THE MEANING OF HEART IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
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I have always been fascinated by the heart. I lean towards that the heart is the spirit of man and the soul as man operating as one.
I also think that the teaching for the Christian that within the heart of man there is both evil and good is not consistent with the new creation in Christ. I know that Jesus talks about it but I believe He was describing man's condition before the cross and resurrection.
This is why Jesus said to make the tree good so that good fruit would come from it. I believe here Jesus is talking about being born-again and having a new heart.
There is so much to the "heart" to discover in the Lord.
So that would also include our emotions and feelings, since most of our decisions come from there. If we are not "walking in the Spirit".
When I read in scriptures to "pour out your heart before the Lord", I literally let my anger, fears, deep hurts out vocally to Him (the other day I even told Him I felt that he betrayed me), and have always felt it is my flesh praying (my heart)....but after I do this, I get a sense of peace and immediately begin praying form my spirit with confidence, peace and trust.
The heart is the innermost core of the person what they truly think and who they truly are inside. As believers our hearts are something we must search quite often because the heart of a person is the deciding factor for everything not just as believers but as people in general. The heart decides how we think and how we are as people it decides how we see people and life around us, a bitter heart will only see the bad a joyful heart will see the good even in the midst of the bad and a self righteous heart will see darkness in everyone except themselves. As you can see the heart of a person is a very major factor.
But think of this also if you will, the motives of the heart is also a very big decisive factor. for instance say there are two warriors who both seek to be strong but their reasons for being strong are polar opposite one warrior seeks to be strong for himself so he can be praised and showered with fame the other however seeks to be strong not for himself but because he wants to be able to protect those who cannot fight for themselves.
Now both warriors will train exhaustively and will both become strong but one will surpass the other merely because of the motive in his heart, only when one has a reason to fight and has something worth fighting for can he surpass his limitations. A true warrior fights not for himself but for the sake of others. The motive of the heart has always been the deciding factor which is why I think we must search our hearts and ask ourselves why we seek to be strong in him.
God searches the heart for a reason
But think of this also if you will, the motives of the heart is also a very big decisive factor. for instance say there are two warriors who both seek to be strong but their reasons for being strong are polar opposite one warrior seeks to be strong for himself so he can be praised and showered with fame the other however seeks to be strong not for himself but because he wants to be able to protect those who cannot fight for themselves.
Now both warriors will train exhaustively and will both become strong but one will surpass the other merely because of the motive in his heart, only when one has a reason to fight and has something worth fighting for can he surpass his limitations. A true warrior fights not for himself but for the sake of others. The motive of the heart has always been the deciding factor which is why I think we must search our hearts and ask ourselves why we seek to be strong in him.
God searches the heart for a reason
P
pottersclay
Guest
[FONT="]Isaiah 47:10[/FONT]
[FONT="]“For you have trusted in your wickedness; You have said, ‘No one sees me’; Your wisdom and your knowledge have warped you; And you have said in your heart, ‘I am, and there is no one else besides me.’
[FONT="]Jeremiah 17:9[/FONT]
“The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?
[/FONT]
[FONT="]“For you have trusted in your wickedness; You have said, ‘No one sees me’; Your wisdom and your knowledge have warped you; And you have said in your heart, ‘I am, and there is no one else besides me.’
[FONT="]Jeremiah 17:9[/FONT]
“The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?
[/FONT]
Thank God that the gospel of the grace of Christ has given us believers a new heart!
I believe that scripture teaches that we have new hearts now in Christ as a new creation in Him.
In the Old Testament David cried out prophetically "Create in me a clean heart O God". Jesus Himself says to "clean up the inside of the cup and the vessel will be clean".
The cross and resurrection of Christ has done all this for us.
We don't need to search our hearts for wrong things - we need to have our minds renewed to the truth of Christ living in us now. It's the flesh that "speaks" to us as all the "works" in Gal 5 are from the flesh.
We are not "in the flesh" as Paul says in Romans 8:9 - but we are "in the Spirit" - our inner man in Christ.
We need as Christians to learn to live from this new heart that was "created" in us because of Christ's finished work for us.
I firmly believe we are confusing the "desires of the flesh which still has the law of sin in it" ( Romans 7:23 ) and wrongly calling it our heart.
We have been circumcised with the circumcision of the Heart - called the circumcision of Christ and the body of flesh. Col 2:11. This is also called "being sealed by the Holy Spirit" Eph 1:13
The Holy Spirit "cut away" ( as in physical circumcision ) the body of the flesh from the inner man who is in Christ - the new creation - created in righteousness and holiness. Eph 4:23
Here are the reasons why I believe we Christians have a new heart now in Christ and not a corrupted heart. We need to learn how to live from this new heart which is where Christ is in us as one spirit by the Holy Spirit.
The believers new heart in Christ is created in righteousness and holiness: First it was prophesied in the Old Testament.
Ezekiel 36:26 (NASB)
[SUP]26 [/SUP] "Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone ( old man ) from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. ( new man in Christ )
Romans 2:29 (NASB)
[SUP]29 [/SUP] But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.
By grace we have been given a new heart that is obedient.
Romans 6:17 (NASB)
[SUP]17 [/SUP] But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed,
God cleaned house and moved in. God will not dwell in unrighteousness. God through the Holy Spirit is in our inner man now.
Ephesians 3:16-17 (NASB)
[SUP]16 [/SUP] that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,
[SUP]17 [/SUP] so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
God sealed us and gave us the Holy Spirit in our new hearts.
2 Corinthians 1:22 (NASB)
[SUP]22 [/SUP] who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.
We have the Spirit of God's Son in our hearts now.
Galatians 4:6 (NASB)
[SUP]6 [/SUP] Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!"
God has cleansed our hearts by faith.
Acts 15:8-9 (NASB)
[SUP]8 [/SUP] "And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us;
[SUP]9 [/SUP] and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.
We love from our hearts now as it is pure.
1 Timothy 1:5 (NASB)
[SUP]5 [/SUP] But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.
2 Timothy 2:22 (NASB)
[SUP]22 [/SUP] Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. (this is a believer in Christ..hang around them )
1 Peter 3:4 (NASB)
[SUP]4 [/SUP] but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.
There are more but this should work to show that the believer has a new heart in Christ.
We still have the flesh to deal with in our bodies and we are admonished to not to yield to that...but all that is a different subject.
I believe that scripture teaches that we have new hearts now in Christ as a new creation in Him.
In the Old Testament David cried out prophetically "Create in me a clean heart O God". Jesus Himself says to "clean up the inside of the cup and the vessel will be clean".
The cross and resurrection of Christ has done all this for us.
We don't need to search our hearts for wrong things - we need to have our minds renewed to the truth of Christ living in us now. It's the flesh that "speaks" to us as all the "works" in Gal 5 are from the flesh.
We are not "in the flesh" as Paul says in Romans 8:9 - but we are "in the Spirit" - our inner man in Christ.
We need as Christians to learn to live from this new heart that was "created" in us because of Christ's finished work for us.
I firmly believe we are confusing the "desires of the flesh which still has the law of sin in it" ( Romans 7:23 ) and wrongly calling it our heart.
We have been circumcised with the circumcision of the Heart - called the circumcision of Christ and the body of flesh. Col 2:11. This is also called "being sealed by the Holy Spirit" Eph 1:13
The Holy Spirit "cut away" ( as in physical circumcision ) the body of the flesh from the inner man who is in Christ - the new creation - created in righteousness and holiness. Eph 4:23
Here are the reasons why I believe we Christians have a new heart now in Christ and not a corrupted heart. We need to learn how to live from this new heart which is where Christ is in us as one spirit by the Holy Spirit.
The believers new heart in Christ is created in righteousness and holiness: First it was prophesied in the Old Testament.
Ezekiel 36:26 (NASB)
[SUP]26 [/SUP] "Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone ( old man ) from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. ( new man in Christ )
Romans 2:29 (NASB)
[SUP]29 [/SUP] But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.
By grace we have been given a new heart that is obedient.
Romans 6:17 (NASB)
[SUP]17 [/SUP] But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed,
God cleaned house and moved in. God will not dwell in unrighteousness. God through the Holy Spirit is in our inner man now.
Ephesians 3:16-17 (NASB)
[SUP]16 [/SUP] that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,
[SUP]17 [/SUP] so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
God sealed us and gave us the Holy Spirit in our new hearts.
2 Corinthians 1:22 (NASB)
[SUP]22 [/SUP] who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.
We have the Spirit of God's Son in our hearts now.
Galatians 4:6 (NASB)
[SUP]6 [/SUP] Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!"
God has cleansed our hearts by faith.
Acts 15:8-9 (NASB)
[SUP]8 [/SUP] "And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us;
[SUP]9 [/SUP] and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.
We love from our hearts now as it is pure.
1 Timothy 1:5 (NASB)
[SUP]5 [/SUP] But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.
2 Timothy 2:22 (NASB)
[SUP]22 [/SUP] Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. (this is a believer in Christ..hang around them )
1 Peter 3:4 (NASB)
[SUP]4 [/SUP] but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.
There are more but this should work to show that the believer has a new heart in Christ.
We still have the flesh to deal with in our bodies and we are admonished to not to yield to that...but all that is a different subject.
The question to consider about Jeremiah 17 is was he speaking of the heart of the sinner and the saint? or just the sinner? If in Christ we are made new then do we not also receive a new heart? although to be honest I know that when my focus is not on God and is on the things of the world I can never trust my own heart I don't dare to, but when my focus is on him I naturally follow my heart because my heart is being guided by him.
I suppose there is a time to trust your heart and also a time not to
my heart 'now', is my 'new-Spirit', which belongs to Jesus, totally, this is what teaches me
and guides me into a more mature and intimate relationship with my Heavenly Father...
old must be left behind, new, to be discovered by trials and tests for our growth and maturity
in Christ...we will learn to not act upon 'old-emotions', but on our brand-new Spirit and Hope
by 'the renewing of our minds'...
and guides me into a more mature and intimate relationship with my Heavenly Father...
old must be left behind, new, to be discovered by trials and tests for our growth and maturity
in Christ...we will learn to not act upon 'old-emotions', but on our brand-new Spirit and Hope
by 'the renewing of our minds'...