Sermons From The Psalms (I)
Prerequisites Of A Personal Worker — Psalms 51:10-13
"Create in me a clean heart, 0 God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto Thee."
Christianity is a personal matter. No one can serve God for me. Every service performed is a personal work. However, the personal work with which we wish to deal in this lesson has to do with soul winning — that is — personally going out and talking to people about Christ and his plan of salvation. This is the prime mission of God's people — i.e. — to "teach transgressors of" God's ways.
To effectively accomplish any work, one must be properly prepared. So it is with the Personal Worker. There are some pre-requisites required of the effective soul winner — a study of our text will, I believe, reveal what is required of one before he can effectively "teach transgressors of Thy ways."
"Create In Me A Clean Heart"
Let us analyze this statement. May we first determine what is meant by the word "Heart"? Many think that the physical heart is under consideration when this word appears in God's plan of redemption. The "Heart" must be changed, true; but may I say that neither God nor man wants the physical heart changed. It does exactly what is expected and desired of it. But there is a "Heart" that is changed in conversion. What is it? The answer is found is determining what the "Heart" does.
Speaking of man, Solomon said, "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he." (Prov. 23:7)
Jesus said, (Mt. 13:15) "For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart and should be converted and I should heal them." (Acts 2:37) "Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart." (Mark 2:8) "Why reason ye these things in your hearts?" (Rom. 10:1) "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved." (Rom. 10:10) "For with the heart man believeth" — The "heart" that is to be changed is that part of man with which he thinks, understands, reasons, desires, and believes. These are all actions of the intellect, the mind. Therefore, David, in our text wanted' a clean (pure) mind. (Mt. 5:8) "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God."
Those with a dirty, evil mind cannot effectively teach transgressors of God's way. Hence, "create" in me a clean heart. God is to "create" this clean heart. But How? does God do this? Is it by the "direct operation of the Holy Spirit"? Is it by a miracle? No, God "purifies the heart by faith". (Acts 15:9) "And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith."
But "faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God" (Rom. 10:17) "This "faith" purifies our heart and thus we are led to "obey." Paul expresses it on this wise, "For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love." (Gal. 5:6) Now, we see why James said, "Ye see then how that by works a man is justified and not by faith only." (James 2:24) When our faith "works" it causes us to repent and to be baptized (Acts 2:38) "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."
We are baptized "into Christ" (Gal. 3:27) Therefore, Paul could say, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works." (Eph. 2:10)
When one hears God's Word, believes, repents, and is baptized, he is God's creation, a "new creature." David petitioned God to create "in me" a clean heart. Not in someone else. It seems that man is prone to want someone else to be righteous, but never thinks that they, themselves, might need to correct anything in their own lives. This is, in many instances, a fatal mistake. "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith." (2 Cor. 13:5)
"Take heed unto yourselves" (Acts 20:28) To be an effective personal worker one must discipline his own life.
The Psalmist Next Asks For A "Right Spirit."
The apostle Paul exhorted brethren to control their thinking. (2 Cor. 10:3-5) "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh; (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God, to the pulling down of strongholds); casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ."
We must have the mind of Christ (Phil. 2:5). "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus."
The only way we can have the mind of Christ is to be governed and guided by the Word of God, which is "the weapon of our warfare." It will bring our thinking in captivity to the obedience of Christ .
"Cast Me Not Away From Thy Presence"
David realized that God must be with him. God must be with us in our work today if we hope to succeed. How can we be assured of God's presence with us? The answer is found in (2 Jno. 9) "He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son." (Jas. 4:8) "Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you." (Jno. 6:37) "and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." Thus, we learn that we may be sure that God and Christ are with us if we come to, or draw nigh to them by "abiding in the doctrine of Christ." But "whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God."
Therefore, (Col. 3:17) "and whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of (by His authority) the Lord Jesus." For an individual or congregation to engage in a practice not authorized by Christ; they must forego the presence of God. What a terrible price to pay.
"Restore Unto Me The Joy Of Thy Salvation"
We usually engage in those things from which we derive joy. One does not have to "Twist our arm" much to get us to do that which we enjoy. But it may take quite a bit of coaxing to get us to do that which gives us no joy. Possibly the reason why it is so difficult to get some church members to be faithful is that they get no joy out of serving the Lord. Some people have just enough religion to be miserable. Their conscience hurts them if they don't serve the Lord, and they get no joy out of it if they do serve Him. (Phil. 4:4) "Rejoice in the Lord alway; and again I say, Rejoice." This command is more emphasized than any other. Never do we read, "Repent, and again I say, repent." Nor is it so of any command except "Rejoice." If people rejoice in the salvation of God, they will be faithful. The Elders and preacher will not have to beg them to serve the Lord. If we can get people to "rejoice" in the Lord and in doing His will, the major problem of the church will have been solved. Without this joy no one can be an effective personal worker.
"Then Will I Teach Transgressors Thy Ways"
Only the person who is a "new creature" in Christ, having obeyed from the heart the gospel of Christ, and abides in the doctrine of Christ, allowing the Word of God to govern and guide their thinking and rejoices in service to God will teach transgressors of God's way.
"Go teach" is the command of our Lord (Mt. 28:19). The need of our developing into teachers is set forth in (Heb. 5:8-14). The church was brought into existence through the medium of teaching and the purity and stability of the church depends on teaching.
Be sure to notice the text states, "Teach transgressors of Thy Ways." We must not teach our ways or opinions, nor the ideas and theories of men. (Mt. 15:9) The curse of the religious world, yea even the church in many places is the opinions and doctrines of men being taught. (2 Tim. 4:2) "Preach the Word."
When a faithful servant of the Lord teaches God's Word to transgressors sinners will be converted. (James 5:20) "Let him know that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins."