"Out of the Heart of Men Proceed Evil Thoughts."

WE often hear it said, in these days, that man is being elevated by lofty and scientific thoughts. But the question for us is: Does man give God the right place in his heart, and is there anything there to suit Him? The Bible shows us clearly that, from the beginning, the tendency of man’s thoughts has been to make much of himself and little of God. Perhaps not always openly so, but God looks at what lies hidden in the heart. “Hell and destruction are before the Lord; how much more then the hearts of the children of men?” (Prov. 15:1111Hell and destruction are before the Lord: how much more then the hearts of the children of men? (Proverbs 15:11)). Let us contrast what the man of the world thinks in his heart, with what God has revealed in His word: —
 
“The fool hath said in
“For there is one God,
 
his heart, There is no
and one mediator between
 
God.”—Ps. 14:1
God and men, the man
 
 
Christ Jesus.”— 1 Tim. 2:5.
 
“The wicked…hath
“When they shall say,
 
said in his heart, I shall
Peace and safety; then
 
not be moved: for I shall
sudden destruction cometh
 
never be in adversity.”—
upon them, . . . and they
 
Ps. 10:6
shall not escape.”—1 Thess. 5:3
 
 
 
 
“He hath said in his
“Thou hast set our iniquities
 
heart, God hath forgotten:
before Thee, our
 
. . . He will never see it.”
secret sins in the light
 
—Ps. 10:11
of Thy countenance.”—Ps. 3:15.
 
 
 
 
“He hath said in his
“God requireth that
 
heart, Thou wilt not require it.”—Ps. 10:13.
which is past.”—Eccles. 3:15
 
 
 
 
“That evil servant shall
“The Lord is not slack
 
say in his heart, My lord
concerning His promise, as
 
delayeth his coming.”—
some men count slackness;
 
Matt. 23:48.
but is longsuffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” — 2 Pet. 3:9.
 
“Thou hast said in Mine
“Verily every man at
 
heart, I am, and none else
his best state is altogether
 
beside me.”—Isa. 47:10
vanity.”—Ps. 39:5.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“She saith in her heart,
“In one hour shall thy
 
I fit a queen, and am no
judgment come.” — Rev. 18:10.
 
widow, and shall see no
 
 
sorrow.”—Rev. 18:7
 
It is a blessed thing that the Gospel not only unfolds to us the deceitfulness of our thoughts, but it reveals to us the thoughts of God, — thoughts of love and mercy for the poor sinner who is weary of the evil of his own heart. When we can own before God that every imagination of the thoughts of our hearts is only evil continually so that nothing less than the death of Christ can deliver us from them, then God can say: “I know the thoughts that I think toward you; thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end” (Jer. 29:1111For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. (Jeremiah 29:11)).
L. C. W.