I Corinthians 2:9, "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him."

This morning, people are no more adept than than they have ever been at discerning the thoughts and intents of the heart. That ability and capacity still resides with the same One that can also determine the difference between the soul and spirit as well as the joints and marrow: Jesus Christ. (Hebrews 4:12) Seeing then that man cannot do so with absolute certainty, it amazes me whenever I see men that seek to prove that they can. One of the more heinous ways that they do so is by wresting Scriptures to their own destruction. By lifting language out of the pages of Holy Writ, they fail to rightly divide the word of truth by comparing Scripture with Scripture. While the pages mean exactly what they say, our understanding of them must be weighed by the overall harmony of Scriptures as a whole. Therefore, if what we read "seems" to be saying one thing, but that seeming application is patently opposed to other Scripture, it behooves us to scratch out the application and seek again. So, what does the Bible have to say about man's heart and mind in relation to the knowledge of God, spiritual things, or concepts of immortality and eternal glory?

One of the most basic principles that must be laid as a firm groundwork for this discussion is the total depravity of man by nature. Looking at countless passages, we see that man is conceived in sin (Psalm 51:5), goes forth in sin from birth (Psalm 58:3), has no ability in his person to seek after God or know Him (Psalm 14, Psalm 53, Romans 3:10-18), or do anything worthy (by nature) in God's sight due to a completely worthless frame and composure. (Isaiah 1:6, Isaiah 64:6) Unless one understands this basic constitution of man by nature, there will be no progress made in this line of thought to reach a sound, Biblical understanding of man's knowledge of God. Of course, to understand this about ourselves by nature, we must be born again, as we shall see as we go along in this writing.

Therefore, man's nature is wholly blighted and without appreciable righteousness or holiness. On top of all of that, the Bible refers to this state as a death in trespasses and in sins that makes man's ability - of himself - wholly unable to render anything righteous before God that merits approval. (Ephesians 2:1-3) By His own sovereign purpose, will, and pleasure, He quickens us from this state and gives us the ability and desire to walk in newness of life. (John 1:12-13) Nothing short of His power and grace could have affected such, for we have already shown that man would have never come to this conclusion or desire on his own.

Having laid these two foundational principles, let us make one simple observation and then address the verse above and the request that was posed to us to write upon this subject. Knowing then that man cannot come to God, seek after God, or know God by his rotten, carnal nature, we can surmise that those that display fruit of His grace and tokens of righteousness in their life are positively showing their gracious state in the sight of God. Truly, we cannot perceive the heart, but righteous behaviour is a good indication of a regenerated heart, and certainly belief and reception to the gospel is the strongest evidence that such has happened in the life of that individual. The simple observation is that reception of spiritual things, righteous conduct, and good fruit in our lives shows evidence of that state, which is one of the things that Paul leaned heavily on in making his declaration about the Thessalonians' election of God. (I Thessalonians 1:4-5) However, the opposite or converse of this condition does not grant such firm conclusions.

If you show me a good man that tries to do good, refrain from evil, and especially shows warm reception to the gospel and spiritual things, I say quite comfortably that he is a child of God. However, I cannot comfortably say that a lack of my perception of these things shows a damned goat. We can only show outward spiritual things after the new birth, but we can all draw from the poisoned well of sin, even after the new birth. Therefore, the positive brings a comfortable conclusion, but the negative brings no firm conclusion on the matter. Doubtless, there will be many that burn in the lake of fire for all eternity as Scripture is plain on that point (Matthew 7:22-23), but my ability to perceive that in them is much dimmer than an ability to perceive the positive in a child of God.

Now to the point that was queried of us for this study. There a notion seen sometimes, proclaimed by some, that there will be those standing before God at the great judgment at the last day sincerely saying, "But I was your servant. How can this be? I really thought I loved you." Sometimes this notion is proclaimed with the "scare tactic" of "how sincere are you really?" Friends, the verse above shows that man, by nature, cannot and will not know or seek after these things. Paul later declares that these things God has afore prepared for them that love Him are foolishness to the natural man. (I Corinthians 2:14) Sometimes we say that this natural man, depraved, and void of the things of God has a heart problem, which our verse shows that he does. However, if we believe the first premise and point of his whole and utter depravity by nature, then he has more than a heart problem, his head is void of God as well. (Psalm 10:4)

Indeed, he can be told things about God and even given evidence that screams out to the identity of God: if nothing else but by the evidences in the creation alone. Yet, in all of his thoughts, God is not there. So, his heart and head - yea all of his person - is void of these things. His eyes will not see, nor will his ears hear, nor his heart receive any of these things. So, what about those standing there before God in Matthew 7:22-23 that seek to prove their case before their August Judge? It is proclaimed that they sincerely did these things in their lives but just simply were not the elect of God. It is said that they really and truly believe that they are doing good things in his name. Yet, does this proclamation jive with the doctrine of man's total depravity, our verse above, or countless other passages that we have cited? The overwhelming evidence suggests that this thought does not stack up well with Scripture at all.

So, what are these goats doing? When they make their case with working of miracles, prophesying in His name, etc. what is happening? Seeing that they are dealing with One who knows the thoughts and intents of the heart, their case is not justified to Him, though it will always be to them. Consider a parallel passage at the end of Matthew 25 when the King descends, separates His sheep from the goats, and gives proclamation to both groups. The goats seek to justify themselves by asking when they never did these things to the Lord when He had need. They are not sincerely saying, "Oh but we would have done." They are insincerely saying, "Oh but we would have done." Rather than a sincere desire to help someone in want, their acts of self-justification are raised before His righteous bar only to be met with sharp disapproval and complete contempt in His court.

The goats in Matthew 7 are doing no less than the account in Matthew 25. Their attempts at pointing out "good behaviour" are simply points to seek favour by their own merits before the Judge with a self-righteous, self-justifying mindset. While on earth, they did not in the back of their minds think, "Oh yes, I am going to heaven. Oh yes, I am a child of God." Rather, their thought with every action was steeped in self, self, self. Someone that truly longs and aches for their heavenly home, desires to see God in their life, and performs righteous behaviour without taking stock of how many good marks they are making will not stand there at the last day to hear, "Depart from me ye that work iniquity into everlasting fire." Those that will hear that do not fear that now, and they will claim their own self-worth to Him.

Have you felt His power in your life? Have you tried to do the right thing because it is the right thing no matter whether everybody or nobody noticed? Has your heart ached for home under the sound of the gospel trumpet with your own conviction of soul to do better going forward than you have in the past? If so, may I say that you feel the very thing that separates you from the solely natural, carnal, depraved man. Your eyes see, ears hear, and heart has received the very substance of imputed righteousness from Jesus Christ that transforms you from a totally depraved individual to a struggling individual that has two warring natures. One day, that deliverance from bondage of corruption that your soul desires will be manifest at death or His coming and the resurrection, whichever comes first. Just as your inward parts have been made holy and righteous in His sight, so shall your body likewise be changed to stand wholly in His presence complete and without spot. (Romans 8:18-24, I Thessalonians 5:23)

Whenever the faulty proclamation comes forth that sincere seekers of God will be spurned from Him for all eternity, may we avoid such talk and talkers and not be deterred by doubt and despair of our own standing before God. May our soul march unabated in the fight of faith ever pressing onward, looking upward, and yearning for the day when we see His face in righteousness and are satisfied. (Psalm 17:15) At that day, there will be no more sorrows, no more pains, no more death, no more regrets, no more griefs, and certainly no more doubts and despairs. It is a morbid doctrine (and certainly contrary to Scriptures) to strike fear into people's hearts about how sure they are and how sincere they might be. Honestly, those that are insincere and unbelieving will not be interested in what I try to preach, for there is nothing there for them to get excited about or latch onto. Therefore, my soul is cheered at telling hard-working and honest saints, "Fear not; deliverance is coming. Heaven awaits, and ever speed that day Lord Jesus."




In Hope,

Bro Philip