Spiritual Heart Disease: Luke 11:53-54
“53) When He left there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to be very hostile and to question Him closely on many subjects, 54) plotting against Him to catch Him in something He might say.” Luke 11:53-54
After His exposure and rebuke of the Pharisees and Lawyers, everything changed. He was no less blunt than John the Baptist a few years earlier (Matthew 3:5-12), but they had now become cold, hard, calloused and revengeful.
From this point onward, they become openly hostile. Every encounter had the goal of trapping and destroying Jesus.
There is a sober lesson in this story. If we do not respond with confession and repentance to the conviction ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives, it affects us inwardly. We become cold and hard.
Many contexts of Scripture warn about this phenomenon. One example is Ephesians 4:17-32. In this text Paul warns believers about the deceitfulness of sin. It can quickly lead to callous and heard hearts. It results in grieving the Holy Spirit.
Hardening of the spiritual arteries is a tragic condition. Like heart disease in the body, it becomes a silent killer. It kills fellowship and communion with God. It turns us into mean and grumpy people. It eats away at marriages and key relationships.
Unconfessed sin leads to spiritual heart disease. It has the same effect in us as it did in the Pharisees and Lawyers.
They were the religious leaders of Israel, but they became enemies of God. Their hearts were cold and callous.
Let this story serve as a sober warning. You need to deal with your sin if you want to be closer to God. Attend to your heart with all diligence. From it flows the forces that govern your life. (Proverbs 4:23)
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global
Sent from my iPhone
“53) When He left there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to be very hostile and to question Him closely on many subjects, 54) plotting against Him to catch Him in something He might say.” Luke 11:53-54
After His exposure and rebuke of the Pharisees and Lawyers, everything changed. He was no less blunt than John the Baptist a few years earlier (Matthew 3:5-12), but they had now become cold, hard, calloused and revengeful.
From this point onward, they become openly hostile. Every encounter had the goal of trapping and destroying Jesus.
There is a sober lesson in this story. If we do not respond with confession and repentance to the conviction ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives, it affects us inwardly. We become cold and hard.
Many contexts of Scripture warn about this phenomenon. One example is Ephesians 4:17-32. In this text Paul warns believers about the deceitfulness of sin. It can quickly lead to callous and heard hearts. It results in grieving the Holy Spirit.
Hardening of the spiritual arteries is a tragic condition. Like heart disease in the body, it becomes a silent killer. It kills fellowship and communion with God. It turns us into mean and grumpy people. It eats away at marriages and key relationships.
Unconfessed sin leads to spiritual heart disease. It has the same effect in us as it did in the Pharisees and Lawyers.
They were the religious leaders of Israel, but they became enemies of God. Their hearts were cold and callous.
Let this story serve as a sober warning. You need to deal with your sin if you want to be closer to God. Attend to your heart with all diligence. From it flows the forces that govern your life. (Proverbs 4:23)
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global
Sent from my iPhone
