Part 2
Similarly, when they speak to fellow believers, they consider themselves as vile and unworthy. They say, "I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle" or "I am less than the least of all saints." They acknowledge their past blasphemy, persecution, and harmful actions (1 Corinthians 15:9; Ephesians 3:8; 1 Timothy 1:13). A broken heart produces humility and self-abasing thoughts. Just as David danced before the ark of God and revealed his vulnerability, even to the disapproval of his wife, they are willing to be even more despised in their own sight for the sake of the Lord (2 Samuel 6:20–22). Oh, the person whose spirit has been kindly broken, who has a contrite heart, is truly humble and lowly.
Fourth. The broken-hearted person recognizes their spiritual poverty. Therefore, just as humble and contrite are associated, so are poor and contrite in the Scriptures. "But on this one will I look: on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit" (Isaiah 66:1, 2). In our metaphor, a wounded person, one with broken bones, considers themselves to be in a state of great poverty. If you ask them how they are, they would respond, "Truly, my neighbours, I am in a very poor condition!" The spiritual poverty of those with broken hearts and contrite spirits is frequently mentioned in the Scriptures. They are referred to as "Your poor" (God's poor) and "the poor in spirit" (Psalm 72:2; 74:19; Matthew 5:3). Now, the person who is poor in their own eyes (which is the focus of our discussion here) and has a
broken heart is aware of their own lack. They understand that they cannot help themselves and must rely on the charity of others. This holds true in both the natural and spiritual realms.
1. The broken-hearted person now recognizes their needs, which they were unaware of until now. Just as someone with a broken bone is unaware of the need for a bone-setter until they realize their bone is broken. The broken bone makes them aware of it; the pain and anguish make them aware. This also applies to spiritual matters. Now they understand that true poverty is the lack of a sense of God's favor. Their intense pain is a sense of God's wrath, as mentioned earlier. They long to hear the voice of joy to heal their broken bones (Psalm 51:8). They believe that two things would make them rich: (1) having a rightful claim to Jesus Christ and all His benefits, and (2) having saving faith in Him. Those who are spiritually rich possess Christ and have faith in Him (2 Corinthians 8:9; James 2:5).
The first of these gives us the right to the kingdom of heaven, while the second provides comfort to the soul. The broken-hearted person lacks a sense and knowledge of their personal stake in these matters. It is evident that they recognize their lack, but they have yet to attain the assurance of possessing them. Hence, they say, "The poor and needy seek water, but there is none; their tongues fail for thirst" (Isaiah 41:17). They see no provision in sight, nothing that appears to be intended for them. David, when his heart was broken, felt the need for cleansing, purification, and restoration. He knew that spiritual riches lay in this, but he did not fully perceive that God had already cleansed and purified him. Instead, he feared that everything was slipping away, that he was in danger of being cast out of God's presence, and that the Spirit of grace would depart from him
completely (Psalm 51). This is the first aspect: the broken-hearted person is poor because they recognize their needs.
2. The broken-hearted person is poor because they know they cannot help themselves obtain what they need. Just as someone with a broken arm knows it but realizes they cannot set it themselves. This is the second aspect that reveals their poverty; otherwise, they would not be considered poor. Even if someone has numerous needs, if they can help themselves, provide for themselves, and meet their own needs with their resources, they cannot be considered poor. In fact, the more they lack, the greater their wealth if they can fulfill their needs from their own pockets.
Therefore, a person is truly poor when they recognize their spiritual need and understand that they cannot provide or help themselves. The broken-hearted person knows this, and thus, they see themselves as truly poor. It is true that they may possess some things of their own, but those possessions cannot fulfill their needs, so they remain poor. David said, "You do not desire sacrifices; otherwise, I would give them. My poverty remains" (Psalm 51:16). Lead is not gold; lead is not accepted as currency among merchants. Only Christ has spiritual gold to offer (Revelation 3:18). What can a person do to obtain Christ, faith, or love? Even if they possess abundant carnal excellencies, not a single penny of it can be used as currency in the marketplace of grace. "If a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned" (Song of Solomon 8:7).
The broken-hearted person perceives this and recognizes their spiritual poverty. Yes, they have a broken heart, which holds great value in the sight of God. However, that brokenness is not inherent to their nature; it is a gift, a work of God, and that is what constitutes
a sacrifice to God. Moreover,a person cannot find contentment and peace in a broken heart because it simply reveals their poverty and their inability to provide for their own needs. There is little comfort in a broken heart.
3. The broken-hearted person is poor and realizes it because they find themselves unable to live in any other way except by begging. Even David, a king, resorted to this when it came to the health of his soul. He cried out, and the Lord heard him and delivered him from all his troubles (Psalm 34:6). This leads us to the fifth sign.
Fifth. Another sign of a broken heart is crying, crying out. Pain, as you know, can make a person cry. Just as someone with broken bones will cry out in agony. This is what quickly follows once your heart is broken and your spirit truly contrite.
1. I must say, anguish will make you cry. David proclaimed, "Trouble and anguish have taken hold of me" (Psalm 119:143). You know that anguish naturally leads to crying. Just as a broken bone causes anguish, a broken heart causes anguish as well. The pain experienced by someone with a broken heart is likened to the agony of a woman in labor (John 16:20–22).
Anguish provokes solitary crying, crying to oneself, which is known as self-bemoaning. God said, "I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself," meaning that Ephraim was presently under God's disciplining and correcting hand (Jeremiah 31:18). Ephraim lamented, "You have chastised me, and I was chastised, like an untrained calf" (Jeremiah 31:18). This is also expressed by the one who said, "I moan in my complaint and make a noise." And why? Because "my heart is deeply pained within me" (Psalm 4:2–4).
This self-bemoaning occurs in private and secluded places. It is common for those distressed by anguish, even when alone, to cry out about their current pain. They may exclaim, "O my leg! O my arm! O my bowels!" or, like the son of the Shunammite woman, cry out, "My head! My head!" (2 Kings 4:19). Oh, the groans, sighs, and cries of the broken-hearted when they are alone! They utter words such as, "My sins! My sins! My soul! My soul! How burdened am I with guilt! How consumed by fear! Oh, this hard, despairing, unbelieving heart! How sin defiles my will, my mind, my conscience! 'I am afflicted and near death'" (Psalm 88:15).
If some of you worldly people could eavesdrop behind closed doors and hear Ephraim in the midst of self-bemoaning, you would be astounded to hear him lamenting the very sins in which you take pleasure. You would hear him grieving over his misspent time while you waste it pursuing your sinful desires. You would hear him reproaching his heart for its failure to comply with God's holy will, while you fear God's Word and ways and consider yourselves most righteous when farthest from God. The unruly passions and lusts of the broken-hearted often drive them into a corner where they bemoan themselves.
2. Just as they cry out in self-bemoaning to themselves, they also cry out to others and against themselves. As it is said in another case, "Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow" (Lamentations 1:12). Oh, the bitter cries and complaints that the broken-hearted utter to one another! Each one believes that their own wounds are the deepest, their own sores filled with the most anguish and the hardest to heal. They exclaim, "If our iniquities are upon us and we waste away because of them, how can we then live?" (Ezekiel 33:10).
Once, while visiting an honest woman's house, I asked her how she was doing. She replied, "Very badly." I inquired if she was sick, but she said no. I asked if any of her children were ill, to which she also responded no. So I asked, "Is your husband unwell, or are you experiencing setbacks in life?" She assured me that neither was the case, but expressed her fear of not being saved. She broke out with a heavy heart, saying, "Ah, good man Bunyan! If I had Christ, even if I had to beg for my bread, it would be better for me than what I think my current state is!" This woman had a broken heart, she longed for Christ, and she was concerned for her soul. There are very few women, especially wealthy women, who consider Christ and a humble pitcher more valuable than the world, their pride, and their pleasures. This woman's cries are worthy of being recorded; her cry, "Christ and a pitcher," resonated with the angels themselves!
But, I must say, only a few women cry out in this manner. Only a few women are so deeply in love with their own eternal salvation that they are willing to let go of all their desires and vanities in exchange for Jesus Christ and a simple pitcher. Good Jacob also had this sentiment: "If the Lord will provide me with food to eat and clothes to wear, then He shall be my God." He made a vow to that effect: "And Jacob made a vow, saying, 'If God will be with me and keep me on this journey I am taking, and give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father's house, then the Lord will be my God'" (Genesis 28:20).
3. As they bemoan themselves and share their complaints with one another, they cry out to God. Heman said, "O God, I cry day and night before You." But when? It was when his soul was filled with trouble and his life approached the grave (Psalm 88:1–3). In another place, it is expressed as crying out "out of the depths"
or "out of the belly of Sheol" (Psalm 130:1; Jonah 2:2), describing the painful state they were in when they cried out.
See how God Himself describes it: "My pleasant portion has become a desolate wilderness, and in its desolation, it mourns for Me" (Jeremiah 12:11). And this is natural for those whose bones, whose hearts, are broken. Where does a child go when it is hurt, except to its father or mother? Where does it rest its head, but on their laps? To whose bosom does it pour out its complaints, especially to the father or the mother, where there is compassion, pity, and comfort? The same is true for those with broken bones or broken hearts. It is natural for them to cry out, to cry out to Him. David pleaded, "Heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony; my soul is also greatly troubled" (Psalm 6:1–3). One who cannot cry feels no pain, recognizes no need, fears no danger, or is already dead.
Sixth. Another sign of a broken heart and a contrite spirit is that it trembles at God's Word. "To this person I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word" (Isaiah 66:2).
The Word of God is awe-inspiring to a broken-hearted individual. Solomon says, "The word of a king is like the roar of a lion." If that is the case, then what can be said about the Word of God? It signifies the authoritative word of a king, accompanied by wrath and fear. We have a proverb, "Once bitten, twice shy." Just as someone who has been burned fears fire, and a child who has been whipped fears the rod, similarly, the broken-hearted fears the Word of God. Therefore, those who tremble at God's Word are known for their association with the godly, their adherence to boundaries, their readiness to mourn and intercede when God is angry, and their ability to turn away His wrath from a people.
It is a sign that the Word of God has taken root and worked powerfully when the heart trembles in fear and reverence before it. When Joseph's mistress tempted him to commit sin, he was afraid of God's Word. He said, "How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" He stood in awe of God's Word and dared not go against it because he remembered the dreadful consequences of rebelling against God's Word. When old Eli heard that the ark was captured, his heart trembled within him. He understood that this tragic loss signified God's anger towards Israel, and he knew the terror of God's wrath. When Samuel went to Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled in fear, anticipating that he brought a solemn message from God. They had experienced the dread of such messages before. When Ezra desired a time of mourning in Israel for the sins of the land, all who trembled at the words of the God of Israel concerning the transgressions of the exiles came to him.
Indeed, there are people who tremble at the words of God and are afraid to act contrary to them. But they are only those whose souls and spirits have been influenced by the Word. As for the rest, they are determined to continue their own way regardless of what God says. "As for the word that you have spoken to us in the name of the Lord, we will not listen to you. But we will do everything that we have vowed, make offerings to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her, as we did, both we and our fathers, our kings and our officials, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem" (Jeremiah 44:16). Do you think these people have truly felt the power and majesty of God's Word breaking their hearts? Certainly not; otherwise, they would tremble at the words of God and be afraid. Some people may be commanded by God, yet they do as they please. They have no regard for God or His Word. Neither threats nor promises, punishments nor favors can make them obedient to God's Word because they have not experienced its power; their hearts have
not been broken by it. When King Josiah read in God's Book the punishment that God had threatened against rebellious Israel, despite being a holy and righteous man, he humbled himself. He tore his clothes, wept before the Lord, and trembled at the impending judgment (2 Kings 22; 2 Chronicles 34). He knew the fearful nature of God's Word. As I mentioned before, there are individuals who dare to do anything, even if it goes against the Word of God. However, those who tremble at the Word dare not do so. They make the Word their guide in all they do; they consult the Holy Bible to determine what is permissible and what is not. They tremble at the Word. Therefore, this is another true sign that the heart has been broken: when the heart is filled with fear and trembling at the Word (Acts 9:4–6; 16:29, 30). Trembling at the Word is a result of believing in the deserved consequences, the threats, and the impending judgment if repentance does not intervene. Thus, the heart melts and breaks before the Lord.
IV.
THE NECESSITY OF A BROKEN HEART
Now, let me address the question at hand. Why is it necessary for the heart to be broken? Can a person be saved without a broken heart? My answer is this: Setting aside the mysterious things known only to God, there is indeed a necessity for the heart to be broken in order to attain salvation. This is because a person will not genuinely embrace the means leading to salvation until their heart is broken. Here's why:
Firstly, when a person enters this world, they are spiritually lifeless and completely indifferent to matters of faith and eternal happiness. No call or admonition, unless accompanied by the power to break the heart, can awaken them to a proper consideration of their present condition or instill in them a genuine desire to be saved.
God has demonstrated this truth in various ways. He has threatened people with temporal judgments and even sent calamities upon them repeatedly, yet they remain unresponsive. He says, "I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities; I withheld rain from you; I struck your crops with blight and mildew; I sent plagues among you; I overthrew some of you as I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. Yet you have not returned to me" (Amos 4:6–11). Despite these repeated judgments and punishments, the heart remains unaffected and impervious. There is a protective shield around the heart, like a coat of mail, that prevents anything from reaching it, whether it be the doctrines of the Gospel or the consequences of transgressions (Matthew 13:15; Acts 28:27). This shield, known as the foreskin of the heart and the devil's armor, hinders the access of both Gospel truth and divine punishment (Deuteronomy 10:16; Luke 11:22).
Before conversion, this shield must be removed, this coat of mail must be dismantled, in a process referred to as circumcising the heart. "I will circumcise your heart," says the Lord, "so that you may love the Lord your God with all your heart." By doing so, the devil's defenses are dismantled, and the heart is exposed (Deuteronomy 30:6; Luke 11:22). Now, the Word of God can pierce, cut, and penetrate the heart. When the heart is wounded, it bleeds, weakens, falls, and dies at the feet of God, unless it is upheld by the grace and love of God in Jesus Christ. Conversion begins with the heart, and while the shield of sin and Satan remains intact, all judgments are in vain. Thus, after recounting numerous acts of mercy and judgment to
the children of Israel, Moses suggests that what they lack is a heart to perceive, eyes to see, and ears to hear until that very day (Deuteronomy 29:2, 3). Their hearts have not yet been deeply affected, awakened, and wounded by the holy Word of God, causing them to tremble at its truth and terror.
How can an unawakened, unfeeling, spiritually dead person repent, cry out, bow down, and break before God's presence, seeking mercy and grace, regardless of the magnitude of the danger? Yet this is what must happen, for this is how God has ordained it, and this is how it must be for salvation to occur. But can a spiritually dead individual, someone who is unresponsive and unaware of their miserable state, accomplish this without first having their heart awakened and made to feel its desperate need? No, they cannot.
Secondly, as a person enters the world, regardless of their wisdom in worldly and temporal matters, they are foolish when it comes to spiritual and heavenly things. Paul declares that the natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God because they are foolishness to them. They are, in fact, fools in regard to these matters. The natural person cannot understand them because they are spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:14). So, how can this fool be made wise? Wisdom must be implanted in their heart (Job 38:36). Only God can do this, and He accomplishes it by making room in the heart for wisdom, by removing the very folly and madness that dwell within. And how does He remove it? Through severe chastisement, until the person becomes weary of their foolishness. Just as a natural fool must be crushed in a mortar with a pestle, so must a spiritual fool undergo a similar process (Proverbs 19:29).
Solomon suggests that it is a difficult task to transform a fool into a wise person. "Even if you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along
with crushed grain, yet his folly will not depart from him" (Proverbs 27:22). This illustrates the challenging nature of making a fool wise. To crush someone in a mortar is a fearsome act, especially when done with a pestle. But it appears that a whip, a mortar, and a pestle are the necessary tools. And if such methods are required to make a person wise in worldly matters, even though they may not succeed, how much more must a spiritual fool be whipped, beaten, and stripped before they can attain wisdom in spiritual matters? Yes, their heart must be placed in God's mortar and beaten, ground with the pestle of the law until it becomes receptive to heavenly truths. In Jeremiah, we read, "Through deceit they refuse to know me, declares the Lord." What follows? "Therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Behold, I will refine them and test them with fire, for what else can I do because of the daughter of my people?" (Jeremiah 9:6, 7). God will refine them, putting them in His furnace for testing and making them truly know Him. When David underwent spiritual chastisement for his sin and felt the breaking hand of God upon his heart, he declared that God would make him know wisdom (Psalm 51:6). In that moment, he was in the mortar, in the furnace, bruised and melted. His bones, his heart, were breaking, and his folly was departing. It was then that he exclaimed, "You will make me know wisdom." If I understand anything about God's dealings with us fools, it is this: nothing else will make us truly wise. Even a thousand breakings will not render us as wise as we ought to be.
We say that wisdom is not truly valued until it is acquired, and according to that proverb, one usually suffers for it. The fool is wise in their own imagination, so there is a twofold difficulty they face before they can attain true wisdom. Not only must their folly be removed from them, but their false wisdom as well. This can only be accomplished by deeply convicting their heart, revealing plainly that their wisdom is actually folly and will be their undoing. A fool loves
their folly, treasuring it dearly. Therefore, it must be a significant force that compels a fool to forsake their folly. Foolish individuals refuse to weigh, consider, or compare wisdom with their folly. "Folly is joy to him who lacks sense." "As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats their folly" (Proverbs 15:21; 26:11). They are so reluctant to part with their folly that they cling to it even when driven away. Thus, it takes a great deal to make someone a Christian because every person is a fool, the greatest fool of all, completely unconcerned and stubborn, unwilling to turn from their folly unless their heart is broken. David, Manasseh, Saul (also known as Paul), and I myself were all fools of this kind.
Thirdly, when a person enters the world, they are not only spiritually dead, foolish, and proud. Pride is one of the sins that manifests itself early in children's lives and continues to grow, permeating all that they do. However, it is most deeply hidden in matters concerning their souls. Sin, by its very nature, not only leads to vileness but also conceals its own vileness from the soul. Therefore, many mistakenly believe they are doing well when they sin. Jonah thought he was justified in his anger toward God (Jonah 4:9). The Pharisees thought they were doing right by accusing Jesus of being possessed by a demon (John 8:48). Paul was convinced that he ought to do many things against the name of Jesus, which he did with great fervor (Acts 26:9, 10). Sin inflates individuals with pride and self-conceit, causing them to believe they are far better than they truly are. They think they are children of God when they are actually children of the devil. They believe they are knowledgeable about Christianity when they are not, lacking understanding of what it truly means (John 8:41–44; Galatians 6:3).
What causes this? It stems from pride and a self-conceit that convinces them their spiritual state is righteous, even when they are
still in their sins and under God's curse. This pride is so deeply entrenched and powerful that all the ministers in the world cannot persuade them that their confidence is not grace but pride. As a result, they disregard all reproofs, rebukes, threats, and admonitions aimed at warning them against being deceived. The prophet exhorts, "Listen and pay attention. Do not be proud, for the Lord has spoken. But if you do not listen, my soul will weep in secret for your pride" (Jeremiah 13:15–17). Yet the proud individuals persist, maintaining their resistance against God and His holy prophets (Jeremiah 43:2).
Nothing can bring these individuals to salvation until their hearts are broken. Even after David defiled Bathsheba and had her husband killed, he boasted of his righteousness and justice. He passionately desired the punishment of the man who had taken a poor man's lamb, completely unaware that he himself was the great transgressor. But would he believe it? No, he staunchly defended his supposed righteousness and refused to acknowledge his guilt until Nathan, authorized by God, declared to him that he was the very man he had condemned. "You are the man," Nathan said. At those words, David's conscience awakened, his heart was wounded, and he fell under the weight of his guilt at the feet of the God of heaven, seeking mercy (2 Samuel 12:1–13).
Oh, pride, pride! You are the force that keeps many individuals bound by their sins. You cursed self-conceit, preventing them from recognizing that their spiritual state is damnable. "In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him" (Psalm 10:4). If the pride of their countenance is so influential, imagine the power of the pride in their hearts. Job proclaims that God chastises him with pain on his bed to hide pride from him and save his soul from the depths of hell. God subjects him to suffering until his bones protrude, and his life is near destruction (Job 33:17–22).
It is a difficult task to strip a person of their pride and make them see themselves as sinners, fools, and even cruel to their own immortal souls. Pride of heart possesses such power that it is likened to an iron sinew and an iron chain, rendering individuals stubborn and resistant to the Lord, repelling His Word from their hearts (Leviticus 26:19; Psalm 73:6).
This was the sin of the devils, and it is the sin of mankind, a sin that no one can be liberated from until their heart is broken. Only then will they gladly yield. If someone is proud of their strength or manhood, a broken leg will humble them. Similarly, if someone is proud of their goodness, a broken heart will humble them. This brokenness occurs through the discovery and conviction of sin, by the power of God upon the conscience.
Fourthly, when a person enters the world, they are not only spiritually dead, foolish, and proud but also self-willed and headstrong (2 Peter 2:10). They are stubborn and difficult to deal with before their hearts are broken. Therefore, they are often called rebels, rebellious, and disobedient, doing only as they please. "All day long I have held out my hands to an obstinate people who walk in ways not good." They are also compared to headstrong horses rushing into battle against their riders' commands. "Everyone turns to their own course, like a horse charging into battle" (Jeremiah 8:6). They proclaim, "With our tongues, we will prevail; our lips are our own—who is lord over us?" (Psalm 12:4).
They stop their ears, shrug their shoulders, close their eyes, and harden their hearts against the words of God, despising the counsel of the Most High (Psalm 107:11; Zechariah 7:10, 12). They resemble the rebellious son who refuses to obey his parents or the prodigal son who insists on having everything under his control, distancing
himself from his father and his father's house (Deuteronomy 21:20; Luke 15:13). For such individuals, nothing but force will suffice. The rebellious son must be stoned to death, and the prodigal must endure extreme hunger. Only then, I repeat, will their stubborn and self-willed hearts submit to the will of God (Deuteronomy 21:21; Luke 15:14–17). They are the ones referred to as the stout-hearted, far from righteousness, and will remain so until their hearts are broken, for that is how they come to know themselves (Isaiah 9:9– 11).
Fifthly, when a person enters the world, they are not only spiritually dead, foolish, proud, and self-willed but also fearless. "There is no fear of God before their eyes" (Romans 3:18). They fear man, fearing the loss of his favor, love, goodwill, help, and friendship. This fear is evident everywhere. The poor fear the rich, the weak fear the strong, and the threatened fear those who threaten them. However, when it comes to God, none fear Him. By nature, they neither reverence His frowns nor seek His favor. They do not inquire about how to escape His avenging hand, which is raised against their sins and their souls because of sin. They fear losing trivial things, but they are not afraid to lose their souls. "They do not fear me," says the Lord (Malachi 3:5).
How many times are some individuals reminded of death through their own sickness, graves, or the death of others? How many times are they reminded of hell through reading the Word, the lashes of conscience, or witnessing others roaring in despair as they depart this world? How many times are they reminded of the day of judgment? For instance, 1. By God binding the fallen angels for judgment. 2. By the drowning of the old world. 3. By the fiery destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. 4. By the appointment of a day. 5. By the appointment of a judge. 6. By recording their crimes. 7. By
appointing and preparing witnesses. 8. And by promising, threatening, and resolving to call the entire world to His judgment seat to be judged for their deeds, words, and even their hidden sins. Yet, they do not fear God. Alas! They do not believe these things. To carnal individuals, these things are akin to Lot's preaching to his sons and daughters in Sodom. When he warned them that God would destroy the city, they regarded him as a mocker, and his words seemed like idle tales (Genesis 19:14). Fearless individuals are not swayed by words; only blows, wounds, and killings can instill fear in them. How many times did the Israelites defy God in the wilderness? How often did they declare that they did not fear Him? Notice that they were seldom, if ever, brought to fear and dread His glorious name unless they were surrounded by death and the grave. Nothing but a severe hand will make the fearless fear. Therefore, it is necessary, from a human perspective, for God to take this approach with sinners when He seeks to save their souls. He must bring them to the edge, within sight of hell and eternal damnation. There, He charges them with sin and guilt, breaking their hearts before they will fear His name.
Sixthly, when a person enters the world, they are not only spiritually dead, foolish, proud, self-willed, fearless, but also false believers regarding God. No matter how clearly God reveals Himself, individuals by nature refuse to believe His testimony. Instead, they become vain in their imaginations, and their foolish hearts are darkened. Thus, they pervert the glory of God, turning His truth into a lie (Romans 1:21–25). God says He sees; they say He does not. God says He knows; they say He does not. God says there is none like Him; yet they say He is just like them. God says none shall serve Him in vain; they say it is pointless and unprofitable to serve Him. He says He will do good; they say He will neither do good nor evil. In this way, they falsely believe regarding God. Moreover, concerning
the Word of His grace and the revelation of His mercy in Christ, they do not hesitate to declare through their actions—for a wicked man speaks with his feet (Proverbs 6:13)—that it is a complete lie and unworthy of trust (1 John 5:10).
Now, what can God do to save these individuals? If He conceals His presence and glory, they will perish. If He sends His messengers to them and refrains from coming to them Himself, they will perish. If He comes to them but refrains from working in their hearts through His Word, they will perish. If He works in their hearts but not effectively, they will perish. If He works effectively, He must break their hearts, causing them to fall at His feet like mortally wounded men, pleading for mercy. Without this, no good can be accomplished in them. They will not truly believe until He shakes them out of their false belief and, through the breaking of their bones, makes them realize that He is and will be exactly as He has proclaimed Himself in His holy Word. The heart must be broken before a person can turn to what is good.
Seventhly, when a person enters the world, they are not only spiritually dead, foolish, proud, self-willed, fearless, false believers, but also great lovers of sin. They are captivated, enthralled, and engulfed in the pleasures of sin. The Scriptures say they love sin, delight in lies, take pleasure in iniquity and those who practice it. They revel in their own deceptions and glory in their shame (John 3:19; Psalm 62:4; Romans 1:32; 2 Peter 2:13; Philippians 3:19).
This is the natural disposition of mankind, for sin is intertwined with and has dominion over all the faculties of the soul. Hence, they are described as captives to sin, being led into its pleasures at the will of the devil (2 Timothy 2:26). Breaking the love and detaching the affections from the objects they are deeply attached to, which are
deeply rooted in the heart, is no easy task. Alas! There are many who despise the allurements of heaven, trample upon God's threats, and dismiss the flames of hell whenever they are presented as motives to turn them away from their sinful indulgences. They are so fixed, so consumed by these bestial idols. Indeed, attempting to divert their course is like trying to prevent the raging waves of the sea when driven by powerful winds.
When individuals are somewhat pressed, when reason and conscience begin to listen to a preacher or when judgment starts to hunt for iniquity, they employ numerous tricks, evasions, excuses, delays, and hiding places to conceal and preserve their cherished sins along with their souls, in the delights of those sins, leading to their own eternal damnation. They strive to suppress conscience, silence convictions, forget God, become atheists, contradict plain and honest preachers, and surround themselves only with those like-minded individuals who speak smooth words and prophesy deceit. They even say to these preachers, "Step aside, turn away from the path, and let the Holy One of Israel cease to confront us" (Isaiah 30:8–11). If they continue to be pursued and conscience and guilt, like bloodhounds, find them in their secret places, roaring against them for their wicked lives, they resort to flattery, deception, and lies against their own souls. They make promises to improve, turn around, repent, and become better shortly, all to evade convictions and disturbances in their wicked ways, so they can pursue their lusts, pleasures, and sinful delights in peace and without restraint.
Moreover, I have witnessed some individuals who, due to the weight of guilt and the torment of hell upon their conscience for their evil deeds, have roared like bears, howled like dogs, and yelled like dragons. Yet, as soon as their immediate torments and fears were alleviated, they returned to their vomit like dogs and wallowed in the
mire like pigs (Hosea 7:14; 2 Peter 2:20–22). Similarly, there have been those who tasted the good Word of God, experienced the joy of heaven, and encountered the powers of the world to come, but none of these, individually or collectively, could sever their alliance with their lusts and sins forever (Hebrews 6:4, 5; Luke 8:13; John 5:33– 35). O Lord! What is man that You are mindful of him? How insignificant is he? He has sinned against You; he loves his sins more than he loves You. He is a lover of pleasures rather than a lover of God!
But how can this person be reclaimed from this sin? How can they be brought to detest it? Undoubtedly, according to what we see in the Word, it can only be achieved by wounding, breaking, and disabling the heart that loves sin, thereby making it a plague and a bitterness to the person. Sin may be turned into an affliction, gall, and wormwood for those who love it, but making it so repugnant to such individuals requires great and severe measures. I recall a recent incident in our town when a little girl loved to eat the dirty heads of tobacco pipes, and neither discipline nor kind words could reform her and make her abandon them. So her father sought the advice of a doctor to wean her off this habit, and the doctor gave him this suggestion: "Collect a large number of the filthiest tobacco pipe heads you can find, boil them in milk, and make a concoction from that milk. Then make your daughter drink it all up." The father followed the advice, giving his daughter the posset to drink. The drink became so repugnant and nauseating to her stomach, making her so sick, that she could never bear to touch tobacco pipe heads again, thus curing her of that affliction. You love your sin, and neither discipline nor kind words have yet been able to reform you. Well, be cautious. If you refuse to be reformed, God will make you drink a posset of your sins that will be so bitter to your soul, so repugnant to your taste, so loathsome to your mind, and so afflictive
to your heart that it will break you with sickness and grief until you are disgusted by it. Yes, this is what He will do if He loves you. If not, He will allow you to continue on your path and let you indulge in your tobacco pipe heads!
The children of Israel desired flesh; they wept, cried, and murmured because they lacked meat. They despised the bread from heaven, which they considered to be insignificant and unsatisfying (Numbers 11:1–6). Moses went and informed God how the people had rejected His heavenly bread and yearned, lusted, and craved for meat. God responded, "They shall have meat. I will feed them with an abundance of meat. They will eat it not for just one day, or two, or five, or ten, or twenty days, but for an entire month until it comes out of their nostrils and becomes loathsome to them. They have despised the Lord" (Numbers 11:11–20). He knows how to make the very thing on which your wicked heart is set loathsome to you. And if He loves you, He will do so. Otherwise, as I mentioned, He will not afflict you with sickness or punish you when you commit adultery. Instead, He will leave you alone until the day of judgment, when He will call you to account for all your sins. But let us move on.
Eighthly, when a person enters the world, they are not only spiritually dead, foolish, proud, self-willed, fearless, false believers, and lovers of sin, but also wild. They belong to the wild olive tree, to that which is naturally wild (Romans 11:17, 24). In another instance, man by nature is compared to a wild donkey, to a wild donkey's colt. "Empty man would be wise, though man is born like a wild donkey's colt" (Job 11:12). Isaac was a representation of Christ and all converted individuals (Genesis 4:26). However, Ishmael represented man by nature, and the Holy Spirit described him as a wild man (Genesis 16:12). This man, I mean, represents all carnal people in their estrangement or distance from God. Hence, it is said of the
prodigal son at his conversion that he "came to himself," implying that he was previously mad, wild, or out of his senses (Luke 15:17). I understand that there is sometimes a distinction between being wild and being mad, but wildness can reach a degree where one can rightly be called mad. This is always true in spiritual matters.
1. A wild or mad person pays no attention to good advice; the frenzy in their mind shuts everything out and forcefully leads them away from wise and sober individuals. This is how it is with worldly people; good advice is like casting pearls before swine to them. They trample it underfoot and despise the person who brings it (Matthew 7:6). "The wisdom of the poor is despised, and their words are not heard" (Ecclesiastes 9:16).
2. Leave a wild or mad person alone, and they will spend their whole life busying themselves with accomplishing something that, in the end, amounts to nothing. The work, toil, and effort of such a person amount to nothing, except to demonstrate that they were out of their minds. David, imitating such a person, scratched the gate of the king like fools do with chalk. And all the work of all worldly people in the world is similar to this (1 Samuel 21:12, 13). Therefore, such a person is said to labor in vain, or to gain no more than if they filled their belly with the east wind (Ecclesiastes 5:16; Job 15:2).
3. If you assign a task to a wild or mad person and they do it, they will do it not according to your instructions, but according to the folly of their own wild imagination. Just as Jehu carried out the command of the Lord in his own madness, paying no attention to the Lord's specific instructions (2 Kings 9:20; 10:31). This is how worldly people act when they engage in any of God's affairs, such as hearing, praying, reading, or professing. They do
everything according to their own wild imagination, disregarding the commandments of the Lord.
4. When wild or mad people adorn themselves with something, as they often do, the spirit of their wildness or frenzy is evident even in the manner and style in which they do it. Either the things they use for that purpose are mere trinkets and trifles, or if they seem to be better, they are put on in an eccentric manner, more to make them ridiculous than to portray them as sober, sensible, or wise. Likewise, unconverted individuals adorn themselves in a way that they think will gain acceptance from God. Would a sane person think of making themselves fine or pleasing to others by wearing filthy rags or painting their face with filth and dung? Yet, this is the finery of worldly people when they come into God's presence seeking acceptance (Isaiah 64:6; Philippians 3:7, 8).
Oh, the wildness, frenzy, and madness that possess the hearts and minds of worldly people! They walk according to the ways of this world, according to the spirit that is, in truth, the spirit of the devil, working in the disobedient (Ephesians 2:1–3). But do they believe that this is their state? No, in their own estimation, they are like other madmen, the only sane ones in the world. They are so captivated and delighted by their own delusions that they ridicule all others who dwell in the world. But what is the way to make a wild or mad person sober? Leaving them alone will not do it; kind words alone will not do it. No, they must be tamed; measures must be taken to tame them. "He brought down their hearts with hard labor" or continual distress, as it says (Psalm 107:10–12). The psalmist speaks there of madmen who are kept in darkness, bound in afflictions and chains because they rebelled against the words of God and despised the counsel of the Most High.
This, therefore, is the way to deal with such individuals, and only God can handle them in this manner. They must be taken, separated from others, and restrained with chains, darkness, afflictions, and iron. They must be disciplined, deprived, whipped, purged, and treated as mad people are treated. And they must be dealt with in this manner until they come to their senses and cry out in their distress. It is then that they cry to the Lord in their troubles, and He saves them from their distress. He brings them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and breaks their chains apart (Psalm 107:13– 15). This is how God tames the wild and brings prodigals to their senses and to Him for mercy.
Ninth. When a person enters the world, they are not only spiritually dead, foolish, proud, self-willed, fearless, false believers, lovers of sin, and wild, but they also have a distaste for the things of the kingdom of God. I mentioned before that an unconverted person is one who has not tasted these things, but now I add that they also have a dislike for them. They call bitter things sweet and sweet things bitter; their judgment is completely distorted. These are the people whom God pronounces a woe upon. "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter" (Isaiah 5:20).
The latter part of this passage clearly shows that some people have a distaste for the things of God. They call His sweet things bitter and the devil's bitter things sweet. And all this is because of a lack of a broken heart. A broken heart perceives things differently than an unbroken heart. A person who feels no pain or bodily distress cannot recognize or appreciate the virtue or goodness of the most effective remedy, even if it is applied to their arm or leg. Instead, they would say, "Get rid of these foul-smelling ointments." But place the same remedies where they are needed, and the patient will appreciate,
taste, and savor their goodness. They will value and recommend them to others.
This is how it works in spiritual matters. The world does not understand the anguish or pain of a broken heart. They say, "Who will show us anything good," meaning something better than what we find in our sports, pleasures, possessions, and achievements. Many people speak in this manner, as the Psalmist says. But what does the distressed person say? Well, "Lord, shine your light upon us." And then he adds, "You have put gladness in my heart," specifically through the light of your presence, for that is the remedy for a broken heart. "You have put gladness in my heart, more than when their grain and wine abound" (Psalm 4:1–7). Oh, a broken heart can taste forgiveness, can taste the consolation of the Holy Spirit. Just as a hungry or thirsty person values bread and water in their need, so do those with a broken heart value and hold in high esteem the things of the Lord Jesus. His flesh, his blood, his promise, and the light of his presence are the only sweet things both to smell and taste for those who are spiritually wounded. The satisfied soul despises honeycomb; those who are whole despise the gospel and do not savor the things of God.
If twenty men were to hear a pardon read, and only one of those twenty was condemned to die, and the pardon was for none but those in his situation, which of these men, do you think, would taste the sweetness of that pardon? The condemned man, undoubtedly. This is the case at hand. The person with a broken heart is a condemned individual. Yes, it is a sense of condemnation, among other things, that has truly broken their heart. And there is nothing but a sense of forgiveness that can bind it up or heal it. But even if it could heal it, would they not taste, truly taste, or truly appreciate this forgiveness?
No, forgiveness would be to them what it is to someone who does not sense their need for it.
But, you may ask, why do some value what others despise, since both are in need of the same grace and mercy of God in Christ? Well, one sees, while the other sees nothing of this woeful and miserable state. And thus, I have shown you the necessity of a broken heart. First, man is spiritually dead and needs to be revived. Second, man is foolish and needs to be made wise. Third, man is proud and needs to be humbled. Fourth, man is stubborn and needs to be broken. Fifth, man is fearless and needs to be made to reflect. Sixth, man is a false believer and needs to be corrected. Seventh, man loves sin and needs to be weaned from it. Eighth, man is wild and needs to be tamed. Ninth, man has no taste for the things of God and cannot find pleasure in them until their heart is broken.
THE REASONS WHY A BROKEN HEART IS ESTEEMED BY GOD
SUCH AN EXCELLENT THING
And so, I have concluded the previous section and will now proceed to discuss the reasons behind this point. My aim is to demonstrate why and how a broken heart, a truly contrite heart, is considered such an excellent thing to God. We have already proven its significance to him through six demonstrations, explained its nature through six signs, and established its necessity through the nine
reasons previously mentioned. Now, let me reveal why a broken heart is regarded as excellent by God.
Firstly, a broken heart is the work of God himself. It is a heart that God has prepared for his own purposes. It is a sacrifice provided by him, for himself, just as Abraham said in another instance, "God will provide himself a lamb" (Genesis 22:8).
This is why it is said, "The preparations of the heart in man, etc., are from the Lord." And also, "God makes my heart soft, and the Almighty troubles me" (Job 23:16). The heart, by its very nature, is hard, dull, and impenetrable. It remains as such, and will continue to do so, until God, as mentioned before, breaks it with his hammer and melts it with his fire. It is said that God takes away the stony nature of the heart. "I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you," he says, "a heart of flesh" (Ezekiel 36:26). I will remove the hardness, stoniness, and stubbornness from your heart, and I will give you a heart that is sensitive, soft, malleable, obedient, and penitent. Sometimes, God instructs people to rend their hearts, not because they are capable of doing so, but rather to convince them that, although it must be done, they are unable to accomplish it themselves. He also commands them to create a new heart and a new spirit for the same purpose. If God does not rend the heart, it remains unbroken; if God does not make it new, it remains old.
This is what is meant by God bending men to himself and working in them that which is pleasing in his sight (Zechariah 9:13). The heart, soul, or spirit, as it originally came from God's hands, is a precious thing, valued by God more than the entire world. However, sin has hardened this heart, the devil has deceived it, and the world has ensnared it. This beguiled heart is what God desires and covets. "My
son," he says, "give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways" (Proverbs 23:26).
But man cannot fulfill this command because his heart has dominion over him, leading him astray towards all forms of vanity. So what must be done? God must forcefully seize the heart, using his power to bring it into alignment with his Word. However, the heart itself will not comply; it is deceived and drawn towards entities other than God. Therefore, God takes up his sword, humbles the heart through labor, opens it up, casts out the strong man who guarded it, inflicts wounds upon it, and causes it to feel the pain of its rebellion, leading it to cry out. In this way, he rectifies the heart for himself. "He wounds, and his hands make whole" (Job 5:18). Having fashioned it for himself, it becomes his dwelling place. "That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith" (Ephesians 3:17).
However, let us not digress from the matter at hand. I have already mentioned that a broken heart is the work of God, a sacrifice he has prepared for himself. It is a material perfectly suited to him.
1. By breaking the heart, God opens it and makes it a vessel for the graces of his Spirit. It becomes a cabinet where God stores the precious jewels of the gospel. He instills his fear in it, writes his law upon it, and fills it with his Spirit. "I will put my fear in their hearts," he declares. "I will write my law in their hearts." "I will put my Spirit within you" (Jeremiah 31:31–33; 32:39–41; Ezekiel 36:26, 27). I affirm that God chooses the heart as his cabinet, where he hides his treasures, where justice, mercy, and every grace of God reside. However, this is only true when the heart is broken, contrite, and governed by the holy Word.
2. A broken heart, when it is like fragrant gums and spices that have been beaten, releases a sweet aroma. Just as such
fragrances captivate the senses of men, a broken heart emits its sweet fragrance into the presence of God. In the past, incense, which symbolized prayer, had to be beaten or crushed before being burned in the censer. Similarly, the heart must be broken and crushed for its sweet scent to be released. It is through groans, cries, and sighs for God's mercy that a broken heart offers its pleasing fragrance to him.
Secondly, a broken heart is regarded as excellent in the sight of God because it is submissive. It humbly falls before God, giving him the glory he deserves. This truth is supported by numerous scriptures, which I need not mention here. Hence, such a heart is referred to as an honest heart, a good heart, a perfect heart, a heart that fears God, and a heart that adheres to God's statutes.
Considering this, it is clear that a broken heart is an excellent thing because it offers unfeigned obedience to the one who calls for it. Paul commended the believers in Rome, saying, "You have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered to you" (Romans 6:17). Alas! The heart, before it is broken and contrite, possesses an entirely different disposition. "It is not subject to the law of God, nor can it be." The great conflict before the heart is broken revolves around who shall be Lord—God or the sinner. Indeed, the right of dominion belongs to the Lord, but the sinner refuses to acknowledge it and insists on being his own master, proclaiming, "Who is Lord over us?" and declaring to God, "We are lords, we will not come to you" (Psalm 12:4; Jeremiah 2:31).
This rebellion is evident in their actions. God may say what he will, but they do as they please. God says, "Observe my Sabbath," but the sinner replies, "I will not." God says, "Cease your immoral ways," but the sinner says, "I will not." God says, "Do not lie, swear, curse, or
blaspheme my holy name," but the sinner defiantly responds, "But I will." God calls for repentance, but the sinner refuses. God asserts his right to dominion, yet the sinner, like that rebellious youth (1 Kings 1:5), proclaims, "I will be king." This is intolerable, this is unacceptable, and yet every sinner, through their actions, proclaims this sentiment. They have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God.
Here, there can be no harmony, no communion, no agreement, no fellowship. Here, enmity exists on one side, and blazing justice on the other (2 Corinthians 6:14–16; Zechariah 11:8). And what pleasure, contentment, or delight can God find in such people? None at all, even if they were mixed with the finest saints of God, and even if the best of saints were to intercede for them. Thus, Jeremiah says, "Then said the Lord unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me," meaning to pray for them, "yet my mind could not be toward this people; cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth" (Jeremiah 15:1).
There is nothing here but open warfare, acts of hostility, and shameful rebellion on the side of the sinners. How can God take pleasure in that? Therefore, if God desires to subdue and humble the spirit of such individuals, he must shoot an arrow at them, a barbed arrow that cannot be pulled out of the wound—a piercing arrow that causes the sinner to fall down as if dead at God's feet (Psalm 33:1, 2). Then the sinner will surrender, giving up their weapons and submitting themselves as conquered into the hands of the Lord, pleading for his forgiveness, albeit not sincerely.
And now God has emerged victorious, his right hand and holy arm have secured the triumph. He now rides in triumph with his captive at the wheel of his chariot. He now rejoices; the bells in heaven ring,
and the angels are commanded to rejoice, saying, "Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep" (Luke 15:1–10). And now, as a sign of defeat, the sinner lies prostrate at God's feet, proclaiming, "Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies, causing the nations to fall before you" (Psalm 45:3–5).
Now the sinner submits, follows their conqueror in chains, and seeks peace. They would give up the entire world, if it were theirs, to be in God's favor and to have hope of salvation through Christ. This must be pleasing to God, it cannot be anything but acceptable in his sight. "A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." For it is the desire of his own heart, the work of his own hands.
Thirdly, another reason why a broken heart is such an excellent thing to God is that a broken heart values and highly esteems Christ. The healthy have no need for a physician, only the sick do. The sick person in the text is the broken-hearted, for God makes people sick by striking them, by breaking their hearts. That is why sickness and wounds are mentioned together, as one is a true consequence of the other (Mark 2:17; Micah 6:13; Hosea 5:13). Can anyone think that God would be pleased when people despise his Son, saying, "He has no form or comeliness, and when we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him"? Yet, that is what they say about him whose hearts have not been softened by God. Even the elect themselves confess that before their hearts were broken, they also regarded him lightly. They say, "He is despised and rejected by men, and we hid our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not" (Isaiah 53:2, 3).
Indeed, he is the great deliverer. But what is a deliverer to those who have never recognized their bondage, as I mentioned before? That's why it is said of the one who delivered the city, "No one remembered
that same poor man" (Ecclesiastes 9:15). He has suffered greatly and been bruised for the transgressions of mankind so that they may be spared the pain and hell they have brought upon themselves through their sins. But what does that mean to those who have only seen beauty and tasted sweetness in sin? It is Christ who, through his intercession, holds back the hand of God and prevents the drunkard, the liar, and the immoral person from being cut off, even when they are engaged in their abominable acts. But their hard hearts, their dulled hearts, have no sense of such kindness, and therefore they do not acknowledge it. How many times has God said to this caretaker of his vineyard, "Cut down the barren fig tree," while still, through his intercession, he has obtained a reprieve for another year! But they take no notice of this, they offer no thanks to Christ for such kindness. Therefore, these ungrateful, unthankful, thoughtless wretches must surely be a constant eyesore and great provocation to God. Yet, people continue in this manner until their hearts are broken (Luke 13:6–9).
As I said, Christ is called a physician. Indeed, he is the only soulphysician. He heals no matter how desperate the disease may be, and he heals forever those he undertakes. "I give them eternal life," and he does it freely, out of sheer mercy and compassion (John 10:28). But what does all this mean to someone who does not see their sickness, who does not perceive any wound? What good is the best physician alive or all the physicians in the world, when they are all combined, to someone who knows no sickness, who is oblivious to any ailment? As mentioned before, physicians may be begging for patients among the healthy. Physicians are only valued by the sick or those who are considered sick at present or at any other time.
Why is it then that Christ is held in such low regard in the world? It is because God has not afflicted them with sickness; His sword has
not wounded them, His arrow has not pierced their liver; they have not been broken by His hammer or melted by His fire. Therefore, they have no regard for His physician; they disregard all the provisions God has made for the salvation of their souls. But let such a soul be wounded, let that person's heart be broken, let them be made sick through the sting of guilt and wallow in ashes under the weight of their transgressions. Then, who but Christ, as previously shown, becomes the physician? Then, wash me, Lord, heal my wounds, pour your wine and oil into my sore. Then, Lord Jesus, let me hear the voice of joy and gladness, so that the bones you have broken may rejoice. There is nothing as welcome as healing now, and nothing, no one, is as desirable now as Christ. His name is the best of names to such a person; His love is the best of love. He is not only the best in Himself, but also the most excellent to such a soul, surpassing all others (Song of Solomon 5:10).
Just as bread is to the hungry, water is to the thirsty, light is to the blind, and liberty is to the imprisoned—so, and even more so, is Jesus Christ to the wounded and the broken-hearted. Now, as previously mentioned, this must undoubtedly be excellent in God's eyes, considering how glorious Christ Jesus is in His eyes. To despise what someone considers excellent is an offense to them, but to value, esteem, and hold in high regard what is esteemed by me is pleasing to me. What does Christ say? "My Father loves you because you loved me" (John 16:27). Those who hold Christ in high esteem are likewise held in high esteem by the Father. That is why it is said, "He who has the Son has the Father"; the Father will be theirs and will act towards them as a loving Father who esteems and honors his Son.
However, no one can or will do this except the broken-hearted, for they alone are aware of their need for and the worth of an association with Him. I dare to appeal to the whole world for the truth of this,
and I say once again that only these individuals have hearts of esteem in the sight of God. Alas! "The heart of the wicked is of little worth," for it lacks the precious esteem of Christ and cannot possess it because it is not wounded, broken, and made aware of its need for His mercy (Proverbs 10:20).
Fourthly, a broken heart is highly esteemed by God because it is a heart filled with gratitude for the understanding of sin and the grace it has received. The broken heart is a sensitive heart, as we have discussed before. It is aware of the dangers that sin leads to, and it has every reason to be aware because it has seen and experienced the nature and consequences of sin—both the guilt and the punishment that the law demands. Just as a broken heart is aware of sin, it is also aware of God's way of delivering the soul from judgment. Consequently, it must be a heart filled with gratitude. God says, "He who offers me praise glorifies me," and God delights in being glorified. His glory is precious to Him; He will not part with it (Psalm 50:23; Isaiah 42:8).
Therefore, the broken-hearted, being the sensitive soul, naturally becomes the grateful soul. "Bless the Lord, O my soul," David said, "and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Look at the blessings of God here! And not content with that, David continues, saying, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits." But why? Oh, because He has "forgiven all your iniquities and healed all your diseases. He has redeemed your life from destruction and crowned you with loving kindness and tender mercies" (Psalm 103:1–4). But how did David come to be affected by this? Well, he knew what it was like to hang over the mouth of hell because of sin. He knew what it was like for death and hell to surround and besiege him, even to the point of dragging him down into the depths. This understanding broke his heart. He also saw the way of life and found relief for his
soul through faith and a sense of it, which made him a grateful man. If a person with a broken leg realizes that by breaking it, they avoided breaking their neck, they will be grateful to God for a broken leg. "It is good for me," said David, "that I have been afflicted. It preserved me from great danger, for before I went astray" (Psalm 119:67, 71).
And who can be grateful for a mercy unless they are aware of their need for it, receive it, and receive it through mercy? This is what the broken-hearted, the one with a contrite spirit, is aware of, particularly when it comes to the best kinds of mercies. Therefore, they must be grateful and, consequently, have a heart of esteem with God because they possess a heart of gratitude.
Fifthly, a broken heart is highly esteemed by God because it is a heart that now desires to become a dwelling place for the Spirit and graces of God's Spirit. It used to be the devil's dwelling, and it was content with that. But now it desires to host and be filled with the Holy Spirit of God. David said, "Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me. Do not take Your Holy Spirit from me; uphold me with Your free Spirit" (Psalm 51:10–12). Now he desired a clean heart and a right spirit. Now he desired the sanctifying presence of the blessed Spirit of grace—a thing that the uncircumcised in heart resist and despise (Acts 7:51; Hebrews 10:29).
Therefore, a broken heart is in harmony with the heart of God; a contrite spirit is one with Him. As I mentioned before, God desires to dwell with the broken-hearted, and the broken-hearted long for communion with Him. Now there is an agreement, a unity of mind. Now you have the same mind that was in Christ Jesus. This must be an excellent spirit, better in the sight of God than thousands of rams or ten thousand rivers of oil. But does the worldly and carnal desire
this spirit and the blessed graces that come with it? No, they despise it, as I mentioned before. They mock it, preferring and indulging in wretched, sinful lusts. And the reason is that they lack a broken heart, a heart highly esteemed by God, and they remain in their enmity towards Him.
The broken-hearted understand that the sanctification of the Spirit is a good means to avoid falling back into a state from which one cannot escape unless their heart is wounded once again. Undoubtedly, David had a broken heart at his initial conversion, and if that brokenness had remained—meaning, if he had not succumbed to hardness of heart once again—he would never have fallen into that sin from which he could only be restored through a second breaking of his bones. Therefore, I affirm that a broken heart is highly esteemed by God, for it—and I will add, as long as it maintains its sensitivity—desires nothing but God and the things of His Holy Spirit. Sin is an abomination to it.
VI.
ADVANTAGES THAT A CHRISTIAN GAINS BY KEEPING THEIR
HEART TENDER
And now, in a suitable place, before I proceed any further, I will present to you some of the benefits that a Christian obtains by keeping their heart tender. Just as having a broken heart is an excellent thing, so maintaining the tenderness of this broken heart is also highly advantageous.
First. It is the way to always maintain a fear of sinning against God in your soul. Christians do not overlook or tolerate sin until their hearts begin to lose their tenderness. A tender heart is deeply affected by the sin of others, and even more so, it dreads committing sin itself (2 Kings 22:19).
Second. A tender heart readily yields to prayer, and indeed prompts and ignites it. We are never reluctant to pray until our hearts have lost their tenderness. At that point, prayer grows cold, flat, and formal, becoming merely a carnal duty devoid of fervor.
Third. A tender heart always has repentance at hand for the slightest fault, slip, or sinful thought that the soul is guilty of. Even the best of us stumble in many ways, but if a Christian loses their tenderness, and claims to have lost their repentance, their heart has grown hardened and has relinquished that spirit of repentance it used to possess. This was the case with the Corinthians; they had deteriorated and lost their tenderness, which is why their sins, even grave ones, remained unrepented (2 Cor 12:20).