Spurgeon on "open heart"

OPENING THE HEART TO
RECEIVE CHRIST

C. H. Spurgeon:
"It is perfectly true that the work of salvation lies first and mainly in Jesus receiving sinners to himself, to pardon, to cleanse, to sanctify, to preserve, to make perfect; but, at the same time, the sinner also receives Christ; there is an act on the sinner’s part by which, being constrained by divine grace, he openeth his heart to the admission of Jesus Christ, and Jesus enters in, and thenceforth dwells in the heart, and reigns and rules there. To a gracious readiness of heart to entertain the friend who knocks at the door, we are brought by God the Holy Ghost, and then he sups with us and we with him." [sermon #669 — An Open Heart For a Great Saviour, Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Vol 12, Year 1866, page 13, John 1:12-13]

In another sermon appeal, Spurgeon said —

"Oh I wish some of you would thus respond to my appeal this day! This thing is also from the Lord: it was he who gave me this message; it was he who brought you to hear it. Surely you will not be found fighting against God. Your heart is open to him; he sees the faintest desire that you have toward him. Breathe out your wish now, and say, 'My heart is before thee: take it.' " [sermon #2231 — An Urgent Request For an Immediate Answer, MTP Vol 37, Year 1891, page 599, Genesis 24:49]

What a contrast between the heart-searching appeals in the sermons by Spurgeon and the cold theological Reformed Hybrid Calvinism which discourages the making of invitations and appeals to sinners to "open your heart" to the Lord!

NOTE: At The Calvinist Flyswatter, read "Lydia's open heart."