I don't have anything to turn
to right yet here in just a few minutes, but. I read was on Facebook and I've
seen something posted to a sovereign grace group. And it doesn't matter
who wrote it, but this was given and had the heading of hot take. So here is the quote from what
was said quote. Jeremiah 17, nine doesn't apply
to the Christian whose heart has been cleansed and made new
by the blood of the land. This is not me saying that Christians
are to be following their hearts. Our hearts are to be led and
subdued by the word of the Lord. But my point is, if we are in
Christ, our hearts are no longer depraved or in the bondage of
iniquity. The Lord Jesus Christ dwells
in our hearts. He is supreme Lord of our hearts
and our hearts that were once desperately wicked and hostile
to God are now hungering and thirsting after his righteousness
and longing to become more like Christ." This statement might sound good
to some folks. but it's a complete lie on God
and what he tells us in his word on several things. It is at the
very least not very clear for sure. Cause it does have some
things in pieces of it is okay. And it says that it's okay. This
was given the heading hot take by the one writing it. And of
course someone else shared it, boasting about it. I read in
Scripture in 2 Peter 1.20, it says, knowing this first, that
no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation. It doesn't matter what our take
on God's Word is, whether it be hot or cold. What God says
in His Word is true no matter what our take is on the matter. When it says no prophecy of scriptures
of any private interpretation, it means it does not matter what
our take is on. Now maybe God will show the one
that wrote this different one day and maybe the one that shared
it. But what was surmised by this individual is totally wrong
and I hope to show that today. But turn with me if you would
to 1 John 1. 1 John 1 right now, I've got a
couple of places in John I want to turn to and read before we
get started here. But 1 John 1 verses 5 through
10. 1 John 1 verse 5. But whoso keepeth his word in
him verily is the love of God perfected. Hereby know we that
we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him
ought himself also so to walk even as he walked. Brethren,
I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which
ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word
which ye have heard. I think I'm in the wrong place
here. I am. I'm in chapter 2, not chapter
1, so I'm sorry about that. Okay. Chapter 1, verses 5 through
10. Okay. Verse 5 of chapter 1. This then is the message which
we have heard of him and declare unto you that God is light and
in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship
with him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not the But if
we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship
one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ, his son, cleanses
us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin,
we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. And if we
confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned,
We make him a liar and his word is not in us. Now turn over to
1 John 3. 1 John 3 verses 1-9 is what I
want to read. 1 John 3 verses 1-9. Behold what manner of love the
Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the
sons of God. Therefore the world knoweth us
not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons
of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be, Joe. But we
know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we
shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this
hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. Whosoever
commit a sin transgresseth also the law, for sin is the transgression
of the law. And ye know that he was manifested
to take away our sins, and in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth
in him sinneth not. Whosoever sinneth hath not seen
him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive
you. He that doeth righteousness is
righteous, even as he is righteous. He that commiteth sin is of the
devil, for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this
purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works
of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth
not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot
sin, because he is born. of God. Two different passages
in the same book and kind of seem like they conflict with
one another, don't they? But we're going to lay a straight
stick down and look and then from that and the straight straight
stick is this. And we're going to lay that down
and we're going to see what the truth is and then thereby we
can see what's crooked. So let's look at today and see
what part of scripture applies to us. This will be a short one.
And that is his chosen called out people. What applies to us?
What is our state as we are born in Adam? And what are we as we
are born from above? And how does this explain things?
That's my headings. So what part of scripture applies
to us? those who have been chosen out
and called, those who have been regenerated, if you will, and
have heard the gospel and believed. 2 Timothy 3, 15-17, we read this,
and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures which
are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which
is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration
of God and is profitable. for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of
God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."
So what does this say? All scripture, or that is the
whole of scripture is given for these very reasons. So for someone
to tell me something doesn't apply to the Christian is just
flat out wrong. It's for these reasons it's good. Doctrine for reproof, for correction,
and instruction in righteousness. So all scripture is for the man
of God. That is for those who stand up
and proclaim his word and for all those who hear his word.
So telling me something does not apply to the Christian is
a flat out lie against God and what he says in his word. Because
all of his word is God breathed and applies to the Christian.
That seems pretty simple to me, but there are some who cannot
see this. I tell you these things because, you know, especially
when you hear it on a sovereign grace site, someone might go
there and not really be paying attention to what they're reading
and think what they're reading is good, but it's not from God.
What I read you was not from God's word. But let's go on and see even
more what we can see from scripture and how it applies to this called
out one. So next we have, what is our
state as we are born in Adam? We have a short, simple verse
that tells us this. Romans 3.23, for all have sinned
and come short of the glory of God. And keep in mind our text
in 1 John. So we have all sinned, and not
only that, we are all sinned by nature. We are the fountain
of sin, and that brings forth sin as the stream. Why is this? Jeremiah 17, 9. The heart is
deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Who can know
it? The heart we are born with is
deceitful. It's not just a little bit deceitful.
It is deceitful above all things. It is incurably wicked. That's what it says. And I want
you to notice that the word means incurable. This heart cannot
be cured. God is not going to fix up our
heart or fix us up. There is no fixing this fallen
sinful flesh. It is as bad as it can be. It
will deceive you into thinking you are doing pretty good. It
will deceive you by taking pieces of scripture but not considering
the whole of scripture. This world does this all the
time. They pull out pieces of scripture and do not look at
them with a preponderant testimony of scripture. And it's easy to
do, to have a doctrine in your mind that you want to defend
and simply ignore scriptures that show you to be a liar. That shows you to be a liar.
by doing that. 2 Corinthians 5.17 we read, Therefore,
if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are
passed away. Behold, all things are become
new. So whatever is going to be good or do good, it's not
going to be what we are born with in Adam. God is clear to
us in what we are by nature. We are sick from head to toe
in everything we do, even our righteousnesses are filthy rags
in God's sight. What else do we read, James 1
verses 23 through 25? For if any be a hearer of the
word and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural
face in a glass. For he beholdeth himself, and
goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man
he was. but whoso looketh into the perfect
law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful
hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in
his deed." God's people know that they are still corrupt as
they can be. Knowing and holding to that perfect
law of liberty, that is, that law by faith, they see and know
what Christ has done, which has secured their salvation. The
unregenerate and the reprobate cannot see this because they
do not have that new creation, that new creature which has eyes
that can see, ears that can hear, and a heart that understands.
He has not, however, taken away that old man or that old heart.
I've read to you this before, the passages that we've read
in the Old Testament from Ezekiel, Ezekiel 11, 19. 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 I will give
them a heart of flesh. And also in Ezekiel 36, 26, it
says about the same thing. 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 a heart of
flesh. I know when most read this, and
seeing it saying both these things at the same time, makes them
see this happening at the same time. This does not say that
he will do this at one time, meaning the same time he gives
a new heart, he will take away the stony heart at the same time.
If we look into the mirror and forget what manner of man we
were, and yes, I do say we were, I will explain that a little
later, but that old man had no life. He had no understanding
and had no sight or hearing. God's people remember the pit
from which they were digged. What do we read of David? David
was a man where it said God had sought him out and that he was
a man after God's own heart. I know this is speaking of one
greater than David and that's Jesus Christ. But God did choose
David from his father's sons, that's from Jesse's sons. What
do we read in the Psalms from David who followed after God
and after that time with Bathsheba where he committed adultery and
murder and lies against God? We read in Psalm 51 10, create
in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. God hears before we even ask. God gives before we even ask. For a man to know he needs a
new heart, he has that heart before he even asks. He would
not know otherwise if he did not already have that heart.
What does Christ tell us in the New Testament, Matthew 15, 19?
For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries,
fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. Do you have evil
thoughts? Not talking about actions, I'm
just talking about thoughts. If you say no, God says you make
him a liar. This is talking to God's people
when it says that, 1 John 1.8, if we say that we have no sin,
we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. And also
in verse 10, if we say that we have not sinned, we make him
a liar and his word is not in us. We have this old man with
us, and though we do not follow after this old man, we follow
after Christ in the new man. But we still have that old man,
and with every fiber it has, it cries out, I will not have
this man reign over me. But we have another account that
we are all very familiar with, and if you would, turn with me
to Romans 7. Romans 7 and verses 18 through
23. For I know that in me that is
in my flesh dwelleth no good thing. For to will is present
with me, but how to perform that which is good I find not. For
the good that I would, I do not. But the evil which I would not,
that I do. Now if I do that, I would not,
it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find
then a law that when I would do good, evil is present with
me. For I delight in the law of God
after the inward man, but I see another law in my members, warring
against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity to
the law of sin, which is in my members. There is this battle,
this battle who some mockingly sometimes like to say makes us
schizophrenic. I'm going to tell you sometimes
the thoughts I have and the way I feel sometimes, I feel a little
bit schizophrenic with some of those. It's a real battle, one
that every believer has because they have been created new. But
they still have that old man. What does this cause Paul to
say in the next verse? Oh, wretched man that I am, who
shall deliver me from the body of this death? We are wretches. We are in a trial in this life
constantly. But Paul does not stop there.
He says, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
There is only one answer, and that answer is Christ. He gives
us a new heart. He creates us new. This is not
talking about creating the Holy Spirit in us. For what need is
there of creating the Spirit of God new? As Joe and I was
talking about this one time, he made this statement, and it's
certainly true. Does God create a new creation
of the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit has always been.
The Holy Spirit is the I am. The Holy Spirit is not created,
period. He is given by Jesus Christ to
those to whom he loves. This is a new man created which
then has the indwelling of the Holy Spirit of God to guide them.
Think about it. If we only have one heart and
the Spirit is guiding us in that heart, why do we sin? Do you
have evil thoughts? Is the spirit of God guiding
you into that? God forbid. God does not tempt
any man. James 1, 13 and 14 says, let
no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God. For God
cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man.
But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust
and intox. It is this old man which we still
have with us. He is as corrupt as he ever was. But what about this new man?
So where are we as we are born from above? James 1.17 we read,
every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh
down from the father of lights with whom is no variableness,
neither shadow of turning. So that new man is perfect. That
new man with the fruit of the Spirit has many perfect gifts. That new man that is in Christ
and is filled with the Holy Spirit from above does as the Lord directs
his steps. If we say we do not sin, if we
say we have no sin, we make God a liar. When we become Christians
and if the heart we are born with in Adam is led by the Spirit
of God, then why do we fall? There is no doubt that we do
fall. But that new man, that new heart, is led by the indwelling
spirit of God. And with those fruit of the spirit
of which there is no law against, those things the new man honors
him. But there's nothing about that new man that causes him
to look within himself to find righteousness. What do we read
in 1 John 3, verses 3? And every man that hath this
hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. What hope
is it talking about? Back up in verse two. Beloved,
now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we
shall be, but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be
like him, for we shall see him as he is. There will come a time
when we will put off this body of flesh, this flesh which does
always fight against God. That fight that comes from this
old man is a fight that thinks, I can of myself do something
worthy of God. But the new man knows he is created
by God and that everything that he is and does comes from God. What do we go on to read in 1
John 3 and verse 4? Whosoever commit a sin transgresses
also the law, for sin is the transgression of the law. If
we say we have no sin, we make God a liar. But this new creation
is born of God. But let's keep reading it in
verse 5 of 1 John 3. And ye know that he was manifested
to take away our sins, and in him is no sin. Jesus Christ has
no sin, and it was his purpose to come into this world to take
away our sins, and he did. Verse 6, whosoever abideth in
him sinneth not. Whosoever sinneth hath not seen
him, neither known him. Is the apostle John telling us
one thing and then telling us another? No. That new man created
in Christ Jesus does not sin. But this new man, what does he
look like? I can't tell you. All I can tell
you is what God tells us. If we abide in Him, we have no
sin and we sin not. So 1 John 3 verses 7-9, let's
read that. Little children, let no man deceive
you. He that doeth righteousness is
righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of
the devil, for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this
purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works
of the devil. Whosoever is born of God does
not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot
sin, because he is born of God. So what is the reason why this
new man does not commit sin? His seed remaineth in him. He
has the spirit of God, the spirit of Christ in him. So we have
next, how does this explain things? I think it's kind of apparent
already, we've been looking at these things, but we have as
scripture puts it, this old man. And if you're one of God's and
you are born of God, you also have the new man, both at the
same time. We are as bad as we can be, but
also perfect and righteous in Christ Jesus at the same time. Romans 6, 6 says, knowing this,
that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin
might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. Not
that we have no sin because this old man is full of sin. Jesus
Christ crucified that old man on that tree. Being born of God,
we no longer serve sin. Not that we do not sin, but we
no longer serve sin. Should God leave us but a moment
and take his hand from us, we would fall into a deep, dark
pit. But he does not take his hand
from us. He does allow us to fall, but
he and only he is able to keep us from falling. I do not have
it in me of myself to keep myself from falling. Isn't that what
we're told in Jude? To him that is able to keep us
from falling is who we look to. He works in us both the will
and to do of his good pleasure. But I want to give another verse
of scripture, Ephesians 4 verses 22. That ye put off concerning
the former conversation, the old man, which is corrupt according
to the deceitful lust. You don't think you're as bad
as you can be? God tells us that the old man
which we still have with us is corrupt. That word corrupt there
means to ruin. We are told to put off this old
man. How are we to do that? We look
to Jesus Christ. We look to him for everything.
We can do nothing if it were not for God. I do not look to
myself for if I do, I will see nothing but corruption and it
will have its way. But I look to him and trust him
that one day I will totally put off this old man. We read it already in 1 John
3, 2. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not
yet appear what we shall be. But we know that when he shall
appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
We are waiting in hope for that day that Jesus Christ will return,
and we will see him as he is. We see through a glass darkly
right now, 1 Corinthians 13, 12. For now we see through a
glass darkly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but
then shall I know even also I am known. It is only when we see
him that we will be like him. We ourselves are not doing things
now to make ourselves to be like him. It is only when we see him,
that is when he returns, that we will be like him. That's what
it says right there. God has promised us this. Since
we have this hope, what are we enabled to do by God as our way
of life? Turn with me to Philippians 3,
Philippians 3. Philippians 3, verses 8 through
12. Philippians 3 verses 8. Yea,
doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of
the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered
the loss of all things and do count them but done that I may
win Christ and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness
which is of the law. but that which is through the
faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith, that
I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship
of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death. if by any means I might attain
unto the resurrection of the dead, not as though I had already
attained, either were already perfect, but I follow after if
that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of
Christ Jesus. This says that we may attain
unto the resurrection of the dead. That's what we just read
in that passage. We follow after, and it is what we constantly
strive for. That is, we strive to lay hold
of Jesus Christ, and this because he has laid hold of us. But by
his grace and his workings, we will strive daily to apprehend,
not as though we have already apprehended. That's how we will
do it. We strive to lay hold of Christ and we can do no other,
and there is no other to lay hold of if you are his creation. So what are we to do? Ephesians
4.24, and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created
in righteousness and true holiness. We put away from us that old
man and we put on the new man. We give heed to that new man
who looks to Christ for everything that is needed and put away that
old man that looks to self. We are told this very thing in
Colossians, Colossians 3 verses 8 through 11. But now ye also
put off all these, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication
out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing
that you have put off the old man with his deeds. and you put
on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image
of him that created him. Where there is neither Greek
nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bond nor
free, but Christ is all and in all. We have this fight, this
struggle, and we are to put off the deeds of this flesh, because
nothing good will come from the deeds of this flesh. But the
new man, which is renewed in knowledge, and that is the new
man knows Jesus Christ, and it is Jesus Christ that is in this
new man, which is his creation, and he is all. His deeds are
all, his works are all. That's what is in all of his
people. So what are we to conclude from
all this? Our hearts that we are born with
in Adam are wicked and that heart will never bow down to God or
be led of the spirit of God. What he has purposed is for those
whom he loves and those for whom he has died and was crucified
on that tree and crucified that old man with him, he creates
those anew. We are now a creation in Jesus
Christ. We are both of these at the same
time. So we are as bad as we can be,
but we are saved completely and made a new creation in Christ
Jesus, that new man, which is perfect even as Christ is perfect. Both at the same time. I cannot
trust myself in any way. I still have this flesh and my
old man heart will deceive me and it will deceive others. I
do not trust in what I have done, I trust in what he has done.
I do not trust in what I do, I trust him and what he does.
I trust that what he has done has secured my salvation and
I trust what he does to keep me saved. I'm totally depraved
yet perfect at the same time. That perfectness I give full
credit to him for working for me and to me because that new
man is created in Christ Jesus and I am kept by the power of
God. That depravity I take all the credit for because it is
who I am in Adam until he is pleased to make me like him.
That old man causes me to look to myself and it will always
be against the sovereign God until we lay it down by his grace
one day. So the take I want is what God
has said and not what I think. I want what God's take is on
the matter. Faith is that which God counts
to me for righteousness, Joe, and nothing of what I do or do
not do. It is that gift of God, that
fruit of the Spirit, which causes me to look to Him. Faith looks
to Jesus Christ, and I pray He keeps me continually looking
to Him, because Jesus Christ is my only hope. Our hope is
that He returns one day, and when He does, we will see Him
as He is, and then we will be like Him. Then and only then
will we no longer be as corrupt as we can be. That is a promise
of God, and he says in his word, it is our hope. We do not hope
in what we do, but what he has done and what he shall do, period. Amen. Dear old God, thank you for allowing
us to be here, dear Lord. We have several among us, dear
Lord, that have some illness, dear Lord. Heal them in the way
that you know best to do, dear Lord. in whatever way, we do
pray that you give them some comfort in some of the things
that they're going through. Be with those who are traveling,
Walter and Penny, and with others that might be traveling in this
weather, be with them. Apply these words to our heart,
Lord, and cause us to look to you continually. All these things
we ask in Christ's name, amen.