Salvation; A Heart-Work

And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart. - Jeremiah 24:7

    No one by natural birth has a heart for the true and living God. One may be religious and even come into agreement, superficially, with Biblical doctrine, yet never embrace and love Christ and his Gospel. Those that have no heart for Christ take great comfort and assurance in what they know. He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me (Mk 7:6). Those that love Christ find their only comfort and hope in HIM who has given them a heart to know him. I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day (2 Tm 1:12).

    In order for anyone to embrace Christ with love and desire, and to be committed to Christ and his Gospel, God, in sovereign grace and mercy, must give that individual a new heart. Sound doctrine is vital; yet, the true doctrine of God will never be known and embraced apart from a living, vital union with Christ. The natural heart is so full of self and so deceitful that it will continue to go on in unbelief even in the face of truth unless halted by omnipotence. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jer 17:9).

    Being unable to have sufficient desire to have a desire to be faithful and committed to Christ and his Gospel is reason to be alarmed. When the cares of this life begin to hinder, and the comforts and pleasures of this life bring more satisfaction than the beauty and joy of the worship of Christ in the Gospel, we are in trouble. Salvation is a heart work of God, and a work in the heart wrought by God. May God give us a heart to love Him!

    When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, thy face, Lord, will I seek (Ps 27:8).