Reform

Spurgeon teaches that true worship must lead to real-life change, just as Israel’s great Passover under Hezekiah produced action—“they broke the images in pieces, and cut down the groves”—rather than fading emotion. Spurgeon urges hearers to leave church determined to destroy their “false gods,” beginning with self‑righteousness, which he calls a towering idol like the “colossal statues of Egypt,” and moving on to the gods of drunkenness, lust, and dishonest business practices, illustrated by stories of drunkards transformed into gentle husbands and a woman who “burned her bushel” after realizing it cheated customers. He then presses believers to “cut down the groves”—not just the sins themselves but the places and habits that shelter them—condemning theaters, taverns, frivolous amusements, and light novels because they are associated with temptation, even if not sinful in themselves. Finally, he calls for tearing down even the “high places” of worship that are dedicated to the true God but not built according to His Word, warning that Christians must remove not only obvious sins but also any practice, tradition, or religious habit that is unscriptural. Spurgeon’s message is that genuine revival produces thorough reform: breaking idols, removing occasions of sin, and purifying worship until every part of life is brought into obedience to God.Sermon delivered by Charles Spurgeon on February 13th, 1859.