In the following Bible Key Word Study, Dr. Duane Spencer explains “heart,” as it is used in scripture. The following points are sermonette highlights:
- The will, affections and intellect make up the heart
- Misconceptions explained
- The various aspects of heart expounded: thoughts – feelings – will
- Those are impacted by what we put into our minds – like the computer idea of GIGO: garbage in; garbage out
- Abiding in God’s word produces fruit acceptable to God
- New Heart: right attitude that issues from a regenerate living human spirit that puts the Holy Spirit on the throne; which is equivalent to the creation of the mind of Christ
- The old heart (unregenerate) is the carnal mind, or mind of satan
- Works of the new heart
- Actions when one is under great stress reveal one’s heart
- “Thinking in one’s heart” (as used in scripture), explained
- “Said in his heart” explained
- “Steal the heart” explained
- Heart not born from above, explained
- Illuminating of the heart, explained
- The thinking process: cogitation–> meditation, explained
Regarding the above biblical definition of heart, that includes the intellect, affections and the will; I wanted to say that when a person is born from above, these three are impacted. The gospel message is aimed at the intellect, but it also effects change in the emotions and the will.
How does that differ from much modern day evangelization? Most of that relies on the emotions and the will, bypassing the intellect: all three aspects make up the “heart,” thus it is wrong to exclude the intellect.
That type of evangelization, and church, are not biblical.
Study Recommendations:
Book: The Vanishing Conscience by Dr. John MacArthur explains that what one puts in his mind impacts his life in a major way; therefore, fill it with scripture.