Seeking Eternal Life With All Your Heart
Spurgeon urges seekers to seek eternal life with all their heart, emphasizing the greatness of the mercy and the solemn alternative of eternal life or death.
C.H. Spurgeon passionately urges individuals to recognize the urgency of seeking eternal life, comparing it to the desperate actions one would take in life-threatening situations. He emphasizes the profound mercy found in Christ, which includes forgiveness, righteousness, and the promise of eternal joy in God's presence. Spurgeon challenges his listeners to pursue eternal life with the same fervor and dedication as one would seek after valuable treasures, highlighting the importance of being fully awake to the peril of their souls.
Text
O man, if thou wert in a burning house thou wouldst be eager to get out of it; if there seemed a probability that thou wouldst sink in a river thou wouldst struggle desperately to get to shore, how is it then that thou art so little moved by the peril of thy soul? Man is aroused when his life is once known to be in peril, how much more earnest ought he to be when eternal life or eternal death are the solemn alternative "What meanest thou, O sleeper? Arise, and call upon thy God!"
Look, moreover, at the greatness of the mercy which thou art seeking. It is none other than pardon of all thy sins, perfect righteousness in Christ Jesus, safety through his precious blood, adoption into the family of God, and eternal enjoyment of the presence of God in heaven. They that seek for pearls, and gold, and precious stones, use all their eyes and all their wits, but what are those gaudy toys compared with these immortal treasures? How ought a man to seek after heaven and eternal life? Should it not be with all his heart?
From a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon entitled "A Second Word To Seekers," delivered September 10, 1876.
Sermon Outline
- I. The Urgency of Seeking Eternal Life
- A. The peril of the soul
- B. The solemn alternative of eternal life or death
- II. The Greatness of the Mercy Sought
- A. Pardon of all sins
- B. Perfect righteousness in Christ Jesus
- C. Safety through his precious blood
- III. The Importance of Seeking with All One's Heart
- A. The value of eternal treasures
- B. The need for earnestness in seeking
Key Quotes
“What meanest thou, O sleeper? Arise, and call upon thy God!” — C.H. Spurgeon
“They that seek for pearls, and gold, and precious stones, use all their eyes and all their wits, but what are those gaudy toys compared with these immortal treasures?” — C.H. Spurgeon
Application Points
- You should be eager to seek eternal life because it is the most important decision you will ever make.
- You should seek after heaven and eternal life with all your heart, using all your eyes and all your wits to pursue it.
- The mercy of God is greater than any earthly treasure, and it is worth seeking with all your heart.