C.H. Spurgeon on What does it mean “to Draw Near to God”

Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834 – 1892) is one of my heroes of faith. Though he had long dead his words were still alive and vibrant because his sermons and writings were saturated with the Scriptures – and he knew his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ very well. Below I quoted part of his sermon on “to draw near to God”. Read it slowly and prayerfully:

“To draw near to God, what does this mean? To draw near to God, brethren and sisters, implies first that we are reconciled to Him by the death of His Son. For a man to attempt to draw near to God while God is angry with him would be a species of insanity. As well might the moth draw near to the candle or the stubble approach the flame. God is “a consuming fire”, and while our hearts are evil, there can nothing come of an approach to God but destruction. Before any one of us can draw near to God in acceptable prayer and praise, we must wash in the fountain that Christ has filled from His dying veins.

"Believe... received... rest... in Christ"

Does thou believe in the atonement, my hearer? Believing in it, hast thou also received it? Do you rest your soul’s salvation upon the accomplished mediatorial work of Jesus Christ? If not, you are such an enemy to God that you may by no means even think yourself capable of drawing near to Him.

Your back is towards Him; and the faster you walk, the further from God will you journey; and your end will assuredly be to hear from Him the word, “Depart.” You have been departing throughout eternity, departing from the God whom you have despised and forgotten. Before, then, we can draw near to God, we must have looked up to Him who bled thereon, and we must have accepted Him as our salvation. I ask you whether you can accompany me in the first step.

Have you laid hold on eternal life in Christ Jesus?”

[Quote from Spurgeon Gold compiled by Ray Comfort. Published by Bridge-Logos, 2005. Pg. 166-167]

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.