His Word Today

¹⁹ They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.” (1 John 2:19(ESV)

For the next several days we are taking a sabbatical from our study of the Gospel of Matthew. Instead, the subject to be studied will be Deconstruction Christianity.

Faith deconstruction, also known as deconstructing faith, evangelical deconstruction, the deconstruction movement, or simply deconstruction, is a Christian phenomenon where people unpack, rethink and examine their belief in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and their involvement in organized religion or the church.

Having listed some recent examples of individuals deconstructing their faith in Christ, what examples and teaching do we encounter from God’s Word about this subject? Are there instances where individuals deconstructed their faith in the LORD? What were the results of this behavior?

It can be argued that any decision to sin, or making a greater commitment to the LORD, involves a deconstructing of one’s past that impacts one’s present walk with Christ. To this end, there are many instances found in Scripture, both positive and negative, of such deconstructing behavior. The following examples are but a select few.

Israel’s sin of worshipping the Golden Calf (Exodus 32). In spite of the Exodus and God’s providential care, many of the Israelites rebelled against Yahweh and chose to worship an idol.

The Prophet Habakkuk’s complaint against God’s impending judgment of the Kingdom of Judah (Habakkuk 1-3). Habakkuk objected to the LORD’s impending judgment of Judah because of their sin. While the prophet acknowledged Judah’s wickedness, and wanted God to judge them, Habakkuk protested the LORD using the Babylonians to do so.

The Prophet Jonah’s behavior before God (Jonah 1-4). Jonah fled from the presence of the LORD because he did not want to submit to the LORD.

Jesus’ Parable of the Soils (Matthew 13:1-23). Jesus addressed the subject that not all who hear the Gospel, and respond to the Gospel, are truly converted by the Gospel.

The disciples who no longer wanted to follows Jesus (John 6:66-71). Jesus’ Bread of Life discourse on the sovereignty of God in salvation offended many who had initially followed the Lord (John 6:35-65). They chose to leave Jesus.

John Mark who left Paul and Barnabas on the First Missionary Journey (Acts 13:13; 15:36-41).

Demas, a fellow worker with the Apostle Paul who utterly abandoned Paul and Christianity because of a love with the present world (Colossians 4:14; Philemon 24; 2 Timothy 4:10).

The Apostle Paul’s warning to the Ephesians elders concerning those who would seek to draw away believers in Christ and have them follow their false teachings (Acts 20:28-30).

The individuals to whom James wrote concerning their spiritual adultery (James 4:1-4). James had in mind those who outwardly professed and associated with the church. However, they held a deep affection for the fallen, evil world system of thought and behavior.

Those who the Apostle John identified as antichrists (I John 2:18). He explained the reason they left the Christian faith was because they were never truly converted (I John 2:19).

The first characteristic mentioned of antichrists, i.e., false teachers and deceivers (vv. 22–26), is that they depart from the faithful They arise from within the church and depart from true fellowship and lead people out with them. They lack the perseverance of the saints. Additionally, they deny that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, Savior and Lord (I John 2:22–23). Thirdly, they endeavor to deceive true believers (I John 2:26).

“Those genuinely born again endure in faith and fellowship and the truth (1 Cor. 11:19; 2 Tim. 2:12). The ultimate test of true Christianity is endurance (Mark 13:13; Heb. 3:14). The departure of people from the truth and the church is their unmasking,” explains Dr. John MacArthur.

Admittedly, this is a brief set of deconstruction examples. The Epistle of Jude offers an extended treatment of spiritual deconstruction. It is to this epistle we will briefly examine when next week meet.

Soli deo Gloria!

“I will take my stand at my watchpost and station myself on the tower, and look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint.” (Habakkuk 2:1 ESV)

For the next several days we are taking a sabbatical from our study of the Gospel of Matthew. Instead, the subject to be studied will be Deconstruction Christianity.

Faith deconstruction, also known as deconstructing faith, evangelical deconstruction, the deconstruction movement, or simply deconstruction, is a Christian phenomenon where people unpack, rethink and examine their belief in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and their involvement in organized religion or the church.

“Deconstruction is the process of systemically dissecting and often rejecting the beliefs you grew up with. Sometimes, the Christian will deconstruct all the way to atheism. Some remain there, but others experience a reconstruction. But the type of faith they end up with embracing almost never resembles the Christianity they formerly knew,” states author Ivan Mesa, books editor at The Gospel Coalition.

What are some reasons behind Deconstruction Christianity?

Some individuals reject the church and its doctrine as falsehoods. In some cases, they abandoned not only the church, but their friends and family. They replace them with an unbiblical hostile attitude and behavior towards the same. This may result in great antagonism on the part of the deconstructionist, and corresponding hurt and sorrow on the part of those rejected by the individual.

“Many of the most common doubts and struggles seem to fall into two categories, with some overlap between them,” explains Trevin Wax, visiting professor at Wheaton College.  

“Is Christianity true? It’s easy to find some of Christianity’s truth claims implausible. Can we really believe that Jesus was born of a virgin, that the miracles we read about in the Old and New Testament truly occurred, and that the enchanted world of the Bible is a better description of reality that the scientific world of natural laws we experience every day? So many Christian stories – and doctrines like the full deity and full humanity of Christ –seem out of touch, irrelevant or farfetched.”

Another reason for doubt and deconstruction centers on questioning the goodness of Christian doctrine. What about the pain and suffering caused by individuals in the church against other believers in Christ? The recipients of such atrocious behavior sometimes recover and become stronger in the faith. Others, unfortunately, do not. Their faith is shipwrecked.

“As people scan Christianity’s record over the centuries and see the wreckage left by many who’ve done atrocious things in Jesus name, they grow unsettled with religious certainty that could lead to more acts of violence and unjust discrimination. Some aspects of Christianity’s moral vision, in particular the commands regarding sexuality and marriage seem backward and unworkable—the Bibles moral aspirations unattainable,” states Wax.

Others experience what is referred to as the dark night of the soul. They encounter a difficult situation and question God as to why this is happening. This was the case with the Prophet Habakkuk. He did not approve of God’s impending judgment of the Kingdom of Judah by the pagan Babylonians (Hab. 1). God had not fit into the prophet’s carefully constructed box. Habakkuk chose to wait in a watchtower until God appeared to answer the prophet’s objections.

Some have deconstructed themselves from a Christianity that was more in keeping with economic American capitalism than biblical exposition of sound doctrine and worship of God in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). They became involved in a church plant that experienced exponential growth with multiple sites in a major metropolitan area. There were large crowds, high energy music, motivational talks with a vision and mission of ministry that was centered in bigger and better. This philosophy became unsustainable with the pastor increasingly becoming a sovereign dictator, a harsh taskmaster and/or an irresponsible financial manger of church resources . Dedication to the ministry transitioned into disillusioned deconstruction towards Christianity.

Is it wrong to ask questions of God and what the Bible teaches? Is it wrong to condemn all Christian pastors and churches because of the sins of the few, or the one? We will seek to address these questions when next we meet.

Who do know who is experiencing a period of deconstruction of their faith in Christ? Continue to earnestly pray and plead to the LORD on their behalf; even if they prefer you wouldn’t. Have a blessed day in Christ.

Soli deo Gloria!  

“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” (John 3:36 ESV)

For the next several days we are taking a sabbatical from our study of the Gospel of Matthew. Instead, the subject to be studied will be Deconstruction Christianity. Perhaps you have heard this term, or others like it. What is Deconstruction Christianity?

Faith deconstruction, also known as deconstructing faith, evangelical deconstruction, the deconstruction movement, or simply deconstruction, is a Christian phenomenon where people unpack, rethink and examine their belief in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and their involvement in organized religion or the church.

For some, it is rejecting justification by grace alone, through faith alone in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone. For others, this may lead to dropping one’s faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord all together or it may result in an even stronger faith in Christ. The deconstruction movement is broadly defined but generally involves a reexamination, and often a rejection, of the biblical, or religious, doctrines you learned as a child, teenager and young adult.

Deconstruction is “a process of re-examining the faith you grew up with,” explains Tyler Huckabee, in Relevant magazine,

John Stonestreet and Timothy Padgett, co-authors of The Problem of Deconstructing Faith, note that the terminology is used both descriptively (covering everything from the deconversion of Kevin Max, through the soul searching of Derek Webb, to the theological revisions of Jen Hatmaker and Rob Bell), or prescriptively (“recommended, especially to those questioning what they’ve grown up with, as a courageous thing to do”).

“Deconstruction is the process of systemically dissecting and often rejecting the beliefs you grew up with. Sometimes, the Christian will deconstruct all the way to atheism. Some remain there, but others experience a reconstruction. But the type of faith they end up with embracing almost never resembles the Christianity they formerly knew,” states author Ivan Mesa, books editor at The Gospel Coalition.

Notable advocates of faith deconstruction include internet comedy duo Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal (who published multiple podcast episodes detailing their spiritual deconstruction), John D. Caputo (who in 2007 wrote What Would Jesus Deconstruct?: The Good News of Postmodernism for the Church), and Richard Rohr. Prominent former Christians who underwent deconstruction include Joshua Harris (who briefly offered a course on deconstruction), Abraham Piper, and Marty Sampson.

I personally experienced a deconstruction from the liberal Christianity I knew as a child in the Lutheran Church. I was converted to an evangelicalism rooted in the biblical doctrines of regeneration, justification, redemption, reconciliation, sanctification and glorification. These doctrines are historically and redemptively sourced solely in Jesus Christ through His virgin birth, sinless life, substitutionary atoning death on the cross and bodily His resurrection.  

I have known others who rejected the church and these teachings as falsehoods. In some cases, they abandoned not only the church, but their friends and family. They replaced them with an unbiblical hostile attitude and behavior towards the same. This resulted in great antagonism on the part of the deconstructionist, and corresponding hurt and sorrow on the part of those rejected by the individual.

In the example of a deconstructionist older brother, his relationship with his younger Christian sister experienced, and resulted in, great damage relationally. Family gatherings became verbal battle grounds. Their once close sibling bond was broken by his increasing opposition to biblical truth and her contrastingly strong commitment to the same.

What are the reasons behind Deconstruction Christianity? For those who fall away from the church, does this mean they have lost their salvation in Christ? Can anything positive occur in the process of deconstruction? I shared my positive deconstruction story. Are experiences like mine the exception or the norm?

I hope to answer these questions with biblical answers. I pray that all who read these articles may benefit from them and use them to prepare for their own ministry to loved ones who have deconstructed.  Have a blessed day in Christ.

Soli deo Gloria!

⁴⁶ “While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. ⁴⁸ But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” ⁴⁹ And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! ⁵⁰ For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” (Matthew 12:46–50 (ESV)

Matthew previously addressed the issue of family relationships and the Lordship of Jesus Christ (Matt. 10:34-39). Jesus stated that obeying Him as a believer could result in conflict within one’s family. He also stated that whoever loved anyone more than Him was not worthy of Him. In other words, no human relationship was to have a greater priority or importance than the Lord Jesus Christ.

Today’s text illustrated this truth with respect to Jesus’ relationship with His own earthly family. While Jesus was speaking in the aftermath of healing the man with a withered hand and exorcizing a demon from a blind/mute individual (Matt. 12:9-45), his mother and brothers stood outside the synagogue and continually asked to speak to Him.

Biblically, we know that Jesus’ mother was Mary (Matthew 1:18-25; 13:55; Mark 6:3; Luke 1:26-37; 2:1-7). The Gospels also provided the names of Jesus’ brothers. They were James, Joses, Judas (Jude) and Simon (Matt. 13:55; Mark 6:3). We also know that Jesus had a least two sisters, who are unnamed (Matt. 13:56; Mark 6:3). We do not know what it was that His immediate family wanted to say to Him.

Upon hearing that His mother and His brothers were wanting to speak with him, Jesus replied, ““Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?”   

“Fidelity to and respect for one’s family were so heavily emphasized that such words must have struck their hearers quite forcefully. Many Jewish interpreters regarded the command to honor father and mother as the most important in the law,” explains biblical commentator Craig Keener.

However, Jesus was not finished speaking. Matthew recorded, “And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! ⁵⁰ For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

“Family relationships in the ancient world were often defined by hierarchy even more than by kinship ties, so that wives and especially children (and, in wealthy homes, slaves) were expected to obey the father of the household. Jesus can thus define his “mother, brothers and sisters” as those who obey his Father. To disavow literal family members was so repulsive that even using the image would have been culturally offensive. Further, spiritual or figurative kinship language in Judaism (especially “brothers”) was viewed ethnically (fellow Israelites),” states Keener.

Jesus was certainly counter-cultural. He defied and offended social sensibilities. He was primarily concerned with truth and not complying with accepted cultural mores and values.

Two significant truths are taught here. First, the followers of Jesus have such intimate fellowship with Him that we are as deeply related to Him as His family,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.

“Second, blood ties are less significant than the bond of faith. Our relationships with other Christians are, in a certain sense, more important than the relationships we have with our relatives. Though we must honor our parents and take care of our families (Eph. 6:1–3; 1 Tim. 5:8), our relationship with family members who die in sin ends at death. The bond between brothers and sisters in Christ lasts forever. Our families according to the flesh are important, but the family of God in Christ is more so.”

Soli deo Gloria!

⁴³ “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. ⁴⁴ Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. ⁴⁵ Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also, will it be with this evil generation.” (Matthew 12:43–45 ESV)

Jesus used an analogy of an unclean spirit and an empty house with respect to the evil generation the He encountered during His ministry on earth. The parable was not meant to win friends and influence people. Rather, Jesus used it to teach truth.

Jesus taught the impossibility of being neutral on moral issues and biblical truth.  He told a brief story about a man who was forsaken by an unclean spirit who had taken possession of him. But simply to be rid of the spirit results in a vacuum that in the end will be filled by even worse evil spirits.

The parable must not be divorced from its immediately preceding context. This analogy takes up a number of points from the preceding verses in Matthew 12. The exorcism scene echoes vv. 22–29, the application in v. 45 takes up ‘this generation’ from vv. 39, 41–42.

“The point of the parable could be summed up in the words of v. 30—there is no room for neutrality. It is shown by the end of v. 45 to be a parable, not an objective psychiatric observation. It warns of the danger of half-hearted repentance,” explains commentator R. T. France.

“This evil generation might be ‘cleansed’ by Jesus’ ministry among them, but a repentance which does not lead to a new allegiance leaves a void which the devil will exploit; he who is not positively with Jesus must inevitably end up against him.”

“Ownership by the devil must be replaced with ownership by Christ (cf. Rom 6:15–18). Otherwise one’s release is only temporary. Moral reform without Christian commitment always remains inadequate. Jesus likens the situation to a house made ready for new occupants which still stands vacant. Squatters will soon move in. No person can live long without serving someone. Satan will always return to attack that which is left defenseless, and each success leads him to increasingly worse designs, whether, as here, to literal repossession by an even greater number of demons (the number seven may indicate completeness of possession) or with the more widespread degeneracy of repeated sin, which characteristically renders humans more insensitive to their guilt (cf. Rom 1:18–32),” states commentator Craig Blomberg.

Songwriter and musician Bob Dylan expressed the truth of today’s text as follows.

But you’re going to have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You’re going to have to serve somebody
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re going to have to serve somebody.

Soli deo Gloria!

⁴¹ The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. ⁴² The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.” (Matthew 12:41–42 (ESV)

With great privilege comes great responsibility. The Jews had the great privilege of being uniquely called and used by God as His chosen people. However, they did not always respond obediently or in faith. The Apostle Paul acknowledged this sobering truth in his Epistle to the Romans.

“Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? ² Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. ³ What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? ⁴ By no means! Let God be true though everyone were a liar, as it is written, “That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged.” (Romans 3:1–4 (ESV)

³⁰ “What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; ³¹ but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. ³² Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, ³³ as it is written, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” (Romans 9:30–33 (ESV)

“Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them (Israel) is that they may be saved. ² For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. ³ For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. ⁴ For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” (Romans 10:1–4 (ESV)

Jesus articulated that the Ninevites repented of their sin because of Jonah’s preaching (John 1-4). Additionally, the Queen of Sheba came to hear the wisdom from King Solomon and was beyond impressed (I Kings 10).

However, even though the incarnate God of heaven and earth was in their midst, the scribes and the Pharisees refused to believe. What a tragedy.

“In stating that something greater than both the Ninevites’ repentance and King Solomon is present in Israel (Matt. 12:41–42), Jesus teaches us an important point about Himself (Christology). Jonah and Solomon represent the offices of prophet and king, respectively, and that which is greater is, of course, Christ Jesus and His coming. In short, Jesus is better than all the prophets and kings who came before Him. He is also greater than the priesthood because He is greater than the temple, which represents the priestly office (v. 6). Jesus, then, is clearly presenting Himself as the consummate prophet, priest, and king, a teaching found elsewhere in the New Testament (Heb. 1:1–4),” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.

Soli deo Gloria!  

³⁸ “Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” ³⁹ But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. ⁴⁰ For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (Matthew 12:38–40 (ESV)

Many individuals are familiar with the idiom “Seeing is believing.” The phrase means that when something unlikely is witnessed, the truth of its occurrence or existence can no longer be doubted. “I didn’t think it could happen, but seeing is believing.”

However, in the case of Jesus’ miracles, no matter how many signs He publically performed, the religious leaders always wanted more. At this point in Matthew’s Gospel, the apostle has recorded entire chapters devote to chronicling Jesus’ power and authority (Matt. 8:1-9:8; 11:1-12:50).

Even in the context of today’s text, the Pharisees witnessed Jesus healing a man with a withered hand (Matt. 12:9-14). They also heard of the Lord exorcizing a demon from another man (Matt. 12:22-25). However, instead of honoring the Lord they not only accused Him of breaking the Sabbath but also accomplishing these acts by the power of Satan. While the religious leaders did not deny Jesus’ miracles, instead of worshiping Him they sought to destroy Him (Matt. 12:14).

Therefore, when the scribes and the Pharisees asked Jesus for a sign (σημεῖον; semeion) or a miracle, He said that such a request comes from an evil and adulterous generation. Jesus would not perform miracles on demand.

However, there is one sign that Jesus promised to give them. It was the sign of the Prophet Jonah. “For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” Jesus Christ rising from the dead would be the greatest sign of His deity and sovereignty as God (John 2:18-22).

¹⁸ “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. ¹⁹ For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” ²⁰ Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? ²¹ For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. ²² For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, ²³ but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, ²⁴ but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵ For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” (1 Corinthians 1:18–25 ESV)

“No miracle will ever be sufficient to engender faith within those who love their sin and refuse to turn to God. People are being insincere when they say they will believe if they see a miracle, for there is plenty of evidence of the truth of Jesus in the accounts of His resurrection, the spread of the Gospel, and the lives and societies changed by obedience to His message. Pray that you would always be able to see these proofs for the truth of our Lord’s words,” concludes Dr. R. C. Sproul.   

Soli deo Gloria!  

³³ “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. ³⁴ You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. ³⁵ The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. ³⁶ I tell you, on the Day of Judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, ³⁷ for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:33–37 (ESV)

Today’s text is not the first time Jesus used the metaphor of a tree and its fruit to illustrate the distinction between true believers in Christ and those who are not. He did so in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 7:15-20). He also used the image of a treasure to do the same to evaluate the human soul (Matt. 6).

Jesus taught that what an individual truly is evidenced by what they say and what they treasure as valuable. The words people speak and the values we hold reveal our heart and soul.

“Words, even carefully spoken words, are eternally important. Scripture condemns verbal sins such as lies, gossip, or insults as severely as it condemns adultery and murder (Matt. 5:22, 37; 2 Cor. 12:20; I Tim. 1:10; James 3:6; Rev.21:8),” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.

The Epistle of James has much to say about the believer’s speech (James 3:1-12). ⁸”But no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. ⁹ With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. ¹⁰ From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. ¹¹ Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? ¹² Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.” (James 3:8–12 ESV)

“Men’s language discovers what country they are of, likewise what manner of spirit they are of. The heart is the fountain, words are the streams. A troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring, must send forth muddy and unpleasant streams. Nothing but the salt of grace, cast into the spring, will heal the waters, season the speech, and purify the corrupt communication. An evil man has an evil treasure in his heart, and out of it brings forth evil things. Lusts and corruptions, dwelling and reigning in the heart, are an evil treasure, out of which the sinner brings forth bad words and actions, to dishonor God, and hurt others. Let us keep constant watch over ourselves, that we may speak words agreeable to the Christian character,” states Puritan commentator Matthew Henry.

Take care to monitor every word you speak. This is because the Lord hears and remembers every word we say. Believers in Christ should not think there is such a thing as a throwaway phrase. We must think before we speak, and consider what our jokes and whispered comments say about the condition of our heart?

Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!