Some time ago a nationally known brain surgeon performed an operation on a convict’s brain to curb his desire to steal.
“As far as I am concerned, the operation was a failure,” said the patient, when he was picked up by the police as he pawned a stolen watch. When the officers went to the home of the culprit, they found all sorts of items that had been stolen from various places. Much to the disappointment of the patient’s lawyer, who had arranged the operation, the attempt to remedy the trouble by surgery of the brain was a complete failure.
Little wonder, for the diagnosis was absolutely wrong! In Mark 7:21-2321For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23All these evil things come from within, and defile the man. (Mark 7:21‑23), the Lord Jesus Christ says, “From within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, THEFTS, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: all these evil things come from within, and defile the man.”
From this it is clearly seen that theft is produced by the heart (synonym for the soul) of man. The cause is not in the head but in the heart-not that which is physical, but that which is spiritual.
And the heart is the fountain of every evil thing. Jeremiah the prophet declares: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” It is SIN that has made it so, and the Great Physician who knows man’s heart was apparently not consulted before an attempt was made to remedy the condition without getting at the cause.
Many are the efforts being made today to correct the outward condition of the evil that is all around us by physical, therapeutic, psychological and philanthropic means. All these efforts ignore the basic cause, and so they can result in nothing but failure and disappointment.
When the truth of God’s diagnosis of man’s sinful condition and absolute soul-ruin is refused or ignored, there can be no other end than death and judgment. “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Prov. 14:1212There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. (Proverbs 14:12)). Because of sin, man is helpless to do one thing to remedy his condition. So far as human efforts are concerned, his case is hopeless.
Is There No Hope, No Remedy?
Yes, thank God, there is! The very one against whom man has sinned has provided a remedy. An operation was needed, truly, but it was an operation of divine judgment against sin. And the blessed Lord Jesus came to be made sin for us and underwent on Calvary the knife of God’s righteous wrath against sin. He was the Substitute for sinful men. He “suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:1818For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: (1 Peter 3:18)).
His death and the shedding of His blood met all God’s righteous claims and opened the way for God to come out to man with an offer of grace to all: “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you” (Ezek. 36:2626A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 36:26)).
This is the remedy! A new birth which gives a new life and a new nature, all of which is divine and eternal. This is what the Lord Jesus proclaimed to Nicodemus: “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God....YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN” (John 3:3,73Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (John 3:3)
7Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. (John 3:7)). It is not the turning over of a new leaf that is needed, but the receiving of a new life is required. It is not reformation, but regeneration.
How Can One Be Born Again?
The Bible tells it plainly: “As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” We become children of God by receiving the Lord Jesus Christ-receiving Him by believing on His name. So a divine nature is given and eternal life is received, for we read, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life” (John 3:3636He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36)). Thank God it is so!