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Why does God test our hearts? Why does Jesus look into our hearts (Revelation 2:23) God knows already what will happen; and who will love Him and who will hate Him. What purpose does it serve?

God so loved the peoples of this world, all of them...past, present and future. John 3:17 He sent His Son so all the peoples of this world might be saved: making His sacrifice available to all of them. John 3:18 Those people who believe are not condemned and those who do not believe are condemned already.

Take a look at that verse for a moment: Already condemned before believing means that all people who come into this world are condemned to death. Of course, infants and children have a commuted sentence for God has compassion for them, and sees them as blameless (Jonah 4:11) because they do not understand right from wrong; but this is not the focus of this discussion. [For more on that discussion check this.]

Where is the scripture that says Jesus only paid for a few sins here and there and then had victory over death? Nowhere in scripture does it say "All have to be saved since Jesus paid for ALL sins." I have recently heard the argument that all peoples sins are potentially paid for. Where does potentially paid for come from? Either sins are paid for or they are not. Are there some sins that have not been named in the Bible? Did mankind in his own depravity somehow conjure up a sin that God had not foreseen? We read scripture about murder, rape, incest, violence to people and things, the depravity of Sodom and Gomorra, and lying, stealing, adultery, and myriads of other sins. Since God knew about them before ever Adam and Eve were created, there are no sins God did not foreknow. Blanket statement, yes, but I know that God is not only omnipotent, but omniscient. He knew it all before He spoke the words, “Let there be light.” God named all the abominations and all the sins. Every sin that has ever been committed or is thought in the heart to be committed or will be committed in the future or will be thought in the heart to be committed has been paid for by the blood of Jesus Christ.

“It is finished,” Jesus spoke those words just before He gave His spirit into God’s hands. There was nothing left for Jesus to do. No sacrifice for sins is left; and the sacrifice was for all sins…no leftovers. The plate is scraped clean, washed and put away.

Before Jesus died it was only shadows. Hebrews 9:8 the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. The blood of lambs and bulls was not sufficient to pay for the sins of humans, although the animal was innocent of the sin it died for. In the Old Testament, animal sacrifices did sanctify the flesh (Hebrews 9:13); but only the blood of Jesus could cleanse our consciences from dead works in order to serve the living God (Hebrews 9:14). Here is an inkling of why God says He searches the hearts of men.

The book is closed on the Old Testament at the instant Jesus died. His death does not negate the Old Testament, but fulfills it to the last jot and tittle. No more sacrifice is needed. God is therefore satisfied. As Jesus said, it was finished.

Isaiah 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand. 11 He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities. (Emphasis mine.)

It was necessary for God to raise His sword against His own Son Jesus. Zechariah 13:7 "Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, Against the Man who is My Companion," Says the LORD of hosts. "Strike the Shepherd, And the sheep will be scattered; For without blood there is no remission of sins. Without His sacrifice, Jesus could not have purchased His own flock (Acts 20:28). It was not the sword of war that struck Him down, nor the rod of correction for He had never sinned. It was God’s sword of judgment because Jesus took the sins of the world upon Himself (1 John 2:2) so that He could purchase His flock.

God is satisfied that all sins are paid for by Jesus’ sacrifice. We know the truth of this from Leviticus 16:21-22. The scapegoat carried all their sins on its head and all their sins into the desert. In the Old Testament, Jesus is the Scapegoat, carrying sins away from the people. In the new covenant, and in the New Testament to His own flock, Jesus is the Kinsman Redeemer (Ruth). Under the Law, there is only death; and under the resurrection there is abundant life.

In the Old Testament, God dealt with the sins of men. Under the new covenant, God opened the Door of Heaven into His presence, that door being Jesus who was raised from the dead (Acts 13:20). Death has no more dominion over Him (Romans 6:9), and because of His resurrection, death has no more dominion over us who believe in Him. So, we are dead to the Law just as Jesus died in the Law (Romans 7:4), and the Spirit who raised Him indwells us (Romans 8:11). For this reason we are called according to His good purpose.

Our hearts are still pricked with thoughts of sin even though the Holy Spirit indwells us. Sometimes, we still sin. Yet…

Romans 8:29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

In all the 24 translations that I have, this verse says the same thing that God always knew who His chosen ones would be and planned from the beginning of time that we would conform to Jesus’ image and that Jesus would be the first born of many brothers and sisters.

Sin is dealt with in a mighty way, so why does God find it necessary to search the hearts of men, and to warn us that He does so?

Let us consider one thing, being called is not the same thing as being saved. Being chosen is not the same thing as being saved. The only reason I can say this confidently is because Jesus told His disciples He had chosen them, they had not chosen Him (John 15:16). Jesus chose Judas. He was a thief even though he held the disciples’ moneybag. He chose his own path of betrayal before Satan entered him (compare Matthew 26:14 and Matthew 26:25ff). Jesus knew his heart. Judas chose to betray Jesus. When he heard what had happened to Jesus (he didn’t even show up to see for himself), Judas was remorseful, but not repentant in his heart of what he had done. He repented of taking the money, and took it back to the priests who would have none of it. There is a whole sermon here in this passage. God does not want halfway repentance. It is all or nothing with Him.

Jesus knew Peter’s heart when Peter declared he would die for Him (Luke 22:34); and the heart wrenching moment when Peter knew what Jesus declared had come true (Luke 22:61). Jesus knew beforehand, telling him what he would do; and when it came to pass, He looked at Peter. One can only imagine that the compassion in Jesus’ eyes as he gazed upon the man he had called His friend who denied Him. Peter cried bitterly over what he had done. But, when he heard Jesus had risen, he ran to the tomb. When John cried out that the Lord was on shore, Peter dove in the water and was the first that morning to embrace Him because of his deep love and through the knowledge Jesus had forgiven him the denial.

We can see why God searches the hearts of men. Even though He foreknows all that we will do and say, He searches our hearts with a deep desire to see our love for Him rise above our love for self.

Under the law Solomon was told, 1 Chronicles 28:9 “As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.”

Under Jesus blood we know for certain Romans 8:27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. We dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly trust in Jesus’ Name. On Christ the solid Rock we stand, all other ground is sinking sand… The Solid Rock, Edward Mote, c.1834Copyright: Public Domain.

"The Way" from Kevin Pauley

The First Sin