The Message of the Teachings on the Mount (10)
By Abraham Eli
This study was first taught on December 23, 2009
Topic: Blessed Are... (6.2)
(use the audio to study)
Background
When we introduced �pure in heart� last week, we define the expression as clean thoughts, a pure mind, undefiled emotions or affections, or a perfect personality. We saw that the heart is not the physical organ in man; rather it is who we are on the inside, and who we truly are.
We observed that the heart is basic, fundamental, in all we do and are, because it is; the source from which all that we are, issue; the seat of our speech, actions, affections, and beliefs, and the sanctuary that God desires to dwell in.
We thus saw that the state of the heart is vitally important, because as the hearty is, so is the man. Hence, the description of a man is the same as the state of his heart or his nature. For instance, a proud man has a proud heart. Using Matthew 13:19-23, we describe some individuals as follows:
(a) An individual may be in church, but may not retain the word of God he hears. Indeed he may not even remember what he has just heard. Such a person has a hardened and impenetrable heart.
(b) An individual may get excited about the word of God and display outward religion, but may have no testimony of the Christian life: such a person has a shallow heart.
(c) An individual may be very busy, even serving God, and yet not have an ongoing relationship with him. Such a person usually has his heart filled with the cares of this life, and with inordinate affections and ambitions, and has no place or time for God in his life.
(d) An individual may, however not be a minister, but has a right understanding of the word of God, and moves diligently with fear to put to practice what he hears from God. Such a person is one whose heart is pliable and receptive to the word of God and is thus productive to his relationship with God.
Unfortunately, the state of the heart of man is utterly deceptive, desperately wicked and incurably bad. It will take more than a personal desire and a determined resolution to change this heart! Only God can change the natural heart of man, but it must begin with man admitting his need for God to change his heart.
Scripture Text(s)
Matthew 5:8; Proverbs 4:23; 2 Corinthians 6:16-7:1
Tonight, we continue with our study on the "pure in heart", as we consider some critical text which will help us to press further in our quest for heart purity. May the Holy Spirit help us to obtain pure hearts, in Jesus' name, Amen.
We need to care for our heart more than we do for our body. We need to care for the inner, invisible man much more than we do for our outer visible man. We can afford to be hypocrites or pretenders, saying one thing, but really, doing something else (Matthew 15:9).
Romans 5:12-14; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:10-12, 23; 5:15; John 3:1-7; Matthew 12:43-45; Ezekiel 36:26-27; John 15:3; Ephesians 4:17-24; 1 Corinthians 2:16; 2 Corinthians 5 :17; Matthew 9:17; 13:3-8, 19-23; Ephesians 5:18; Matthew 3: 16-17; 4:1-10.
Conclusion
In Adam, all sinned, and possessed an incurably bad heart or nature. God�s desire has always been to dwell in man, and so the old nature/heart must of necessity be changed . This change takes place at the new birth. Once the new heart is introduced into an individual, he needs to be filled with the Holy Spirit as well as the word of God, in order to achieve the purpose of God for dwelling in man.
When the Holy Spirit is within us, the old the old sinful nature must be done away with; otherwise, we may creep back into sinful living. The new man who is created in the likeness of God (thus, having the mind of Christ instead the mind of Adam), remains new and fresh as he yields to the constant in-filled of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18; 1 Peter 1:2). Without this constant in-filling, the new man slips back into sin, and hardness of heart, and will unable to receive the word of God, thus making him unable to effectively display God�s life, purpose, plan, principle, precepts and so on, in his life.
It is not a new untested heart/man that God desires to carry His glory, but a new and proven heart/man (Genesis 3: 1-7). For the individual whose trust is in the Lord Jesus Christ, the holy spirit is given to help him live right and obey God�s word , and thus pass the test, when the tempter comes (Romans 8:5-9). This is the pure heart, and will dwell in him. This is the man who will see God, as they wine and dine together in God�s sanctuary: his heart! (Revelation 3:20).
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