It is a very devious thing; this asking for a new heart but refusing to believe in Jesus.
Satan loves it when we do this.
Why?
Because it distracts and deceives us.
It makes us secretly think that if we’re not saved it’s God’s fault. He didn’t give us a new heart right?
But, you may argue, it says it in the Bible! And you are absolutely right. It does.
In Psalm 51:10 David writes:
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
But David was already saved when he writes this and here he is asking God for forgiveness of sins after committing adultery and murder, not for salvation.
It also talks in the prophets about God taking our hearts of stone and giving us hearts of flesh. God promises to do that for His people Israel and He also does that for all who believe in His Son, but I never read that we should ask God for a new heart in response to the most important question of “What must I do to be saved?”
What does God’s Word teach us?
In Acts 16:30 the Philippian jailer asks:
Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
In Acts 8:36-37 the Ethiopian Enuch asks: See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
And Jesus Himself says in John 3:14-15
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. and in Mark 1:15 and saying, the time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Think about this. What if the Israelites in the wilderness refused to obey the command to look at the serpent and live and instead just kept praying and asking God to heal them, would they have died if they had refused to obey?
Absolutely.
How foolish.
But people still do that today.
We ask God for a new heart but we refuse to repent and obey Him by believing on His Son.
It’s like we want something more, something bigger.
We want a miracle. A sure sign from heaven, something extraordinary to prove to us that God saved us.
God made a way for us to be saved by believing on His Son Jesus Christ, but we don’t like it. Instead we ask God to save us by giving us a new heart. When there is no response from God we just assume we are not one of the chosen.
But what happens when we refuse to obey.
2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 warns us that: In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power;
When one of my sons was four years old, he asked me the question: “But Mom, what must I do to be saved?” and I remember it was on the tip of my tongue to say. “You need to pray for a new heart.” But the Holy Spirit stopped me and instead He reminded me what God’s Word said. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” So that’s how I responded.
I remember very clearly how my son looked at me and said: “But Mom, I believe that! But shouldn’t we be telling the others about that too?”
Now you may be skeptical about a four year old’s faith and honestly I was too, but God’s Word says that He came unto his own, and His own received him not.
But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: John 1:11-12. And Matthew 19:14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
And as I see the Holy Spirit working in His heart, and yes renewing his heart! And see the fruit of the Spirit in His life I can honestly say: I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. 3 John 1:4
Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus
Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to take Him at His Word
Just to rest upon His promise,
Just to know, "Thus saith the Lord!"
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
How I've proved Him o'er and o'er
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
Oh, for grace to trust Him more!
I'm so glad I learned to trust Him,
Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend
And I know that He is with me,
Will be with me to the end.
Oh, how sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to trust His cleansing blood
And in simple faith to plunge me
'Neath the healing, cleansing flood!
Yes, 'tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just from sin and self to cease
Just from Jesus simply taking
Life and rest, and joy and peace.
William James Kirkpatrick
