Ezekiel 36:26
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.
*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 1320
Flesh: body
From the Hebrew word 'basar' (pronounced baw-sawr'). In this verse the contrast between a heart of stone and a heart of flesh is made apparent.
1 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!
The only way to be in Christ is to have Christ in us. There are no alternatives. We must be born again, as Jesus told Nicodemus when the elder leader spoke privately with Him (John 3:1-21).
Born of water (be baptised into Christ {Romans 6:4]) and of the Spirit (new nature, new disciplines (principles/ethics), new affections (loves), new goals). To be baptised into Christ is to accept/believe that He is the only begotten Son of God, that He died on the cross to wash away each person's sins; that He took the punishment intended for the sinner, having the sins of the whole world (from the first person who sinned to the last sinner who repents before Christ's return) laid upon Himself, He became sin and so must be punished by God for the sins on His shoulders (Isaiah 53:6).
WHY JESUS DIED
Hebrews 2:9
But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.
Reconciled by His death, Saved by His life
Romans 5:10
For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
HOW JESUS DIED
Isaiah 53:5
But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.
Psalm 22:1-31; Matthew 27:26-44; Mark 15:15-32; John 19
WHO JESUS DIED FOR
Romans 5:6, 8
For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. (8) But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Romans 4:25
Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
Hebrews 9:27, 28
Just as man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment, so also Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await Him.
NEW LIFE IN CHRIST
John 5:26
For as the Father has life in Himself, so also He gave to the Son to have life in Himself.
John 11:25, 26
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; the one believing in Me, even if he should die, he will live. And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”
John 14:6
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
This new life in Christ is only available through the blood of Christ and the resurrection of Christ. So, we ask now, as Christ asked Martha, "Do you believe?"
<> A heart of stone rejects God, rejects Christ and will not receive the power of the Holy Spirit, no matter how many lies it tells itself.
<> A heart of flesh only comes about when God replaces the stony heart with a heart of flesh, a moldable transformable heart.
<> A heart of stone denies Christ on every level: His divinity, His Sonship, His part in the Godhead/the trinity; His birth, His life, His death, His resurrection.
<> A heart of flesh believes Christ on every level: His divinity, His Sonship, His place in the Godhead/the trinity; His birth, His life, His death, His resurrection.
<> A heart of stone lives for itself. It is selfish and self-centered, concerned only with its own comforts and desires.
<> A heart of flesh lives for God in Christ through the power of The Holy Spirit. Its desires will align with God's heart and desires. A heart of flesh will be easily broken for the things of God. A heart of flesh will daily transform into what God wants it to be.
<> A heart of stone will die in its sins unless it repents and becomes a heart of flesh.
<> A heart of flesh dies daily. It crucifies the desires of the flesh and brings the body into submission to the Father's will through the power of His Holy Spirit.
<> A heart of stone hardens even more so over time, refusing to acknowledge not only is there a God, but that there is only One God, The Almighty God. By refusing to recognize God as God, the heart of stone will be blind to what is sin and continue to admire the variety of sins that are upon them, which they cannot clearly see because of the darkness that is around them and in them.
<> A heart of flesh grows fleshier, fat with the marrow of God's Word, stronger with the Love of God flowing through it and sweeter with the Peace of God pouring out of it. A heart of flesh recognizes its need for a Savior and that its only salvation is from God through Christ.
And so the people of God who dwell in the Light of Christ call out to the people living in darkness, "Come and see Jesus! Come and hear what He wants to say to you. Come to the well. Come to the cross. Come to the garden. Come and live Christ Jesus evermore. We'll have so much fun for our Joy is in Him. Not only is He preparing a place for us all to live, but there's a supper being set up and there will be a seat for everyone who receives the invitation to believe." All
are invited but not everyone will take hold of their invitation and hold onto it.
Do you believe?
Waymaker
Graves Into Gardens
Just As I Am
Abide In Me
I Surrender All
Come As You Are
Welcome Table
