"Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, everyone according to his ways", says the LORD God. "Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, 

and get yourself a new heart and a new spirit.

For why should you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies", says the LORD God." "Therefore turn and live!"

Ezekiel 18:30-32, NKJV

 

The thought of a fresh start is extremely appealing to most of us, especially when we find ourselves in the middle of some great mess that we have created for ourselves. And a fresh start is exactly what God desires for us when we find ourselves in such a condition. But it may not be for the reason that we are thinking, for the new heart and new spirit are as much for God as they are for us. And God is worthy of our making a new beginning for ourselves and for Him.

 

Think back to the condition of the world in Noah's time. We are told that the state of mankind was so bad that every inclination of his heart was only evil all the time, and that this advanced state of wickedness was so bad that God was grieved He had made man in the first place. But then, there was Noah! Noah was found to be pleasing to God, and God decided to create a fresh start for the entire world by wiping out every living being with the exception of righteous Noah, his family, and a few animals.

 

In effect, since men would not get a new heart and a new spirit, God removed them and started over with a brand-new people - people who would be descended from the only righteous family that was left on earth. And God did this because only people with a pure heart and a pure spirit are worthy of this great gift of life that God has given to them.

 

So, the LORD God started over with a new people, since the old people refused to get a new heart and a new spirit. And, make no mistake, God is worthy of such a people.

 

Fast forward about 2,000 years from the time of the flood to the time of Ezekiel, from whom we read the words above. God was once again dealing with a wicked people, a people whose every inclination was wicked all the time, and God was once again grieved with mankind. But this time, God was willing to given men another chance. Instead of wiping them all out, He gave them the option of starting afresh with a new heart and a new spirit. And He even gave them His reasoning for doing so: God takes no pleasure in the death of anyone!

 

So, He sent the prophet Ezekiel to warn the people of their impending doom should they not repent, but He also gave them an option: They could avoid this death if they would get a new heart and a new spirit. The reason for needing such a change was obvious, for their old hearts were wicked and their old spirits were corrupt! Men and women whom God had gifted with life itself, were living for their own evil pleasures and lusts, rather than living to serve the One who had so lovingly given them life in the first place!

 

In effect, God placed before them an ultimatum: They could repent and start to live for Him, or they could suffer the consequences. The tragic part that we learn from history is this: Though they were given a chance at a new start, the vast majority of them did not find God worthy of the change that was needed in them... so they died! The vast majority of these evil people died for the simple reason that they preferred pursuing their own evil desires, rather than repenting and serving the One who gave them both life and a second chance. Only a tiny remnant would decide to take God up on His offer of a new heart and a new spirit, and only a tiny remnant would survive.

 

Now we come to the state of our world, today! Take a good look around. What do you see? Do you see the wars that stem from deep-seeded hatreds of our fellow man? Do you witness the terrible results of drug addiction? Do you see the perversity of a society that is obsessed with immorality and deviancy? Do you hear the foul language that is on the lips of just about everyone we come across? Do you see the open hostility and animosity that sinful man has for those who do not approve of his sin? Do you see the widow and the orphans going without justice in the land... do you see any of this?

 

We better, for God is seeing all of this, and much more, and I suspect He is grieved with the activity of a people whose every inclination is seemingly only evil all the time! We better think about the state of this current world and, even more importantly, our own lives, for our time may be running out. God has proven time and time again that His patience, though vast, does have a limit. 

 

Are we getting close to that limit... do you think? Wouldn't we all be happier if we put away our sins and began to live the pure and wholesome life that God has designed for us? Don't you think your children and grandchildren are worthy of a better world than the one we are giving them at the present? Don't you think that God is worthy of better?

 

A fresh start is appealing to all decent people, especially people who find themselves in the mess that this current world is in. That fresh start is in fact ours for the asking, if we will just ask. Make no mistake, such a fresh start will come with great effort. It will require a different mindset than the one that most people possess today. In fact, it will require a new heart and a new spirit. And we must begin to change and do our best to acquire this new heart and new spirit, for if we do not, we will perish in our sins. We don't want that, and incredibly enough, neither does God, for He takes no pleasure in the death of any of His creation. 

 

God and Christ are worthy of that effort! So, let's get to work now! This world is in a terrible mess - maybe one of the worst messes it has ever been in. Furthermore, it is likely getting late in the game, for I don't believe that we have a lot more time to change our wicked ways before this wicked world's overdue punishment arrives. Since all decent people desire this new start, since our children are worthy of this new start, and since God and Christ are especially worthy of this new start, all that remains is for us to begin. It will take a new heart and a new spirit, and this will require repentance - a turning from our wicked ways and back towards our Father! He will help us every step of the way, for He has already told us that He takes no pleasure from our death. So, let us begin that new direction, today! We certainly will never regret that fresh start if we will simply take advantage of it. But, if we don't... I think we all know what will happen then.

 

It is time for us to present to God a new heart and a new spirit!