19 saying, “Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
20 But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!
21 “You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.
22 “Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you.” Acts 8:18-22.
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We remember the story of Gehazi, the servant of Elisha, in 2 Kings 5:20-27 who tried to personally profit from Elisha’s miracle of healing the leprosy of Naaman by going behind Elisha’s back to falsely state to Naaman that Elisha wanted certain gifts from Naaman. Here is the link to that Scripture – Click here: 2 Kings 5 – Passage Lookup – New American Standard Bible – BibleGateway.com
We also remember that God freely gives mercy. Mercy is expensive; man could never afford to buy it. But, Christ paid the cost through His shed blood, so that God could freely give it to His elect.
“Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters;
And you who have no money come, buy and eat
Come, buy wine and milk
Without money and without cost.” Isaiah 55:1.
Here is the whole link to this chapter of Isaiah 55 which is a blessing to read in its entirety –Click here: Isaiah 55 – Passage Lookup – New American Standard Bible – BibleGateway.com
So, what is one’s heart like that is “right with God”?
We would do well to consider Scripture like the following.
Deuteronomy 9:5
“It is not for your righteousness or for the uprightness of your heart that you are going to possess their land, but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD your God is driving them out before you, in order to confirm the oath which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”
“He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness, And speaks truth in his heart.”
“Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous ones; And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.”
“The righteous man will be glad in the LORD and will take refuge in Him; And all the upright in heart will glory.”
Psalm 73:1
“Surely God is good to Israel, To those who are pure in heart!”
Proverbs 15:28
“The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, But the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.”
Ecclesiastes 10:2
“A wise man’s heart directs him toward the right, but the foolish man’s heart directs him toward the left.”
Isaiah 33:15
“He who walks righteously and speaks with sincerity, He who rejects unjust gain And shakes his hands so that they hold no bribe; He who stops his ears from hearing about bloodshed And shuts his eyes from looking upon evil;”
Isaiah 51:7
“Listen to Me, you who know righteousness, A people in whose heart is My law; Do not fear the reproach of man, Nor be dismayed at their revilings.”
Ezekiel 36:26
“Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”
“But what does it say? “THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART”–that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.” Romans 10:8-10.
2 Timothy 2:22
“Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.”
Hebrews 8:10
” FOR THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR MINDS,AND I WILL WRITE THEM ON THEIR HEARTS. AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.”
In summary, we see from the beginning that our heart is not “right before God” based on our own righteousness or our own uprightness. We need the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith in Jesus Christ. We need a new heart and a new spirit that God gives us. We need God’s laws written on our hearts. Then, our hearts will no longer be stone, but will be flesh. Then, there will be truth in our hearts. Then, our hearts will be upright. Then, our hearts will be pure. Then, our hearts will be wise. Then, our hearts will be “right before God”.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 