Scripture References: Jeremiah 17:9
The heart of man is more deceitful than all things and can certainly deceive us without us knowing it. Genesis 6:5 tells us these words saying, "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." Until the heart of a sinful man is spiritually changed, that person is headed for destruction, which will take place in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone and referred to as the second death. Jesus tells us that as it was in the days of Noah so shall it be also in the days of the coming of the Son of man. Everything that took place in Noah's day will take place again in these very last days just before Christ returns to this earth the second time. What was the condition of mankind when God decided to destroy all flesh upon the earth? Genesis 6:12 says, "And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth." All flesh once again will corrupt himself as the people did in Noah's day. Sin was of course the reason why all flesh in Noah's day has corrupted his way upon the earth, and sin will still be the reason why all of mankind will corrupt himself just prior to the time that Christ will return the second time.
Why will sin corrupt all flesh once again in the last remaining day's before Christ returns? It's simply because of what the prophet Jeremiah has told us in the above scripture, which tells us that the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperate wicked. God is the only one that can change a person's heart that is hard as a stone being filled with all manner of evil and wickedness. Gods word reveals that it's when the Spirit of Christ truly comes into the heart of a wicked sinner that will make a spiritual change in the heart. When the Spirit of Christ truly takes up his abode in the heart, it is miraculously cleansed or purified of all the evil and wickedness that it contains. In Acts 15:7-9 we find Peter saying these words after the Holy Spirit came into the heart of those certain believers that says, "And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith."
Notice how Peter said that the hearts of those believers were purified by faith, which means all the evil and wickedness that the heart contained was spiritually removed. What is in the heart of a person before this miracle takes place within the heart? Let Jesus tell us in what he says in Mark 7:20-23 that says, "And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For 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."
So until the heart of man is changed by the purifying of all the evils that it contains he is on his way to destruction to suffer the consequences of the second death. It's only when the Spirit of Christ truly comes into the heart that the miracle will take place. As we look into the realm of the confessing Christian world today can you honestly believe that a change has been made in the hearts of all the millions that claim to be saved and born again? If so, why then are they still calling themselves sinners living in sin and strutting around like stuffed peacocks telling everybody they are saved? They still call themselves sinners and live in sin simply because the Spirit of Christ is not in their hearts as they believe. Let the apostle Paul tell us about those that does not possess the Spirit of Christ in what he says in Romans 8:8-9 that says, "So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his."
Paul makes it crystal clear that if any person does not have the Spirit of Christ he is none of his or is not of God. Why does not the millions of confessing Christians today that struts around like stuffed peacocks still calling themselves sinners living in sin have not the Spirit of Christ in them? It's simply because they don't know scripturally how to receive Christ in their heart. They have been deceived into believing that Christ came into their heart and life by merely believing on him and accepting him as their own personal Lord and Savior, but this is far from the truth of the matter. We do not and cannot truly receive Christ in our hearts by merely inviting him in our heart like multiplied millions think and believe. There is only one scriptural way to receive Christ in our heart and this truth is revealed in Revelation 3:20 that says, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." Notice carefully that Jesus plainly reveals that we must hear his voice and open our hearts door and then he will come in our heart. To hear his voice means to hear his word, which is his word revealed in scripture. A perfect example of this is revealed in Acts 10:44 that says, "While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word." This simply reveals that we must hear Gods word and open our hearts door to that word and then and only then will Christ by his Spirit come into our heart and make a change in our heart by purifying it of all the evil and wickedness that it contains.
Is there any wonder why there is no spiritual change whatsoever in the heart of the multiplied millions of people in today's confessing Christian world that still lives in and commit sin and even yet call themselves sinners? Why are they helpless, hopeless, and powerless? It's simply because they are Christless not possessing the Spirit of Christ in their heart like they think and believe, and Paul tells us that if any man have not the Spirit of Christ they are none of his. What must a person hear before Christ will come into their heart and purify it of the evil and wickedness that it contains? He must hear and believe and obey what the apostle Peter said on the day of Pentecost when he said these words to those Jews saying, "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." Friend you can either reject what Peter said here and go on your stiff necked way and end up in a devils hell, or you can do exactly what he said and then and only then will you begin to see and understand the many truths revealed in Gods word that will in time make a new creature out of you that will prepared you for Gods use as well as a prepared and sanctified vessel for his eternal kingdom. The choice is yours. "He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." AMEN