Francis Spira

Born 1502 – Died 1548

An Italian named Francis Spira died of despair. Formerly God had used Spira to spread Protestant ideas all over the country. He was not however prepared to lay his whole life before the Cross, he was not ready to leave everything and follow Jesus. Soon he faced persecution because of his preaching of Christ’s name. When he was given the choice to recant or leave his country and his wealth, he chose to keep his wealth and lose his Saviour. It was his love of money that caused him to deny Christ. 

Out of fear for his wealth and his family Spira recanted ‘Protestantism’ and returned to the Church of Rome. Because of this, Spira was convinced that God had forsaken him and his sin could not be forgiven. He saw his fault as a sin against the Holy Spirit. On his return home after his denial he heard the Spirit reproach him for his faithlessness. After his trial and subsequent denial of Christ, he fell into great depression and physical struggle. During this time, although many tried to bring him out of his despair, Francis Spira argued for his own damnation. Soon Francis Spira died.

The story of Francis Spira brought terror to the already doubting John Bunyan and led him to write of his thoughts at that time, “It is too late, I am lost, God hath let me fall-not to my correction, but to my condemnation. My sin is unpardonable.” Bunyan feared that his sin also might be ‘too big’ for Jesus death to cover and that he was unpardonable. Although both Spira and Bunyan used Scriptures as a basis for their depression they did not see the many verses that promise that God’s mercy is enough to cover all of our sins. We need not despair.