Shall we bow our
heads for prayer?
00:01:12.71\00:01:14.20
Father in heaven, we
thank You so much, once again,
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for the privilege of
being here for this session
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to study Your Holy Word.
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We ask that as we try and
decipher what is happening
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in this world; the
causes for what's happening,
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that Your Holy Spirit
will instruct us and help us
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long all the more for that great
day when evil and suffering
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will come to an end.
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So open our
minds and our hearts.
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We pray in Jesus' name, Amen.
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I'd like to begin our study
at the book of Genesis 1:31.
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We've read this before,
but we want to read it again.
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Genesis 1:31. It's speaking
here about the conclusion
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of God's work of creation.
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And at the end of
creation we find these words:
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Then God saw every thing that
he had made, and, indeed, it was
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very good. So the evening and
the morning were the sixth day.
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So at the conclusion of creation
week, with the exception of the
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seventh day, which we will
discuss later on, we're told
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that everything that
God made was very good.
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Now this includes
the vegetable kingdom.
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The garden of Eden was
kind of like a botanical garden.
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The Bible tells us
that there were no thorns.
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There were no thistles.
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There were no weeds before sin.
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It included also
the animal world.
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According to Genesis
1:30 all animals before sin
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were vegetarians.
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It includes also the
kingdom of human beings.
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They were in perfect
harmony, in perfect accord.
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The Bible tells us
that Adam and Eve were one.
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They were created one by God.
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But God placed a test
in the garden of Eden.
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And if Adam and Eve passed
the test creation would continue
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as God had intended.
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But if Adam and Eve did not pass
the test, then creation would
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fall into chaos, into disarray.
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Now that test
was found in a tree.
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Go with me to Genesis
2:16, 17, Genesis 2:16, 17.
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So God placed in the
garden of Eden a test.
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He said creation will continue
very good, as I created it,
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as long as you abstain
from eating from the tree;
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As long as you
keep my commandment.
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And as we've seen, all of
the commandments were contained
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in that one commandment.
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The Bible tells us that Adam
and Eve sinned, and as a result
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creation, to a great degree,
was thrown into disarray.
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As we're told in Genesis 3:18,
the earth began producing thorns
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and thistles, which
were unknown before sin.
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The Bible also indicates, as
we move along, that the animal
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kingdom became
a violent kingdom.
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Animals started
killing animals for food.
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We also find that in consequence
of sin, that oneness between
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Adam and Eve was
broken, because as we mentioned
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in our last lecture, Adam began
blaming God for giving him Eve,
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and Eve began blaming
God and blaming the serpent.
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In other words, that oneness was
broken in consequence of sin.
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Something terrible
had happened to this world
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as a result of sin.
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You see, what happened is that
before sin entered into this
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world, everything was other
centered; was centered towards
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helping others,
living for others.
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But in consequence of
sin, self took the throne.
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The core of man was
changed from others to self,
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and this was in consequence
of Satan telling Eve,
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you don't have to depend on God,
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you don't have to worship God,
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you don't have to obey God,
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you can be God yourself.
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And so the core of
man was shifted from God,
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and from others to self.
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In other words, the
heart of man was sickened
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and became spiritually diseased.
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And in consequence, to the
condition of the heart of man,
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now his behavior reflected
the condition of the heart.
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Go with me to
Genesis 4:8, Genesis 4:8.
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Here we have the first
murder of human history.
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We're told there in verse 8:
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First murder in human history!
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Now what we're not told
in Genesis, but we are told
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in a text that we're
going to read in a moment,
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is that something happened
to Cain before he actually
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committed the act of murder.
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Go with me to 1
John 3, 1 John 3.
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You see the problem with
Cain was not a problem with
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his behavior, it was a problem
with his heart, with his core
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nature. He became irate with
his brother because something
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was wrong with his
heart, with the inside.
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We're told there in 1 John
3:12, (and then we'll jump down
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to verse 15), the following:
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Not as Cain, who
was of the wicked one,
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and murdered his brother.
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And why did he murder him?
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Because his works were evil,
and his brother's righteous.
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But now let's jump down to
verse 15, where we're told what
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happened with Cain before
he killed his brother. It says:
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Whoever hates his brother is
a murderer: and you know that
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no murderer has
eternal life abiding in him.
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Now that's interesting.
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Not only is the act of murder
a violation of the commandment
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that says, Thou shalt not kill.
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But according to 1 John 3:15,
hating your brother is already
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murder committed in the heart.
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In other words, the act
that Cain committed was actually
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a consequence of the condition
of the hatred which he harbored
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in his heart. The problem
that Cain had was not with his
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actions, it was with his heart.
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Go with me to Genesis 6,
moving on through this book,
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Genesis 6:5. This is speaking
about the pre-flood race;
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the antidiluvia race.
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They had become very,
very wicked, very evil.
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But I want you to
notice where the problem began.
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It says in Genesis 6:5:
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Where did the problem begin?
00:10:00.46\00:10:02.14
In the thoughts of his heart.
00:10:02.17\00:10:05.68
Now notice what
came as result of that.
00:10:05.71\00:10:08.83
Let's jump down to verses
11 and 12, verses 11 and 12.
00:10:08.86\00:10:14.85
It says:
00:10:14.88\00:10:16.12
When the Bible uses the
expression, the way, it means
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that the earth had
corrupted its behavior.
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Its actions were corrupted.
00:10:37.96\00:10:40.29
But you notice that the root
cause was that every intent,
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or thought of the
heart was evil continually.
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In other words, the
problem was not with behavior.
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The problem was with
the root, with the heart,
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which led to
this wrong behavior.
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Now let's move on a little bit
to Genesis 8:21, Genesis 8:21.
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This is after the flood.
00:11:04.45\00:11:06.64
And notice what we find in
this verse; very revealing.
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This is after Noah
offers a sacrifice. It says:
00:11:11.58\00:11:16.19
And the Lord
smelled a soothing aroma.
00:11:16.22\00:11:20.70
Then the Lord said in his
heart, I will never again curse
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the ground for man's
sake; although the imagination
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of man's heart is
evil from his youth.
00:11:30.27\00:11:34.83
Did you catch that?
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The imagination of the heart
of man is evil from his youth,
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according to this.
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Once again we find that
the problem with human beings
00:11:43.32\00:11:48.05
is with the heart, whereas
before the heart went out
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towards God, in love for God.
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Whereas the heart went out in
love for Eve, and Eve for Adam,
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now as a result of sin everyone
turned their look inward
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towards self. Notice also
Genesis 27:41, Genesis 27:41,
00:12:05.42\00:12:14.43
this same idea that the
problem is heart disease.
00:12:14.46\00:12:18.54
The problem is
not with evil actions.
00:12:18.57\00:12:21.48
The problem is with the root.
00:12:21.51\00:12:23.83
You see, if you have a bad
root you will have bad fruit.
00:12:23.86\00:12:27.60
And sometimes we try to deal
with the fruit before we deal
00:12:27.63\00:12:31.86
with the root. Go with me to
Genesis 27:41, and we'll find
00:12:31.89\00:12:38.65
the same idea again
in the book of Genesis.
00:12:38.68\00:12:41.80
And this will be our
last example from Genesis,
00:12:41.83\00:12:44.26
because we want to see
how this idea is developed
00:12:44.29\00:12:46.92
throughout the rest
of the Bible as well.
00:12:46.95\00:12:49.53
Here Esau is speaking after
Jacob stole his birthright.
00:12:49.56\00:12:56.62
It says there in verse
41: So Esau hated Jacob.
00:12:56.65\00:13:03.29
What did he do? He what?
00:13:03.32\00:13:06.21
He hated Jacob because of the
blessing with which his father
00:13:06.24\00:13:11.73
blessed him: and Esau said in
his heart, The days of mourning
00:13:11.76\00:13:19.02
for my father are at hand; then
I will kill my brother Jacob.
00:13:19.05\00:13:26.60
Where did murder start?
00:13:28.17\00:13:30.07
Murder did not start when
Esau went with 400 men to try
00:13:30.10\00:13:35.50
and kill his brother.
00:13:35.53\00:13:36.56
Murder began when he had the
intention of killing his brother
00:13:36.59\00:13:41.92
long before he
attempted to perform the action.
00:13:41.95\00:13:45.94
And so the book of Genesis
clearly reveals that because of
00:13:45.97\00:13:51.01
sin the heart of man was ruined.
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By the way, the Bible
calls it the sinful flesh.
00:13:54.69\00:13:59.56
The Bible calls it the
old nature, the sinful man.
00:13:59.59\00:14:05.22
Man who is focused only on
himself; that wants everything
00:14:05.25\00:14:09.72
for himself. Selfishness, the
opposite of love, as we noticed
00:14:09.75\00:14:16.05
in our last lecture.
00:14:16.08\00:14:17.25
And the problem is
that we are born this way.
00:14:17.28\00:14:22.33
Go with me to Psalm 51, and
let's read verse 5, Psalm 51:5.
00:14:22.36\00:14:30.24
The Bible tells us that we
are born with heart disease.
00:14:30.27\00:14:34.41
And you thought we did
it as a result of our diet!
00:14:34.44\00:14:37.49
Ha ha, we do! It gets worse as
a result of our spiritual diet.
00:14:37.52\00:14:43.09
But we're born with the disease.
00:14:43.12\00:14:45.23
Notice Psalm
51:5. Here David says:
00:14:45.26\00:14:50.25
Now this doesn't mean that
we actually are guilty of Adam's
00:15:00.36\00:15:04.47
original sin. What it means
is that we inherit from Adam
00:15:04.50\00:15:08.66
a sinful nature,
a selfish nature.
00:15:08.69\00:15:12.29
In other words,
we are born selfish.
00:15:12.32\00:15:15.57
You say, no we're not.
00:15:15.60\00:15:16.67
Is there anything more selfish
in the world than a baby?
00:15:16.70\00:15:21.89
For a baby there's no one on
planet Earth except him or her.
00:15:21.92\00:15:28.95
If you don't believe it, just
don't give the baby his bottle
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when he feels like
you should give it to him.
00:15:33.34\00:15:35.36
He says real nicely,
Mom would you please give me
00:15:35.39\00:15:39.07
my bottle now? You
know it's not that way!
00:15:39.10\00:15:42.53
The baby screams, and
kicks, and gets red, saying,
00:15:42.56\00:15:49.75
don't you know that I'm hungry?
00:15:49.78\00:15:51.82
We're born selfish.
00:15:51.85\00:15:55.21
And then that baby
grows to about 3 years old.
00:15:55.24\00:15:59.86
The parents go to Wal-Mart.
00:15:59.89\00:16:01.66
That's about the
only place I can afford.
00:16:01.69\00:16:03.90
Give a good plug here
for Wal-Mart: go to Wal-Mart.
00:16:03.93\00:16:09.55
Little Johnny goes to the
toy department, and he sees a
00:16:09.58\00:16:15.06
little truck that he likes.
00:16:15.09\00:16:16.30
He grabs the truck and he
comes to Mommy and he says,
00:16:16.33\00:16:21.26
Mommy, I want this truck.
00:16:21.29\00:16:23.41
Mommy says, No,
not today, Johnny.
00:16:23.44\00:16:26.01
Mommy, I want this truck.
00:16:26.04\00:16:28.85
No, not today Johnny.
00:16:28.88\00:16:30.93
Mommy, and he starts
screaming, and he gets red.
00:16:30.96\00:16:38.20
And I've seen some children
throw themselves on the floor
00:16:38.23\00:16:42.04
and start kicking, because
Mommy did not buy ME the truck,
00:16:42.07\00:16:48.54
of all things! And then,
of course, little Johnny grows
00:16:48.57\00:16:52.81
until he's about
21, and he gets married.
00:16:52.84\00:16:56.11
And things last real
nicely for about two months.
00:16:56.14\00:16:59.98
And then he starts complaining.
00:17:00.01\00:17:06.55
She doesn't iron MY clothes.
00:17:06.58\00:17:08.83
See, I'm old fashioned.
00:17:08.86\00:17:11.76
She doesn't wash my clothes.
00:17:11.79\00:17:13.60
She burns the potatoes.
00:17:13.63\00:17:15.47
She doesn't provide
sexual satisfaction.
00:17:18.07\00:17:22.23
And what is the idea?
00:17:22.26\00:17:24.25
She's not doing it for
me, for me, for me, for me.
00:17:24.28\00:17:28.49
Selfishness!
00:17:28.52\00:17:31.19
In sin we are
conceived, according to David,
00:17:31.22\00:17:35.20
because we are born selfish,
and therefore we can never
00:17:35.23\00:17:41.32
trust our heart. Notice
what we find in the book of
00:17:41.35\00:17:44.47
Jeremiah 17:9, Jeremiah 17:9.
00:17:44.50\00:17:50.35
Here we find an additional
detail about our condition
00:17:50.38\00:17:54.86
in consequence of sin.
00:17:54.89\00:17:57.16
It says there, in Jeremiah 17:9:
00:17:57.19\00:18:00.59
That's quite a
description of the heart.
00:18:11.71\00:18:14.05
Once again, he says, The heart
is deceitful above all things,
00:18:14.08\00:18:18.74
and desperately
wicked: who can know it?
00:18:18.77\00:18:22.67
Notice Proverbs
28:26, Proverbs 28:26.
00:18:22.70\00:18:30.94
This is good counsel for young
people who are thinking about
00:18:30.97\00:18:37.95
courting and getting married.
00:18:37.98\00:18:39.61
Notice what the
wise man, Solomon, says.
00:18:39.64\00:18:43.09
Proverbs 28:26: He who trusts
in his own heart is a fool.
00:18:43.12\00:18:54.23
Of course, if it's desperately
wicked, if you trust in your own
00:18:54.26\00:18:57.93
heart you are a fool. Right?
00:18:57.96\00:19:00.42
He who trusts in his own heart
is a fool: but whoever walks
00:19:00.45\00:19:06.10
wisely, will be delivered.
00:19:06.13\00:19:08.71
It makes me think of
some young people, you know,
00:19:08.74\00:19:12.05
they fall in love. Interesting
that you say they fall in love.
00:19:12.08\00:19:17.57
Ha ha ha ha ha. And they don't
look at any danger signals.
00:19:17.60\00:19:22.41
Those are like Sampson. Hello!
00:19:22.44\00:19:25.19
Who saw Delilah and
he said, she's beautiful!
00:19:25.22\00:19:29.21
She makes my heart beat faster.
00:19:29.24\00:19:31.28
And his parents say,
Yeah, but is she an Israelite?
00:19:31.31\00:19:36.14
Well, no, but I
might convert her.
00:19:36.17\00:19:38.46
The Bible doesn't say that, but,
you know, he probably believes
00:19:38.49\00:19:42.85
every argument in the book,
to have an excuse to get married
00:19:42.88\00:19:46.67
with Delilah, and with
this other Philistine woman.
00:19:46.70\00:19:49.66
And he fell in love.
00:19:49.69\00:19:51.89
And he got married.
00:19:51.92\00:19:53.36
And as a result, by the way,
he said, Get her for me, because
00:19:53.39\00:19:58.15
she's pleased my eyes, and that
very act made him lose his eyes,
00:19:58.18\00:20:02.58
because his eyes were poked
out, and he became a servant,
00:20:02.61\00:20:09.28
grinding grain in the mill,
because he followed his eyes,
00:20:09.31\00:20:16.96
because he followed his heart,
and the heart is deceitful,
00:20:17.00\00:20:20.58
because we are conceived in sin.
00:20:20.61\00:20:24.64
Do you know that Jesus knew
how much power the heart has?
00:20:24.67\00:20:29.63
I'm amazed at the number of
times that Jesus speaks about
00:20:29.66\00:20:34.51
the heart as the source of all
evil, or the source of all good.
00:20:34.54\00:20:41.58
Mostly He speaks about the
heart being a dangerous thing to
00:20:41.61\00:20:46.67
trust in, because it leads to
evil, because evil springs from
00:20:46.70\00:20:51.58
the heart, from this selfish
nature, from this self-centered
00:20:51.61\00:20:54.93
nature, from this
iniquitous selfishness.
00:20:54.96\00:20:59.41
Now let's read some statements
of Jesus where He speaks about
00:20:59.44\00:21:02.81
the heart. Notice
Matthew 6:21, Matthew 6:21.
00:21:02.84\00:21:09.41
Here Jesus is
speaking about money.
00:21:09.44\00:21:13.90
Is that a big
problem in the world today?
00:21:13.93\00:21:17.82
The love of money?
00:21:17.85\00:21:19.80
The apostle Paul says that the
love of money is the root of all
00:21:19.83\00:21:24.07
evil. I think that
you could agree with that.
00:21:24.10\00:21:29.19
Notice Matthew 6:21. Jesus says:
00:21:29.22\00:21:36.06
Do you know what? It does
no good for me as a minister
00:21:45.82\00:21:52.38
to twist people's arms
to give money to the church.
00:21:52.41\00:21:56.55
It does no good, because
if money is going to come
00:21:56.58\00:22:02.74
it needs to come from where?
00:22:02.77\00:22:04.07
It needs to come from the heart.
00:22:04.10\00:22:06.42
And people who hoard money, who
are selfish with their money,
00:22:06.45\00:22:12.73
who are always thinking of a
rainy day, and hoarding their
00:22:12.76\00:22:18.60
resources. Their problem
is not money, their problem is
00:22:18.63\00:22:24.40
with their what? with their
heart, their selfish heart.
00:22:24.43\00:22:28.92
Selfishness leads to hoard
money, to save for a rainy day.
00:22:28.95\00:22:33.36
Jesus says, Therefore
lay up treasures in heaven.
00:22:33.39\00:22:37.67
Don't lay them up on earth.
00:22:37.70\00:22:41.01
Notice also what we find in
Matthew 12:34, continuing with
00:22:41.04\00:22:48.76
what Jesus had to
say about the heart.
00:22:48.79\00:22:50.86
Matthew 12:34.
Here Jesus says this:
00:22:50.89\00:22:58.71
Why couldn't they
speak good things?
00:23:08.26\00:23:10.32
Because they were evil. Hello!
00:23:10.35\00:23:13.78
So what determines
the words that you speak?
00:23:24.38\00:23:27.23
The condition of your heart.
00:23:27.26\00:23:30.00
What determines the way
that you use your money?
00:23:30.03\00:23:33.03
The condition of your heart.
00:23:33.06\00:23:35.18
You know, when I was a kid
sometimes I would get in trouble
00:23:35.21\00:23:41.23
in school for
saying some naughty things.
00:23:41.26\00:23:44.88
I don't do that anymore.
00:23:47.59\00:23:48.84
Yeah, right, you say.
00:23:48.87\00:23:52.95
When I used to get home,
you know, it was a double whammy
00:23:52.98\00:23:57.35
because I got punished at
school, and then my parents
00:23:57.38\00:23:59.32
punished me at home.
00:23:59.35\00:24:00.38
They didn't side
with the transgressor.
00:24:00.41\00:24:04.06
You know, sometimes
parents side with their kids,
00:24:04.09\00:24:07.81
even though they
know that they're guilty.
00:24:07.84\00:24:10.01
Well, I got punished
when I got home, too.
00:24:10.04\00:24:13.88
And, you know, my Mom, what
she would do if I spoke words
00:24:13.91\00:24:19.43
that I wasn't supposed to speak.
00:24:19.46\00:24:20.63
She'd take me to the
bathroom and she would wash
00:24:20.66\00:24:22.95
out my mouth with soap.
00:24:22.98\00:24:24.44
And, you know, after many
years I one day told my Mom,
00:24:26.84\00:24:30.06
I said, Mom, I remember when you
used to wash out my mouth with
00:24:30.09\00:24:33.97
soap. You got it wrong, because
the Bible says that what you
00:24:34.00\00:24:39.83
needed to wash was my heart.
00:24:39.86\00:24:41.60
Because if you wash my
heart my words would be good.
00:24:41.63\00:24:45.60
See, washing the
mouth is the wrong thing.
00:24:45.63\00:24:48.86
When the source is
wrong, the words will be wrong.
00:24:48.89\00:24:51.52
The problem is not with
the words, it's with the heart.
00:24:51.56\00:24:54.91
The problem is not with the
money, it is with the heart.
00:24:54.94\00:24:58.24
We have heart problems.
00:24:58.27\00:25:00.94
We're born selfish.
00:25:00.97\00:25:02.72
Something has to happen to that
selfish heart, or we are going
00:25:02.75\00:25:06.93
to be miserable all our
lives, and we are going to lose
00:25:06.96\00:25:10.40
everlasting life on top of it.
00:25:10.43\00:25:12.58
Notice also what we find in
Matthew 15:19, Matthew 15:19.
00:25:12.61\00:25:20.80
Jesus had a lot to say about the
heart, and the influence that
00:25:20.83\00:25:25.21
it has upon our actions.
00:25:25.24\00:25:26.88
Matthew 15:19. Notice His words:
00:25:26.91\00:25:34.31
Did you catch that?
00:25:40.36\00:25:41.39
Where do all of these
evil actions come from?
00:25:59.99\00:26:02.56
From the heart, by the way,
and these are the things that
00:26:02.59\00:26:06.55
defile a man according to Jesus.
00:26:06.58\00:26:07.97
Now, let me ask you, is this
list a list of violations of
00:26:08.00\00:26:12.52
the ten commandments?
00:26:12.55\00:26:13.58
Did you notice that?
00:26:13.61\00:26:15.28
Which commandment is murders?
00:26:15.31\00:26:21.15
Thou shall not kill?
00:26:21.18\00:26:23.83
How about adulteries?
00:26:23.86\00:26:25.55
Thou shall not commit adultery.
00:26:25.58\00:26:27.25
How about thefts?
Thou shall not steal?
00:26:27.28\00:26:29.96
How about false witness?
00:26:29.99\00:26:31.60
You shall not
bear false witness.
00:26:31.63\00:26:34.08
In other words, where does
the transgression of God's law
00:26:34.11\00:26:36.80
come from? It
comes from the heart.
00:26:36.83\00:26:39.64
So if you're going to
change from being a transgressor
00:26:39.67\00:26:44.56
of the law, to being a
law abiding citizen in God's
00:26:44.59\00:26:48.94
kingdom, where does the
problem need to be solved?
00:26:48.97\00:26:53.48
The problem needs to
be solved in the heart.
00:26:53.51\00:26:56.42
Because all of these
transgressions of God's Holy
00:26:56.45\00:27:00.76
law, of God's ten commandments,
come according to the Bible,
00:27:00.79\00:27:04.80
from the heart.
Notice Matthew 5.
00:27:04.83\00:27:09.19
You know, Jesus had so much
to say about the heart as the
00:27:09.22\00:27:12.47
source, as the
evil source of actions.
00:27:12.50\00:27:16.46
Matthew 5:17, 18. Here Jesus
is speaking about adultery,
00:27:16.49\00:27:23.49
and He says
this... Matthew 5: 27, 28.
00:27:23.52\00:27:31.62
You have heard that it
was said to those of old,...
00:27:31.65\00:27:35.84
Is that one of
the ten commandments?
00:27:40.00\00:27:42.39
It sure is. But now notice:
00:27:44.76\00:27:47.43
Wow! If we applied this
definition, how many male
00:28:03.87\00:28:09.46
adulterers would there be
in this world, who never have
00:28:09.49\00:28:14.17
committed the act of adultery,
but who have certainly coveted,
00:28:14.20\00:28:20.74
or lusted after another
woman other than their wives?
00:28:20.77\00:28:24.47
And it works the other way
around as well, because women
00:28:24.50\00:28:29.49
also do the same
thing from their side.
00:28:29.52\00:28:31.78
You notice that Jesus doesn't
say that lusting leads someone
00:28:31.81\00:28:37.99
to commit adultery.
00:28:38.02\00:28:39.05
He says that
lusting is adultery.
00:28:39.08\00:28:42.97
He says a person who lusts after
another woman, other than his
00:28:43.00\00:28:47.39
wife, has already
committed adultery in his heart.
00:28:47.42\00:28:51.97
Adultery is committed
when we have the feeling,
00:28:52.00\00:28:57.02
or the thought, in our
heart even before the action
00:28:57.05\00:29:01.69
takes place. Wow!
Jesus raised the bar!
00:29:01.72\00:29:06.23
You know some people say
that Jesus did away with the
00:29:06.26\00:29:09.34
ten
commandments. Jesus intensified
00:29:09.37\00:29:12.88
the ten commandments.
00:29:12.91\00:29:14.12
He says, You heard that
you should not commit adultery.
00:29:14.15\00:29:17.06
And you think that because you
haven't gone to bed with someone
00:29:17.09\00:29:19.45
else's wife, you
haven't committed adultery.
00:29:19.48\00:29:21.60
He says, let me raise
the bar just a little bit.
00:29:21.63\00:29:23.63
That commandment also
reaches into your evil thoughts.
00:29:23.66\00:29:27.06
He says, You have heard from
antiquity that you shall not
00:29:27.09\00:29:31.32
kill. But he says, Listen,
if you call your brother a fool,
00:29:31.35\00:29:34.64
and you hate your brother,
you've already committed murder
00:29:34.67\00:29:36.91
in your heart. Jesus,
instead of getting rid of the
00:29:36.94\00:29:40.24
ten commandments,
intensified, and amplified,
00:29:40.27\00:29:43.70
the ten commandments.
00:29:43.73\00:29:44.81
In fact, we're told in
Isaiah 42:21 that Jesus would
00:29:44.84\00:29:49.68
magnify the law, and he
would make the law honorable.
00:29:49.71\00:29:55.16
So are you seeing the problem
that the world has today?
00:29:56.29\00:30:00.32
The problem is not with wrong
actions, the problem is with
00:30:00.35\00:30:04.71
what? with the heart.
00:30:04.74\00:30:06.67
You hear a lot of people today
thinking that the government is
00:30:06.70\00:30:10.09
going to resolve the
moral issues in society.
00:30:10.12\00:30:12.37
They say if the government could
just pass a law that says that
00:30:12.40\00:30:16.58
gays cannot be married, you
would have the problem solved.
00:30:16.61\00:30:21.60
If you could just get
the government to outlaw
00:30:21.63\00:30:24.95
pornography, the problem of
pornography would be solved.
00:30:24.98\00:30:28.79
Let me tell you something, the
government can propose all kinds
00:30:28.82\00:30:32.08
of laws against gay
marriage, and against adultery,
00:30:32.11\00:30:35.82
and against pornography,
and against all of these things,
00:30:35.85\00:30:39.56
but unless there's
a change in the heart,
00:30:39.59\00:30:41.68
people will
continue to do those things.
00:30:41.71\00:30:44.35
Because the heart of
man is desperately wicked,
00:30:44.38\00:30:47.92
and a bad heart
leads to bad behavior.
00:30:47.95\00:30:52.30
Notice Matthew
7:16-20, Matthew 7:16-20.
00:30:52.33\00:31:00.06
Jesus expresses it
with another illustration,
00:31:00.09\00:31:03.45
or another example.
00:31:03.48\00:31:04.70
It says there in
Matthew 7:16, Jesus speaking:
00:31:04.73\00:31:10.63
You will know
them by their fruits.
00:31:10.66\00:31:13.24
Do men gather grapes from thorn
bushes, or figs from thistles?
00:31:13.27\00:31:19.84
Even so every good tree
bears good fruit; but a bad tree
00:31:19.87\00:31:27.33
bears bad fruit. A good
tree cannot bear bad fruit,
00:31:27.36\00:31:32.35
nor can a bad
tree bear good fruit.
00:31:32.38\00:31:35.51
Every tree that does not
bear good fruit is cut down,
00:31:35.54\00:31:39.76
and thrown into the fire.
00:31:39.79\00:31:41.21
Therefore by their
fruits you will know them.
00:31:41.24\00:31:45.69
Because our tree is
evil, our fruit is evil.
00:31:47.28\00:31:50.81
If the tree was good, the tree
would produce what? good fruit.
00:31:50.84\00:31:56.96
But the problem is that we have
a wicked, evil, corrupt heart.
00:31:56.99\00:32:01.88
We are suffering
from heart problems,
00:32:03.86\00:32:08.37
and we need a cardiologist.
00:32:08.40\00:32:13.09
Before we claim the cardiologist
though, we need to find out what
00:32:15.77\00:32:21.73
our real condition is.
00:32:21.76\00:32:22.79
We need to see our
real condition, right?
00:32:22.82\00:32:24.29
Let me ask you, what is
it that diagnoses our heart,
00:32:24.32\00:32:28.55
and shows us what our heart
is like; what we truly are like?
00:32:28.58\00:32:31.94
Notice Romans 7, Romans 7:7.
00:32:31.97\00:32:38.09
We're going to study
about the mirror of the heart;
00:32:38.12\00:32:41.83
that which shows our
heart exactly the way it is.
00:32:41.86\00:32:45.57
You see, you can't get healing
until you realize you're sick.
00:32:45.60\00:32:48.85
You won't look for a
physician unless you know what
00:32:48.88\00:32:52.71
your disease is. And so you need
someone to diagnose your disease
00:32:52.74\00:32:57.14
to find out what the problem is.
00:32:57.17\00:33:00.46
And we have a mirror that
shows us what our problem is.
00:33:00.50\00:33:05.57
Notice Romans 7:7.
00:33:05.60\00:33:09.85
Here the Apostle Paul
says, What shall we say then?
00:33:09.88\00:33:15.25
Is the law sin? Certainly not.
00:33:15.28\00:33:18.64
On the contrary, I
would not have known sin,
00:33:18.67\00:33:23.57
except through the law:
for I would not have known
00:33:23.60\00:33:29.00
covetousness unless the law
had said, you shall not what?
00:33:29.03\00:33:33.30
You shall not covet.
00:33:33.33\00:33:34.60
How do I know that
covetousness is wrong?
00:33:34.63\00:33:37.00
Because the law tells me so.
00:33:37.03\00:33:39.55
How do I know
that stealing is wrong?
00:33:39.58\00:33:42.41
Because the law tells me so.
00:33:42.44\00:33:44.66
How do I know that
committing adultery is wrong?
00:33:44.69\00:33:47.80
Because the law tells me so.
00:33:47.83\00:33:50.14
In other words, the
law diagnoses my problem.
00:33:50.17\00:33:54.24
The law says, Listen,
you've got heart problems.
00:33:54.27\00:33:57.65
You've got an evil,
selfish heart, which is breaking
00:33:57.68\00:34:02.46
God's Holy law, and
the law does not lie.
00:34:02.49\00:34:06.73
Now I want you to notice
that God's Word, or His law,
00:34:06.76\00:34:11.45
goes very deep. It searches
into the depths of our hearts,
00:34:11.48\00:34:16.56
and shows us exactly how
we are, and what we need.
00:34:16.59\00:34:20.18
Notice Hebrews 4, Hebrews 4,
and let's read verses 12 and 13.
00:34:20.21\00:34:26.59
Hebrews 4:12, 13.
00:34:26.62\00:34:30.22
Here the apostle Paul is
speaking about the diagnostic
00:34:30.25\00:34:37.06
power of the
Word of God. He says:
00:34:37.09\00:34:41.03
What does the Word of God do?
00:35:06.28\00:35:07.73
It comes in, it goes
deep, and what does it seek out?
00:35:07.76\00:35:12.98
The thoughts and the
intents of the heart.
00:35:13.01\00:35:16.01
Verse 13: And there is no
creature hidden from his sight.
00:35:16.04\00:35:21.94
But all things are naked and
open to the eyes of him to whom
00:35:21.97\00:35:28.71
we must give an account.
00:35:28.74\00:35:31.09
So who shows us that we're sick?
00:35:33.94\00:35:35.81
God through His
Word, or through His law.
00:35:35.84\00:35:40.39
He says you've
got heart problems.
00:35:40.42\00:35:43.93
And if you don't take
care of those heart problems
00:35:43.96\00:35:46.78
you're going to
have a cardiac arrest.
00:35:46.81\00:35:49.02
You need help. And, by the way,
let me just tell you something.
00:35:49.05\00:35:56.32
When God changes
someone, He changes them
00:35:56.35\00:35:59.24
from the inside out.
00:35:59.27\00:36:00.33
Do you believe that?
00:36:03.15\00:36:04.18
He cannot impose
change from outside.
00:36:05.69\00:36:07.35
The changes has
to come from inside.
00:36:07.38\00:36:09.06
It has to change the heart.
00:36:09.09\00:36:10.93
Let me give you an example.
00:36:10.96\00:36:12.95
I've used this before in another
context, but how many of you
00:36:14.88\00:36:19.93
bake bread? You
can raise your hand.
00:36:19.96\00:36:23.62
If you bake bread, I
want to know where I can come
00:36:23.65\00:36:25.45
for lunch one of these days.
00:36:25.48\00:36:26.68
My wife makes very good bread.
00:36:28.38\00:36:30.30
And I want to tell you how she
makes the bread so delicious.
00:36:30.33\00:36:34.80
She blends the water with flour
and with the other ingredients.
00:36:34.83\00:36:39.63
She makes a big ball of dough,
and she puts it in the pan,
00:36:39.66\00:36:44.67
and then she sprinkles
yeast on top of the bread,
00:36:44.70\00:36:48.15
and puts it in the oven.
00:36:48.18\00:36:49.21
You snicker! You say,
Pastor Bohr, you haven't watched
00:36:52.79\00:36:55.96
your wife make bread.
00:36:55.99\00:36:57.02
If she made bread that
way, they would be more like the
00:36:57.05\00:37:01.26
stones that Jesus talked about.
00:37:01.29\00:37:02.83
Man shall not
live by bread alone.
00:37:02.86\00:37:06.25
The devil said, turn
these stones into bread.
00:37:06.28\00:37:09.63
You would need a miracle.
00:37:09.66\00:37:11.61
Where do you put the
yeast, or the leaven?
00:37:11.64\00:37:15.26
You put the yeast or
the leaven inside the dough.
00:37:15.29\00:37:18.87
And then what
happens with the lump?
00:37:18.90\00:37:21.21
It grows from inside out.
00:37:21.24\00:37:24.77
And that's the way that
human beings are changed.
00:37:26.28\00:37:30.02
They cannot be
changed by legislation.
00:37:30.05\00:37:33.44
They cannot be
changed by external means.
00:37:33.47\00:37:38.00
They can only be changed
when the heart is changed.
00:37:38.03\00:37:42.07
And then the life and the
behavior will be different.
00:37:42.10\00:37:47.30
Now let's read what the Apostle
Paul says in Romans 7:18, 19,
00:37:47.33\00:37:54.79
Romans 7:18, 19.
00:37:54.82\00:37:58.86
And you tell me if this
is your experience sometimes.
00:37:58.89\00:38:02.63
I know it's my experience.
00:38:02.66\00:38:04.51
Romans 7:18, 19.
The apostle Paul says:
00:38:04.54\00:38:09.47
Have you ever had the experience
of blurting out some words to
00:38:36.64\00:38:41.34
someone and afterwards
you think, why did I say that?
00:38:41.37\00:38:44.23
Or have you ever done something
and you say, why in the world
00:38:46.34\00:38:49.32
did I do that?
Where did that come from?
00:38:49.35\00:38:52.19
Of course, that's my experience.
00:38:52.22\00:38:53.73
You've probably never
had that experience, right?
00:38:53.76\00:38:56.15
Yeah, right! We all have it.
00:38:56.18\00:39:00.66
What's the problem?
00:39:00.69\00:39:02.60
The problem is with our inside.
00:39:02.63\00:39:05.63
The problem with
it is with our heart.
00:39:05.66\00:39:07.61
And so our heart
needs to be changed.
00:39:07.64\00:39:11.52
Now the question is, how
can our heart be changed?
00:39:11.55\00:39:16.07
There are two steps:
00:39:16.10\00:39:17.80
Step 1. We're told in Romans 3:
23 that all of us have sinned,
00:39:19.51\00:39:29.40
and come short
of the glory of God.
00:39:29.43\00:39:32.16
The first thing that we need to
recognize is that we are what?
00:39:32.19\00:39:35.97
That we are sinners.
00:39:37.29\00:39:39.99
The second point that we need
to recognize is in Romans 6:23,
00:39:40.02\00:39:44.56
where we are told:
00:39:44.59\00:39:46.38
Step 1. The Word of God
shows me that I am a what?
00:39:51.57\00:39:56.30
That I am a sinner.
00:39:56.33\00:39:57.56
And because I am a
sinner, I deserve death.
00:39:57.59\00:40:02.29
Which death? Everlasting death,
eternal death, death from which
00:40:02.32\00:40:08.37
there will never
be a resurrection.
00:40:08.40\00:40:09.83
And when I see myself in
this desperate condition,
00:40:09.86\00:40:13.79
a sinner before God, deserving
God's wrath to fall upon me,
00:40:13.82\00:40:19.86
deserving death, I
cry out: who can save me?
00:40:19.89\00:40:24.63
And then I look at
the cross of Jesus.
00:40:24.66\00:40:29.17
Do you know what I
see at the cross of Jesus?
00:40:29.20\00:40:31.96
Go with me to
Galatians 3:13, Galatians 3:13.
00:40:31.99\00:40:39.01
Here the Apostle Paul tells
us what we see when we go to
00:40:39.04\00:40:42.66
Calvary; when we go to
the cross. He tells us:
00:40:42.69\00:40:48.18
What has Christ done?
00:40:59.13\00:41:01.59
Redeemed us from
the curse of the law.
00:41:02.83\00:41:04.31
Is the law bad? Why
does it curse us then?
00:41:04.34\00:41:08.41
The reason why the law curses
us is because we're sinners.
00:41:08.44\00:41:13.56
The law tells
me, you're a sinner.
00:41:13.59\00:41:16.46
You're cursed.
You deserve to die.
00:41:16.49\00:41:19.53
But it says here that Jesus has
redeemed us from the curse of
00:41:19.56\00:41:25.66
the law. And how did he do it?
00:41:25.69\00:41:28.12
So when I come to the cross
of Calvary, and I see Jesus
00:41:36.84\00:41:40.63
on the cross, what do I see?
00:41:40.66\00:41:43.28
I see One who took
my sin upon Himself.
00:41:43.31\00:41:47.77
Undeservingly! He
took it upon Himself.
00:41:47.80\00:41:52.50
He suffered the
curse that I should suffer.
00:41:52.53\00:41:55.88
He suffered the
death that I should suffer.
00:41:55.91\00:41:58.81
And when I see Jesus in
the garden of Gethsemane,
00:41:58.84\00:42:02.58
sweating great drops of blood,
and when I see Him on the cross,
00:42:02.61\00:42:07.19
I hear Him crying
out, My God, My God,
00:42:07.22\00:42:09.56
Why hast thou forsaken me?
00:42:09.59\00:42:11.38
And when I see Him beaten,
when I see Him agonizing,
00:42:11.41\00:42:16.50
I say to Jesus, why
is this happening to You?
00:42:16.53\00:42:20.73
And Jesus says, the
wages of sin is death.
00:42:20.76\00:42:25.23
I am bearing your
suffering, and your death.
00:42:25.26\00:42:30.91
I am taking my
curse upon myself.
00:42:30.94\00:42:34.58
When I see Jesus
in that fashion I say,
00:42:34.61\00:42:37.90
Lord, sin is a terrible monster.
00:42:37.93\00:42:39.99
Look what it did to You.
00:42:40.02\00:42:41.75
I hate sin! I love You!
00:42:41.78\00:42:45.02
And at that moment a
change takes place in my heart.
00:42:45.05\00:42:48.83
Now my heart ceases
to be a selfish heart,
00:42:48.86\00:42:53.67
and it becomes a heart filled
with love as a result of seeing
00:42:53.70\00:42:59.42
what Jesus was
willing to do for me.
00:42:59.45\00:43:01.81
A change now
takes place in my life.
00:43:01.84\00:43:04.88
As it says in Zachariah 12:10,
that they will look upon him
00:43:04.91\00:43:12.01
whom they have
pierced, and they will what?
00:43:12.04\00:43:16.62
They will cry out like one who
has lost an only begotten son.
00:43:16.65\00:43:22.27
That's what should happen
when we come to the cross,
00:43:22.30\00:43:25.62
and we see Jesus
suffering the curse for us.
00:43:25.65\00:43:28.35
We should cry out and
say, Sin is horrendous, Lord.
00:43:29.34\00:43:33.06
I don't want
anything more to do with sin!
00:43:33.09\00:43:35.58
And, you know, lo and behold,
when we come with that attitude,
00:43:35.61\00:43:40.21
1 John 1:9 tells
us what the result is.
00:43:40.24\00:43:45.93
1 John 1:9 says:
00:43:45.96\00:43:49.27
In other words, I contemplate
the cross, and I can go home
00:44:01.27\00:44:05.14
with the
certainty of forgiveness.
00:44:05.17\00:44:07.82
No more guilt! I don't have to
be walking around carrying guilt
00:44:07.85\00:44:13.00
all of the time. I can have
the assurance of forgiveness
00:44:13.03\00:44:16.29
in Jesus. Now many Christians
would like to end there.
00:44:16.32\00:44:20.64
They say, Oh yeah,
Jesus paid so I don't have to.
00:44:20.67\00:44:24.46
Jesus died so that
He could forgive me.
00:44:24.49\00:44:27.57
But many Christians continue
living the way that they used
00:44:27.60\00:44:33.10
to live before
they came to Jesus.
00:44:33.13\00:44:35.11
Now is that possible?
00:44:36.61\00:44:38.04
If our heart has been
changed by coming to Calvary,
00:44:38.07\00:44:41.47
is there going to be
a change in our life?
00:44:41.50\00:44:44.94
There has to be! And if there
isn't, it's because we truly
00:44:46.49\00:44:51.16
have not come to
the feet of Jesus.
00:44:51.19\00:44:53.10
Our heart has not
truly been changed.
00:44:53.13\00:44:55.77
Now notice Ezekiel 36
what else God promises to do.
00:44:55.80\00:45:01.26
Ezekiel 36:26, 27.
This is a wonderful promise
00:45:01.29\00:45:07.15
that God gives. Ezekiel
36:26, 27. He says this:
00:45:07.18\00:45:16.11
What does God promise?
00:45:20.21\00:45:22.35
To give us a new heart.
00:45:22.38\00:45:24.94
That means your selfish heart.
00:45:28.86\00:45:30.50
And now notice; will
we obey the Lord now?
00:45:39.01\00:45:42.72
Oh, yes, but we will obey
Him from the heart. It says:
00:45:42.75\00:45:46.21
Not because we have to,
but because our heart has been
00:45:55.33\00:46:00.52
what? Because our
heart has been changed.
00:46:00.55\00:46:03.40
You know, it makes
me think about Adam.
00:46:03.43\00:46:05.33
Can you imagine when Adam had
to offer that first sacrifice,
00:46:05.36\00:46:08.55
what it must have been like?
00:46:08.58\00:46:09.76
There was no death in the world.
00:46:09.79\00:46:13.02
And now the Lord tells them to
take this innocent little lamb;
00:46:13.05\00:46:17.63
to take a knife and
slit the throat of the lamb.
00:46:17.66\00:46:23.26
And the lamb
profusely looses its blood.
00:46:25.28\00:46:30.03
And suddenly that lamb
is limp in the arms of Adam,
00:46:30.06\00:46:38.20
in a world where
there was no death?
00:46:38.23\00:46:40.53
And God tells Adam, that
lamb represents your Creator.
00:46:42.68\00:46:49.14
It's much worse than
just killing that animal.
00:46:49.17\00:46:52.68
You think that's terrible.
00:46:52.71\00:46:54.14
That lamb represents the
Lamb of God who takes away
00:46:54.17\00:46:58.09
the sin of the world.
00:46:58.12\00:46:59.15
Do you think Adam looked at sin
differently from that point on?
00:46:59.18\00:47:02.29
Oh, he understood the
terrible nature of sin.
00:47:02.32\00:47:06.38
That it was going to
take the life of Jesus.
00:47:06.41\00:47:08.64
And, by the way, at that
moment Adam was regenerated.
00:47:08.67\00:47:12.19
He was born again!
00:47:12.22\00:47:15.18
His heart was changed.
00:47:15.21\00:47:18.02
Notice the beautiful
promise of Jeremiah 31:33,
00:47:18.05\00:47:22.54
Jeremiah 31:33. This
is a wonderful promise
00:47:22.57\00:47:28.18
that God gives. And I'm sure
that we've read it many times,
00:47:28.21\00:47:31.96
but let's read it again, because
it is a wonderful promise
00:47:31.99\00:47:35.31
that God gives.
Jeremiah 31:33. It says:
00:47:35.34\00:47:41.02
Where does God
promise to write His law?
00:48:05.42\00:48:09.17
He promises to write His law
in our minds, and in our hearts.
00:48:09.20\00:48:14.86
And then if the law is in
our heart, what is our behavior
00:48:14.89\00:48:18.59
going to be like? Our
behavior is going to reflect
00:48:18.62\00:48:22.42
the condition of our heart.
00:48:22.45\00:48:24.22
By the way, many Christians
are confused on this point.
00:48:24.25\00:48:27.98
They say, God got rid of
the ten commandments written on
00:48:28.01\00:48:31.67
tables of stone. He nailed those
old commandments to the cross.
00:48:31.70\00:48:36.21
Let me tell you something.
00:48:36.24\00:48:39.36
God did not get rid
of the ten commandments.
00:48:39.39\00:48:43.94
The new covenant is
not a covenant of grace,
00:48:43.97\00:48:48.38
while the Old
Testament was a covenant of law.
00:48:48.41\00:48:50.88
In the Old Testament the law
was written on tables of stone.
00:48:50.91\00:48:55.17
In the New Testament
the law doesn't change.
00:48:55.20\00:48:59.01
It's the place where the
law is written which changes.
00:48:59.04\00:49:02.55
Did you catch my point or not?
00:49:02.58\00:49:05.24
It does no good to have
laws written on tables of stone.
00:49:05.27\00:49:09.64
You can't
offend tables of stone.
00:49:09.67\00:49:11.30
You can't hurt tables of stone.
00:49:11.33\00:49:12.85
And no matter how much you try
to measure up to what you find
00:49:12.88\00:49:16.77
written on stone, you say,
okay let's see how I am doing?
00:49:16.80\00:49:19.13
And you make lists to see
how your life compares with that
00:49:19.16\00:49:22.30
code on tables of stone.
00:49:22.33\00:49:24.23
It's useless if you have a bad
heart, because you can't keep
00:49:24.26\00:49:27.34
that code. But when God takes
His law, when you're converted,
00:49:27.37\00:49:32.03
when you come to Jesus, when
you see how expensive sin is,
00:49:32.06\00:49:35.20
how much it
hurts the heart of God,
00:49:35.23\00:49:36.87
how much it hurts others,
that love is the fulfilling
00:49:36.90\00:49:40.10
of the law. Then God
takes His law and He writes it
00:49:40.13\00:49:43.45
in your heart. And then it
is a delight, it's a privilege,
00:49:43.48\00:49:47.62
it's a joy to observe God's law.
00:49:47.65\00:49:50.64
Not because we have
to, but because we want to.
00:49:50.67\00:49:55.23
This is the reason why
Jesus said, in a very well known
00:49:55.26\00:50:02.60
verse, John 14:15: If
you love me, you will keep
00:50:02.63\00:50:07.73
my commandments. Incidentally,
that's also the reason why
00:50:07.76\00:50:11.40
in Psalm 40:8, which
is a messianic prophecy,
00:50:11.43\00:50:15.08
it's quoted in
the book of Hebrews.
00:50:15.11\00:50:17.10
Jesus, when He's
actually about to be incarnate
00:50:17.13\00:50:21.81
into the world says:
00:50:21.84\00:50:23.27
I delight to do your will, O
my God, and your law is where?
00:50:30.95\00:50:36.45
Your law is within my heart.
00:50:36.48\00:50:38.49
I like to think of God
as the great cardiologist.
00:50:38.52\00:50:42.41
Better than the
doctors at Loma Linda.
00:50:44.23\00:50:46.31
But you know what?
00:50:49.09\00:50:50.12
God does not put in pacemakers.
00:50:50.15\00:50:53.19
God does not do bypasses.
00:50:55.44\00:50:58.63
God does not put in pig valves.
00:50:58.66\00:51:02.03
God doesn't reform our heart.
00:51:02.06\00:51:06.72
The only kind of
surgery which God performs
00:51:06.75\00:51:10.77
is heart transplants.
00:51:10.80\00:51:13.35
He promises when we're
converted when we come to Jesus,
00:51:13.38\00:51:18.28
to take out that heart of stone,
that selfish heart, that old
00:51:18.31\00:51:22.62
human nature, which is selfish
and always wants its own.
00:51:22.65\00:51:26.52
And when we come to Jesus
our focus is shifted from self
00:51:26.55\00:51:33.50
to Christ. And then we're not
concerned about our own thing,
00:51:33.53\00:51:38.56
we're concerned
about the good of others.
00:51:38.59\00:51:40.61
We're concerned
about the kingdom of God.
00:51:40.64\00:51:44.13
By the way, do you know that in
Matthew 5:8 we are told by Jesus
00:51:46.23\00:51:52.48
Blessed are the pure in
heart, for they shall see God.
00:51:52.51\00:51:56.40
The opposite side of
the coin is not blessed.
00:51:58.17\00:52:03.04
I hesitated in using the word
cursed, which is the antonym.
00:52:04.85\00:52:08.47
...are those who have an impure
heart, for they shall not see
00:52:08.50\00:52:13.86
God. Blessed are the pure in
heart for they shall see God.
00:52:13.89\00:52:19.64
You say now, Pastor, how
can my heart be cleansed?
00:52:19.67\00:52:22.36
Well, the first step is to
come to the cross of Jesus,
00:52:22.39\00:52:24.74
and see what sin costs, and
ask Jesus to get rid of sin,
00:52:24.77\00:52:30.39
to forgive you of your
sin, to cleanse you from all
00:52:30.42\00:52:32.88
unrighteousness. But
then, you know, we have to keep
00:52:32.91\00:52:36.10
our heart in good shape.
00:52:36.13\00:52:37.16
We have to eat the right stuff,
because even a new heart can
00:52:37.19\00:52:40.97
develop a lot of cholesterol
if we feed it the wrong things.
00:52:41.00\00:52:45.74
Just because He gave you a
new heart doesn't mean that you
00:52:45.77\00:52:48.58
have a new heart forever.
00:52:48.61\00:52:49.86
You have to feed yourself with
the right things spiritually.
00:52:49.89\00:52:54.89
What am I talking about?
00:52:54.92\00:52:56.47
Go with me to Psalm 119,
Psalm 119:9-11, Psalm 119:9-11.
00:52:56.50\00:53:06.99
Here David, by
inspiration of the Holy Spirit,
00:53:07.02\00:53:12.35
wrote these words particularly
for young people. He said this:
00:53:12.38\00:53:15.89
How can you cleanse your way?
00:53:19.65\00:53:22.89
With my whole
heart I have sought you.
00:53:26.62\00:53:32.31
Oh let me not wander
from your commandments.
00:53:32.34\00:53:36.55
And now comes the key verse:
00:53:36.58\00:53:38.36
What is the secret for
overcoming sin, which is the
00:53:46.98\00:53:50.23
transgression of the law?
00:53:50.26\00:53:51.30
Hiding God's Word where?
00:53:51.33\00:53:53.83
In our hearts. And how
does it get into our hearts?
00:53:53.86\00:53:57.44
Through our eyes
and through our ears.
00:53:57.47\00:54:02.43
By listening to His
Word, and by reading His Word.
00:54:02.46\00:54:06.95
That's the way it
gets into our hearts,
00:54:06.98\00:54:09.10
and it gets into our minds.
00:54:09.13\00:54:10.30
And you know what happens?
00:54:10.33\00:54:11.36
At first I start reading the
Bible, and as I read the Bible
00:54:11.39\00:54:18.52
the Bible starts reading me.
00:54:18.55\00:54:20.12
Are you
understanding what I'm saying?
00:54:20.15\00:54:24.95
Because as I study scripture,
scripture starts showing me
00:54:24.98\00:54:29.17
the way that I am.
00:54:29.20\00:54:30.23
It says, this is
the problem you have.
00:54:30.26\00:54:32.89
You have this problem.
00:54:32.92\00:54:33.95
And you've got that problem.
00:54:33.98\00:54:35.01
And so if I let the Word come
into my life, into my heart,
00:54:35.04\00:54:39.19
it is going to expel
wickedness from the heart,
00:54:39.22\00:54:43.53
and I'm going to have
good spiritual health.
00:54:43.56\00:54:46.18
Believe me, we're not going
to have good spiritual health
00:54:46.21\00:54:48.03
if we're sitting down
watching soap operas all day,
00:54:48.06\00:54:50.82
or if we're watching violence,
and marital unfaithfulness,
00:54:50.85\00:54:58.55
and lying, and cheating.
00:54:58.58\00:55:00.93
If we expose our minds to those
things our heart is going to
00:55:00.96\00:55:05.30
get sick. Even if God did give
us, at some point, a new heart,
00:55:05.33\00:55:09.49
the new heart has
to be taken care of.
00:55:09.52\00:55:11.89
Are you
understanding what I'm saying?
00:55:11.92\00:55:13.27
It's not enough to come to the
cross and say, Jesus forgive me.
00:55:13.30\00:55:16.97
Jesus says, I forgive you.
00:55:17.00\00:55:18.30
Okay Lord, and I go and continue
living the way I've always
00:55:18.33\00:55:21.22
lived. The
heart must be guarded.
00:55:21.25\00:55:25.90
The heart must be taken care of.
00:55:25.93\00:55:28.43
In the book of Ephesians,
the Apostle Paul tells us,
00:55:28.46\00:55:31.96
that God cleanses the church
by the washing of the water
00:55:31.99\00:55:36.07
through the Word.
00:55:36.10\00:55:38.65
Jesus said in John 15:3,
He says, These are all clean
00:55:38.68\00:55:43.10
through the word that
I have spoken unto them.
00:55:43.13\00:55:45.95
See, time and again the Bible
tells us that the way in which
00:55:45.98\00:55:49.63
God cleanses our
heart is through His Word.
00:55:49.66\00:55:51.94
I've hidden my word in
your heart that I might not sin
00:55:51.97\00:55:54.86
against you. In Ephesians
5 we're cleansed by the water
00:55:54.89\00:55:59.57
through the washing of the word.
00:55:59.60\00:56:01.00
In 1 John 3:1-3 we
have the same idea.
00:56:01.04\00:56:06.65
John 15:3 Jesus says that
His Word, He's given His Word
00:56:06.69\00:56:12.55
to His disciples and
His Word has cleansed them.
00:56:12.59\00:56:16.57
I'd like to conclude
by mentioning a great hero
00:56:16.61\00:56:20.56
from the Bible.
His name was David.
00:56:20.59\00:56:22.07
After David committed
his terrible act, adultery,
00:56:22.10\00:56:29.00
and then having Uriah killed in
battle after he took his wife,
00:56:29.03\00:56:40.47
David repented of his
sin, and he wrote Psalm 51.
00:56:40.50\00:56:44.99
And David asked
for two blessings.
00:56:45.02\00:56:48.28
The first blessing is in verses
1 and 2 where he says to God,
00:56:48.31\00:56:52.88
Please forgive me my sin.
00:56:52.92\00:56:55.58
He asked for forgiveness.
00:56:55.62\00:56:58.25
But then David said
in verse 10, he says:
00:56:58.28\00:57:02.17
A what?
00:57:05.48\00:57:06.51
He knew that
forgiveness was not enough.
00:57:12.97\00:57:14.91
That forgiveness had to go
along with a change of heart.
00:57:14.94\00:57:19.15
May God give us that change.
00:57:19.18\00:57:23.94