True Wholehearted Joy

Part 1. By Ron van Leerdam

Brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ, does anyone know the reason God made people? He made them for His pleasure. We are made to make God happy. By nature we want to only please ourselves. In conversion – the theme of Lord’s Day 33 we are reminded of our true purpose in life. You can read it in the link below!

https://www.heidelberg-catechism.com/en/lords-days/33.html

To know the mind of God and to act according to His will. To think God’s thoughts after Him and see life through His eyes. Having heard the Gospel, God by the power of His Holy Spirit brings us into a personal relationship with Him in order that we might know why He made us and live for Him. Faith in Jesus Christ affects AND transforms our life.

Our attitudes, the choices we make. We choose to adopt God’s thought pattern! We cannot stop the thoughts that arise in our minds, but we can choose what we do with those thoughts. Thoughts get transformed into actions…

The disciple of Jesus comes to that point in their life when they by the grace of God respond to the gospel in faith and become covenant keepers.

Those who are not disciples reject the gospel in unbelief, harden their hearts and continue to be covenant breakers.

There are people who have been going to church all their lives and still have not been converted. It is not so difficult to regularly go to church, put up a good front on Sundays and not live life showing the true fruit of conversion.

What is conversion?

It is the same as genuine REPENTANCE. The catechism puts it this way:

The dying away of the old self and the coming to life of the new.

It is being genuinely sorry for sin.

It is a heartfelt sorrow motivated by the right reasons.

It is NOT just saying,” I’m sorry!”; because you are scared of the consequences of your sin.

I can still remember that when I did something wrong as a child I would quickly say to Mum or Dad, “I’m sorry!” I’m sorry because I knew that I was in for some severe punishment.

Some people are sorry for their sins because of the mess that it has got them in. But if they did not get there lives in a mess they would not be sorry. i.e. Got caught stealing.

It was not the stealing that they were sorry about, rather they were sorry about getting caught and the punishment, shame and embarrassment. In Hosea 6 we see an example of false sorrow.

“Come, let us return to the Lord.
He has torn us to pieces
    but he will heal us;
he has injured us
    but he will bind up our wounds.
After two days he will revive us;
    on the third day he will restore us,
    that we may live in his presence.
Let us acknowledge the Lord;
    let us press on to acknowledge him.
As surely as the sun rises,
    he will appear;
he will come to us like the winter rains,
    like the spring rains that water the earth.”

“What can I do with you, Ephraim?
    What can I do with you, Judah?
Your love is like the morning mist,
    like the early dew that disappears.” HOSEA 6:1-4 NIV

Then God’s analysis:

“They do not cry out to me from their hearts
    but wail on their beds.
They slash themselves, appealing to their gods
    for grain and new wine,
    but they turn away from me.” Hosea 7:14.

God rejects false repentance. In Isaiah 6 we learn what true repentance is.

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;
    the whole earth is full of his glory.”

At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.

“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” Isaiah 6:1-5.

Isaiah sees what he is in the presence of a holy and righteous God. He recognises his sin and he is really sorry that his sin provokes God to anger. Isaiah recognises his sin hurts and offends God. THIS is what it means to be truly sorry.

Another example is that of David after Nathan the prophet had spoken to him showing his sin – the murder of Uriah the Hittite and committing adultery with Bathsheba.

“Against you, you only have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge…” Psalm 51:4

“You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” Psalm 51:16-17

Those who have been convicted of their sin by the Holy Spirit hate it more and more. They run away from it. Yes we pray; Lord, “Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one.”

The Power of God’s love and forgiveness is life changing. conversion, like a coin with two sides. The coming to life of the new – true FAITH, believing in the promises of God. WE BELIEVE THAT JESUS CHRIST HAS PAID THE PRICE FOR OUR SIN ON THE CROSS. Therefore the coming to life of the new,

IS WHOLEHEARTED JOY IN GOD

through Christ and a delight to do every kind of good as God wants us to. Christians feel joy in their heart. Great happiness finding peace with God.

Thank you for reading! Please comment down below if you would like more. What was your conversion story? How has God created wholehearted joy in your heart? If you have never experienced this kind of joy please reach out in the comments.