Charles Spurgeon · New Park Street Pulpit, Volume 1, Sermon No. 52 · 1855

Free Will, a Slave: sermon notes

And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.
John 5:40

Summary

By nature we will not come to Christ, but in Christ there is legal, spiritual, and eternal life for everyone who comes.

Sermon outline

Likely Title: Free Will, a Slave

Likely Text/Passage: John 5:40

Main Theme: By nature, sinners will not come to Christ for life, but Christ provides legal, spiritual, and eternal life to all who come to Him.

Introduction

The words “will” and “will not” in John 5:40 do not teach human free will.
The sermon develops four points: humanity’s death, life in Christ, Christ’s welcome to those who come, and humanity’s unwillingness to come by nature.

Main Points

By nature, every person is dead
Humanity is legally dead because sin has brought condemnation.
Humanity is spiritually dead, with every part of life corrupted by the Fall.
Eternal death is the final consequence of legal and spiritual death.

There is life in Jesus Christ
Christ gives legal life: believers are acquitted because He bore their punishment.
Christ gives spiritual life by raising spiritually dead sinners and bringing them to faith.
Christ gives eternal life that cannot be lost.

Everyone who comes to Christ receives life
Christ is able to save those who come to Him “to the uttermost.”
Christ promises not to cast out anyone who comes.
The preacher insists that the gospel can be freely proclaimed to all who come, while denying that those who remain unbelieving possess salvation.

By nature, no one will come to Christ
John 5:40 declares that sinners refuse to come to Christ for life.
Human unwillingness is demonstrated through biblical examples of excuses, rejection of God’s messengers, and rejection of His Son.
The Fall has corrupted the will; salvation must therefore begin with God’s grace and the Spirit’s drawing.
People refuse Christ because they do not recognize their need, dislike His humbling and holy way of salvation, and do not understand His worth.

Application

Sinners are called to recognize their legal and spiritual condemnation rather than trust in morality, religion, or personal goodness.
Hearers are urged to come to Christ for pardon, spiritual life, and eternal life.
Believers are reminded to give all credit for their salvation to God’s grace, which taught them to pray and brought them to Christ.

Conclusion

The refusal to come to Christ is sinful, not innocent; the human will naturally rejects Him.
Christ alone is the source of life, and all who come to Him will find mercy and salvation.

Key quotes

Each quote below is copied from the printed sermon and checked word for word against it.

And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life

Free agency we may believe in, but free-will is simply ridiculous

He is able to save to the uttermost them that come unto him

Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out

no man by nature ever will come to Christ

Ye are not to wait to be condemned at the judgment-day, that will be the execution of the sentence, ye are "condemned already

there is not a need which is not supplied by Jesus, there is not an emptiness in the heart which Christ cannot fill

If I lost life in Adam I gained it in Christ; if I lost myself for ever I find myself for ever in Jesus Christ

Scripture references

John 5:40
The sermon’s central text, used to show that people will not come to Christ for life by nature.
“In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death”
Used to explain that Adam’s sin brought legal death and condemnation.
“condemned already”
Used to emphasize that sinners are already condemned rather than waiting for the judgment day.
“dead in trespasses and sins”
Used to describe humanity’s spiritual death.
“You hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins.”
Used as proof that spiritually dead sinners can be made alive by God.
“Depart ye cursed”
Used to depict the final sentence pronounced upon those experiencing eternal death.
“Ye will not come to me that ye might have life.”
Repeated to introduce the teaching that life is found in Christ.
“There is therefore, now no condemnation.”
Used to affirm the believer’s legal acquittal and freedom from condemnation in Christ.
“He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.”
Used to describe the moment when Christ’s word spiritually awakened the preacher.
“Lazarus! come forth.”
Used to illustrate Christ’s power to raise spiritually dead sinners to life.
“Where I am there shall my people be.”
Used to support the promise that Christ’s people will be with him eternally.
“Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given unto me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory.”
Used to describe Christ’s desire that his people share his presence and behold his glory.
“I give unto my sheep eternal life, and they shall never perish.”
Used to affirm that Christ gives his sheep secure and eternal life.
“He is able to save to the uttermost them that come unto him.”
Used to show that Christ fully saves everyone who comes to him.
“Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out.”
Used to promise that Christ will receive every person who comes to him.
“Every man that cometh shall be saved, for no man cometh to me except the Father draw him.”
Used to reconcile the universal promise to those who come with the doctrine that the Father draws them.
“Jesus Christ died for every one of you”
Mentioned as a claim the preacher rejects as an unscriptural statement about those who do not believe.
“there is righteousness for everyone of you, there is life for every one of you”
Mentioned as another claim the preacher rejects when applied to those who do not believe.
“I give unto my sheep eternal life”
Repeated to argue that if Christ gives eternal life, the recipients cannot ultimately be lost.
“No man can come except the Father draw him.”
Identified as a passage the preacher would use another time to discuss inability rather than unwillingness.
“Ye will not come unto Christ.”
Repeated to explain that people refuse Christ because they do not recognize their need, dislike his saving way, and do not know his worth.

Small-group discussion questions

Warm-Up (5 minutes)

When have you wanted to change something in your life but found that your desires, habits, or priorities pulled you in another direction?
What kinds of excuses do people commonly make when they do not want to face an important need or responsibility?

Diving In (20 minutes)

The sermon repeatedly emphasized that people “will not come” to Christ by nature. How would you summarize the pastor’s main point about human will, sin, and the need for God’s grace?
In John 5:40, Jesus says, “Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” How did the pastor explain the relationship between refusing to come to Christ and being spiritually dead?
The sermon says that Christ gives legal, spiritual, and eternal life. What might it look like to live Tuesday morning with confidence in each of those kinds of life?

Going Deeper (15 minutes)

The pastor distinguished between whether people will come to Christ and whether they can come, saying that people often confuse the two. What questions or tensions does this distinction raise for you?
The sermon says people resist Christ because they do not think they need him, dislike his humbling way of salvation, or do not recognize his worth. Which of these struggles is most familiar to you, and how has God been addressing it?

Prayer Prompt

Pray for God to show us our need for Christ, draw us to him, and deepen our gratitude for the life and salvation found in him.

Takeaways

Big idea

By nature we will not come to Christ, but in Christ there is legal, spiritual, and eternal life for everyone who comes.

Live it out

Examine whether you are trusting Christ alone, rather than your morality, religion, or personal goodness.
Come to Christ honestly, confessing your sin and asking God for mercy.
Thank Jesus daily that his blood is your full discharge and there is now no condemnation.
Tell a needy sinner that everyone who comes to Christ will find mercy.

Closing prayer

Father, we confess that by nature we are dead in trespasses and sins, condemned and unable to come to Christ. Have mercy on us, and draw us by your Spirit. Teach us to trust the Saviour’s blood as our full discharge, resting in the promise that there is now no condemnation for those in Christ. Give us spiritual life, keep us in your grace, and make us grateful for eternal life. Help us proclaim that whoever comes will never be cast out. Amen.

Read the full sermon

Charles H. Spurgeon, “Free Will, a Slave,” New Park Street Pulpit, Volume 1, Sermon No. 52. The sermon is in the public domain; the text used here is the CC0 Markdown edition of Spurgeon's sermons.

Full text in the CC0 edition

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