A new heart

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. – Ezekiel 36v26-27

There is a danger in our churches that shows itself in stressing external Christianity. That is nothing new. The book of Colossians deals with how to deal with people who teach a ‘taste not, touch not, handle not’ kind of Christianity. As we read through the prophets, maybe because they are in the Old Testament, that theme may seem to predominate.

But here Ezekiel gives us a hint that it is more than just trying to obey a set of rules and regulations.  As Paul wrote to the Colossians above, these things perish with the using.

Instead the change is much deeper. God tells the people here that if they will turn to Him He will give them a new heart and a new spirit. He tells them that He will replace their stony hearts with hearts of flesh. He tells them that His Spirit will dwell within and then they will walk in His statutes and keep and do His commandments.

I really like the fact that this is not just a church age concept. I like the idea that it was already around in Ezekiel’s day.

The truth is that none of us can really change unless we have that heart change. A popular Christian songwriter put it this way – ‘You have to change her heart before you can change her shirt.’ The change God desires is a heart and change. The wonderful thing is that He changes the heart and makes it mouldable and pliable.

When there is a heart change the rest will follow. Our heart ward lives reflect what is in our hearts. Obeying God is not an issue if we have our hearts right. The ‘do thises, don’t do thats’ are worthless apart from a true heart change. When the promised Holy Spirit dwells in a heart of flesh we will follow Him.