The Heart Is Desperately Wicked

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”

Jeremiah 17:9-10

If at all there is anything the Scripture said we do not understand, it is the heart and not spiritual things. For Paul said in Romans 7:14, that we already knew that the Law is spiritual. Every person, whom at the very least professes he knew Christ, is already equipped with the knowledge that the Law is spiritual. It has been set on stone since Moses, and no one had any excuse to say they do not know. Paul further stated that it is man’s own deeds, that he does not understand (Romans 7:15). For he will repeatedly not do what he claims to be practicing, and he will repeatedly do what he hates; a.k.a. sin.

Therefore, if a shepherd does not know the spiritual nature of God’s Law, and he had to rely on his flock to encourage him to do in accordance to the will of his own heart, this will be the ultimate recipe for total disaster.

Law Of God & Law Of Sin

The Bible not only commanded us to have knowledge of spiritual things, but to also take delight in them (Romans 7:22). We are to love and to do what comes from God, His goodness, His righteousness and His holiness. Spiritual matters are factual matters that affect our human lives.

Spiritual matters are not metaphorical, ghostly things that the eyes cannot see. It is not feelings, and it certainly has nothing to do with any sudden explosion of inner peace or sentinel conscience in us when we set our thoughts to meditation in heavenly things. Neither are they omens or spells, that can be cast by anyone against their enemies, and these are in essence, nothing more than deceptive false magic, things that are powerless over the real world.

Rather, spiritual matters are circumstantial and legitimate matters that influence the human self in his physical, bodily form. The fact that Paul relates spirituality with holiness and sin, points us to the reality of what spirituality really is.

In contrast, Paul also described vividly, the opposite to God’s spiritual law; the law of sin (Romans 7:23). The definition of God’s law is God’s rules. And similarly, the meaning of the law of sin, is the rules of sinning. In both rules, are instruction sets for the heart to follow, either to accomplish life or to produce death.

The rules given by God, sets us apart from the world, conforms to godliness and leads us to life and spiritual growth. Likewise, if we follow the instructions given by the devil, to sin, to lie, to cheat, to steal etc, we are conforming to demonic guidelines that lead us to death. This is what is taught in the Scripture and these are the spiritual things that once we profess we know Christ, we already know these spiritual things.

Died To The Law And Alive In Christ

Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another — to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.

Romans 7:4

Romans 7:4 is one verse often used by professing believers to declare that once a person is in Christ, he is no longer under the ordinance of God’s Commandments. That by the same logic, we are free from the clutches of God’s Commandments, and therefore it no longer matters, whether we obey or disobey God. As long as we keep professing we believe in Christ, we are saved.

However, Paul said in Romans 7:5, that “For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death.” The “law” in which he was referring to that leads one to bearing the fruit of death, is unlikely God’s Commandments because he clearly made the distinction between what is the law of God and the law of sin, in Romans 7:25.

No Condemnation To Those Who Walk In the Spirit

There is therefore no condemnation to those who are in Christ; those who do not walk according to the flesh (sin) but according to the Spirit (holy, Holy Spirit). This is the material basis of spirituality and the rule that leads one to eternal life in Christ (Romans 8:1).

For the law of God’s Spirit that promotes holiness will free the human mind from the law of sin and his body from death (Romans 8:2). By loving to do what is right, we will eventually hate doing what is wicked.

For what God’s law could not do in our flesh (that is conforming to the law of sin), God did so by sending His own Son in the flesh, to condemn the sin that is in it (Romans 8:3), so that the RIGHTEOUS REQUIREMENT of God’s law shall be fulfilled in those who CHOOSE NOT TO WALK IN THE FLESH but by the Spirit (Romans 8:4). This means, those who choose not to sin and turn over a new leaf, their past iniquities shall not be remembered or counted against them. Thus, in the eyes of God, they shall be counted as righteous because of Christ.

The Holy Scripture not only stated that righteousness is a requirement for salvation, but God demands it. And as fallen men, our only discourse to escape death, is by choosing not to walk in sin, but in righteousness. And we do it not to attain self-perfection, but we do it because we have been instructed to imitate Christ.

This is the basis of spiritual matters from our heavenly Father who loves righteousness and who hates all forms of wickedness (Psalm 45:7). Believers who have the Holy Spirit indwelling in them, will not miss out on this one, because it is impossible for the Holy Spirit to say to us, it is okay if you sin, but just keep professing with your mouth that you believe, and you shall be alright. Any preacher who promotes what is alternative to God’s rule, will lead his flock not to life, but to eternal damnation.