with them wrong views of the grand antidote and cure for the corruption.

– J. C. Ryle

1816 – 1900

   If you read history you will find that the Christians who did the most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next.

– C. S. Lewis

1898 – 1963

A man may believe what he pleases, provided he does not believe anything strongly enough to risk his life on it and fight for it. Tolerance is the great word.

– J. Gresham Machen

1881 – 1937

We who love Christ and believe the truth embodied in His teaching must awaken to the reality of the battle that is raging all around us. We must do our part in the ages-old truth war. We are under a sacred obligation to join the battle and contend for the faith.

– John MacArthur

What is the greatest privilege? To be able to preach like Spurgeon? No, to look like Jesus. When we talk about fruit we’re automatically in our American mindset thinking about activity instead of character, character, character; Chirst-likeness, Christ-likeness.

– Paul Washer

Jesus said the heart is where the treasures are kept. So what can we say about many evangelical Christians? Getting into debt for cars, homes and furnishings that probably are not needed and sacrificing family, church and health for corporate promotions and career advancement–I believe all this is deception, engineered by the god of this world to ensnare and destroy effective Christians and to keep them from sharing the Gospel with those who need it.

– K. P. Yohannan

It is quite true that faith cannot be reduced to mere assent to a finite set of propositions (James 2:19). . . . Saving faith is more than a merely intellectual nod of approval to the bare facts of a minimalist gospel outline. Authentic faith in Christ involves love for His person and willingness to surrender to His authority. The human heart, will, and intellect all consent in the act of faith. In that sense, it is certainly correct, even necessary, to acknowledge that mere propositions can’t do full justice to all the dimensions of truth.

– John MacArthur