A Whole Hearted Christian

Elijah came unto all the people, and said, ‘How long halt ye between two opinions? If the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him’. And the people answered him not a word.”
H. Psalms 73:25 “Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.”
I. To love God wholeheartedly, we must be convinced that our only happiness is in Him alone. We cannot believe this until we renounce all other efforts at happiness. If we look to God to supply half our happiness, we can only love him with half our hearts. (William Law in Christian Perfection (a contemporary version by Marvin D. Hinten). Christianity Today, Vol. 36, no. 9.)

II. A Wholehearted Christian is one who is determined to live pleasing to God.
A. Psalm 119:2-3 “Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity; they walk in His ways.”
B. Experiencing a life-changing faith, having a close relationship with God and desiring to please God above all else are marks of a genuine belief in born-again Christians.
C. Psalm 119:10 “With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.”
D. A wholehearted Christian isn’t on again off again but lives consistent with his profession of faith.
E. "Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling around about drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are too easily pleased." (C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory)
F. 1 Kings 11:4 “For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.”
G. It is interesting that the Greek term for excellence is derived from the same root as the word meaning “to please.” There is a strong link between spiritual excellence and a desire to please God. The Lord Jesus always did what was pleasing to the Father (John 8:29). At the same time, He did not live selfishly, to please Himself (Rom. 15:3). His life was entirely determined by the will of God for Him, and doing that will, He found pleasure (John 4:34; 5:30; 6:38) and pleased God. - Gary Inrig, “A Call to Excellence,” Victor Books, Wheaton, ILL, 1985, pp. 55
H. Psalm 119:101 “I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word.”
I. John 14:23 “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him”

III. A Wholehearted Christian is one who is readily obedient to God.
A. Psalm 119:69 “...I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart.”
B. Living a clean life, being a good person (according to man’s standards) can be said of even those who are not Christians. But one mark of a true believer is that they obey God’s commands.
C. 2 Chronicles 25:1-4 “Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he began to reign,