Holiness of God

[JoeP222w]

When was the last time you looked on the holiness of God, and looked on your sins against Him and wept?

When was the last time you rejoiced, though you were dead in sin, because He removed your heart of stone and gave you a heart of flesh, and made you a new creation?

Do you still look on sin with desire?

Or do you look unto Christ and praise Him for His grace, His mercy, His love, that causes you to turn from sin and cry out to Him to save you from this wretched body of sin?

 

[Hammster]

I've been reading Holiness by J. C. Ryle, and The Holiness of God by R. C. Sproul, simultaneously.

I've come to realize even more than I already knew how great God is and how much a wretch I am.

 

[Alicia Schout]

When was the last time you looked on the holiness of God, and looked on your sins against Him and wept?

When was the last time you rejoiced, though you were dead in sin, because He removed your heart of stone and gave you a heart of flesh, and made you a new creation?

Do you still look on sin with desire?

Or do you look unto Christ and praise Him for His grace, His mercy, His love, that causes you to turn from sin and cry out to Him to save you from this wretched body of sin?

Just one comment: He does not turn our heart of stone, to heart of flesh, but to heart of love. The greatest of these three, love, hope and faith is LOVE.

 

[Hammster]

Just one comment: He does not turn our heart of stone, to heart of flesh, but to heart of love. The greatest of these three, love, hope and faith is LOVE.

Actually, he dies turn our hearts of stone to hearts of flesh. See Ezekiel 36.

 

[Ken Rank]

When was the last time you looked on the holiness of God, and looked on your sins against Him and wept?

When was the last time you rejoiced, though you were dead in sin, because He removed your heart of stone and gave you a heart of flesh, and made you a new creation?

Do you still look on sin with desire?

Or do you look unto Christ and praise Him for His grace, His mercy, His love, that causes you to turn from sin and cry out to Him to save you from this wretched body of sin?

Timely post, Joe.

While we are forgiven when we lay our sins before God... this time of year has traditionally been a time of repentance. The 40 days leading to Yom Kippur are a time of reflection, repentance, a time to pray that God reveal when we fall short so that we might learn and not repeat the mistakes. And then on Kippur, one would fast and pray and really have an alone time with God thus this 40 days end in renewal.

Tradition? Yes... but in this case, not a bad one.

 

[Ken Rank]

Just one comment: He does not turn our heart of stone, to heart of flesh, but to heart of love. The greatest of these three, love, hope and faith is LOVE.

@Hammster is right in quoting Ezekiel 36:26. There is also this one...

Eze 11:19 Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh

Now, to add to Hammy's thought... this is a little idiomatic. We don't really have a heart made of stone and the heart is technically already flesh. So what is being said? That the law that was on stone and commanded to be followed with the heart (unsuccessfully by Israel) is, as part of the new covenant, moved from stone directly to the heart... i.e., God writes it on the heart (Jeremiah 31:33, Hebrews 8:10). So the stony heart was man trying to walk in God's will on his own efforts, the heart of flesh is man walking in God's will because God Himself wrote the instructions directly within us... I personally think, as part of our DNA during our perfecting process.

 

[Alicia Schout]

Actually, he dies turn our hearts of stone to hearts of flesh. See Ezekiel 36.

I agree, but why do I usually hear I heart of love for a heart of stone?
A heart of flesh means a heart that will be sensitive to the will of God. Do you agree?
Thanks for your correction. I have learned it now the correct way. a heart of flesh and not a heart of love.

 

[Alicia Schout]

@Hammster is right in quoting Ezekiel 36:26. There is also this one...

Eze 11:19 Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh

Now, to add to Hammy's thought... this is a little idiomatic. We don't really have a heart made of stone and the heart is technically already flesh. So what is being said? That the law that was on stone and commanded to be followed with the heart (unsuccessfully by Israel) is, as part of the new covenant, moved from stone directly to the heart... i.e., God writes it on the heart (Jeremiah 31:33, Hebrews 8:10). So the stony heart was man trying to walk in God's will on his own efforts, the heart of flesh is man walking in God's will because God Himself wrote the instructions directly within us... I personally think, as part of our DNA during our perfecting process.

That's why it is said in philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

 

[Ken Rank]

That's why it is said in philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

It is part of it, sis. But the work of writing the law on the mind and heart is not complete. In 2 Cor. 1:22 and 5:5 you'll see Paul refer to the giving of the Spirit as an 'earnest' (down payment, deposit, etc.). What he means is that the work has begun (the writing) and while that process continues the Spirit will guide, comfort, teach (etc.) but is ultimately not all we get. When messiah returns we will be changed, perfected, and the work of writing the law on the mind and heart will be complete. The Spirit being given as a deposit was toward that day.

 

[brinny]

When was the last time you looked on the holiness of God, and looked on your sins against Him and wept?

When was the last time you rejoiced, though you were dead in sin, because He removed your heart of stone and gave you a heart of flesh, and made you a new creation?

Do you still look on sin with desire?

Or do you look unto Christ and praise Him for His grace, His mercy, His love, that causes you to turn from sin and cry out to Him to save you from this wretched body of sin?

I agree that this is a timely post. It is true, the more we look on the holiness of God, the more we see the wretchedness of our own selves in comparison. It ties in to understanding the "fear of the Lord" and how this reverential fear can deter us from sin, because we become more aware of its offense against a holy God. And sin and offense matters to us, as we become aware of how utterly holy He is, because we love Him so much. This brings us to tears. And it is because the Holy Spirit is working within us to realize how we are grieving His Holy Spirit, and in turn, it grieves us.

 

[Pilgrim]

@Hammster is right in quoting Ezekiel 36:26. There is also this one...

Eze 11:19 Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh

Now, to add to Hammy's thought... this is a little idiomatic. We don't really have a heart made of stone and the heart is technically already flesh. So what is being said? That the law that was on stone and commanded to be followed with the heart (unsuccessfully by Israel) is, as part of the new covenant, moved from stone directly to the heart... i.e., God writes it on the heart (Jeremiah 31:33, Hebrews 8:10). So the stony heart was man trying to walk in God's will on his own efforts, the heart of flesh is man walking in God's will because God Himself wrote the instructions directly within us... I personally think, as part of our DNA during our perfecting process.

I am also reminded of Deuteronomy 30:6 - And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. And in the New Testament as Paul said, true circumcision is a matter of the heart, performed by the Spirit of God.

 

[Aseyesee]

When was the last time you looked on the holiness of God, and looked on your sins against Him and wept?

When was the last time you rejoiced, though you were dead in sin, because He removed your heart of stone and gave you a heart of flesh, and made you a new creation?

Do you still look on sin with desire?

Or do you look unto Christ and praise Him for His grace, His mercy, His love, that causes you to turn from sin and cry out to Him to save you from this wretched body of sin?

In the same breath ... If your not free indeed, the son has not set you free.

 

[Jason_apostle]

I live now as a born again christian. I believe God accepts me for who I am and i give him all the praise and Glory. I don't know if i have ever even sinned before if i did it was very petty. I asked God if he had anything against me and he said, you stole my quarters.

 

[Vivid Thomas]

 

[Ron Gurley]

Holy...Hebrew 6944...qodesh....separateness, apartness, sacredness,...(perfect)


Holy...Greek 40...hagios...blameless, pure, sacred, consecrated