“The heart of the people has grown dull.” Matthew 13:15
What does it look like when we observe a heart that has grown dull? Perhaps a dull, cold heart is one who is no longer interested in learning the principles of God and one that holds little regard for the welfare of others.
A heart that has grown cold may be one that thinks primarily of its’ own pleasures and needs and considers not how it will effect another person.
God says, “Let nothing be done in selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each one look out not only for his own interests but also the interests of others.” Philippians 2:3-4 We can see that the teaching of “self esteem” has no place in the life of a believer and has done great damage in our culture.
When we hear someone move into a long dissertation of explanation as to why they sinned or why they believe we don’t have to follow the commands of Christ, in other words, excuse making, we have encountered a heart that thinks primarily about its desires rather than living a holy life before the Lord. When the Lord is our focus we are deeply convicted over sin and cannot rest until there has been open confession and restitution has been made in a very real way to God and those we have offended.
So many people think that as long as they say “sorry” that is all that is needed and everything is made right, even though attitudes and actions do not change. The Lord says that for repentance toward another person to be complete there must be first brokenness in our own spirit, and an attempt to restore what was stolen from the person, whether it be dignity, possessions or reputation. When we love God first as God said was the greatest commandment, we do not rest in our soul until we have done all we can do to rebuild the relationship between God and man. The second commandment is covered in these actions, when the Lord said that the two greatest commandments are;
“Jesus said to him, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: you shall love your neighbor as yourself, on these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40.
Notice that God does not explain that we need to learn to love ourselves. We are born doing that without thinking. It is a learned skill to love others more than ourselves. We don’t have to teach children to be selfish, they do that automatically; we have to teach children to be unselfish and to share because we are born loving ourselves too much and it comes naturally to take care of ourselves too much.
When we love God with all our being and our neighbor as ourselves, we will desire to obey God on all fronts, when we fail, we are broken over it.
When we make ourselves the primary focus in all that we do, it is not possible to love others before ourselves. Even our good deeds toward people will be based on our own pleasure or self importance. God says these deeds are as “filthy rags” as stated in 2 Timothy 3:2.
“For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good….” 2 Timothy 3:2-3.
Selfishness is the human condition from birth without trying; it is only through Christ that we can be otherwise.
When we are most concerned with growing in holiness, we will be attentive to Christ’s commands more than any other thoughts that filter through our minds throughout the day.
When we encounter people, our first thought will be “What would God want, how can I please Him.”
When we seek excuses and justifications for our ungodly behavior we are not seeking holiness or God’s desire, but our own will and way.
“For godly sorrow produces repentance to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.” 2 Corinthians 7:10
When we live in the flesh on a regular basis, perhaps we were never changed into a new creation, but are attempting to do as the rich young man did, that is trust in his own ability to follow the Ten Commandments. I am confident that the young man who thought he could attain heaven by following “the rules” was not at all obeying all of them as he thought because there was pride in his goodness. To think that we can follow all of them enough to earn heaven, is a matter of pride, the same pride that caused Satan to believe he could attain godhood in heaven and the same pride that Satan tempted Eve with in the garden, “you can be like God” he said to Eve.
One who does not love Christ above all else, within the church, is one who places rules above spiritual growth. There is only correction given when the human rules are broken while holiness is ignored.
I have heard it said that “One of the elements of holiness is the absence of self awareness.” (Author Unknown)
When holiness is paramount in our daily lives, we will avoid sin, being repulsed by it. We will run unhesitatingly in the reverse direction. When we observe an individual who embraces sin without conscience toward it, then we know this person is unrepentant, and has not been changed into a new creation by God, because all who have been changed by Him, hate sin. Shame over sin is one of the first signs that the Lord has changed a heart in someone.
In our culture today there is no shame, nor is there repentance for evil deeds. We are told it would be this way in the end days. Pride is at the root of all calamity and shame. Our country is becoming known around the world as the “liberal” nation, we have shamed ourselves in the sight of the rest of the world because we have used our prosperity for our own indulgent pleasure, breaking every commandment as though they were mere minor suggestions for a better life, not realizing that we have offended a holy God and every arrogant sin has broken fellowship with Him. The Ten Commandments have been removed from our public places, by God. He is angry that we have had no regard for them. We say we have regard for them with our lips but in action we negate them, every day.
“These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” Proverbs 15:9-10
“When pride comes, then comes shame; but with the humble is wisdom.” Proverbs 11:2.
“…the unjust know no shame.” Zephaniah 3:5
We are as in Jeremiah’s time:
“Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No! They were not at all ashamed; nor did they know how to blush.” Jeremiah 6:15
“"There is no fear of God before their eyes." Romans 3:18
Our country has become increasingly unjust in all its dealings, our leaders have indulged in corruption and lies. We think it is “them” that are at fault for this down turn in our culture, however it is the fault of everyone in the culture, all those who tolerate wickedness for various reasons, even those who do not practice wickedness but validate those who do. We have wicked leaders because we have lived a lie, accepting in our lives and the lives of our friends the commandments of God flagrantly, independently and with aggression. Many things we think are not wicked are in fact evil, but we do not go to the Lord to ask for purging of our souls from our sin, rather we defend it. When we are confronted we fight and argue for the right to sin and justify that which we know is sin, but do not want to be held accountable.
“Who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.” Romans 1:32
It has been my observation that even those who do not believe in the evil we see in our families and community, approve of them by accepting the people involved in the evil as though they are doing no wrong. When we do not shun evil but embrace the people who do it, we are partaking in their sin.
“Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, nor share in other people’s sins; keep yourselves pure.” 1 Timothy 5:22.
There is only one solution for this mess we find ourselves in and that is to repent, seek the Lord as He commanded with all our heart soul and mind. If we do this He will reveal Himself to us and cleanse us from all our unrighteousness. Our nation is beyond political help now, our focus must be on the Lord rather than political saviors. Christ alone can save us now and not through our begging that He change our leaders, but our appeals to change our hearts. Let us stop shouting at God and demanding more blessings, but let us humble ourselves on our knees in humility asking for mercy.
