Morning and Evening Devotional with C.H. Spurgeon – May 15, 2026

Morning

Morning Devotional for May 15, 2026

Scripture: “All that believe are justified.” — Acts 13:39

Morning Devotional

The believer in Christ receives a present justification. Faith does not produce this fruit by-and-by, but now. So far as justification is the result of faith, it is given to the soul in the moment when it closes with Christ, and accepts him as its all in all. Are they who stand before the throne of God justified now?—so are we, as truly and as clearly justified as they who walk in white and sing melodious praises to celestial harps. The thief upon the cross was justified the moment that he turned the eye of faith to Jesus; and Paul, the aged, after years of service, was not more justified than was the thief with no service at all. We are today accepted in the Beloved, today absolved from sin, today acquitted at the bar of God. Oh! soul-transporting thought! There are some clusters of Eshcol’s vine which we shall not be able to gather till we enter heaven; but this is a bough which runneth over the wall. This is not as the corn of the land, which we can never eat till we cross the Jordan; but this is part of the manna in the wilderness, a portion of our daily nutriment with which God supplies us in our journeying to and fro. We are now—even now pardoned; even now are our sins put away; even now we stand in the sight of God accepted, as though we had never been guilty. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.” There is not a sin in the Book of God, even now, against one of his people. Who dareth to lay anything to their charge? There is neither speck, nor spot, nor wrinkle, nor any such thing remaining upon any one believer in the matter of justification in the sight of the Judge of all the earth. Let present privilege awaken us to present duty, and now, while life lasts, let us spend and be spent for our sweet Lord Jesus.

Morning Reflection

Present justification! Spurgeon’s words are a trumpet blast of assurance. The moment faith looks to Jesus, the believer is fully, finally, and forever justified. Not partially. Not progressively in this sense. Right now — acquitted at the bar of God. The thief on the cross and the aged apostle stand on the same ground: accepted in the Beloved.

Live today in the freedom of this truth. You are not trying to become justified — you already are.

Morning Nectared Goad

All that believe are justified — right now. Stop striving. Start resting in the finished work. 🛡️

Evening

Evening Devotional for May 15, 2026

Scripture: “Made perfect.” — Hebrews 12:23

Evening Devotional

Recollect that there are two kinds of perfection which the Christian needs—the perfection of justification in the person of Jesus, and the perfection of sanctification wrought in him by the Holy Spirit. At present, corruption yet remains even in the breasts of the regenerate—experience soon teaches us this. Within us are still lusts and evil imaginations. But I rejoice to know that the day is coming when God shall finish the work which he has begun; and he shall present my soul, not only perfect in Christ, but perfect through the Spirit, without spot or blemish, or any such thing. Can it be true that this poor sinful heart of mine is to become holy even as God is holy? Can it be that this spirit, which often cries, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this sin and death?” shall get rid of sin and death—that I shall have no evil things to vex my ears, and no unholy thoughts to disturb my peace? Oh, happy hour! may it be hastened! When I cross the Jordan, the work of sanctification will be finished; but not till that moment shall I even claim perfection in myself. Then my spirit shall have its last baptism in the Holy Spirit’s fire. Methinks I long to die to receive that last and final purification which shall usher me into heaven. Not an angel more pure than I shall be, for I shall be able to say, in a double sense, “I am clean,” through Jesus’ blood, and through the Spirit’s work. Oh, how should we extol the power of the Holy Ghost in thus making us fit to stand before our Father in heaven! Yet let not the hope of perfection hereafter make us content with imperfection now. If it does this, our hope cannot be genuine; for a good hope is a purifying thing, even now. The work of grace must be abiding in us now or it cannot be perfected then. Let us pray to “be filled with the Spirit,” that we may bring forth increasingly the fruits of righteousness.

Evening Reflection

Two perfections: justification now, sanctification completed then. Spurgeon holds both truths with pastoral balance. We are already perfect in Christ’s righteousness, yet we still battle indwelling sin. The day is coming when the Spirit’s work will be finished and we will be presented without spot or blemish.

Until then, we press on — not to earn what we already have, but because the hope of final perfection purifies us now.

Evening Nectared Goad

Made perfect in Christ now — and one day fully perfected by the Spirit. Live worthy of both. 🛡️

Tie-In

From present justification in the morning to future perfection in the evening, the gospel holds us secure. We are already accepted and will one day be fully conformed to the image of Christ. The Spirit who justified us is the same Spirit who is sanctifying us and will one day present us faultless before the throne.

Spurgeon’s pastoral wisdom shines: rest in what Christ has done, press on in what the Spirit is doing, and long for the day when both are complete.

Soli Deo Gloria. 🛡️