Charles Spurgeon, a towering figure in Victorian-era Christianity, captivated countless listeners with his forthright and uncompromising sermons. Known for addressing the pressing moral and social issues of his time, Spurgeon's words often reverberated with an intensity that few could ignore.
On January 13, 1878, in a sermon titled "The Day of Salvation," he delivered a powerful and eye-opening condemnation against a pervasive evil. With a gifted voice that commanded attention, he said, "Concerning homosexuality: This once brought hell out of heaven on Sodom."
What a picture!
When Spurgeon made this declaration, he was speaking from a context deeply rooted in the societal norms and biblical convictions of his era. The Victorian period was one where sexual immorality, including homosexuality, was not only socially disapproved of but legally proscribed, often resulting in severe penalties such as imprisonment and hard labor.
The moral landscape was dominated by rigorous compliance to what was almost universally perceived as biblical standards of conduct, leaving little room for the public acceptance or tolerance of such deviant behaviors. In a sense, I guess you could call this “Christian Nationalism.”
In this context, Spurgeon's statement is not just a reflection of his personal religious beliefs but also an echo of the prevailing sentiment of his time. By invoking the biblical narrative of Sodom and Gomorrah, Spurgeon drew upon a powerful and widely recognized narrative of divine judgment.
The story, recounted in Genesis 19, describes how God destroyed the cities due to their grievous sins, which included rampant sexual immorality and specifically homosexual behavior. For Spurgeon, this was not just an ancient story but a clear, divine admonition that transcended time and culture.
Why did Spurgeon speak of homosexuality in such harsh terms? Unlike the majority of modern preachers today, including those who love to invoke his name, Spurgeon was pointing out the severe consequences that such sins invited. The destruction of Sodom was, in his view, a historical testament to God's wrath against sexual immorality.