Create in Me a Clean Heart, 0 God
(Edited from an article by A. W. Tozer)
In the Psalms, the miracle of the new birth was implicitly described: Create in me a clean heart, 0 God; and renew a right spirit within me. (Psalms 51:10)
This creation by God of a clean (new) heart points to a miracle within the human breast … not the reasoning of yourself into a position, but something happening that could only be done by God!
When we come to the Gospel of John, the necessity of the miracle of the new birth is boldly and very explicitly declared. Our Saviour said that if we come to Him and are not born again, we cannot enter the kingdom of God ... we must be (re-)born from above …
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. ... Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. (John 3:3,5-7)
Note also, that the Apostle Paul reaffirmed to the Corinthians: If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
You couldn’t make it any stronger than that! Some-thing happens in a man’s nature that no mortal can explain!
Just the moment that a man’s experience in Christ can be broken down and explained by the psychologists, we have a church member on our hands - and not a Christian! For that which must happen in the new birth can never be explained by psychology or psychiatry. The professional can only stand off respectfully and say, Behold the works of the Lord. He can never explain it!
In that great and terrible day to come, many will be shocked when they find that they depended upon a mental assent to Christianity (they depended upon their own good works, baptism, prayers, and church membership) instead of upon the miracle of the new birth (with its gracious gift of God’s righteousness.)
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
12 But as many as received him, (Yeshua - Jesus - the Eternal Word of God), to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name (The Lord Jesus Christ):
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-14)
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, 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. (Matthew 7:22,23)
What an irreversible tragic shock that day will be the experience for needlessly far too many! Today, there may be yet time to take Jesus as Lord? But know that our every next breath is measured to us by the longsuffering hand of God!
Coming soon to your neighbourhood … get ready …