What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Romans 6:1-2
“Man, originally was of one constant, uniform frame of spirit, held one straight and even course; not one thought or faculty was disordered: his mind had a perfect knowledge of the requirements of God, his will a perfect compliance therewith; all his appetites and powers stood in a most obedient subordination.
Man, by the apostacy, is become a most disordered and rebellious creature, opposing his Maker, as the First Cause, by self-dependence; as the Chief Good, by self-love; as the Highest Lord, by self-will; and as the Last End by self-seeking. Thus, he is quite disordered, and all his actions are irregular.
But by regeneration the disordered soul is set right; this great change being, as the Scripture expresses it, the renovation of the soul after the image of God, in which self-dependence is removed by faith; self-love, by the love of God; self-will, by subjection and obedience to the will of God; and self-seeking by self-denial.
The darkened understanding is illuminated, the refractory will sweetly subjected, the rebellious appetite gradually conquered. Thus, the soul which sin had universally depraved, is by grace restored. This being pre-supposed, it will not be difficult to apprehend what it is to keep the heart, which is nothing but the constant care and diligence of such a renewed man to preserve his soul in that holy frame to which grace has raised it.
For though grace has, in a great measure, rectified the soul, and given it an habitual heavenly temper; yet sin often actually discomposes it again; so that even a gracious heart is like a musical instrument, which though it be exactly tuned, a small matter brings it out of tune again. Yea, hang it aside but a little, and it will need setting again before another lesson can be played upon it.
If gracious hearts are in a desirable frame in one duty, yet how dull, dead, and disordered when they come to another… To keep the heart then, is carefully to preserve it from sin, which disorders it; and maintain that spiritual frame which fits it for a life of communion with God… Now, reader, consider well these special benefits of keeping the heart which I have mentioned. Examine their importance.”
John Flavel in Treatise on Keeping the Heart: Selected from the Works of The Rev. John Flavel (New York: America Tract Society) 9, 107
The Spirit desires to set right that which is broken in each of us.
Yet, like an unused instrument, we quickly get out of tune and may become useless rather than useful.
How might your instrument appear?
Is it dull, dead, and disordered? Or rather, is it ready to perform its one duty? Only you an answer this.
Disordered selves cause us to depend on, love, and follow our will rather than Christ.
Examine the importance of keeping your heart. Don’t let the power of sin discompose you or your generosity.