We will now ask the question, “WHY DID GOD HAVE TO BRING US INTO THE BLESSINGS OF THE NEW COVENANT? The answer lies in the hearts of man that needed change. A great change was needed..
WHY DID GOD HAVE TO BRING US INTO THE NEW COVENANT?
GOD HAD TO BRING US INTO THIS NEW COVENANT BECAUSE THE GREATEST PROBLEM WITH MAN
……..IS………….. THE HEART OF MAN!
THROUGH THE WHOLE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT THERE WAS ALWAYS ONE TROUBLE. MAN’S HEART WAS NOT RIGHT WITH GOD.
IN THE NEW COVENANT THE EVIL IS TO BE REMEDIED. ITS CENTRAL PROMISE IS A HEART DELIGHTING IN GOD’S LAW AND CAPABLE OF KNOWING AND HOLDING FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM.
What is the Heart of Man?
The ” heart” of man includes the will, longings, desires, emotions and also the conscIence. The heart is the MAINSPRING of man!
LET US LOOK AT THE HEART OF UNSAVED MAN AND WOMAN WITHOUT CHRIST
(1) The UNSAVED heart is evil (Gen 8:21)
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Gen 8: 21 – And the Lord smelled a soothing aroma. Then the Lord said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart is EVIL from his youth;
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Ecc 9:3 – Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of EVIL; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.
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(2) The UNSAVED heart is DECEITFUL
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Jer 17:9 – “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?
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(3) The UNSAVED heart is FOOLISH, AND LACKS GOD’S WIDOM
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Rom 1:21 – although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their FOOLISH hearts were darkened.
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(4) THE UNSAVED MAN’S HEART IS – HARD
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Matt 19:7, 8 – They said to Him, “Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?” 8 He said to them, “Moses, because of the HARDNESS of your hearts, Permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.
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Ezek 36: 26 – I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the HEART OF STONE out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
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LET’S NOW READ ABOUT HOW GOD GAVE HS HOLY LAW TO PEOPLE WHO WHERE INCAPABLE OF KEEPING IT.
Turning to Deuteronomy chapter 5. God is giving the Law to the children of Israel through Moses.
The children of Israel seem to be ready, willing and enthusiastic to do the will of God. In verse 27, we read that they are saying to Moses …..
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Deut 5:27 – You go near and hear all that the Lord our God may say, and tell us all that the Lord our God says to you, AND WE WILL HEAR AND DO IT.’
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It was just like a ” revival meeting”!. They seemed SO WILLING AND COMMITTED to serve The Lord! But God knows that although their intentions are good . They need A NEW HEART to love and serve him.
And in verse 29, it is recorded that God says ………
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“ OH THAT THEY HAD SUCH A HEART in them that they would fear me and always keep my commandments.”
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WHAT DOES “SUCH A HEART” THAT GOD WANTED TO GIVE THEM LOOK LIKE?
(1) “Such a Heart” is A heart that can obey and love God
(2) iT’S a heart that has been operated on……. that has been ” circumsciced”
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Deut 30:6 – And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love
the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.
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The apostle Paul wrote about such a ” circumcised heart” in Romans 2:28, 29 .
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Rom 2:28, 29 – For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; 29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.
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(3) “ SUCH A HEART” is a heart that actually “ knows” God
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JER 24:7 – Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the Lord; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart.
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(4) it has a heart that has a respectful and reverent fear of God
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JER 32:40 – And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will put MY FEAR in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me.
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It is also a heart that has been changed FROM ( unfeeling). Hardness,, into a heart of “ flesh” that is
tender, soft and yielding to God.
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Ezek 36:26 – I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
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