| The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? “I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve.” |
| —Jeremiah 17:9-10 |
Contrary to what many in the world believe, humans are not basically good. I know that may come as a shock to some. But, all we need to do is look around us at the behavior of even very young children to realize that humankind’s natural bent is to do what is disobedient, wrong, even evil.
As believers in the life-changing message of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, we know why this is. First man, Adam, through his disobedience to God’s only command, brought willful sin upon himself and all who followed him. That sin curse has been passed down, generation to generation, so that all humans are born with the taint of sin.
But, God has given us the possibility of a cleansing from sin. He has chosen humans to belong to Himself through His mercy, grace, and unfailing love. God expresses His love through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, on a cruel Roman cross of torture to pay the penalty for our sin. The Prophet Jeremiah, in the forth-telling of God’s truth, shared this reality and these words from God, as recorded in Jeremiah 17:9-10:
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? “I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve.”
The “deed” that matters most is the acknowledgement of God’s gift of salvation. The Holy Spirit reveals this gift and humans, once enlightened, can acknowledge what God has already done for them. His cleansing power vanquishes the power of sin.
As the sun rises on a new day, let’s rejoice that God has chosen to reveal Himself to us and given us salvation through His Son. Our sins are covered by Christ’s precious blood. And, that’s truly good news.
Based on a blog originally posted on Tuesday, October 16, 2018
