Today's lesson comes from Ezekiel 36: 25-38. There is a difference between a "stony heart" and a "new heart." A new heart involves a transformation of a person, specifically the inner nature of man. There will be a change of motives, desires, and ambitions. "Old things" will pass away. When a person is saved from sin and born into the family of God, there will be changes in that person. The changes will be both internal and external. This is what happens when someone gets a "new heart." In the opening verses of this chapter, God promises to gather and return the Israelites to their own land. More importantly, their hearts and lives will be transformed by His grace.
The first section is "Divine Transformation." vv. 25-27 In these verses, Ezekiel describes the sinners heart, the believers heart and the sanctified heart. The sinners heart is a stony heart. The stony heart is a heart hardened by sin. The person with this type of heart is capable of untold evil, or may be a "good" person in the eyes of the world. However, in the eyes of God, one with a stony heart is a lost sinner that is hell bound. The believer has received a new heart, a heart of flesh. This "flesh" is not the "flesh" that Paul writes about in Romans that is at war with God. This heart of flesh is a mind changed, from sinful to holy, from carnal to spiritual. In Hebrew thinking, heart and mind are one. Further, God promises to sprinkle clean water on the believer so they will be clean. The clean heart is a sanctified heart that has been cleansed from the defilement of original sin. Verse 27 tells us that God will put His Spirit within the believer. This is what happens when one is entirely sanctified. Since you have the Spirit of God within you, you will walk in God's statutes and keep His judgments and do them. The sanctified heart is full of love for both God and man. The blood of Jesus Christ will cleanse you from all sin. Remember, you can not have a stony heart and a new heart at the same time. Which heart do you have?
The second section is "Blessed Acquisition." vv. 28-30 In these verses, God promises to return the people to the land of their fathers. He confirms that He is still their God and that He will save them from all their uncleannesses. This is the essence of Wesleyan Holiness theology. God does not save a person to have them struggle with a sinful nature. He saves them to cleanse them from all unrighteousness. There will still be temptations, but they come from without and find no foe within. God also promises that there will be sufficient provision for the people to live with increase and there will be no famine for them. One of the best promises is: "ye shall be my people, and I will be your God." What a comfort! What peace flows from this promise! There would be abundant provision for the soul and body. That is shouting ground!
The third section is "Humiliating Recollection." vv. 31, 32 Before someone can be saved, they generally need to see the wrath of God toward their sin. They need a sense of what they have done against a Holy and perfect God. Once someone can experience the wrongs of their past, and the consequences of their actions, they are ready to receive the grace of God in forgiveness. In these two verses, God instructs the Israelites to remember their former lifestyle with their inequities and abominations. An awakened soul will come to repentance. Being unworthy of God's favor, they will have to rely on the goodness of the Saviour. Grace is never earned but always freely bestowed.
The fourth section is "Convincing Manifestation." vv. 33-38 God's name had been profaned among the heathen. However, God was going to restore His people and the bounty of the land. The spiritual blessings of restoration would come first and then the temporal blessings would follow. The cities would be rebuilt. The lost would see how powerful the LORD is because they would see the deliverance done by God and His restoration. "I the LORD have spoken it, and I will do it." He is the covenant keeping God and when He speaks it, it is as good as done. God wants us to claim His promises and seek His face. God wanted His people to focus on His promises and be the focus of their prayers. He would answer and the people would once again become a "holy flock" drawn to Jerusalem for the solemn feasts. Then, they would "know that I am the LORD."
The Golden Text is: "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God." (Romans 8:16) Notice the "S" and the "s." The Spirit of God will testify to the spirit of man to both his salvation and his sanctification. That testimony will always be consistent with the Word of God. "The Spirit witnesses to none the privileges of children who have not the nature and disposition of children." (Matthew Henry) One of the benefits of the holiness faith is that we have a witness of the Spirit that the work has been done. People without the witness have no idea to what we refer. The saved and sanctified have a "know so" religion.
Next weeks lesson: "Revived Bones." Ezekiel 37: 1-14
Please read the Sunday School Beacon for inspiration and encouragement.
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