Hey guys =) Max again. Recently, I've been attending a new church called First Presbyterian, a very small church with only 60 members and 30 active members, the others are homebound. We've (my brother and I) been attending for about 2 months now and we've absolutely loved it! =) There, Christ is real, He IS Lord, His Kingdom IS priority, and His Gospel IS NOT watered down! ^_^

We were talking to one of the elders, and he is one of the people in charge of what they've called the "Evangelism Committee". Now I don't much understand why only certain members are a part of it, but I don't know much about it =/ But We've been looking for a place to serve in the church and he said that this could be it! =D He told us that instead of passing out pre-ordered Gospel tracts that mislead many, write out own Gospel tracts and pass them out and witness to the ones who we pass them out to at Walmart, or Lowes, or any place where they'll let us in. =) (Our town is small, so they're pretty much the hangout spots.) So, I've been working on mine, and I was hoping that you guys would help me out with it? I've written up the first one, but I want to know that I haven't messed up anywhere. =/

=) Here it is:

What is in a Man: Wickedness of the Heart

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" -Romans 3:23

Surely, most who have ever been presented with the Gospel in America have been shown this single verse. Usually, the standard way to present this verse is often jokingly, "Hey, (chuckle) you know we're all just a bunch of sinners, right? (laughs, smiles)" Sadly, the true meaning seems to have been lost in a subtle and shallow Gospel. So then, what does this verse really mean?

To find the true meaning of any verse, it must be seen in context of the chapter and in harmony with the rest of Scripture:

"As it is written, 'None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God; All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.' 'Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.' 'The venom of asps is under their lips.' 'Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known.' 'There is no fear of God before their eyes.'" -Romans 3:10-18

The Apostle Paul makes the argument through the law that God gave to His chosen people, the Jews. In Romans 3, Paul is using that very law to show te sinfulness of the Jews. He then follows up with this:

"Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those under the law (Jews), so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world be held accountable to God." -Romans 3:19

He's trying to tell us that if the very people of God have fallen and become sinners, then those who do not have the favor of God are sinners as well, "that every mouth may be stopped." The rest of Scripture agrees with this:

"every intention of the thoughts of [man's] heart was only evil continually." -Genesis 6:5

"everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin." -John 8:34

Many, though, believe in their hearts that they are still good people for the things they have done and sins they've never done. But how can you trust your heart?

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick, who can know it?" -Jeremiah 17:9

"the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth" -Genesis 8:21

"'For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.'" -Mark 7:21-23

The Scriptures say that a little leaven leavens the whole lump, and this is true: the sins of your heart defile you and corrupt your good deeds:

"all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment" -Isaiah 6:46

Even the best works we could ever do will always fall short of His glory, because of our sin. And that is the biggest problem of man:

"For You are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with You. The boastful shall not stand before Your eyes; You hate all evildoers. You destroy those who speak lies; The LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man." -Psalm 5:4-6

And again the holiness of God is shown in His righteous judgments:

"The LORD tests the righteous, but His soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence. Let Him rain coals on the wicked; fire and sulfur and a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup. For the LORD is righteous" -Psalm 11:5-7

But God, through His love for us, has provided an escape from judgment and wrath through His Beloved Son:

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by His blood, to be received by faith... in id diving forbearance He had passed over former sins." -Romans 3:23-25

"Since, therefore, we have now been justified by His blood, much more shall we be saved by Him from the wrath of God." -Romans 5:9

Through the blood of His precious Son, He established the long promised new covenant:

"'I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleanness, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules... you shall be my people, and I will be your God... Then you will remember your evil ways, and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves for your iniquities and your abominations.'" -Ezekiel 36:25-31

God, through the sacrifice of His Son, He can come in and remove your corrupt and deceitful heart and replace it with a new clean heart and spirit and puts the Holy Spirit in you and everything about you changes from a wicked and corrupt creature to a new and holy creature:

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. -2 Corinthians 5:17

What, then, is your responsibility?

"Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out," -Acts 3:19

"'Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved'" -Acts 16:31

"The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now He commands all people everywhere to repent, because He has fixed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by a Man whom He has appointed; and of this He has given assurance to all by raising Him from the dead.'" -Acts 17:30-31

Turn from your sins, and believe in Jesus Christ, and He will save you!