ACTUALLY, until renewed by divine power working in grace, “there is none good, no not one.” But the truly good man relatively speaking, is the one in whose heart the Lord Jesus has found a dwelling-place. He subdues the evil of the natural heart and fills the inward being with the riches of His own love, goodness and grace, so that from within comes what will glorify Him and bring blessing to mankind. The words that flow from the lips express what fills the heart. Where Christ Himself is known and loved, the mouth will be filled with His perfections and others will be blessed and edified. When the heart is filled with worldliness and carnality, the lips will speak of those things which the natural man revels in, as swine in the filth of the sty.
“Our hearts are full of Christ and long
Their glorious matter to declare!
Of Him we make our loftier song, —
We cannot from His praise forbear:
Our ready tongues make haste to sing
The glories of the heavenly King.
Fairer than all the earth-born race,
Perfect in comeliness Thou art;
Replenished are Thy lips with grace,
And full of love Thy tender heart.
God ever-blest! we bow the knee.
And own all fullness dwells in Thee.”
—C. Wesley.