A new heart and a new spirit
The Old Testament book of Ezekiel is believed to have been written somewhere between 593 BC and 571 BC. It was written for instruction to the Israelites. It is a wonderful book to read; however, let’s focus on just 2 verses that apply today just as much as they did then.
Ezekiel 36:26-27 says, “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you and bring it about that you walk in My statutes, and are careful and follow My ordinances.”
God’s character remains unchanged; He treats every person who decides in their heart to follow Christ in the same loving and life changing manner. At the very moment any person makes that decision, God changes them; they are not the same as a moment before. It’s important to emphasize that this transformation occurs solely through divine intervention, not through human effort or achievement.
2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”
This concept is mentioned in other places in the Bible. One example is Saul (Paul), who was hunting down believers, dragging them into court, and encouraging them to be killed. The wonderful story of how Saul was saved is told in Acts 9:1 tells us that, “Saul still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord.” Then Christ spoke to him, and Paul became a new and different person.
The key lesson here is that Scripture clearly states that when you become a child of God, you undergo a profound transformation. A heart of stone is replaced by a soft, tender heart that longs to please our heavenly Father. Your sinful spirit is replaced by God’s Holy Spirit, which gives you power over sin. You become a totally new and distinct person, noticeable not just to yourself but also to others.
Fifty years ago, I committed my life to serving the Lord. I hold an associate degree in Christian education and a bachelor’s degree in Christian counseling. In my retirement, I focus on studying and sharing the teachings of God’s Word with others. I maintain three Facebook pages dedicated to spreading the Word of God. To contact Dean or share you own thoughts, email hopeinchrist2024@yahoo.com.