The Changed-Heart Religion
If you are interested in finding what is really truth—what the Bible really teaches, then the subject of this article will be of great interest to you.
After dealing with the backsliding of the children of Israel, warning them of sure judgement for their sins and transgressions, the Lord promised a remedy for their unconverted and hardened hearts. “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 an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.” (Ezekiel 36:26-27)
We see from this promise that God is in the business of actually changing people’s hearts. God is able to operate on the cold, hard, stony heart with no love for right or for Him and change it into a soft, warm, responsive heart, full of love for the things of God and everyone else. What a mighty God we serve! A willful, wicked heart into a submissive, obedient heart. Praise His Name!
At the time that Ezekiel penned these words, the promise was in the future. Turning to the New Testament, we quickly find that the brethren of that day found it a blessed reality. “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” (Hebrews 10:16-17) The writer of Hebrews is quoting the Old Testament promise as a current possession. He regards the promise as fulfilled in his heart and the hearts of others. Now, he states, they have “a true heart.” (Hebrews 10:22) Earlier, the brother states that this entire new covenant is established upon better promises than were obtainable before the New Testament. And what is the nature of these better promises? “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.” (Hebrews 8:1)
The testimony of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthian brethren: “Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.” (2 Corinthians 3:3)
The testimony of the Apostle Peter to the gathering at Jerusalem, describing both the experiences of the gentiles and their own: “And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.” (Acts 15:8-9) The New Testament not only emphatically teaches a changed heart, but a changed heart that is subsequently purified, as well.
In Matthew 18:3, Jesus stresses the absolute need of a heart change in the following words: “Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” When does this conversion take place? When we repent, when our sins are blotted out (Acts 3:19). When our sins are forgiven (Mark 4:12).
It is so great a change, a change wrought by God in the heart of an individual, that it is referred to as being born again. Nicodemus did not understand this, although a master in Israel, because he had not the experience. As Jesus told him, “We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen.” (John 3:11) Nicodemus did not have the testimony.
“The blood will work a perfect cure,
Will cleanse the heart, and keep it pure;
The blood, the blood,
The precious blood of Jesus.”*
If God has changed your heart in this Biblical fashion, you do not need to be persuaded of the reality of the experience. You already have the testimony. But, dear reader, if you are lacking in this crucial aspect, be warned: “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3)
A Godly Life as Distinguished From a Good, Moral Life
Many people are trying to live a Bible life without a changed heart. They are attracted to the beauty and virtue of a godly life and try their very best to live such a life. It does not work as it reads in their Bible. Their faith stands in the wisdom of men instead of the power of God (1 Corinthians 2:5). The blessing is not there as it should be. There is no real victory.
One evening after preaching on the subject of heavenly life, a gentleman said to me, “I have been a member of a church for thirty years. I have had pastors capable of giving instructions in the divine life, and I have tried to live a Christian life, but have utterly failed. Can you tell me the cause of my failure?”
We told him that we thought we could. We asked him if a fig tree could bear olive berries?
He replied, “I get your meaning. Is it possible I have been trying to live a life I did not possess?”
That was his trouble, and it has been the trouble with many another. You cannot live an heavenly life if you do not possess the life.
[Charles E. Orr; Heavenly Life for Earthly Living]
Simon forsook his magic, was baptized, attended services, and counted himself a Christian. But something came out of his unconverted soul that plainly revealed that his “heart [was] not right in the sight of God.” (Acts 8:21) Peter—who had been purged from his old sins (1 Peter 1:18-19,22; 2 Peter 1:9)—was obligated, in faithfulness to Simon’s soul, to tell him, “Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter.” (Acts 8:21) How serious! How solemn! If your heart is not right in the sight of God, thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter.
Oh, be assured, dear reader, that the Bible requires a pure heart—a failure on your part to get the Bible promise fulfilled in you will result in you missing heaven, for “blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God,” (Matthew 5:8) and “without [holiness] no man shall see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14) And Brother John tells us plainly that this experience is wrought by God within us “that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.” (1 John 4:17) For this reason, “the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.” (Titus 2:11-12)
You may be able to live a good, moral life; you might have an exterior life good enough to hold the confidence of man, but holy living comes from the living Word of God hidden in the heart. Holy living is not only the refraining from doing the wrong and the doing of the right, but it is the refraining from doing the wrong from an inward principle of holy hatred of the wrong inwrought in the heart by the Holy Spirit, and a doing of the right in the life and holiness of God. It is more than the good deeds done by human life; it is good deeds done by the life of God in the human life. There is a vast difference. There is danger, great danger, in holiness professors attending to the outward life to the neglect of the inward life. So long as they do not do anything wrong, and so long as they do things that are right they think themselves safe. We can live good lives and, like the church at Ephesus, lose the love of God out of the soul. Right living may be only man in action; holy living is God in action.
[Charles E. Orr; Helps to Holy Living, “Meditating on God and His Word”]
The Old Testament Experience
“For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.” (Hebrews 10:1) Here the divinely-inspired writer plainly states the limitations of the Old Testament (the Mosaic law) experience. In the next verse, he contends: “For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.” (Hebrews 10:2) And then he plainly states the truth of the Old Testament sacrifice system, “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.” (Hebrews 10:4) He then goes on in the chapter to present the precious truth that a better sacrifice (even our Lord Jesus) was given that we might have a better heart experience. “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all…. For by one offering, he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us.” (Hebrews 10:10,14-15)
Again, the writer of Hebrews states that “while as the first tabernacle was yet standing… in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience.” (Hebrews 9:8-9) And again he contrasts the old experience with the new, available under Christ. “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Hebrews 9:14) The same thought is presented in Hebrews 8:6-8. Here, Jesus is declared to be the mediator (the go-between between God and man) of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. The first covenant is declared to be lacking, so a second was made. What is the difference? “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.” (Hebrews 8:10) In other words, the difference between the Old Testament experience and the New Testament is the difference in an unchanged heart and a changed heart. In the former, the laws were not written in the heart, but in tablets of stone. In the latter, the laws are written in fleshly tables of the heart. Thus is the prophecy fulfilled, “Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified.” (Isaiah 60:21)
A pure heart will produce a pure life, for out of the heart are the issues of life (Proverbs 4:23). Yea, “a good man, out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.” (Luke 6:45) The fruit of the life is produced by the inward condition of the heart. “Wherefore, by their fruits ye shall know them.” (Matthew 7:20)
The story of the Old Testament saints is the narrative of those who set themselves to live for God with an unregenerate heart. And because their heart’s moral condition was not inwardly according to the fervent desire of their love for God, they were much hindered and failed continually. After David failed the Lord and sinned, as he agonized over his sin, the eyes of his understanding were opened, and he realized that “Thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.” (Psalm 51:6)
How forcibly the words of the New Testament writer apply: “And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us.” (Hebrews 11:39-40)
It is that “better thing” that God has provided, dear reader, which is obtainable by faith in the “better sacrifice.”
Specific, Definite Faith in the Promises of God
The entire Bible emphatically teaches that God has made believing the condition of receiving. Therefore, “Without faith, it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6)
Before we can believe, we must know. There must be a grasp of the promise. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17)
Now mankind “did not like to retain God in their knowledge,” (Romans 1:28) and, as they lived to their flesh, gross darkness (ignorance) covered the people. Generation after generation went on in this way, living in rebellion against that which was right, and losing consciousness of the difference between what was right and what was wrong. The effect of all being under sin (even those who did not want to be, and who struggled against it), produced an overall condition described in Romans 3:10-18. Verse 11 tells us, “There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.” (Romans 3:11) That is, there were none who understood how to seek after God in a way that was acceptable to Him. Those who tried to live right were unable to escape being under sin. Their heart condition hindered their understanding and their faith. As the Samaritan woman at the well, they worshipped that they knew not what, and knew not how to worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:22-24). This was no possibility at all that this condition would reverse itself without Divine intervention.
How merciful is our God! He gave the Law by Moses. Why? There were two reasons. It was given to restrain sin by acquainting men with the nature of God (1 Timothy 1:9). It was given to lay a foundation for faith in God. In this sense, “the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” (Galatians 3:2) It was preparatory.
The great fairness and justice of God is herein manifest. If Jesus had come in the time of Moses, hardly anyone could have been able to manifest faith in the fullness of salvation. The gap was too wide; too much had been lost. The stirring, educating effect of the law and the story of men’s attempts to live right with an unchanged heart, with an increasing appreciation of what it meant to please God, were all necessary before God sent His beloved Son into the world. “But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law.” (Galatians 4:4)
We can conclude that the Lord was laying a foundation for our faith. So, now it can be joyfully declared, “The just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.” (Hebrews 10:3) And, oh, what a rich and full foundation hath been laid for your benefit and mine! “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these [through faith in these promises] ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” (2 Peter 1:3-4) My soul doth magnify the Lord—how great is His salvation—how blessed those who receive the promise!
How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said—
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?*
“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” (Romans 15:4) The objective of all this carefully-laid foundation was to bring a solid assurance, a definite faith, in the experiences of all who loved the Lord with all the heart, the understanding, the soul, the mind, and the strength. Listen to this definite testimony faith: “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.” (Luke 2:29-32) This man had been feeding on the scriptures, and his faith was inspired in such a definite way that “Joseph and his [Jesus’] mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.” (Luke 2:33)
Let us reflect that God had sent His Word to inspire in us this same spirit of faith. How much it means to get a hold of His promises in this way! To enter into His covenant with Him (Psalm 50:5)!. Dear reader, He is seeking for those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth.
The whole purpose of the Law by Moses was to point to a new and better way, established upon better promises (Hebrews 8:6). And this was portrayed to all in such a way that “the just shall live by faith”, and that we might be “of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” (Hebrews 10:38-39)
Definite believing; definite faith in the definite promises. God is pleased to make believing the condition of receiving. Definite faith, established on the immutability of God’s promises, will bring about definite results from God, completely in harmony with His Will and His Word. How wonderful that God is “willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel.” (Hebrews 6:1) The result, in the hearts of believers: “we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil.” (Hebrews 6:18-19) Be assured, reader, that God has prepared for you a foundation of understanding which is capable of giving you this “strong consolation” and “anchor of the soul.” How wonderful! How perfectly He doeth all things! “He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence.” (Ephesians 1:8) His plan of salvation is perfectly adapted to the great need of all mankind. It satisfies the soul.
Most people do not receive a definite heart cleansing because they are hindered in exercising a definite faith in the Word of God. Their experience is vague because their faith is vague. Their hope is based on some other assurance than the promises of God. What they receive is not what God wants to give, and their lives do not shine with the light of regeneration. Some other spirit than the Holy Spirit guides them, and they produce a different fruit than the result of the heavenly experience of being born from above. A friend of mine in a sectarian organization once remarked of the people in the place where he lived, “They tell them they are saved, and then try to get them to act like saved people.” He was saved himself and had gotten the real experience in his heart. He saw there was a great difference between profession and possession.
The Old Testament-New Testament Pattern Repeated Over and Over in Every Child
In a certain sense, every child raised in a Godly home, who finds an experience of salvation, goes through the Old Testament foundation, and then is stirred to find and obtain a New Testament experience. (Sad, indeed, is the disadvantage of those who have not either.)
No matter how much the parents of such a child love the Lord, and no matter how holy they are living before God, the child is born in sin—that is, inherited sin, the depravity that all of us (except Jesus) inherit because of Adam’s transgression. Death (spiritual death) reigns over all (Romans 5:14). This inherited propensity to do wrong is not something for which we are personally responsible. But its existence in our heart puts us at extreme disadvantage in the battle between doing right and doing wrong. All men, everywhere, lose this battle. Except for Jesus, who had pure heart from conception through all His earthly existence in the body, “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)
Modern philosophy and conventional wisdom ignore this primary fact. To a great extent, the proponents of these ideas hardly believe in sin (except perhaps the grosser forms of sin). The sad results of ignoring the great fact of depravity in the heart has greatly helped the enemy of mankind produce the conditions in the world today.
Carnality in the heart produces different manifestations. Some are remarkably willful, others are sneaky and deceitful. Still others seem good and are easy to manage, but have a terrible strong pull to pride and bigotry, hypocrisy. Some covet, while others desire dominion above their fellows. Some are drawn to envy, that deadly and implacable sin, while others are enchanted with vanity.
All are hindered by their spiritual condition from getting a hold of the gospel and finding deliverance. As their innocence is lost through transgression, and acquired sins are added to inherited tendencies, all the fruit of a sinful life begins production in the little lives and hearts.
Parents who love the Lord, and who realize the consequences of a sinful life, labor hard to impress a code of conduct on the young minds. The end result is stressed. They are taught to pray to Him with whom we have to do. Correction and reproof are employed; the chastening rod is applied. A sense of honor and of duty are fashioned. Diligent and careful management are used to train up the child in the way in which he/she should go. The emotions are touched. Habits are formed. Patterns of thought are carefully shaped.
It has an effect—a lifelong effect. When the child is old, the effects of the training will still be observable. But it does not produce spirituality; it does not bring the soul to regeneration; it does not produce life in the soul; it does not make us ready for heaven. It surrounds the carnal nature and the guilty soul with good training and knowledge of excellent precepts, but it does not change the heart. All this Old Testament kind of preparation is necessary to lay a foundation, to serve as a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, but it does not bring the results that God has appointed to be brought by believing faith unless that individual actually exercises their will and seeks what God has for them. This they would never do except the Spirit of God strives with man (John 6:44), and the Spirit and the Bride say come (Revelation 22:17). “And let him that heareth say, Come.” (Revelation 22:1) There must be an affirmative answer in the heart of the one who is dealt with, too. This is where faith is inspired to grasp the promises and obtain the result—a work of God in the heart that utterly changes it.
Now to a soul who has been well taught and who finds the reality of Christ’s saving grace in the soul, he “is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.” (Matthew 13:52) What he knew before in the mind and emotion takes on a far deeper significance now. The old becomes valuable with the new. Indeed, the old has become new. All of life has become new; he is a new creature. Old things have passed away (the old sinful things), and all things have become new. Hallelujah! The motive of the heart is different. It is now done for love of Jesus, a love planted in the heart by operation of the Spirit of God; it was done for another reason before. Oh, the transforming power of the gospel! It will take an Old Testament experience and transform it into a New Testament experience. It will take a second-hand religion, constructed by borrowing and leaning on another, and give you a first-hand heart-to-heart connection to God. It will connect you to the Vine. The heavenly sap will flow through your soul and produce the heavenly fruit in your life.