WBS.050
FUNDAMENTALS OF DISCIPLESHIP
A KINGDOM HEART – XX
Jeremiah 17:9 The
heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Last
week’s post ended with this comment:
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Being forgiven of our sins is not
salvation. All men have been forgiven
their sins. They do not have to ask to
be forgiven. It is an accomplished fact because
of the death of Messiah.
14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his stake;
2 Corinthians 5:19 To wit,
that IAUE was in Messiah, reconciling
the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and
hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
Peter’s first message on the day
of Pentecost provides us the key to understanding this mystery.
Acts 2:38 Then
Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Yahushua
Messiah for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift
of the Holy Spirit.
There is a difference between
forgiveness and remission. Sin has two
consequences: guilt and punishment. Forgiveness
is the absolving of the guilt that is the just consequence of sin. It isn’t the
removal of the punishment that is the just consequence of sin. (A criminal may
be forgiven by the victim of his crime; but he is still going to prison for his
crime.) Remission is freedom from the power of sin, thus freedom from its
punishment. An old Wesley hymn contains
one of my favorite lyrics: “He breaks
the power of cancelled sin. He sets the
prisoner free.” Just because the world
is forgiven does not mean they are free from the power of sin or of its
punishment. Remission frees man from the
power of “cancelled sin,” and it is through the remission of sins that we are
made to know and experience salvation; i.e., the liberty to obey the will of
IAUE.
Luke 1:77 To give
knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins…
We have seen that we are “saved by grace” (Eph 2:8); and
that grace is the power that IAUE gives us to enable us to do His will. Grace is given for absolutely NO OTHER
PURPOSE. If we are NOT doing the will of
IAUE, we are either not receiving His grace or we are resisting His grace. Either condition (not receiving grace, or
resisting grace) is not admired by IAUE nor is it beneficial to man. Salvation is what man experiences when he
responds to and cooperates with the grace of IAUE.
The proud are not even candidates
for IAUE's grace, as He is opposed to the proud in the same way a soldier is
opposed to his enemy. To the humble heart, Elohim pours out His
grace. The humble is then empowered to
do His will.
James 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, IAUE
resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
1 Peter 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit
yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another,
and be
clothed with humility: for IAUE resisteth the proud, and
giveth grace to the humble.
So, the first principal of discipleship to Messiah is to
take his yoke upon ourselves and to learn his meekness and lowliness of heart;
and the end of the commandment is love out of a pure heart. In fact, the Scripture is utterly focused
upon the heart of man. The word “heart”
is found 884 times in the Scriptures: 724 times in the Old Testament, 160 times
in the New Testament.
This
brings us to our verse for today.
Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and
desperately wicked: who can know it?
This is a well-known verse within Christendom. I have heard many teachers and preachers recite
this verse in their presentations; but the central point of this verse is
overlooked more often than not, because the verse is taken out of context every
single time. Look at the beginning of
this passage of Scripture.
Jeremiah 17:1 The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the
point of a diamond: it is graven upon
the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars;
The imagery of an iron pen with a diamond point suggests the
extraordinarily wicked nature of the sin of the people who call themselves the
people of IAUE. Their sin is engraved
upon their heart; which is to say, the very nature of the heart is resistant to
the will of IAUE. Notice, also, the
prophet adds the phrase, “and upon the horns of
your altars.” The altars were
where sacrifice was made. The brazen
altar in the tabernacle was the focal point of the Hebrews’ relationship with
IAUE. Also, to commemorate a victory, or
to give recognition that IAUE is to be honored in a place, the Hebrews would
erect an altar in His name. In other words, they could go through all the
motions of being the people of IAUE, observing His laws and outwardly honoring
Him with their actions, and yet still be exceedingly wicked of heart. IAUE took no pleasure in them. It is for this reason the prophet declared
that “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately
wicked.”
Matthew 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto
me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
Acts 7:51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised
in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit:
as your fathers did, so do ye.
The heart is extremely subtle, attempting at every turn to confirm the
lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life as the right
choice (1 John 2:15-16). How often have we
sought IAUE's will about a matter; but desiring a particular outcome; only to
find our own hearts convincing us that we heard Him say to do that very thing
we wanted to do? How many times have we told IAUE, "I will never do
that again," only to do it again before nightfall? How many times
have we looked temptation in the face and told ourselves, “Go ahead and do
it. I can confess it afterwards
according to 1 John 1:9?” How many times have we contemplated doing evil,
recognized what IAUE said about it, but justified doing it anyway? How
many times have we counseled others to do what is right when we were not even
doing it ourselves? How often have we done in secret what we would never
want to be made known in public?
If we do not recognize our innate tendency to resist the will of IAUE, we
will be no different than the Hebrews of which Jeremiah spoke. If we believe that uttering a “magic prayer”
will secure our eternal destiny; and that the efforts of our flesh to do the
righteous deed will satisfy the King of Glory, we will be sorely disappointed
in the Judgment.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Master, Master, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Remember, the Kingdom of IAUE does not come with
observation. It comes within the heart
of man. The outward deeds are nothing
more than mere show or window dressing if the heart is not right with IAUE.
Hebrews 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there
be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living
Elohim.
13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
14 For we are made partakers of Messiah, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
15 While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.
13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
14 For we are made partakers of Messiah, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
15 While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.
James 4:8 Draw nigh to Elohim, and he will
draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts,
ye double minded.
In order to possess a pure heart, a kingdom heart, we must recognize that
it is to be sought earnestly. It is to be zealously pursued. It is
to be protected, exhorted and encouraged...daily.
Jeremiah 17:10 I, IAUE, search the
heart, I try the reins, even to give
every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.
The gospel is not a message of “Just accept Jesus into your
hearts and you will go to Heaven when you die.”
No, it is a command to a change of heart. It is a transformation of life from enslavement
to our own will to willful servitude to the Master’s will. The end of this command is a loving and pure
relationship with the King.
Kingdom heart: a heart that offers no resistance to the performance
of the will of IAUE.
