The Defiled Heart

Being Defiled is Real/True; but it is the Heart

Jesus does not argue the issue of the human condition. The heart is the Key....but being “defiled” is the reality.

Jeremiah 17:9 English Standard Version

9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?

Jesus quoted Isaiah addressing the religious, but was also spoken of God’s own people, “you adore/honor me with your lips, but your hearts are far from me” (Isaiah 29.13

God is concerned with the core of one’s being, the Heart, the place of the well-spring of life. (Proverbs 4.23)

Jesus would later say, that he that those who believe in Him Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. (Jn. 7.38)

Religious Activity Does not Change the Heart.

Weather it be by traditions of the organization, church. Weather it be rites & rituals of man in an organization, or if it be great feats of life according to the standards of humanity, the inner life/heart is unchanged. Because of the heart being defiled, everything that comes from within to the outer world is thus defiled.

the purpose of men’s traditions is for self preservation.

religious rites— to please God so as to not be damned.

secular obedience to God’s law, though helpful for society, is also so as to preserve one’s life.

Doing great acts of goodness, benevolence, charity are generate grandeur of self.

All of these are tainted by the heart. Why?

“the sole purpose of man is to love God and glorify Him is all that he does”. (Westminster Catechism)

For any of the aforementioned expressions, if not done for the sole purpose to bring glory to God, are tainted by the defiled heart.

The List of Common Expressions of Defilement.

VV. 20-23) From the heart of a person comes the list of common defilements. It includes not merely bodily conducts, but also mental, intellectual expressions. We often overlook the “evil thoughts” statement and jump to the other statements. The level of extreme is not the issue… James states, to break one of the laws is to break them all.

NON-VISIBLE EXPRESSIONS: Evil thoughts,slander, pride, foolishness, coveting, deceit, sensuality.

VISIBLE EXPRESSIONS: sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery (any ungodly sexual expressions), slander, sensuality.

The Opportunity of a ReNewed Heart

Jeremiah 24:7 I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the Lord; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart.

Ezekiel 36:26 Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

Romans 2:29 But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.

Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

2 Corinthians 7:10 For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.

Ezekiel 11:19 And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh,

Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

How’s your heart Health? You cannot change yourself. Only God can give you a new heart. Only God can remove the defiled element of your life.

Communion is before us. it is the expression of the covenant of a renewed heart. Before we take communion, we can each examine our living, our speech, out outer actions. What do these say of the health of your heart?

Come to the altar to pray if need be… How do/will you know if you need to come, you will hear the voice of God in your heart inviting you to come-to renewed with ‘the steadfast spirit’.