Cut to the Heart (Part 2)

So we read in Acts 2:37 that they were cut to the heart over being convicted of their sins. This can be a good thing if it leads folks to obey the truth of God. How thrilling to see someone resolve to come to Him for forgiveness and end the struggle going on in their soul. Many a person has stayed awake all night struggling with this, then make the choice to give their life to God just as those first respondents did in Acts 2.

Even after becoming a Christian, there are times when we need a dose of being cut to the heart. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death" (II Corinthians 7:10.) Many of the Christians at Corinth had gotten themselves in problems and were not serving the Lord as they should. Paul wrote them a letter to show them the error of their way and it cut them to the heart (godly sorrow) and they made the proper corrections (II Corinthians 7:11.) As Christians study the word of God, they sometimes find they are making mistakes in serving Him and this should make us sorry. We want to serve God and not disappoint Him, and when we do, we repent and ask His forgiveness. If we are just sorry we got "caught" at something (the sorrow of the world) we often don't make the proper correction. As Christians, we need a healthy dose of being cut to the heart from time to time.

Sometimes, people are cut to the heart for the wrong reasons. In Acts 7, Stephen is preaching to the Sanhedrin council and delivering a message similar to what was delivered in Acts 2. He showed the Jewish history how the Jews always rejected the prophets and messengers God sent them. Now God sent His own Son and they rejected Him too. Notice the sad result, "When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth" (Acts 7:54.) Then they took Stephen out and stoned him to death. They were cut to the heart too, but instead of responding in obedience, their deep anger was aroused and they rejected the message Stephen delivered unto them. Often today the message of faith in Jesus and baptism for the remission of sins arouses a cutting to the heart that is not good. People become angry at it and resort to name-calling and other displays of hatred. Or some get convicted of their sins and fight tooth and nail to resist what they know is right.

The heart is the key. In Acts 2, the people were of a good heart and upon realizing what they had done, followed the divine steps to remove their sins by being baptized. In Acts 7, we find people not willing to hear the message and showing themselves to not be interested following God. Both were cut to the heart, but only a honest heart will seek to please God and reject all for Him. Again, how is your heart "cut?"