HEART<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n
Geppetto carved Pinocchio out of a piece of enchanted firewood that came from a tree the old man had engraved, many years before, with the initials of his one true love enclosed within a heart. I think that\u2019s illegal in most parks nowadays! But whether sprayed as graffiti or tattooed onto flesh or inserted into an email, the symbol of the heart unmistakably represents the cultural message of love.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
In the Bible, the word \u201cheart\u201d (OT leb<\/em>, NT kardia<\/em>) appears more than 800 times, its meaning much broader than our current understanding of the heart as, primarily, the receptacle of feelings. Instead Scripture speaks of the heart in reference to the core of the whole personality\u2014the seat of emotions<\/em>, intellect<\/em>, will<\/em> (making up the “soul”),\u00a0and spirit <\/em>(the capacity to relate to God).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Emotions<\/strong><\/em>: The heart is the storehouse of our feelings. Recall how the hearts of Joseph\u2019s brothers trembled in fear<\/em> when they discovered money hidden in their sacks, implicating them in theft from Egypt\u2019s royal coffers (Gen. 42:28<\/span><\/span>. See also Job 37:1<\/span>; Isa. 35:4<\/span>; 1 Sam. 4:13<\/span>; John 14:27<\/span><\/span>). Isaiah drew a picture of God\u2019s mothering comfort that caused hearts to rejoice<\/em>, and Jesus continued this maternal theme in promising His disciples a future joy<\/em> like that attending birth (Isa. 66: 13-14<\/span>; John 16:21-22<\/span><\/span>). The writer of Ecclesiastes didn\u2019t deny his heart any pleasure<\/em> and, indeed, God satisfies<\/em> hearts with food and gladness (Eccl. 2:10<\/span>; Acts 14:17<\/span><\/span>). Hearts can be filled with murderous rage<\/em>, bitter jealousy<\/em>, selfish ambition<\/em>, lust<\/em>, and other evil passions that defile (Matt. 15:19<\/span>; Rom. 1:24<\/span>; James 3:14<\/span><\/span>). Alternately, the heart\u2019s sexual desire<\/em> can be pure; praise<\/em> and merriment <\/em>are sometimes vices (as attended Samson’s downfall at Delilah’s hand);\u00a0and anger<\/em> is a virtue of God\u2019s heart necessary to His holiness\u00a0(Song of Sol 5:2-4<\/span>; Judg. 16:23-25<\/span>; Matt. 22:7<\/span><\/span>). Our hearts can be troubled<\/em> or find rest<\/em> (John 14:1<\/span>; Luke 24:38<\/span>; Col. 3:15<\/span><\/span>). Paul, who bore sorrow<\/em> and unceasing anguish<\/em> in his heart, also told of the heart\u2019s capacity for compassion<\/em>, kindness<\/em>, and selflessness<\/em> in regarding others\u2019 spiritual well-being (Rom. 9:2<\/span>; Rom. 10:1<\/span><\/span>). He admonished us to make room in our hearts, throwing them wide open<\/em> to other believers so that the saints would be refreshed<\/em> (2 Cor. 7:2-3<\/span>;\u00a0Philem. 1:7<\/span><\/span>). Above all, love<\/em> is to rule our hearts, as the first commandment and Jesus\u2019 own dictum demand (Deut. 6:5<\/span>; Matt. 22:37-39<\/span><\/span>).\u00a0So we see that\u00a0the heart represents emotions; yet, in the New Testament,\u00a0the heart predominantly refers\u00a0to the intellect.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Intellect<\/strong><\/em>: The heart is where thinking happens. (The word for \u201cbrain\u201d isn\u2019t even found in the original Bible languages, and \u201chead\u201d is used in reference to the skull or to indicate a position of authority or submission). It is, therefore, the heart that reasons<\/em> and perceives<\/em> (Mark 2:6-8<\/span><\/span>). The heart is able to understand<\/em> what the eyes see and ears hear, and can remember<\/em> or disregard<\/em> the truth about God (Deut. 29:2-4<\/span>; Deut. 8:3-5<\/span>; Deut. 4:9<\/span>; Deut. 8:14<\/span>; Deut. 9:4<\/span>; Job 22:22<\/span><\/span>). King Solomon prayed for a heart (that is, leb<\/em>, often translated as \u201cmind\u201d) able to judge<\/em> between good and evil (1 Kings 3:9<\/span>; 1 Kings 4:29<\/span><\/span>; see also Job 38:36<\/span><\/span>). To his ruination, prideful Haman thought he\u2019d outsmart his godly enemies and told himself<\/em> (transliteration: \u201csaid in his leb<\/em>\u201d) that he was about to be honoured (Esther 6:6<\/span><\/span>). Others were likewise intellectually misled<\/em> by their arrogant hearts (Deut. 7:17<\/span>; Matt. 24:48<\/span>; Rev. 18:7<\/span><\/span>). Both Daniel and Jesus\u2019 mother, Mary, temporarily stored<\/em> in their hearts the secrets God revealed to them (Dan. 7:28<\/span>; Luke 2:19<\/span><\/span>). Knowledge<\/em>, wisdom<\/em>, and prudence<\/em>, are all activities that take place in the heart (Prov. 2:10<\/span>; Prov. 8:12<\/span>; Jer. 3:15<\/span><\/span>).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
The intellectual functioning of the imagination<\/em> also dwells in the heart\u2014which God warns is deceitful<\/em> and so damaged<\/em> by sin that it\u2019s able of itself to blind us, and is untrustworthy<\/em> as a source of truth, for \u201cout of the heart come evil and incorrect thoughts\u201d (Jer. 9:13-14<\/span>; 1 Cor. 2:9<\/span>; Jer. 17:9<\/span>; Mark 7:21<\/span><\/span>). But God hasn\u2019t disregarded,\u00a0or left without His influence, the intellectual functioning of our hearts; first we recognize that He exists through logical<\/em> observation of nature and the code of ethics<\/em> He\u2019s etched upon every human heart (Rom. 1:20-21<\/span>; Rom. 2:15<\/span><\/span>). Next, rational study<\/em> of God\u2019s written Word helps us\u00a0 \u201cset our minds on\u201d (or \u201clive by\u201d or \u201cthink about\u201d or \u201cunderstand,\u201d depending on the translation) the things of the Spirit (Rom. 3:2<\/span>; Rom. 10:14<\/span>; Rom. 8:5<\/span><\/span>). It is with our hearts that we learn<\/em> about and then believe<\/em> for salvation in Jesus as the Living Word (2 Tim. 3:16<\/span>; Rom. 10:9-10<\/span><\/span>). God invites us to know<\/em> and serve<\/em> Him wholeheartedly with our minds (1 Chron. 28:9<\/span><\/span>).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Will<\/strong><\/em>: The heart\u2019s feeling and thinking, then, are accompanied by volition\u2014that is, the conscious act of choosing, intending, or resolving. (It’s important to remember that we cannot\u00a0 apply our will without our intellect.)\u00a0The heart decides<\/em> what actions to take in such matters as finances, love, and leadership (it came to Moses\u2019 heart, for example to leave his princely chambers and visit his enslaved brothers) (2 Cor. 9:7<\/span>; 1 Cor. 7:37<\/span>; Acts 7:23<\/span><\/span>; cf., Exod. 2:11<\/span><\/span>). The heart contrives<\/em> wicked plots like Simon the Sorcerer\u2019s bribe or Ananias and Sapphira\u2019s lies (Acts 8:20-22<\/span>; Acts 5:4<\/span><\/span>). The heart\u2019s priorities<\/em> show up in the person\u2019s actions, for sincerity<\/em> and purity<\/em> are produced in a willing heart and evil<\/em> intention yields its own fruit (Eph. 6:5-6<\/span>; Matt. 5:8<\/span>; Luke 6:43-45<\/span><\/span>). The heart can be stubborn<\/em> or full of integrity<\/em>, hardened<\/em> like the heart of Pharaoh or receptive<\/em> to truth (Jer. 5:23<\/span>; Ps. 101:2<\/span>; Exod. 4:21<\/span>; Col. 3:2<\/span><\/span>). The will of the predisposed heart might be corrupted<\/em> by Satan or persuaded<\/em> by God (John 13:2<\/span>; Rev. 17:17<\/span><\/span>). A person\u2019s character is formed by life choices<\/em>; David (a \u201cman after God\u2019s own heart\u201d who willfully kept God\u2019s commands) was anointed king despite his unlikely appearance, for \u201cthe Lord looks on the heart\u201d (1 Sam. 13:14<\/span>; 1 Sam. 16:7<\/span><\/span>). Even the heart of God wills<\/em> and plans<\/em>, disclosing His purposes<\/em> to us as He executes His intentions<\/em> (1 Cor. 4:5<\/span>; Jer. 23:20<\/span><\/span>).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Spirit<\/strong><\/em>: The human spirit yearns for divine meaning, and the heart is where God meets us. Often the idea of heart or spirit is parallel to attitude, our habit of thinking that results in an orientation towards a subject.\u00a0At first, without the light of the Gospel of Christ shining in hearts that are darkened<\/em> and dull<\/em> and blinded<\/em> by the god of this world, we are spiritually perishing<\/em> (2 Cor. 4:6<\/span>; John 3:16<\/span>; Rom. 1:21<\/span>; Acts 28:27<\/span><\/span>). In this natural state, we tend towards sklerokardia<\/em> (from which we get the English word “cardiosclerosis”) as unbelief<\/em> and ignorance <\/em>prevent spiritual growth (Matt. 19:8<\/span>; Mark 10:5<\/span>; Mark 16:14<\/span>; Eph. 4:18<\/span>; 1 Cor. 2:14<\/span><\/span>). God rejects the hypocrisy<\/em> of religious formalism as the answer to our spiritual dilemma, for true faith is an attitude<\/em> of the heart (Isa. 29:13<\/span>; Deut. 10:16<\/span>; Rom. 2:29<\/span>; Rom. 10:8-9<\/span><\/span>). God reveals<\/em> Himself to our hearts through relationship<\/em> with Him; He opens<\/em> the heart to spiritual truth, cleanses<\/em> our hearts, and calls<\/em> us by His Son to be His children (1 Cor. 2:9-10<\/span>; Acts 15:9<\/span>; Acts 16:14<\/span>; Eph. 1:18<\/span>; Gal. 4:6<\/span><\/span>). The heart that hides God\u2019s Word within avoids sin<\/em>, obeys<\/em> God, honours<\/em> Christ, is established<\/em> in holiness, and is fruitful<\/em> (Ps. 119:11<\/span>; Rom. 6:17<\/span>; 1 Pet. 3:15<\/span>; 1 Tim. 1:5<\/span>; Luke 8:15<\/span><\/span>).The heart is convicted<\/em>, tested<\/em>, and sealed<\/em> (1 Cor. 14:24-25<\/span>; 1 Thess. 2:4<\/span>; 2 Cor. 1:22<\/span><\/span>). It is into our hearts that God pours His love<\/em> by the Spirit, and from pure hearts that we are to love one another (Rom. 5:5<\/span>; 1 Pet. 1:22<\/span><\/span>).<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.rolledscroll.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/02\/7.-HEART1.png\" "\\"7.")
<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 HEART<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n