A clean heart or a new heart?

[Roy B.]

Psalms 51:10 says, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me."

 

In Ezekiel 18:31 we read, "Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! For why will you die, O house of Israel?

 

My question would be:  Is a "clean heart" the same as a "new heart"?

 

Since both of these verses deal with God's chosen, where does a "clean heart" or a "new heart" come from? 

 

Is it up to us or does God do it? 

 

I'm asking because there are a few things (sins) in my heart that I can't seem to get rid of.  I have a love for money and an addiction.  I can't seem to find strength to overcome either one and I need help.  If God has made up His mind for me to make myself a new heart, as mentioned in Ez. 18:31, then I'm in big trouble because I can't seem to do it.

 

If God does create a new heart...how do I access His grace?  
 

[Marilyn C]

Hi Roy,

 

Very good question. My understanding is that it is God who places His Spirit within us, making us alive in the spirit to Him. Now that is not a `magic,` thing where everything is then overcome. God desires that we `grow,` mature & that takes our will with His enabling. Even though you have God`s spirit within you still have your own will, but now you can choose to go your old ways or ask God`s help to overcome them. Bit by bit you will become stronger to choose the right way & become free of those bad habits etc.

 

This process of maturing & choosing goes right on till the day we die. This is what it means to be an overcomer. Overcome the many temptations around & overcome the lies of the devil who tries to continually condemn us. When you realise you have done or thought something wrong, then thank God for showing it to you & then repent & ask Him (again maybe) to help you overcome in that area.

 

In my life I know the Lord tends to deal with one thing at a time & over a period of time. It is a journey Roy, & eventually you get to really appreciate the Lord showing you things you never realised you were doing & then you are pleased to work on them.

 

Be encouraged, bro we are all on the same journey. Marilyn. 

[Marilyn C]

Hi Cletus,

 

What a great psalm. Actually it is my husband`s favourite. What good advice you have.

[Willa]

EZ 21:26 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthyness and all your idols. 26. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put a new spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes, and you will keep my judgements and do them.29 I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. 31 Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good; and you will loathe yourself in you own sight for your iniquities and your abominationns.

This is written to Israel, but God does these things or us as well. It is speaking of taking our hardened hearts away and making them soft and sorrowful for our evil doing. This is good because when we loathe the evil that we have done we want to do the good. Our hearts are in the right place. And when we fall, we ask God to cleanse our hearts again and put a right spirit in us. So especially about a year after we are saved, we see more and more junk in our lives that God wants to get rid of and feel pretty hopeless about it all.. But God isn't through with us yet.

Then He starts working on our bad attitudes that cause most of the trouble to begin with. Anger, unforgiveness and lust instead of brawling and lack of compassion and fornication. He starts helping us to see others and ourselves as God sees us, helpless to help ourselves. We see that we can't fix ourselves and how hopeless it is, and we must rely totally upon God to change us. We rest in Christ's finished work at the cross, that He gave us His righteousness when He took our sinfulness to the cross.

The answer to the last of Romans 7, o wretched man that I am, Who can save me from the body of death? The evil I don't want to do, I do. The good I want to do I don't do. -----the answer is in Romans 8. There is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. The answer is to focus on what Jesus is asking us to do right now to serve Him. We do what we know we should and focus on Jesus. We give into the impulses to do good and ignore the impulses to do evil.

It is not easy to overcome bad habits. But with God's grace it can be done. Sometimes it is one day at a time. It often helps to be held accountable to a pastor or to go to some bibical counseling. Even some men's groups are helpful. It is good to know others have gone through the same problems and how they overcame.

Ususally when I was focusing on failing at one thing, God was changing a different part of my life and I didn't even realize it. He takes one thing at a time according to His priorities, which sometimes aren't ours.

Blessings,

Willa

[miriam40012]

David did not ask for a "new" heart, but, rather, that God would create in him a "clean" heart. This is a creation work that is done by our Creator. Mending will not do the job, as our heart is altogether corrupted. David could not make his heart clean himself, and knew that this was the work of God, demanding a feat that required creative power. He was literally asking God to bestow as a gift, a heart free from the pollution of sin.

[JudieDance]

I do not think anything anything can ever be "new " again- nor would we want it to be- we need all our experiences, memories, and journeys to be a part of our growth. But we don't have to dwell on them or keep them alive and festering. We let them slumber and become small so we have room for a new journey- a clean heart.