If we really want to know the will of God for our lives we must come to the study of His word with a humble, contrite spirit wanting not only to know the truth but also be willing to change our lifestyle and belief to conform the will of God.
Amen dear brother! There is an important and interesting truth in the quote you shared. It gives support to the fact that your statement applies to those who are not converted yet, as well as those who are. Can the unconverted understand right from wrong? Yes.
"God does not compel men to give up their unbelief. Before them are light and darkness, truth and error. It is for them to decide which they will accept. The human mind is endowed with power to discriminate between right and wrong. God designs that men shall not decide from impulse, but from weight of evidence, carefully comparing scripture with scripture. Had the Jews laid by their prejudice and compared written prophecy with the facts characterizing the life of Jesus, they would have perceived a beautiful harmony between the prophecies and their fulfillment in the life and ministry of the lowly Galilean." They were not converted, yet they were "endowed" with power to discriminate between right and wrong. This function of the carnal mind is called a conscience. When Adam sinned he then lost his holy flesh and had a fallen nature which was evil. This is our inheritance. But, he never lost his conscience, his ability to reason, nor his intelligence. Then what is a fallen nature? He was no longer holy. He was evil by nature and could do no good thing from the heart. All he did or thought was continually tainted by selfishness. This is a foundational truth understood by most of a Christianity. Yet, today there are those who will now argue against this truth. Genesis 3:15 is the everlasting covenant which promised Adam and us a new heart that could keep the law of God from the new heart filled with the Holy Spirit (written upon the heart). This is what Jesus meant when He told Nicodemus (a Laodicean) that he needed to be born again, for that which is born of the flesh is flesh, that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. Ye must be born again in order to do any good thing for the right reason (unselfish). The promise given within the hearing of Adam in the Garden was a conditional promise that he would be given a hatred for sin (and Eve's children, us) if he would give his whole heart to Christ. This is what it means to be converted.
Thank you Beacon for sharing this important truth. Many will be blessed as they read your post.
Pastor Sean was impressed with the same truth that was revealed to me.
"The perception and appreciation of truth, He said, depends less upon the mind than upon the heart. Truth must be received into the soul; it claims the homage of the will. If truth could be submitted to the reason alone, pride would be no hindrance in the way of its reception. But it is to be received through the work of grace in the heart; and its reception depends upon the renunciation of every sin that the Spirit of God reveals."It is grace that saves us, grace that is allowed into the heart. The deception that surrounds what it means to be converted is more clearly revealed in today's reading.
If any man willeth to do His will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it be of God, or whether I speak from Myself." John 7:16, 17, R. V. The question of these cavilers Jesus met, not by answering the cavil, but by opening up truth vital to the salvation of the soul. The perception and appreciation of truth, He said, depends less upon the mind than upon the heart. Truth must be received into the soul; it claims the homage of the will. If truth could be submitted to the reason alone, pride would be no hindrance in the way of its reception. But it is to be received through the work of grace in the heart; and its reception depends upon the renunciation of every sin that the Spirit of God reveals. Man's advantages for obtaining a knowledge of the truth, however great these may be, will prove of no benefit to him unless the heart is open to receive the truth, and there is a conscientious surrender of every habit and practice that is opposed to its principles. To those who thus yield themselves to God, having an honest desire to know and to do His will, the truth is revealed as the power of God for their salvation. These will be able to distinguish between him who speaks for God, and him who speaks merely from himself. The Pharisees had not put their will on the side of God's will. They were not seeking to know the truth, but to find some excuse for evading it; Christ showed that this was why they did not understand His teaching.Does not the Bible tell us the path to heaven is steep and narrow and few will find it? That is not being taught in most churches today. So, what we read here is frightening to many in the church, therefore rejected. But, it is
"truth vital to the salvation of the soul." What truth is so vital that we must understand? Our salvation
"depends upon the renunciation of every sin that the Spirit of God reveals." It is true that God does not cease working for us when we sin, but neither do we have Him in the heart. He stands at the door of the heart wanting in. He will not come into until we want Him, love Him, more that the truth we will not follow.
The Bible tells us
"to Him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin" no matter how little. When the Spirit reveals a truth, then we are to walk in it. If we do not, then we have refused
"the renunciation of every sin that the Spirit of God reveals." Some will read this and turn never more to walk with Jesus. Others will receive this truth and instead of walking away from Jesus will turn to Him. Let us be encouraged that Jesus has power and the desire to save us from ourselves. He loves us and has proved it over and over. Unconverted
"men hate the sinner, while they love the sin. Christ hates the sin, but loves the sinner. This will be the spirit of all who follow Him. Christian love is slow to censure, quick to discern penitence, ready to forgive, to encourage, to set the wanderer in the path of holiness, and to stay his feet therein."Jesus' love for us is again revealed in today's reading in how He dealt with a condemned sinner.
In His act of pardoning this woman and encouraging her to live a better life, the character of Jesus shines forth in the beauty of perfect righteousness. While He does not palliate sin, nor lessen the sense of guilt, He seeks not to condemn, but to save. The world had for this erring woman only contempt and scorn; but Jesus speaks words of comfort and hope. The Sinless One pities the weakness of the sinner, and reaches to her a helping hand. While the hypocritical Pharisees denounce, Jesus bids her, "Go, and sin no more." What was it that caused the woman's heart to go out to Jesus? It was grace. Sister Dorine expresses it beatifully:
"In astonishment she saw her accusers depart speechless and confounded; then those words of hope fell upon her ear, "Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more." Her heart was melted, and she cast herself at the feet of Jesus, sobbing out her grateful love, and with bitter tears confessing her sins."
These are the most beautiful words for a sinner to hear. The result of Jesus' love for her is most precious. Some may have jumped up and run off to live life as usual but her heart melted and with tears of gratitude confessed her sins. Every time I read this story I mentally stand aside and gaze at this scene. This is what Jesus has done for me and each time I sin I see him as He is in this story and my heart is melted too. How can we let pride and self keep us from responding as did this dear woman to such love?
The road to heaven is steep and few will enter therein, but it is not because we cannot make it. Jesus has provided help at great expense. Our part is immeasurably small, Jesus' part is immeasurably large. It is His power that enables us to climb that steep narrow road to heaven. In the Words of Jesus
"Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke [is] easy, and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30.Amen! We testify that it is self that is the problem, but when fully surrendered to Christ, self is not allowed to ruin our lives. Satan's snares are of no effect even though we are surrounded by them. We are new creatures in Christ and can do all that He asks of us!