FROM STONE TO FLESH

Ezekiel 36:25–27 ESV

I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

This morning, let's ponder the profound reality of man's fallenness, acknowledging its utter and entire nature. When a structure becomes dilapidated, repairs might suffice, but the house of mankind is so thoroughly decayed that it demands a complete reconstruction from its very foundation. Mere attempts at improvement are futile; it is akin to patching an old garment or pouring new wine into old bottles.

Like a worn-out garment, manhood cannot be mended with new cloth, and attempting to do so only exacerbates the decay. Our condition is beyond the scope of clouting; we need renewal, a complete transformation, or we risk being cast aside like old shoes on a dunghill.

The marvel lies in the possibility of such a transformation. If a tree loses a branch, a new one may sprout, and if the bark is marked, it may, with time, heal its own wounds. Yet, when it comes to the human heart, the inner structure cannot be changed by human effort. Only a divine power can give a new heart, infuse it with new life, and restore what is decayed.

While such a transformation is impossible for us, God can certainly accomplish it. Our God delights in undertaking impossibilities doing what is beyond the creature's capacity. His willingness to undertake the impossible glorifies His name.

According to the Word of God, man's heart is naturally like a stone. However, God, in His grace, removes the stony heart and grants a heart of flesh. Let's delve into this miracle of grace. May our thoughts move beyond merely recounting what happened to others and become a personal exploration of the wonders wrought within ourselves.

Today, we will explore two aspects: the dangers of the stony heart and the privileges of the heart of flesh.

THE STONY HEART AND ITS DANGERS

COLD

The human heart, by its very nature, exhibits an icy indifference towards the things of God. Unlike its fervor towards sin and personal desires, the heart remains cold as ice concerning matters of divine significance.

While it may temporarily warm under the influence of powerful sermons or solemn judgments, this warmth quickly dissipates, returning the heart to its native coldness.

The analogy extends to the inability to communicate the warmth of one's spiritually renewed heart to others. Despite hearts, renewed by grace, resembling flaming furnaces, the divine heat within cannot be transmitted to unconverted individuals.

HARD

The human heart exhibits an intrinsic hardness. This hardness renders the heart impervious to external influences and resistant to transformation. What razor-edged sentence can cut your hearts? What needle-warning can prick your consciences?

Hear me this day, all means are unavailing! No arguments have power to move a soul so steeled, so thoroughly stony, hard, and impenetrable.

It is possible and even probable that there is one or more here today to whom sickness has put you on your back, and yet you will not look up, or you peered through the window of death at a funeral. Yet, you have drawn the shades, or some affliction has come up against you, but like Pharaoh, you have said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice? I will not bow my neck, neither will I do his will. I am my own master, and I will have my own pleasure and my own way. I will not yield to God.” O rocks of iron and hills of brass, ye are softer than the proud heart of man!

The stony heart's hardness is emblematic of an innate resistance to change, imperviousness to external influences, and an unyielding spirit in the face of adversity. The imagery underscores the formidable nature of the heart's hardness, emphasizing the need for divine intervention to soften and transform it.

DEAD

A stone, by its very nature, is devoid of life. It remains impervious to external stimuli, displaying no capacity for feeling or response. Attempts to elicit emotional reactions, whether through tales of sadness or stories of joy, prove futile. The stone is characterized by an utter absence of consciousness, rendering it immune to sensations such as bleeding or pain.

While the human heart is alive in the physical sense, spiritually it mirrors the lifelessness of a stone. The scriptural declaration, "Ye are dead in trespasses and sins," underscores the spiritual powerlessness and lifelessness inherent in the unregenerate heart. Analogous to the lifeless stone, the spiritually dead heart remains impervious to genuine spiritual emotions.

The comparison extends to the incapacity of the stone to respond to external influences. Despite the efforts in preaching, the spiritually dead heart remains unresponsive. Even as the surface of a slab may be wet after a shower, symbolic of transient emotions towards good, the profound, vital emotions of goodness elude the spiritually dead heart. It is as if the showers of heaven fail to penetrate the interior of the stone-like heart.

Various appeals, whether through tears, threatenings, or the preaching of the law and Christ crucified, are described as falling hopelessly to the ground. The spiritually dead heart remains impervious to these attempts at influence. Tears go unnoticed, threatenings are dismissed as mere wind, and the profound truths of Christ's sacrifice hold no sway over a heart entrenched in its spiritual deadness.

The stony heart is likened to a stone that defies softening, regardless of external influences. It remains unyielding even when subjected to prolonged exposure. Unlike certain stones susceptible to decay in adverse conditions, the human heart of stone remains unaffected by climatic variations, be it the gentle warmth of love or the harsh tempest of judgment. Attempts at softening it through mercy and love seem to have an opposite effect, making it more solid and resistant.

The metaphor extends to the idea that only divine intervention can soften the STONY heart of man. The analogy underscores the absolute necessity of God's omnipotent power to soften the hardened heart.

Unlike certain stones with veins or crystal structures that might aid in their breakage, the human heart lacks inherent support for its transformation. There are no internal structures that, when influenced, assist in breaking its innate hardness. The intrinsic hardness of the human heart renders it resistant to both external and internal influences, necessitating a divine touch to bring about change.

The stony heart is depicted as completely unresponsive and incapable of receiving spiritual impressions. While the mind can absorb mental impressions, the spiritual heart remains indifferent. We understand that the human heart, without divine intervention, remains unresponsive to internal and external factors, emphasizing the need for a transformative touch to usher in change.

The description of the unyielding nature of the human heart is not a physical or mental assessment but a spiritual one. Despite any claims to the contrary, the reality remains: the human heart is cold, dead, hard, unyielding, and incapable of spiritual impressions without divine intervention.

A hardened heart faces the danger of eventual impenitence. If, over the years, the natural processes have failed to soften your heart, it's reasonable to fear that this may persist until the end, leading to certain damnation.

Some have been exposed to the gospel since childhood, attended Sunday school, and heard powerful sermons. Yet, despite these influences, some remain unchanged. What logical inference can be drawn? It suggests a continued resistance to transformation, rendering means and privileges futile and accumulating as judgments, culminating in an unblest, unsaved state as time marches on towards eternity.

Growing old under the gospel, you've become accustomed to the message. You can seemingly sleep through the most sermons. Not physically asleep, but your hearts and souls may be in slumber, while your eyes are fixed on the preacher and your ears hear the words.

Unsoftened hearts tend to grow harder over time, losing whatever sensibility they once had. Some may recall their earlier years and recognize a decline in sensitivity. Take heed not to deteriorate further. We either mature like ripening fruit or decay. Which is happening in your case?

Moreover, a person with a hardened heart becomes Satan's throne. It's his preferred dominion. A hard heart is also prone to anything when Satan takes his seat on it, and the seat of the scornful becomes a source of all kinds of evil.

The hardened heart is impervious to assistance. They become resistant to all attempts at spiritual influence, mocking ministers and even the Bible itself.

THE HEART OF FLESH AND ITS PRIVILEGES

Now, let's explore the significance of a heart of flesh and the privileges it brings. "I will take away the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh."

So, what does a heart of flesh entail? It signifies a heart capable of feeling on account of sin, bleeding when pierced by the arrows of God's conviction, yielding under the attacks of the gospel, and being impressed by God's Word. In essence, a heart of flesh is warm, alive, thoughtful, aspiring, and loving – the new heart and right spirit given by God to the regenerate. But what are the characteristics that define its tenderness?

TENDERNESS OF CONSCIENCE

First, there is tenderness of conscience. A heart of flesh is afraid of sin even before encountering it, fleeing from the very shadow of evil. It is alarmed by the approach of sin, and in the midst of sin, it feels uneasy, bleeding as if wounded to its core. Unlike a stony heart that finds pleasure in sin and remains unaffected, a tender heart mourns and detests its own transgressions, hating itself for going astray.

TENDERNESS TOWARDS GOD’S WILL

Its tenderness towards God's will – a renewed will is gentle, pliable, and yields to divine influence.

TENDERNESS OF AFFECTIONS

Lastly, the tenderness of affections – a heart of flesh loves God and others, contrasting with the selfishness and coldness of a heart of stone.

Remorse says I broke God’s rules. Repentance says I broke God’s heart.

Now, let's turn our attention to the privileges of a new heart. Here, the Spirit dwells. A new heart

YEARNS

It yearns to know Christ and to receive every spiritual blessing.

YIELDS

It is prepared to yield every heavenly fruit to honor and praise God.

VIGILANT

It vigilant against evil and readies us for the imminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Has God taken away the heart of stone and given you a heart of flesh? Remember, you cannot change your own heart; outward works won't suffice. Christ is the great heart-changer. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and through faith, the Holy Spirit will renew your nature. Trust in Christ, and you shall be saved, with the work of sanctification beginning tonight and progressing until perfection is attained, ushering you into eternal felicity and holiness alongside the redeemed saints in white robes, made spotless through the righteousness of Jesus Christ.