Holy Spirit is the agent of change in bringing about transformation and restoration into our hearts. The Bible tells us that only God knows the heart of man “you alone know the hearts of all the sons of men (1 Kings 8:38). He knows the condition of our hearts. Throughout the Old Testament both in the history of the human race that we find in the first eleven chapters of Genesis, and in the history of Israel which began with the calling of Abraham, we see the wickedness of human’s heart. Not only did God know the heart of man, but also he looks at our heart. God spoke to the prophet Samuel about the value of heart saying “The Lord said to Samuel, do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” ( 1 Sam. 16:7). These verses clearly show that God cares more about our character than our outward features or religious activities.
In the Old Testament, after the northern and the southern kingdom of Israel were destroyed, God raised Ezra to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem, and Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem; though the walls were rebuilt and the temples stood, the heart of God’s people remained unchanged. The prophet Zechariah said, “They made their heart like flint” (Zec. 7:12). Thus God promised to send the messiah to create a new heart. “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezek. 36:27). Knowing and looking at humans’ heart God intended to remove it and recreate a new heart.
The cross of Jesus Christ did not bring an external modification in our action, but it recreates a new heart in us (2 Cor. 5:17). The new heart we found in Christ produces evidence of our salvation in the character we exhibit. As it was promised by the prophets of Old Testament, it will be a heart circumcised by the Spirit. A circumcised heart is a heart that belongs solely to God. “Moreover the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live” (Deut. 30:6). The “heart” signifies ultimate love. It is an expression used to denote devotion and loyalty to God. A heart touched by the God is committed to God alone. When we experience the love of God in our heart, we can smash all our idols, and obey anything that we are being asked of him. Anything that we love more than God is an idol. That is why Jesus said, “If you love me you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Our love for God must always be matched by our obedience for his command.
A circumcised heart is also a heart that knows and fears God. Seeing the glory of God on the mountain when God gave the law to Moses, the people of Israel feared God. Their hearts were filled with reverence witnessing the magnificence of the divine; then God spoke to Moses saying, “Oh that they had such a heart in them, that they would fear Me and keep all my commandment always, that it may be well with them and with their sons forever” (Deut. 5:29). If we honor God in our heart, he will honor us. Only a renewed heart can utter true worship.
Finally, it is only the heart that is circumcised that can rest in God. A heart that is not touched by God is restless. The importance of the renewal of the heart cannot be over emphasized. God is looking for people with a changed heart submitting to his revelation (Rom. 3:30 Col. 2:11). More than anything the state of our heart matters to God. Just as it is impossible to be an uncircumcised Israelite,so it is impossible to be uncircumcised in the heart and be a Christian. We cannot meet God and remain unchanged. Let us allow the Holy Spirit to change our hearts so that we can receive the word of God with humility.
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"The cross of Jesus Christ did not bring an external modification in our actions, but it Recreats a new heart" that is so beautifull and true. You said " We cannot meet God and remain Unchanged" so does that mean unless were fully changed, with no bondage and no(well not repeated) sin, were not christan?
ReplyDeleteThis is truly amazing!
ReplyDeleteThis passage, opened my eyes!
-Yididya Yimer
I think the verses below will clearly show the process of change. Change is a process so we cannot be all that God wants us to be instantaneously. “Not the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit” (2 Cor. 3:17-18). Here in these verses u see that transformation is a gradual process not instantaneous. The Holy Spirit changes us until we conform to the likeness of Christ.
ReplyDelete"Now the Lord is a Spirit...
ReplyDeleteThis is very realitive to the sermones you have been preaching for the past two sundays. And this mmessage really took a burden off my shoulders. Thank you. Obedience is a huge thing, but we cannot obey unless our hearts are changed. What is a sign that our hearts have been changed? Besides the very act of doing what God asks?
ReplyDelete"God cares more about character than our outward features or religious activities. (1 Sam. 16:7)" This rally spoke to me, it just earsed the thought of being fake, because He wants the real you.
ReplyDelete-Milcah Elias :)