“Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven,” read the bumper sticker on the car in front of me this afternoon.
Sadly, for far too many people, the only instruction they may get about being a Christian will be from reading a bumper sticker like this one. Fortunately, we have the Bible as our guide to Christian living and how my heart yearns for people to seek instruction in its pages rather than from some catchy, feel good, phrase found on a sticker. The message of that bumper sticker may seem pleasing to our fallen natures, but Christians should examine the life of Jesus and follow His instructions contained in His Word.
Is “just forgiven” only what separates those who follow Jesus from those who do not? What happened to dying to the flesh and living in the spirit? Many Christians believe that the gospel is only the good news of forgiveness and nothing more, as indicated by this bumper sticker. They need a reminder of this verse, “In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: (1 Thessalonians 1:8). We can conclude from this text and others, that obedience is a requirement of the gospel. Jesus emphasized this teaching as well when He said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments (John 14:15).” The apostle John makes it clear also, “He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him (1 John 2:4).”
While forgiveness is an essential part of salvation it cannot be the only change that takes place when one accepts Jesus as their Savior. God expects more from His children, and what God expects from us He always provides the means for us to achieve. Grace for forgiveness is the same grace that gives us power over sin if we choose to accept and believe it and this is a fuller understanding of how we are saved by grace, and what righteousness by faith really is. Many of us are willing to accept forgiveness but when it comes to continued grace to overcome sin, we have a tendency to resist. God promises in Nahum 1:9 that sin will not rise again. Therefore, we must turn from sin and choose to have a new heart trusting in God to develop it within us while on this earth.
Some may believe that we have no work to do after receiving pardon for sin, but Paul makes it clear that we are to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). In our system of justice if a person is pardoned from wrong doing, they are placed on probation and follow ups are made to make sure they walk a different path than the one they had been on. It is the same with our sins. Jesus purchased probationary time (this is one reason why we don’t die immediately upon sinning) for us to follow in His footsteps on the path that leads to heaven. The following quote helps us to see this more clearly.
“If you have become estranged and have failed to be Bible Christians, be converted; for the character you bear in probationary time will be the character you will have at the coming of Christ. If you would be a saint in heaven, you must first be a saint on earth. The traits of character you cherish in life will not be changed by death or by the resurrection. You will come up from the grave with the same disposition you manifested in your home and in society. Jesus does not change the character at His coming. The work of transformation must be done now. Our daily lives are determining our destiny.” {AH 16.2}
Whenever sin is pointed out we often hear the reply, “What do you expect, I’m only human?” While we are all born with a propensity for sin, Jesus tells us we need to be “born again.” he explains this concept to Nicodemus. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:3). Receiving a new heart (aka a change of heart) is part of this born-again experience. While a change of heart is necessary it cannot happen without the power of God. Only He who created everything is capable of recreating anything.
Regarding this new birth experience, I would like to share the following quote with you.
“In the new birth, the heart is renewed by divine grace, and brought into harmony with God as it is brought into subjection to his law. When this mighty change has taken place in the sinner, he has passed from death unto life, from sin unto holiness, from transgression and rebellion to obedience and loyalty. The old life of alienation from God has ended; the new life of reconciliation, of faith and love, has begun. Then will "the righteousness of the law" "be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." [Romans 8:4.] {4SP 298.1}
Not one of us can change our own heart or obey God in our own strength; but all things are possible to those who believe (see Matthew 19:26 and Mark 9:23). Repentance from sin, forgiveness of sin, and victory over sin are all gifts from God. His grace is abundant and sufficient for all three.
While it is possible for us to change our behavior, this does not guarantee a change of heart, but a change of heart results in a change of behavior. For example, if we stop killing others only to avoid punishment, we have changed our behavior but, in our heart, we are still killing them. In this case we are still guilty of murder according to Jesus (Matthew chapter 5). But, when a change of heart takes place, we no longer desire to kill others and our behavior changes accordingly.
A new heart is also synonymous with a new character, a new character that desires to do what is right according to the Bible. Our characters need to be recreated to be like Christ’s character. The 10 Commandments are a transcription of His character and therefore need to be written upon our hearts as they were His. This is the “New Covenant” experience as described in Hebrews chapter 8. Most Christians claim to be under the New Covenant and yet this teaching (the Law written upon the heart instead of stone) is mostly overlooked. The law on stone remains external where it can only condemn those who read it. The law in the heart changes a person’s character to become like Jesus and obey God’s Law.
I use this quote to help us understand what a new heart means.
“When Jesus speaks of the new heart, He means the mind, the life, the whole being. To have a change of heart is to withdraw the affections from the world, and fasten them upon Christ. To have a new heart is to have a new mind, new purposes, new motives. What is the sign of a new heart?--a changed life. There is a daily, hourly dying to selfishness and pride (YI Sept. 26, 1901). {4BC 1164.10}
Let me illustrate my point about a new or changed heart with a make-believe story. The characters in the story are Lizzy Borden and yourself. For the sake of this story, we will assume that Lizzy Borden was indeed guilty of the axe murders of her father and step mother.
You’re in heaven. You are walking through the woods one day on your way to your friend Bill’s house for supper. All the paths in these woods are just wide enough to allow one person to pass at a time. You come to a “Y” in the path and standing on the opposite path from you is Lizzy Borden. She has an axe in her hand. While talking with her she informs you that she is also going to Bills house for supper and asks you to lead the way as she follows behind you. You have a dilemma. Should you trust Lizzy not to hit you with her axe as she walks behind you? At this point, what would be more important to you, that Lizzy was just forgiven, or that Lizzy has a new heart and no longer has a desire to murder people with an axe?
THE SAME DILEMMA:
God has to reassure all of creation that those whom He has redeemed from this earth to live with them, are not the same sinners they once were. He has to show them that we have new hearts; hearts that can be trusted. All angels in heaven and the created beings of the unfallen worlds are facing the same dilemma. Can they trust all these forgiven sinners without knowing if they have received a new heart? God cannot allow sin to rise again. It would result in the same outcome as we have all just experienced in this world where sin reigns. Forgiveness, without a change of heart, is simply not enough to risk the peace and harmony of the universe.
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Tim has been a member of the 7th Day Adventist Church since 2006. He lives in Ludington, MI with his wife Barb.