In the Body of Christ, we tend to spend more time dealing with the outside. We focus on behaving, outer obedience. God is more concerned with the heart:
"But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart." (1 Samuel 16: 7)
Later, one of the Psalmists writes:
"His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies. " (Psalm 112: 8)
God judges us not for our actions, but for the condition of our heart:
"But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." (Matthew 5: 28)
and later
"But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man." (Matthew 15: 18)
Believers in Christ have nothing to worry about, however. We cannot change our heart, but we can believe the Gospel, receive repentance and remission of sins, and receive a new heart:
"And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I
will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of
flesh:
"That they may walk
in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my
people, and I will be their God." (Ezekiel 11: 19-20)
This covenant in confirmed for us in Hebrews:
"For this is
the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith
the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts:
and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
"And they shall not
teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord:
for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
"For I will be
merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I
remember no more." (Hebrews 8: 10-12)
Who makes this happen? The Holy Spirit:
"This I say
then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
"For the flesh
lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are
contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
"But if ye be led
of the Spirit, ye are not under the law." (Galatians 5: 16-18)
How do we know that we have His Spirit? John explains how:
"Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of
his Spirit.
"And we have seen and
do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
"Whosoever shall
confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God." (1 John 4: 13-15)
We believe on Him, we receive Him, we are transformed from glory to glory by the renewing of our minds. Therefore, we can rest assured that we are in good standing:
"Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good
thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not
profited them that have been occupied therein." (Hebrews 13: 9)
We have God's unmerited favor -- that is more than enough to establish our hearts. God looks at your heart, Beloved. and your heart is just fine!
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