2 Kings 10:15 And when he was departed there, he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him: and he saluted him, and said to him… For the sake of order I bring the subject before you under four general heads of discourse. If our hearts be right, they will be right. I. IF THE STATE OF OUR HEARTS BE RIGHT, THEN WILL THEY BE RIGHT WITH GOD. A heart truly right with God implies, 1. That we venerate Him. 2. That we entirely submit ourselves to Him. 3. That by the cultivation of a devotional spirit, we maintain a sacred intercourse with Him.We ask, then, Is thine heart right with God? Does it venerate Him? submit to Him? aspire after Him? You know the state of your own heart: Answer these inquiries as before God. II. IF OUR HEARTS BE RIGHT, THEY ARE RIGHT WITH CHRIST. Till this be the case, the heart cannot ever be right with God. 1. When it accepts His sacrifice as the only ground on which to claim the remission of sins. 2. The heart is not right with Christ unless it loves Him. 3. When the heart is right with Christ, there is an habitual confidence in His intercession. Is thine heart thus right with Christ? Dost thou thus believe in Him? thus love Him? thus habitually confide in Him? III. IF OUR HEARTS BE RIGHT, THEY ARE RIGHT WITH THE CHURCH OF CHRIST. I mean, by this expression, the whole company of his militant and professing people here on earth; the spiritual Israel of God. Now, when the heart is in a right state, 1. The Church is avowed. 2. Its members are loved. 3. When our heart is right with the Church, we feel that we are identified with it. Here, too, let me ask, "Is thine heart right?" Dost thou avow thyself a member of Christ's church? love its members? identify thyself with its interests? and labour to promote them? IV. IF THE HEART BE LIGHT, IT WILL BE RIGHT WITH ITSELF. There are strange oppositions and divisions in the heart; and this cannot be a right state of it There is opposition between conviction and choice. Many know the good, who choose it not, who make no effort for its attainment. There is opposition between Will and power. To Will is indeed present with them, but how to perform they find not. There is the struggle between the flesh and the spirit; the counteraction of graces by opposite evils There is the stunted growth. The seed is at least so far choked, that there is no fruit unto perfection. When it is thus with us, the heart is manifestly wrong. When it is right, it exerts an enlightened sway over the whole man: All its powers are in obedient order, all its graces fruitful and abundant. We therefore again ask, Is thine heart right With itself? Is it divided, and therefore faulty? or has God united it, that it may fear His name? 1. Perhaps our heart is wrong. 2. Perhaps it is in part right. 3. Know and use the means by which this may be accomplished.Exercise faith in the Saviour, live in habitual watchfulness and self-denial, "keeping the heart with all diligence, for that out of it are the issues of life." (R. Watson.) Parallel Verses KJV: And when he was departed thence, he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him: and he saluted him, and said to him, Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? And Jehonadab answered, It is. If it be, give me thine hand. And he gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot. |
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