The myth of "head" vs "heart" knowledge

[tribesman]

Deut.6

[5] And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Matt.22

[37] Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

Luke.10

[27] And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

Prov.3

[5] Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

[19] The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.
[20] By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.

It is not good to lean unto one's own understanding (or self). We must learn to trust God. We are to be like children in our trust in God but we are not to be like children in knowledge. Many professing christians are refusing to believe that God through the Holy Spirit in the Word really can give accurate understanding of crucial matters. This is the knowledge that God gives in regeneration. It is divine in origin, it does not originate from human intellect. This knowledge affects the whole being of the blessed man who receives it. And this whole man (head, hand, feet etc) are to use this gift to SERVE GOD AND NEIGHBOR.

But there are some that despises this knowledge and unwisely chop up the term knowledge into a heart and head section. Instead they look to some "mystical", murky place, either in themselves or up in the blue, that they call "heart" which they set their hope to. Wrongly thinking in vain that there's a huge gulf between "heart" and "head". This is nothing but unbiblical human sophistry and pietist nonsense which crept in relatively late. Much of it stems from romanticism, a philosophy that became popular in the 1800s.

The Bible says that man thinks with his heart and that which his mouth speaks (and how he acts) shows his heart. From that we can also judge/discern (up to a point, I must add) what is in a man's heart. If someone for example is teaching heresies or speaking lies in hypocrisy or continually are making unrighteous judgments - then his heart is not "right". Examples of this is found in scriptures like Prov.23:7, Ezk.38:10, Luke 9:47, 2Tim.3:8 and Tit.1:15 etc.

The Bible does not make any dichotomy between heart and head, they are to understood as being one. Scriptural examples of this would include Gen.6:5,24:45,27:41, Exo.8:15,35:35,36:2, Deut.2:30,11:18,15:9, 1Kings 3:9, Ps.14:1,15:2,49:3, Prov.2:10,14:10, Eccl.7:22, Isa.33:18, Dan.5:20, Matt. 13:15, Luke 1:46-47,2:19, Acts 8:22, Rom.1:28,10:9-10 Phil.1:27 and Heb.4:12 etc.

Insisting that there is a gulf between heart and head leads to a foolish rejection of knowledge and instead comes a dependence upon feelings and "experiences", and thus a false standard. Now, if you lack knowledge in a field what do you have in its stead? Ignorance! Do a search in the Bible and look up what it says about knowledge vs ignorance. It doesn't take a scholar to spot that it says much about knowledge in the positive and much about ignorance in the negative. An undisputable fact is that these two words are actually often marked as indicators of being saved vs being lost. We're talking about very serious stuff here! However, there is a saying of Paul, in the context of not eating meats offered to idols, that knowledge puffs up while charity edifies. Needless to say, unless knowledge is acted upon in love it bears not the fruit intended. There is no difference there from faith.

Sometimes you will hear notions that the Pharisees were "religious experts" of their day and supposedly had a lot of "knowledge". Views like these are not uncommon but have no ground in facts. Although they were very zealous about their worship, they actually lacked knowledge. In reality they had gone astray from the path of the Saints of old and Jesus rebuked them for NOT having applicable knowledge (Luke 11:52). Paul likewise said that the unbelieving pharisees were indeed zealous for God, but not according to knowledge and that they were ignorant of God's righteousness (Rom.10:2-3). They were certainly sincere and commited in their zeal - but they were ignorant about that which was crucial and therefore - lost. This same thing is a reality today in christianity.

 

[tribesman]

The "head" vs "heart" dichotomy comes in various forms, like the idea that there is an "intellectual belief" vs "saving belief". What is a saving belief if it has no place in the intellect? Certainly belief comes from the intellect, from the mind which is connected to the heart. Many religionists talk in terms of "head" vs "heart" as in: "He doesn't have it right in his head, but he has it right in his heart" or: "He has head knowledge, but he doesn't have a heart faith". Same thing goes for people who talk about "mental assent" vs "heart faith". But this thinking comes from romanticism, not scripture. In scripture, the heart is what thinks, understands, believes. Therefore it is a false distinction to say that someone can have a "head" knowledge but no "heart" knowledge. All knowledge comes from the intellect, including mind and heart. True faith is then a matter of the intellect, just as false faith is a matter of the intellect.

 

[RedTent]

Although some men such as Aristotle taught that thought came from the brain, it wasn’t generally accepted until about 1,500AD. Scripture was written for the understanding of the people of the time it was written, so often when scripture says “heart” it refers to our thoughts. We still say we will "learn by heart" even though we know it is our brain that controls memorization.

 

[squidget]

interestingly if we reverse the head to heart idea making it heart to head it runs closer to what is taught in scripture , we are given a new heart with GODs laws written on them , yet we must train ourselves to operate in these laws .
ive noticed that if church traditional teachings don't seem to quite make sense i try reversing their order and often they fit scripture lol.

 

[tribesman]

interestingly if we reverse the head to heart idea making it heart to head it runs closer to what is taught in scripture , we are given a new heart with GODs laws written on them , yet we must train ourselves to operate in these laws .
ive noticed that if church traditional teachings don't seem to quite make sense i try reversing their order and often they fit scripture lol.

Well, it does have to be in any exact order - heart or head, or head or heart. To make such a distinction between them is still false. As they are seen as one in scripture.

 

[Abiding]

great thread

 

[tribesman]

Although some men such as Aristotle taught that thought came from the brain, it wasn’t generally accepted until about 1,500AD. Scripture was written for the understanding of the people of the time it was written, so often when scripture says “heart” it refers to our thoughts. We still say we will "learn by heart" even though we know it is our brain that controls memorization.

The question is when this distinction crept into christianity. I would see a clear connection here between pietism of the 1700-1800s and romanticism. Just ponder for a while how much damage this head vs heart thing has caused, how much heresy, lunacy and lawlessness that is the result of it. This is really a camel that many has swallowed.

 

[greatblue]

Although some men such as Aristotle taught that thought came from the brain, it wasn’t generally accepted until about 1,500AD. Scripture was written for the understanding of the people of the time it was written, so often when scripture says “heart” it refers to our thoughts. We still say we will "learn by heart" even though we know it is our brain that controls memorization.

I don't see the need to question the duality as it matches the entirety of God's creation. I know in education there is a clear distinction between head knowledge (intelligence and rational thought) and heart knowledge (feelings and emotions). For example, I can tell a child that a stove is hot. The child can process this language and believe at hearing, or it can rationalize its own truth. The child will "know" because it was given this head knowledge. However, by touching the stove there is an experience that personalizes the knowledge, or you could say, "takes it to heart". So there are two different concepts: I know because I heard; I know because I experienced. Now if we say these are definitely two different things, then they must be coded differently, right? Romanticism and this dichotomy came about as a means to finally "deal with the heart" as if it was its own knowledge/experience. And, if you've studied literature, you'll know that romanticism is really feminine thought and the rise of female "sense" in modern thought.

I'm not knocking down what Tribesman said, but I'm going to spend some time reading through and considering what is positing here. The parable in Luke 16:22 just came to mind so I'm going to start reading there. I'll post some sort of intelligible response, I'm just not sure where it will be coming from yet.

 

[tribesman]

I don't see the need to question the duality as it matches the entirety of God's creation. I know in education there is a clear distinction between head knowledge (intelligence and rational thought) and heart knowledge (feelings and emotions). For example, I can tell a child that a stove is hot. The child can process this language and believe at hearing, or it can rationalize its own truth. The child will "know" because it was given this head knowledge. However, by touching the stove there is an experience that personalizes the knowledge, or you could say, "takes it to heart". So there are two different concepts: I know because I heard; I know because I experienced. Now if we say these are definitely two different things, then they must be coded differently, right? Romanticism and this dichotomy came about as a means to finally "deal with the heart" as if it was its own knowledge/experience. And, if you've studied literature, you'll know that romanticism is really feminine thought and the rise of female "sense" in modern thought.

There is much to this. However, the crucial question here is what scripture says on the matter.

 

[Crossfire]

This thread is nothing more that a rebuttal to the following post that I had made earlier in another thread in response to something Tribesman himself had said. Tribeman wishes to refute my post because, if indeed everything I have said is true, it indicates that his preferred doctrine (ie. Calvinism) could possess very serious holes that he and everyone else who holds to it needs to take into serious consideration.

*shaking head in disagreement*

I would expect something like that to come out of the mouth of a Calvinist seeing seeing as Calvinism is, for the most part, intellectualized Christianity. Calvinism is not only infamous for it's love of knowledge, it's also notorious for it's lack of compassion which is why historically Calvinists have persecuted, tortured and killed other Christians who would not embrace their teachings. Why did they do this? Because they valued their doctrine (knowledge) over the souls of men.

One can know a lot about God and still not know God. The Pharisees were considered the religious experts of their time yet when God Himself lived among them through Christ, they didn't even recognize Him. There is a huge difference between possessing a lot of knowledge about God and actually loving the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul & strength. I believe that is why Jesus added a second commandment; "and love your neighbor as yourself" because it is our compassion (love) for people which keeps our passion (love) for knowledge in check, thus keeping us from falling head first into self righteousness.

You see, one can possess right doctrine and still walk in serious error because of their lack of love. You can not possess the real truth about God without love because God himself is love. If you truly have the Spirit of God (the indwelling Holy Spirit) residing in you, then you too will walk in love because it is His nature to love (see Galatians 5). To put things simply: You can not possess truth without love because THE TRUTH IS LOVE.

In ending, it really doesn't matter what doctrine you believe or even if that doctrine is indeed correct, if you do not love God with your whole heart and love people as yourself than you are nothing more that the modern equivalent to a spiritually dead religious pharisee.

 

[tribesman]

This thread is nothing more that a rebuttal to the following post that I had made earlier in another thread in response to something Tribesman himself had said. Tribeman wishes to refute my post because, if indeed everything I have said is true, it establishes that his preferred doctrine (ie. Calvinism) has some very serious flaws that he and everyone else who holds to it needs to take into serious consideration.

Like I said in that thread, it could be discussed elsewhere. And here and now it is.

You are wrong about that this thread is a mere rebuttal to the particular post you quoted. This is a vast subject and something that most of the evangelical movement teaches in some form today. You are faaaar from alone on this one! So it's not only your views or the views of some other users here at CC, it is a big thing among many professing christians today.

This topic should have a wide interest.

 

[jimmydiggs]

This thread is nothing more that a rebuttal to the following post that I had made earlier in another thread in response to something Tribesman himself had said. Tribeman wishes to refute my post because, if indeed everything I have said is true, it indicates that his preferred doctrine (ie. Calvinism) could possess very serious holes that he and everyone else who holds to it needs to take into serious consideration.

You must be tribesmans number one fan.

 

[Crossfire]

As someone who has a keen interest in church history and has studied the most of the glorious moves of God in the Church over the last fives centuries, as well as the greatest atrocities in the Church, I can say with all assurance that there is a very real difference between "head knowledge" and "heart knowledge" within the Christian experience.

If one were to compare the two "experiences", "head knowledge" could be defined as acquired information about God that brings forth little or no change in one's heart, mind and / or lifestyle. For example, a person can believe that the Bible is true, that Jesus was real and that He is the son of God yet that knowledge has yielded no true spiritual fruit in that person's life. Yes, that person may claim to possess saving faith, but it obvious from the way they live that they do not possess a regenerate heart, a humble heart and a contrite spirit, that loves God and loves people. In fact, their behavior ussually indicates that the opposite is true. Such people are usually very sinful, unrepentant, prideful and self righteous. It is this kind of "knowledge" that false religions and cults are made up of. Such people do not possess the indwelling Holy Spirit in the hearts for if they had they would not behave the way they do.

In contrast, "heart knowledge" defined is simply this: loving God with all one's heart, mind, soul & strength as scripture commands in Matthew 22:36-40 and, in doing so, truly knowing God on a relational basis where one's heart and mind have been spiritually regenerated. It means to abandon the carnal logic and religious reasoning of men in favor of living a life surrendered to the Word of God (which defies the logic of men) and the indwelling Holy Spirit.

2nd Corinthians 5:16-17 states that if anyone be truly in Christ that they have become a new creature and are no longer dominated by the carnal reasoning of the flesh. Ezekiel chapter 11, verses 19 - 20 (Amp) puts is this way:

"And I will give them one heart [a new heart] and I will put a new spirit within them; and I will take the stony [unnaturally hardened] heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh [sensitive and responsive to the touch of their God], that they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances, and do them. And they shall be My people, and I will be their God."

While there are many passages of scripture which do explain the contrast of "head knowledge" versus "heart knowledge', the following passage is without a doubt the clearest and most descriptive. In Matthew 13, verses 24 - 30 you will find what we commonly refer to as "the parable of the wheat and the tares (weeds)". In this parable, Jesus describes a scenario where a farmer plants wheat in a field however, the enemy comes along and sows seeds his own called tares in the same field.

To truly understand this parable in it's intended context, you must understand that it is an established fact that wheat and tares look almost exactly alike while they are growing. The only way you can distinguish the difference between the two is when they begin to produce seed (fruit). The fruit of the tare looks different from the seed of the wheat. In fact, the seed of the tare is actually poisonous if eating and can kill a human being.

To sum up this parable, Jesus himself is describing the Church. The wheat are true believers and the tares are what I call "the religious lost". The religious lost are people who say they are saved, they say they believe the Bible and that Jesus is the son of God however, they do nothing but cause serious problems in the church. The workers (angels) are able to discern to the wheat (true believers) from the tares (the religious lost) because when each began to form grain (bare fruit) their seed (fruit) looked different. However, because the roots the tares were so intertwined with the wheat, rather than allow the workers (angels) to rip the tares out of the ground (would have uprooted much wheat in the process), the farmer (God) allows them to grow together until the day of the harvest (2nd Coming).


Jesus describes the "religious lost" in another passage of scripture found in Matthew 7: 14 - 23 (Amp):

" But the gate is narrow (contracted by pressure) and the way is straitened and compressed that leads away to life, and few are those who find it. Beware of false prophets, who come to you dressed as sheep, but inside they are devouring wolves. You will fully recognize them by their fruits. Do people pick grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?

Even so, every healthy (sound) tree bears good fruit [worthy of admiration], but the sickly (decaying, worthless) tree bears bad (worthless) fruit. A good (healthy) tree cannot bear bad (worthless) fruit, nor can a bad (diseased) tree bear excellent fruit [worthy of admiration] Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire. Therefore, you will fully know them by their fruits.

Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father Who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name and driven out demons in Your name and done many mighty works in Your name? And then I will say to them openly (publicly), I never knew you; depart from Me, you who act wickedly [disregarding My commands]"

The Apostle Paul repeats the same sentiment in Acts 20: 28 -30 (Amp):

"Take care and be on guard for yourselves and the whole flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you bishops and guardians, to shepherd (tend and feed and guide) the church of the Lord or of God which He obtained for Himself [buying it and saving it for Himself] with His own blood; I know that after I am gone, ferocious wolves will get in among you, not sparing the flock; Even from among your own selves men will come to the front who, by saying perverse (distorted and corrupt) things, will endeavor to draw away the disciples after them [to their own party]."

There are several passages of scripture which warns the Church of a scenario where true believers will find themselves living among people a religious but lost people. The Apostle Paul provides two such scenarios in the book of Timothy:

2 Timothy 3: 1 - 5 (Amp):

"But understand this, that in the last days will come (set in) perilous times of great stress and trouble [hard to deal with and hard to bear]. For people will be lovers of self and [utterly] self-centered, lovers of money and aroused by an inordinate [greedy] desire for wealth, proud and arrogant and contemptuous boasters.

They will be abusive (blasphemous, scoffing), disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane. [They will be] without natural [human] affection (callous and inhuman), relentless (admitting of no truce or appeasement); [they will be] slanderers (false accusers, troublemakers), intemperate and loose in morals and conduct, uncontrolled and fierce, haters of good. [They will be] treacherous [betrayers], rash, [and] inflated with self-conceit. [They will be] lovers of sensual pleasures and vain amusements more than and rather than lovers of God.

For [although] they hold a form of piety (true religion), they deny and reject and are strangers to the power of it [their conduct belies the genuineness of their profession]. Avoid [all] such people [turn away from them]."


2 Timothy 4: 3 - 4 (Amp):


"For the time is coming when [people] will not tolerate (endure) sound and wholesome instruction, but, having ears itching [for something pleasing and gratifying], they will gather to themselves one teacher after another to a considerable number, chosen to satisfy their own liking and to foster the errors they hold, And will turn aside from hearing the truth and wander off into myths and man-made fictions."

There is more that adequate proof in the Bible to prove that there is indeed a significant difference between those who are truly saved thus knowing God "in their hearts" and those who just possess knowledge of God in the minds. The Bible also teaches that we can tell such people by their behavior. Those who possess "heart knowledge" obey the word of God because they love Him and it is such people whom the Father will reveal Himself to (John 14:21). Such people are those inhabited by the Holy Spirit because they possess His character (fruit).

On the other hand, those who have "head knowledge" possess nothing more than spiritually dead religion. Such people are in no better standing with God than demons who also believe the Bible true, who also believe Jesus is and the son of God however, in their rebellion, they have decided to work against God. In fact, if one were to compare the fruit of the religious lost with the fruit of the demons, I doubt you will find much difference. After all, both are out to destroy the true Church.

 

[Crossfire]

Like I said in that thread, it could be discussed elsewhere. And here and now it is.

You are wrong about that this thread is a mere rebuttal to the particular post you quoted. This is a vast subject and something that most of the evangelical movement teaches in some form today. You are faaaar from alone on this one! So it's not only your views or the views of some other users here at CC, it is a big thing among many professing christians today.

This topic should have a wide interest.

And my rebuttal has been posted.

 

[Crossfire]

Like I said in that thread, it could be discussed elsewhere. And here and now it is.

You are wrong about that this thread is a mere rebuttal to the particular post you quoted. This is a vast subject and something that most of the evangelical movement teaches in some form today. You are faaaar from alone on this one! So it's not only your views or the views of some other users here at CC, it is a big thing among many professing christians today.

This topic should have a wide interest.

To be quite honest with you Tribesman, from my perspective, there seems to be very little difference between the "head knowledge" versus "heart knowledge" debate and the "the Lordship salvation" debate. Any true Calvinist both understands and embraces the importance of Christ becoming Lord over one's entire life, which includes one's heart, mind and body. While the terminology might be a little different, the underlying principles are still the same.

 

[tribesman]

To be quite honest with you Tribesman, from my perspective, there seems to be very little difference between the "head knowledge" versus "heart knowledge" debate and the "the Lordship salvation" debate. Any true Calvinist both understands and embraces the importance of Christ becoming Lord over one's entire life, which includes one's heart, mind and body. While the terminology might be a little different, the underlying principles are still the same.

This is exactly the point I am making. Christ becomes Lord over our entire life. Heart, mind and body. It is not chopped up in a head and a heart part. It is not distinguished that way. You can't be "right" in heart but not head, and vice versa. That is, you can't have it "right" in only "one" of these "two". When you have it right it's both in heart and head, which are one, biblically speaking.

 

[Crossfire]

Anyways, bellow is just my opening "argument". All I wanted to do is establish that you will find two different kinds of people in the church: those who about God, those who truly know God and how to tell the difference.

The true debate will be to show scripturally how the heart or "love" plays a major role in discerning one's salvation rather than the mind itself. Yes, the mind does indeed play a role however, it is the love of God in us which transforms (regenerates) us and allows to love others thus it that "love" which empowers us to respect God and obey His word.

In my opening statement, I only posted two such scriptures. There are more and I will post them when I have time.

 

[Crossfire]

You can't be "right" in heart but not head, and vice versa. That is, you can't have it "right" in only "one" of these "two". When you have it right it's both in heart and head, which are one, biblically speaking.

There are many immature believers who are saved, who love God yet don't have the first idea concerning sound doctrine. While the mind is an important component, the heart is just as important. If it were a simply a matter reason then people wouldn't be deceived. However, it is because the false teachers appeal to their affections for the desires of this world (their heart), that people are and will be lead astray.

 

[Crossfire]

This is exactly the point I am making. Christ becomes Lord over our entire life. Heart, mind and body. It is not chopped up in a head and a heart part. It is not distinguished that way. You can't be "right" in heart but not head, and vice versa. That is, you can't have it "right" in only "one" of these "two". When you have it right it's both in heart and head, which are one, biblically speaking.

Personally, I never once attempted to separate the two nor have I ever heard anyone try to do so. Both the heart and the mind can and do influence one another. However, there are those exalt knowledge to point that they love knowledge more than seeing souls saved. So much so, that in their religious pride and self righteousness, they actually destroy lives instead of reaching out to them.

 

[Red33]

Nothing 'mythy' about this subject nor is it difficult to understand, only those that make it difficult have a problem understanding it. It is illustrated in (Jm 1:22,23)...

22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

If the word that we hear is not applied in the details of life it remains as head knowledge, but when we apply it or are a doer of it, then it is transferred from the head to the heart giving the heart understanding and bearing fruit (Prov 4:7, 16:16). Wisdom is the application of knowledge and from that we get understanding.

Col 1:9-11

9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;