Because Your Heart Was Tender

Because Your Heart Was Tender

The opposite is a hard heart, a heart of stone. “You stiff-necked . . . .” Acts 7:51. Josiah did away with all the abominations. According to the light of the new covenant—the strong light with which Jesus came—everything that is highly esteemed in the eyes of man is an abomination. Luke 16:15. These are Jesus’ own words! Who of all the thousands of “believers” in the world has believed this and acted accordingly? Almost none of them! It is not so strange that Jesus asked whether He would find faith [in all the words of life] on earth when He returned.

Everyone understands what it is that people esteem highly and are impressed by! Everyone understands that very well! The opposite of it is what people look down on and despise, for example: godliness with contentment, being satisfied with the little we have and with what is absolutely necessary, and keeping to lowly things! Rom. 12:16.

Josiah removed all the abominations in the land with an incredibly desperate zeal! 2 Chron. 34 and 35. Every wholehearted Christian should do this, first and foremost in his own life!

When it concerns ourselves, we ought to eradicate, destroy, and totally grind into dust—with Josiah’s desperate zeal—all kinds of arrogance, everything that is high and lofty in men’s eyes, everything that is fashionable and modern in all areas, everything that is grand and imposing, for example, in the matter of dress and household appliances and all sorts of decorations. Yes, even when it comes to food. Gluttony is also something great and glorious in man’s eyes. However, in God’s eyes, it is a work of the flesh, which is manifest sin and harmful instead of sound and profitable. All sinners display a great and lively interest in particularly good-tasting food, and much food—preferably served on nicely decorated trays!

We are to be content when we have food and clothing—not particularly much and good and nice tasting food, and not many clothes and fashionable clothes in various colors and color combinations!

As it is written, “Do not be conformed to this world . . . .” Rom. 12:2. However, that is precisely what most people do. They ape both this and that. The spirit of the world creeps in wherever it is not met by desperate, hard opposition. From a spiritual and material point of view, keeping yourself to what is lowly and despised has all possible advantages for time and eternity.

Godliness is profitable for all things!