A Thief in Heaven?
A thief in heaven would remain a thief without a changed nature.
During Mr. Spurgeon's brief ministry at Water-beach, a gentleman, who was Mayor of Cambridge, asked the youthful preacher if he had really told his people that if a thief got into heaven he would pick the angels' pockets. "Yes, sir," replied Mr. Spurgeon, "I told them that if it were possible for an ungodly man to go to heaven without having his nature changed, he would be none the better for being-there; and then, by way of illustration, I said that if a thief got in he would remain a thief still, and would go round the place picking the angels' pockets." "But, my dear young friend," said the mayor, "don't you know that the angels have no pockets?" "No, sir," he replied, "but I am glad to be assured of the fact from a gentleman who does know. I will set it all right." The following Monday morning Mr. Spurgeon walked into the mayor's shop, and said, "I set that matter right yesterday, sir." "What matter?" "Why, about the angels' pockets!" "What did you say?" "Well, I told the people I was sorry to say I made a mistake the last time I preached, but I had met a gentleman—the mayor of Cambridge—who told me that the angels had no pockets, so I must correct what I said, as I did not want anybody to go away with a false notion about heaven. I would therefore say that, if a thief got among the angels without having his nature changed, he would steal the feathers out of their wings." 24. A Wicked Man's Gifts and Doom At a tea-meeting Mr. Spurgeon was discussing the large gifts which a well-known person had bestowed on different charities. "Do you know," said he, "that man's fortune has been swollen by dancing saloons, to which are attached private apartments? If such a man does not go to the devil, I don't see what use it is to have a devil at all."