The Benefits of Maintaining One’s New Heart

(Part 1)

I. The Existence of the New Heart

A. The Need for a New Heart (Jn. 4)

B. The Gift of a New Heart (Ezek. 36)

C. The Disposition of the New Heart (Various Passages)

II. The Maintaining of the New Heart

A. The Call to Maintain One’s Heart (Prov. 4:23)

B. The Growth of the New Heart (1 Pet. 2:1-3)

C. The Assault Against the New Heart (1 Pet. 2:11)

D. The Colonization of the New Heart (Eph. 3:14-17)

E. The Gifting of the New Heart (Lk. 11:41)

F. The Orienting to the New Heart (1 Pet. 3:3-4)

G. The Defending of the New Heart (Various Passages)

III. The Benefits of Maintaining One’s New Heart (Various Passages)

A. It Strengthens Our Assurance

1. Spiritual Introspection and Assurance

2. The Need for Spiritual Introspection

B. It Increases Our Joy

C. It Buttresses Our Witness

1. It Supports Our Witness

2. It Gives Us Confidence in Our Witness

Absolute Assurance:

It is impossible for those who truly have been born again to lose their salvation and be

condemned to hell (Jn. 10:28-29).

Relative Assurance:

Despite temporary failings and sins, believers will be maintained by God, ultimately being

enabled by Him to cling to Christ and to persevere in good deeds (Tit. 3:14).

Subjective Assurance:

Believers, by bringing forth fruit, manifest to themselves and to others that they are children of

God (Jn. 13:35; 15:8).

Objective Assurance:

When the sinner follows through on the commands of the gospel to repent and believe, he can be

assured that God responds in the way that the Bible promises, by saving him (Mk. 1:14-15).