(Author unknown)
The Heartbeat of the Remnant – May/June 2004
Revised – December 2018
A wolf can be tamed, but no matter how carefully you may train it, it will still be a wolf. Its wild nature may break out at any time. Some years ago, a gentleman brought a young wolf home from Russia. It became so tame that it followed him about like a dog. Even his children played with it, yet it never harmed any of them in the least. But one day its old nature broke out, and it attacked its master. Vainly the man fought off the beast and would certainly have been killed, had not another man come to his assistance and shot the brute.
There are some people who think you can do for man what we cannot do for a brute – change his nature by means of careful training. This has often been attempted, but there is no known single case in which it has ever succeeded. Indeed, it can never succeed, for the Bible tells us that this change, without which no one can enter heaven, is the doing of the Lord. David prayed, Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. -Psalm 51:10. The Apostle Paul describes it thus, Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. -2 Corinthians 5:17. And Peter speaks of it as us becoming partakers of the divine nature -2 Peter 1:4.
A change this great can never be produced by mere human agency. It is the work of God, and of God alone, by His Divine Spirit. Outward reformation can never change the heart. If the great inward change is not produced in us by the grace of God, sin will one day reassert its mastery over us, and will prove our destruction.
God works by His means and in His own appointed way. God employs the gospel and the ministry of the Word for this end. Therefore, if we desire this change we must hear and accept His Word; and we must go to God in prayer, asking Him to work within us this change of heart by His Holy Spirit.
Remember that NO person can enter heaven without this change. Ponder the truth that Jesus said, …Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. -John 3:5. You will not enter heaven if you die before taking this step of obedience as the Scripture saith …it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: -Hebrews 9:27. Is it wise or safe to risk our eternal existence in this way?
God’s Word makes it very clear:
- There is NONE righteous – ALL people are sinners without Christ -Romans 3:10-12; 5:12; Isaiah 53:6
- As sinners, ALL people are doomed for an eternity separated from God -Romans 6:23; Galatians 5:19; Revelation 21:8
- Without Jesus Christ, everyone is spiritually lost -Luke 19:10
- Before Christ can change an individual’s heart, they must first realize that they are a sinner -Luke 5:31-32
- Everyone must confess their own sins -1 John 1:9, Romans 10:9-10
- Everyone must repent of their own sinfulness in order to be right with God -Acts 2:38
- Each person must believe -Mark 1:15; John 1:12; 7:39; 8:24; Hebrews 11:6
…Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. -Mark 9:24 God tells us that, If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? -Luke 11:13 Finally, the Scriptures tell us there is only one way for this change to take place – A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. -Ezekiel 36:26-27 Once this change takes place, the Scriptures say that that individual is in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17
If you have never been born again of God’s Spirit (John 3:5-7), don’t keep putting it off. Earnestly seek the Lord with godly sorrow, For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. -2 Corinthians 7:10 Agree with the Lord about your sinful condition. Ask Him to take away your old heart and to give you a new one. Repent of ALL areas that His Word says is sin. Choose to walk in the ways of righteousness. Choose to obey the Scriptures and walk accordingly by faith.
The Scriptures assure us that, The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. -Psalm 103:8-11 And the Lord promises us that If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. -1 John 1:9
0 Comments