The Mission of the Son of Man (Particular Redemption)

Spurgeon begins by establishing what he considers a foundational truth: whatever Jesus Christ intended to accomplish by his death absolutely will be accomplished, because an all-powerful God cannot fail in his purposes — which leads him to reject the idea of a general atonement where Christ died for everyone but secured salvation for no one. He then turns to the heart of his text, arguing that Christ came specifically "to seek and to save that which was lost" — meaning those who have completely run out of self-trust, self-effort, and self-hope, comparing them to shipwrecked sailors who have finally laid down their oars and accepted that they cannot save themselves. Spurgeon closes with the deeply encouraging point that Christ does not wait for lost sinners to find him, but actively seeks them out in every corner of their wandering — in pride, despair, sin, and self-righteousness — and when he finds them empty of all self-reliance, he saves them completely and forever.Sermon delivered by Charles Spurgeon on July 11, 1858.