God through the prophet Ezekiel mentioned about new heart and a new spirit. However, the responsibility of either giving a new heart and spirit by God or we having a new heart and spirit is not only vague but intertwined. In this post, we will explore whose responsibility is the new heart and new spirit.

Duel Responsibility

“Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God. But as for those whose hearts follow the desire for their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their deeds on their own heads,” says the Lord GOD.

Ezek 11:19-21

If God is giving one heart and putting a new spirit for the remnant, how can He expect some of them to follow the desire of detestable things and abominations?

Our Responsibility

“Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord GOD. “Therefore turn and live!”

Ezek 18:31-32

We also read in the same book of Ezekiel, that getting a new heart and a new spirit is our responsibility.

God’s Responsibility

“Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

Ezek 36:25-27

Yet again, we read in the same book of Ezekiel, that getting a new heart and a new spirit is God’s responsibility.

Who’s Responsibility?

As we can in the book of Ezekiel, the responsibility of new heart and new spirit is intertwined with both God and us.

Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.

Luke 8:11-15

Based on what Jesus taught in His parable, it is our responsibility to have a good heart to believe His Words, keep it and bear fruit with patience.

“He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

John 7:38-39

If we believe in Him by keeping His Words and bearing fruit with patience, then God will give us His Holy Spirit.

For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’

Matt 13:15

This is why, it is our responsibility to have a good heart so that He can give us His Spirit