The Heart (Part 5)

Season 2 Episode 44 - In this episode, we look at how the Bible defines the heart (also known as the soul), and its relationship to the spirit and the body.  We also see that the Bible declares that both good treasure and bad treasure can come forth from our heart.  If that is the case, then what are we to do as believers?  Listen to this episode and find out!

"Reflect on This" is a once-weekly, short devotional podcast. In these devotionals, I share the things I am learning about the ways and nature of God, through applying my study of the Scriptures to life, in practical and fulfilling ways.
 
If you like the podcast, please tell your friends and family about it, and subscribe/follow it, because it helps others to find the podcast more easily.
 
Resources that inspired some episodes:

"My Heart, Christ's Home" by Robert Munger

"The Language of Rivers and Stars" by Seth Lewis

“Dream Small:  The Secret Power of the Ordinary Christian Life” by Seth Lewis

 Seth Lewis blog:  https://sethlewis.ie/

35 Bible Verses About Listening To Others (Explained) - Bible Repository 

"Restoration Year: Devotions to Transform Your Relationships, Spirit, and Faith" by John Eldredge

"Boundaries" by Henry Cloud and John Townsend

"The Pleasure of His Company" by Dutch Sheets

"Fresh Air" by Chris Hodges

“The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts” by Gary Chapman

"The Lies We Believe: Renew Your Mind and Transform Your Life" by Dr. Chris Thurman

Featured ministries and resources:
 
“Agape Puppets” (ministry)
This is an amazing world-wide ministry that uses puppet shows to reach children (and their parents) for Christ, in cultures that are generally not very open to the Gospel.  To learn more, go to: https://theagapepuppets.org/ 

"Manufacture Good" (ministry)
 Manufacture Good is a Christian ministry that offers paid apprenticeships to men who need a second chance.  These apprentices learn biblical principles, character, and valuable woodworking and metalworking skills which lead to employment opportunities.  You can shop their catalog of fine home and office products, order a standard or custom piece of furniture, make a donation, and learn more about this amazing ministry, at: https://manufacturegood.org/.

"The World and Everything in It" (podcast)
This is a weekday 35-minute podcast that presents headline news, in-depth news articles, media reviews, and opinion pieces from a Christian world view.  Their stated mission is "biblically objective journalism that informs, educates, and inspires."
 
“Crazy Little Thing Called Marriage” (podcast) 
This is a once a week 30-minute podcast hosted by Greg and Erin Smalley, who head up the marriage team at Focus on the Family.  Each episode addresses a different aspect of marriage, using biblical principles, featured guests, practical advice, and a mixture of humor and candidness.  
 
"e-Sword" (Bible study software)
This study tool includes many free (and low-cost) resources, including Bibles, dictionaries, commentaries, and devotionals.  It allows you to simultaneously view verses and their corresponding cross-references, lexicon entries, commentaries, and more.
On your computer, go to e-sword.net
On your mobile device, go to your app store and search for “e-sword.” 

Music credits:
Beauty by MaxKoMusic | https://maxkomusic.com/
Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all

Transcript

As we have seen in the previous episodes of this series, where we read the modern-day parable of the heart entitled “My Heart: Christ’s Home,” there are both good and bad aspects of our hearts – rooms in our hearts that we are glad to invite Jesus into, and other rooms within our hearts that we are uncomfortable or even ashamed to invite Jesus into.  As we begin to read various Bible verses that mention the heart, we quickly see that the Bible confirms this principle of both good treasure and bad treasure being in our hearts:

Luke 6:45 NASB  "The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.

In fact, there may be more warnings in the Bible regarding the potentially negative aspects of the heart than affirmations of the potentially positive aspects of the heart.  Here are a few such admonitions:

Jeremiah 17:9 HCSB  The heart is more deceitful than anything else, and incurable—who can understand it?

Hebrews 3:12 NIV  See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.  [Note that this verse is specifically referring to believers, since it is addressing “brothers and sisters.”]

When I read these verses, I  think, “Why would the Bible address the hearts of believers as ‘unbelieving,’ or as ‘more deceitful than anything else, and incurable?’”  After all,

“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).  

Wouldn’t that mean that God gives us a new heart?  And what about Ezekiel 36:26?

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”

Well, in one sense, God does indeed give us a new heart.  Our old heart, prior to our salvation, was hardened (like stone) and therefore incapable of drawing near to God, or of choosing the ways of God.  Our new heart is softer (like flesh), and has the capability of choosing the ways of God.  But it also has the capability of not choosing the ways of God.

The answer has to do with the fact that God created us as 3-part beings.  This makes sense, when we consider that we are made in the image of God, who is a triune being.  Our 3 parts are our spirit, our soul, and our body.  Our spirit is the part that is born again at salvation – literally, recreated.  Our old spirit was “crucified with Christ,” and we were given a new spirit.

2 Corinthians 5:17  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 

(Application:  When we are born again, we become a new creation.  God’s spirit does not merely take up residence beside our spirit.  Our spirit is transformed into a “new creation.”  The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.  Salvation is not addition.  It is transformation.)

So, even though our spirit is immediately made new, our heart (our soul) is not.  Our soul is made up of our mind, will and emotions.  It is that portion of our soul called the mind that was programmed before our salvation with ungodly, independent ways of thinking and living, and this part of our mind is now the source of our sin as believers.  Our mind must, therefore, be progressively renewed, through the process of sanctification:

Romans 12:2 NASB  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed [G3339] by the renewing [G342] of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.  

G3339 = Greek, met-am-or-FO-o = transformed.  Having undergone metamorphosis.

G342 = Greek, an-ak-AH-ee-no-sis = renovation.  

So, the literal meaning of this verse is, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed (like the process of metamorphosis) by the renovation of your mind.”  And remember:  just like a home renovation project requires both the removal of the old, unwanted, and damaged materials, and then the addition of the new, fully functional materials, so also the renovation of our mind requires the removal of our old, damaging, and dishonoring thoughts and attitudes, followed by the addition of the new, God-honoring, fully functional thoughts and attitudes.

This is so important, because “[our] mouth speaks from that which fills [our] heart.” (Luke 6:45).  So, this is why the Bible cautions us to watch what we fill our hearts with:

Proverbs 4:23 NIV  Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

What is the best way to guard our hearts?  The answer, of course, is in the next episode.  😊

Today, I encourage you to “Reflect on This.”