If you cut wood, your work is very easy if you always cut along the grain. One hit on the end of a log with the axe and the wood will split very easily. But, if you try to cut it crossways to the grain, it is much harder. If you continue to always cut along the grain, what do you get?—Firewood, only good for burning.

If you want to make something more useful or beautiful, you have to also cut crossways to the grain, and be careful that when you try to cut one way, the wood will not split the other way. This is the nature of wood.

Stone also has grain in it. Artists often have accidents; the sculptor tries to hit the stone to remove excess material to make a beautiful image, the stone can split the wrong way and the work of art is spoiled. That is the nature of stone.

Animals follow their nature. Migratory birds fly south for the winter. Mountain goats climb to the highest peaks. Salmon return upstream to the river where they were born. Even the small ants are toiling hard to build their homes with intricate passageways. They all do these by nature, without being taught or having to learn it in a school.

We human beings also have a nature, and it is easy to follow it. We do many things naturally, because that is what we are. This is the philosophy of modern society, to do your own thing, do what you enjoy, do that which gives pleasure to you. In other words, do what is natural to you. You do not feel guilty, even if it happens to go against established behaviours, because that is the way you are. That is your nature.

Already, children and young people want to do what they like, what they enjoy, without questioning whether it is right or wrong. Even the Christian churches are catering to the natural tendencies of men and women, removing the cross and self-denial from the way to heaven. Parents find it easy to deal with children if they go along with their nature. But try to cross it, and they have rebellion on their hands.

As a result of this freedom, permitting man to follow his nature, the world is in its present condition—corrupt, evil, cold, selfish. Men are killing one another, stealing from one another, hating one another, causing untold suffering and misery to one another.

Man is born into the world with an evil nature. He has a tendency to sin, and to be selfish, evil. The way of God is foolishness to him.

“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Corinthians 2:14. It is impossible for natural man to understand the spiritual things of God.

Who are these natural men and women, who cannot understand? Are they not often professed Christians? It is foolishness to them to be so strict in moral purity. It is foolishness for them to spend every evening in missionary work. It is foolish not to fight for your rights.

Christ spoke to the Jewish nation, to His church, to His own people. “If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?” John 3:12

“Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of My sheep, as I said unto you.” John 10:25–26

“Many therefore of His disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?” John 6:60

When Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Give Caesar what is Caesar’s,” it went against their wishes. When He said, “Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you,” which meant to love the Romans and be kind to them, this went completely against the grain of their nature. The teachings of Jesus did not appeal to them. Some simply ignored His words, others hated His teachings, again others ridiculed them and made fun of them.

These reactions to the teachings of Jesus we find also today. Some ignore them. They hear the words, but do nothing. “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” James 1:22. Those who hear the word but do not do it are deceiving themselves. They will be lost in the end. They have the message. They may even believe it; but they do not practice it. They are deceived, and will be disappointed.

The second class hated His words. Today the truth is hated. “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears. And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” 1 Timothy 4:3–4. The truth hurts their ears.

The third class ridicule and make fun of the teachings of God—the old-fashioned moral standards that the church is upholding even today in this permissive society. Modesty and simplicity are often ridiculed, even by members of the church, and amongst the young people. Yet those who dare to make light of these standards are very nearly committing sin against the Holy Spirit.

When a group of children made fun of Elisha and of his teachings, two bears came out of the woods and tore 42 children to death. These children had no time to repent. Under the Almighty’s inspiration, the prophet pronounced a curse on them. The awful judgement that followed came from God. “And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.” 2 Kings 2:24

Reformation often goes against the grain. Many refuse it and fight against it. “For all those things hath Mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at My word.” Isaiah 66:2. God will look upon those of a contrite spirit and will save them.

We are warned by God that, “And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.” Genesis 6:3. There is a limit; when a man becomes bold in sin and knowingly and willfully goes against the law of God, and lightly esteems it, the Holy Spirit quietly leaves him alone, and the peace he once had, he will never feel again.

God is good. God is love. He tries to change our evil nature into the likeness of His divine nature. “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” 2 Peter 1:4.

We have a way of escape. However, in order to partake of the divine nature, we must be born again of the Spirit, and become spiritually minded.

“For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.” Romans 8:5–9

To be spiritually minded is peace and joy. The power of

God is with them. A spiritually-minded person loves God and his fellow men. He is full of zeal to save others. A spiritually-minded person constantly tries to find ways to please God, to obey Him better. He tries to be a blessing to others, a help to others, to be more patient, forgiving. He is walking with God, as did Enoch. To be in the company of God daily is the greatest happiness.

When we walk with Him, we need no one else. Nothing less is sufficient for our salvation. We must walk with God. He is offering His spirit to us. He is stretching out His hand to us. He wants to talk to us. He wants to bless us. He wants to save us. He wants to change our natural human nature.

“And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: That they may walk in My statutes, and keep Mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be My people, and I will be their God.” Ezekiel 11:19–20

Only God is able to change the human heart. Many have a heart of stone, so selfish, so evil. Only God is able to remove it, and give us a new heart. Then we will have a heart that can love, a heart that can forgive. The ice in our heart will melt, and a burning desire to save others comes in. To please God becomes all important.

The natural man can follow all the outward ceremonies of religion, and be proud of his goodness. But he cannot love God above all and his neighbour as himself. He cannot love his enemies. He cannot turn the other cheek. And to have a natural heart is to be an unconverted Christian; it means to be lost. He will come to church and go back home to his selfish indulgences, to practice his sin—covetousness, envy, pride. An unconverted Christian is not free. He is bound to his natural ways. He has no power to overcome. An unconverted Christian is not progressing. He is the same today as he was a year ago, or five years ago. He has the same habits, the same formal religion.

“For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body,  ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they ae the sons of God.” Romans 8:13–14

“Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. . . . And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:2–3, 6

Down in this world all is dark, confusing, evil, and so easily we become influenced by the world and get entangled in their ways, in their ambitions. But when we rise higher above the world, all seems different. We see the great plan of redemption, the providences of God. This world will look empty and wicked from above. And our desire will be nearer to God, nearer to Him who died for us; we want to flee far from the sinful, selfish world, into the presence of God, where all is pure and holy, peaceful. Then we will walk with God as did Enoch.

Then the natural heart, the natural man will change, and we become as pliable clay in the hand of the potter. God will do His work in us. Daily we see a remarkable transformation. Daily the lovely image of Jesus is seen in us, more and more. The world becomes so strange to us, and we will be homesick for the better land, homesick to see Jesus face to face. Soon Jesus shall come. Soon our trials will be over forever. Soon we change the vile, mortal body to the likeness of His immortal body.

Then this earth will hold us no more, but we will rise higher and higher, into the glorious presence of God. May the Lord grant that this is not a broken promise, but a reality to each one of us.

AMEN.

Adapted from a Semon by Timo Martin