"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you;
I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh." (Ezekiel 36:26)
There are few things that are more dangerous for the believer than sin.
Don’t get me wrong, sin alone is the ultimate separation from our Lord and Savior. I am not saying that some sin is ok – not at all. Sin, when repented of (the true meaning of repentance,) leads us only to forgiveness, mercy, and grace. Paul tells us that “conviction is only through His kindness, and it leads to repentance,” meaning we are allowed to be convicted in order to be in the presence of the Lord, blameless and clean….BECAUSE HE LOVES US.
So, what can be more harmful than sin itself?
A heart of stone.
A heart of stone is the outcome of a reliance in self and a complacency in God’s mercy for oneself. We forget about who God is and rely on what we can do, or can’t do for that matter. We often find ourselves caught in the “I know” stage or working for the sake of pattern. This soon becomes monotony in our lives. We forget about the Gospel. We forget about the joy that we had when we were saved. This is why the Psalmist writes,
“Restore the joy of Your salvation to me, and give me a willing spirit.” (Psalm 51:12)
When a heart of stone is fully developed, it functions as a sound barrier between God and us.
No transition can get through; therefore you grow cold and choose to continually rely on yourself. The pebbles of self-reliance grow and become a boulder. Your heart is a heart of stone. You choose not to repent. Sin left un-repented of is death.
So what’s the medication? How do we begin to erode the stone to reveal flesh? The prescription is this: You recognize who God is and who you are not.
You must come under the authority of Jesus and remember He who saved you, because He loved, loves and will love you.
Understanding that the only way to break the stone is through the authority of Christ will do several things:
1. You will know who you were…and who you are now because of Jesus.
2. You will repent of your sin and start chipping the stone.
3. You will thank God for mercy and grace.
4. You will have the joy of your salvation restored.
5. You will know, trust, and share the Gospel!
All these things are great news! It all starts with knowing who God is and who you are not.
So how deep can a stone heart sink? To the deepest trench. The question really is, will you sink with it, or will you watch it sink?
"He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear
and put their trust in the Lord."
(Psalm 40:3)
