THE CONCLUSION OF
THE MATTER
The preceding lesson outlines have been presented with the least amount of personal comment in order to faithfully present the Scriptural testimony on the heart. Since true Bible believers honestly believe that the Bible is God’s own words for our learning, (Romans 15:4
For whatsoever things were written
aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures
might have hope.) then the testimony of Scripture on and about the heart also presents us with God’s own personal view on the
subject.
After reviewing hundreds of verses in the Bible on the
heart no reasonable person can deny that the Scriptures clearly testify to its existence. It is also quite apparent
that not only does the Bible affirm the existence
of the heart; It also has a whole lot to say about its
purpose and function.
We live in evil times and our culture is, without a
doubt, one of the most corrupt and deceptive
in the recorded history of mankind. The Bible describes the times we now live in by comparing them with two other particularly evil times:
Luke
27
They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage,
until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
28 Likewise
also as it was in the days of
29 But
the same day that
An examination of the verses in the Bible regarding the
spiritual, moral, and physical condition of the people living in those past
times reveals an amazing and startling similarity to conditions in the world at
this present time and the deplorable state of the vast majority of the people
living on the earth today!
Genesis 6:5
And GOD saw that the wickedness
of man was great in
the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of
his heart was only evil continually.
Genesis
12 And God
looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all
flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
Genesis
Genesis
Wickedness,
evil, and violence are nothing new in the world; they have been in existence
on this earth since the fall of Adam and Eve. However, the Bible records two
[2] specific times in man’s history when wickedness
was exceedingly great;
when evil abounded continually in the hearts of men and women; and when violence so
filled the earth that God brought forth terrible judgment upon the earth and
upon the people who committed all of the above sins.
In
Noah’s time God flooded the whole earth with water and destroyed every living
thing [with the exception of Noah and his family] that breathed upon the earth
because of man’s terrible sinful state.
In the case of Sodom and Gomorrah God rained down fire and brimstone from heaven upon those wicked cities and the surrounding areas and killed every man, woman, and child in them [with the exception of Lot and his two daughters] because of the wicked and grievous sins of the people.
As for today - a comparison of just three (3) of the many
popular areas of endeavor: (Entertainment
-TV, Movies, Radio,
Magazines, etc. – The sad lack of character in the majority of the participants
and perverse and corrupt content; Sports - The
obnoxious character of many of the participants and the mean spirited manner in
which the games are played; and Schools - The content of the curriculum
and the lack of morals and character of the teachers and administrators) with the same institutions of the 1940’s and
1950’s will demonstrate an obvious and alarming decline in the spiritual and
moral character in the people of these United States, to say nothing of the
rest of the world.
The popular approval today of the common practice of
fornication and the nearly unanimous opinion of adultery as being just an
unimportant and harmless offense, is indicative of our spiritual and moral
state. The general acceptance by more and more people of Sodomy and Lesbianism as an “acceptable alternative
lifestyle” and the fact that anyone who objects to these sins or speaks out
against them is now subject to ridicule, censure, and in many western nations –
possible prosecution, punishment, or jail, clearly demonstrates that we are
living in a very corrupt world.
The catalogue of personal sins and offenses are too
numerous to list here but the following roster is a representative sample of
just a few: The rise in crime in general (murder, rape, assault, robbery,
extortion, theft, fraud, embezzlement, etc., etc., etc.); the general
acceptance of almost all forms of pornography; the dramatic increase in sex
crimes against children; the increase in the use of drugs and alcohol; the
increase in divorce; the perverting, corruption and abandonment of traditional
marriage and the corresponding destruction of the family. All these sins
clearly demonstrate that our present world abounds in wickedness and is only
evil
continually.
As to the earth being “filled
with violence”, we live in one of
the most violent countries in the world and in one of the most violent times in
recorded history. Murder is commonplace and is being committed for petty
reasons; violence in the government schools has risen dramatically; rape is
often treated lightly in the so-called “criminal justice system”; the rape of
minors and young children is on the increase; and people are assaulted daily
for little or no reason. The list of offences could go on and on. However, the
offenses listed above are only those which are being committed by individuals.
The offenses committed by governments [states] in the last century have
exceeded individual offenses by far.
The following quote
demonstrates just how violent our present world
really is:
“In
practice, communism is nothing less than sheer barbarism that makes even the
horrors of Nazism pale in comparison. Professor Rudolph J. Rummel
of the
(Are academic elites
communists?
By Walter E. Williams -
Please keep in mind that the above quote is limited
to just the Communist, Fascist, and Nazi atrocities. If we were to include the
number of murders, rapes, tortures, and persecutions committed by Dictatorships
(on the right & left) and Democracies (of all stripes) in Africa, Asia, and
the Americas; and then add the atrocities committed by Muslim Nations
throughout the continent of Africa, the Mid East, Asia Minor, Asia, and
Indonesia; and if we were to add to the
list of offenses - the cruel enslavement of millions upon millions of people by
all of the governments listed above; we can easily say that in the last century
the true scope and volume of violence perpetrated by individuals and
governments upon the people of this earth is incalculable, and in regards to
numbers – far exceeds any known time in the recorded history of mankind.
While American women and abortionists are “free” to
exterminate millions of
unborn babies, it takes decades to execute a serial killer. While the foulest, most disgusting, dirty, filthy, obscene and truly
offensive language is commonly in use throughout the public square, the Ten
Commandments are prohibited from being displayed. While teachers are “free” to
espouse practically any
perverse idea or concept that may come into the heart and mind of degenerate individuals in the so-called “public” (i.e.
government) schools, we are prohibited from quoting even one verse from the
Bible or freely expressing our faith. While Christian parents overwhelmingly have
a deep concern about the genuine welfare of their children, the so-called “family” courts,
government social service agencies, and government schools are
continually intruding into legitimate family issues and concerns and
interfering with parents exercising their lawful (God-given) Constitutional
rights.
But
why go on with the litany of the obvious moral and spiritual corruption sweeping our country and the world? (And even more tragically – God’s
church) We have reached the point in the history of the world
where conditions are such that it is “easy” to practice evil; as a matter of
fact we are encouraged (by: the schools, the media, entertainment,
etc.) to do so. At the same time it is
getting much more difficult with each passing day to walk after the Lord God
and to serve Him according to the truth; as a matter of fact we are either
being discouraged (by: churches, schools, media, entertainment, etc.) from doing so, or are even being forbidden (by: churches, courts, schools, government agencies, etc.) to do so!
Throughout recorded history every State (government) that
has ever been in existence has embraced and promulgated an “official” or
“approved” Religion. Although [throughout history] some States may have tolerated, to some degree or another,
some religions (other than the “official” religion), the fact is that most
States, most of the time, have used the power of the State to persecute or
destroy any religion other than the State (government) “approved” religion.
The disturbing fact is that in most of the world today
people’s hearts have become so darkened and they have become so blind that they have embraced a religion
without even knowing or acknowledging that it is a religion. That religion is
called Humanism – from which
many other State (government) “official” religions have emanated [Communism, Fascism, Nazism, Socialism, etc.].
Just as most of the countries that were in existence at
the time of its founding, the
In the Western world, as the various State (government)
“official” religions (Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican, Presbyterian, etc.) have
been changed, ignored, or abandoned, Humanism
with one or more of its attendant Ism’s
has filled the void left behind.
Through the influence of the schools (K-12 &
college); the media (Print, radio & television); government agencies
(local, state & federal); and the courts (local, state & federal), our
culture, and as a consequence our Country, has been radically changed from one
that was based on Judeo-Christian law, precepts, and principles to one that is
based on the subtle religion of Humanism.
(Check out the substitution of unreasonable,
untested, and failed “Psychological solutions”
in the present day Court systems [especially the “Family Court”], in place of the tried,
tested, reasonable, and proven Laws that guided our country from its founding
up to the turn of the twentieth century.)
The religion of Humanism
has succeeded in:
The
world is at war with God’s people, and that war is being waged on two (2)
fronts. In Communist, Fascist, (Dictatorships) and Islamist (Muslim) countries the war against God’s people is
prosecuted mainly in physical terms (murder, torture, physical persecution). In
Democracies and Socialist countries the war is much more subtle – to the degree
that most Christians aren’t even aware of it - (economic and social
discrimination, fear, intimidation, coercion, ridicule, and government
harassment are some of the weapons used). But it is still a war!
Humanism (with all the other isms) is diametrically opposed to the Bible, the God of the
Bible, God’s people, and everything that God’s people believe. An examination
of 25 basic beliefs held by all true Bible believers (listed below) will
demonstrate that Humanists do not believe or accept even one of these 25 basic
Bible precepts and, if given the opportunity, they will not only vehemently
deny every single one of them, but try to prevent others from believing
in them!
1. God (The Triune Godhead as presented in the Bible)
2. Satan (As an existing being – The father of evil)
3. Angels (As existing)
4. Devils (Demons & evil spirits as existing)
5. Creation (The Biblical account)
6. Man (As possessing three parts – a Body, a Soul, and a Spirit)
7. The Soul (As existing and being 1 part of the 3 parts of man)
8. The Spirit (As existing and being 1 part of the 3 parts of man)
9. Evil (As Existing - The Biblical concept of)
10. The Heart (As the seat of a person’s thoughts, imaginations, affections, will, etc.)
11. Sin (The Biblical Account of the fall – The sinful nature of all mankind.)
12. Redemption (All of mankind’s need for Salvation)
13. Signs, wonders, miracles (As recorded in the Bible)
14. World wide Flood (The Biblical Account)
15. Division of Mankind (Into three basic races: Shem, Ham, and Japeth)
16. Accountability (That individuals are responsible for their own actions – not society.)
17. Judgment (That a time will come when God is going to judge all of mankind.)
18. Heaven (As a place of Eternal Life with God)
19. Hell (As a place for Eternal Punishment.)
20. Hebrews – Jews –
21. Jesus Christ: (As being the bodily manifestation of the Godhead.)
(As being the fullness of the Godhead bodily.)
(As the Creator of the world and the universe.)
(As the Jewish Messiah.)
(As the only Saviour of mankind and the world.)
(As Rising from the dead.)
(As the Head of the Church – which is His body here on earth.)
(As the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.)
22. The Blood Atonement (That Jesus Christ’s Blood paid the price for sin – sins.)
23. Born Again (That a person needs to be born again in order to enter into Heaven.)
24. The Church (Christ’s Bride – The Pillar and Ground of the Truth.)
25. Marriage (God’s Institution – Between one man and one woman.)
Through
out the so called evangelical- fundamental Christian world Humanism has slowly and subtilly made
its way into the
At this point in time in the history of God’s church the
emphasis by most of the highly regarded church “leaders” in the western world and God’s people in general is on
emulating the world - duplicating and instituting its systems within the church
i.e. the Body of Christ. Worldliness
(Humanism in disguise), with all of its attendant evils and pitfalls, is
in. Godliness, (as defined by Scripture) is out!
Worldly methods, programs, and systems dominate the
churches of the day, so that “success”
is measured by size and numbers: (the size, beauty, and grandeur of church
buildings; the size of “Christian”
college campuses; the size of the
“ministry” of renowned evangelists and preachers; and then the number of congregants; the number of “decisions for Christ”; the number of baptisms; the number of dollars collected; and the number of missionaries supported, etc.
etc.)
Today “faithfulness”
to God and His word is measured by the number
of church services attended; the number of homes visited; the number of Bible tracts passed
out; and the number of souls led to
the Lord, etc. etc.) In addition to the foregoing, “faithfulness” to God and His word is also measured by God’s
peoples’ participation in the
many varied church activities: (participation
in the choir; participation in
the “song service”; participation in
the “nursery”; participation in the
“Sunday School”; participation in the
“bus ministry”; participation in the
“pre-school ministry”, etc. etc. etc.)
In and of themselves, there is nothing wrong with most of
the above activities. (Although a “pre-school ministry” for working mom’s
is a stretch!) The problem is that these “programs”
and “activities” have replaced the
word of God and the Holy Spirit in the churches. Christians no longer look to
the Holy Scriptures for the truth John 17:17,
and God’s people no longer rely on the Holy Spirit to guide them into all truth John 16:13.
According to the Scriptures, there are many things that
God’s people must do to have fellowship
with God and to maintain that fellowship
(1Corinthians
1:9;
Ephesians 3:9; Philippians 2:1; 1John 1:3; 1John 1:7). Some major things are listed below:
Please
note that most of the activities and programs that are encouraged, promoted,
and emphasized today are not among the things listed above. Again,
according to the Scriptures, we are to serve God with our whole heart (Deuteronomy
It
is time for God’s people to heed the many warnings about the heart. It is about
time for God’s people to embrace the Scriptural teachings on the heart, and put
into practice (obey) the admonitions and commands regarding it. It is way past
time for God’s people either to believe God’s word and the record God
has left us or reject it. (1Kings
To
successfully combat the subtle corrupting influence of humanism, each
individual Christian must:
2Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the
faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus
Christ is in you, except ye be
reprobates?
2Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be
in the faith; prove your own selves.
Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be
reprobates?
2 Timothy
Proverbs
Isaiah
28:9-13 Whom
shall he teach knowledge? and whom
shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned
from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon
precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
11
For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
12 To whom he said, This
is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the
refreshing: yet they would not hear.
13 But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept,
precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that
they might go,
and fall
backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
Proverbs
4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence;
for out of it are the issues of life.
In
order to be faithful to God in everything we must continually examine our hearts concerning our
motives, and we must constantly monitor
our hearts to assure ourselves that we are walking after and serving the Lord
God according to His truth. The importance of “keeping” one’s heart is perhaps, at this point in the
history of the church, the most neglected Biblical precept given by God to His
people and laid out in the in His Holy word.
[Proverbs4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of
life.]
The fact that the writer of Proverbs
1. WE MUST EXAMINE OUR HEART
2Corinthians 13:5
Examine yourselves,
whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves,
how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? (What are we to examine? – Our heart!)
Psalms 26:2 Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.
2. WE MUST WASH OUR HEART FROM WICKEDNESS
Jeremiah
3. OUR HEARTS MUST BE SPRINKLED FROM AN EVIL
CONSCIENCE
Hebrews
4. WE MUST PREPARE OUR HEARTS TO SEEK THE LORD
GOD
2Chronicles 19:3 Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God.
2Chronicles 30:18 For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon every one
19 That prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.
5. WE MUST SET OUR HEART TO SEEK THE LORD GOD
1Chronicles 22:19 Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God; arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of the LORD God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of the LORD.
2Chronicles 11:16 And after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the LORD God of their fathers.
6. WE MUST PREPARE OUR HEARTS UNTO THE LORD GOD
1Samuel 7:3 And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.
1Chronicles 29:18
O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of
Job
Psalms
7. WE MUST RETURN UNTO THE LORD GOD WITH ALL OUR HEART
1Samuel 7:3 And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.
1Kings 8:48 And so return unto thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies, which led them away captive, and pray unto thee toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name:
2Chronicles 6:38 If they return to thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, whither they have carried them captives, and pray toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, and toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house which I have built for thy name:
Jeremiah 24:7 And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.
8. WE MUST:PURPOSE IN OUR HEARTS TO CLEAVE UNTO THE LORD
Acts
9. OUR HEARTS MUST BE ESTABLISHED
Psalms 112:8 His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies.
Hebrews 13:9 Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.
James 5:8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
10. OUR HEART MUST BE SINGLE
Acts 2:46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
Ephesians 6:5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;
Colossians
11. OUR HEART MUST BE SET UNTO GOD’S WORDS
Deuteronomy 32:46 And he said unto them, Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law.
12. OUR HEART MUST BE SET TO UNDERSTAND
Daniel
13. WE MUST GUIDE OUR HEARTS IN THE WAY
Proverbs
14. WE MUST WALK BEFORE THE LORD IN TRUTH
1Kings 2:4 That the LORD may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel.
1Kings 3:6 And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
2Kings 20:3 I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.
15. WE MUST OBSERVE GOD’S LAW WITH OUR WHOLE HEART
Psalms 119:34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
16. OUR HEART MUST BE OBEDIENT TO GOD’S VOICE
Deuteronomy 30:2 And shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul;
17. WE MUST OBEY GOD’S DOCTRINE FROM OUR HEART
Romans
18. GOD’S PEACE MUST RULE IN OUR HEARTS
Colossians
19. WE MUST SPEAK THE TRUTH IN OUR HEARTS
Psalms 15:2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.
20. WE MUST NOT HARDEN OUR
HEARTS
Deuteronomy 15:7 If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother:
Psalms 95:8 Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
Hebrews 3:8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
Hebrews
Hebrews 4:7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
21. WE MUST STAND STEADFAST
IN OUR HEARTS
1Corinthians 7:37 Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and
hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well.
22. OUR HEART MUST NOT TURN BACK TO OUR OLD SINFUL WAYS
Psalms 44:18 Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way,
23. WE MUST PURPOSE IN OUR HEART NOT TO BE DEFILED
Daniel 1:8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
24. WE MUST RELY ON GOD TO STRENGTHEN OUR HEARTS
Psalms 27:14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.
Psalms 31:24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.
Psalms 73:26 My
flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart,
and my portion for ever.
25. WE MUST TRUST IN THE LORD GOD
Psalms 13:5 But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.
Psalms 28:7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.
Psalms 33:21 For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.
Psalms 64:10 The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.
Psalms 112:7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.