“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you ...” Ezekiel 36:26
The natural heart of man is concerned only with natural, temporal things. The desires of the flesh and mind are by natural origin self-centered. Man is a habitual self-serving creature. He may be at times, (especially when in the presence of the gospel), consciously aware of this but finds it impossible to change because this is his love - “ … men shall be lovers of their own selves … lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God” 2Timothy 3:2 & 4. He may reform outwardly for a while and try to adjust his priorities and even strive to think differently, but alas, he is like the dog and its vomit and the sow and its muck. He has not a heart for Christ, His gospel, or His church. This is not his love. This is not his desire. He has only a desire for the vomit and the muck (2Peter 2:22). The only way one will ever have a heart for the things of God will be if God gives him a new heart and a new Spirit. God’s promise to His people is, “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you ...”. The new heart which God gives has preeminence over the old one. Oh yes, the old heart is still there to aggravate and even temporarily distract us. However, “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world” 1John 4:4. The new heart is one of faith, love and commitment. The new heart embraces Christ, His gospel and His church. This comes as natural to the new heart as embracing self and the things of the world comes to the old heart. If we have not a new heart and Spirit when temptation comes, when cares come, when it is time for self-denial, we will take the low road to fulfilling the desires of the flesh and mind and it will be revealed we are yet the servants of self rather than the servants of God. We will be, in our heart, true to what we treasure most - “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” Matthew 6:21.
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