Topical Bible: Heart: Renewed: Clean

◄ Heart: Renewed: Clean ►

Jump to: Nave's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

The concept of a renewed and clean heart is a central theme in the Bible, reflecting the transformative power of God's grace and the believer's journey towards holiness. The heart, in biblical terms, often represents the innermost being of a person, encompassing their thoughts, emotions, and will. A renewed and clean heart signifies a profound spiritual renewal and moral purity that aligns with God's will.

Old Testament Foundations

The desire for a clean heart is poignantly expressed in the Old Testament, particularly in the Psalms. King David, after his sin with Bathsheba, cries out to God in repentance, seeking divine cleansing and renewal. In Psalm 51:10 , David pleads, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." This verse highlights the recognition of human sinfulness and the need for God's intervention to purify and renew the heart.

The prophets also speak to the theme of heart renewal. Ezekiel 36:26 promises a future transformation for God's people: "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh." This prophetic vision points to a divine act of regeneration, where God replaces a hardened heart with one that is responsive and obedient to Him.

New Testament Fulfillment

In the New Testament, the theme of a renewed and clean heart is fulfilled through the work of Jesus Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Jesus emphasizes the importance of inner purity in the Sermon on the Mount, stating in Matthew 5:8 , "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." This beatitude underscores the connection between a clean heart and the ability to experience God's presence.

The Apostle Paul further elaborates on the transformation of the heart in his epistles. In 2 Corinthians 5:17 , he writes, "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come!" This passage affirms that through faith in Christ, believers undergo a radical transformation, becoming new creations with renewed hearts.

The Role of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in the renewal and cleansing of the heart. In Titus 3:5 , Paul explains that God "saved us, not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit." The Spirit's work in the believer's life is essential for ongoing sanctification and the maintenance of a clean heart.

Practical Implications

A renewed and clean heart manifests in a life that seeks to honor God through obedience and love. Believers are called to guard their hearts diligently, as Proverbs 4:23 advises, "Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life." This vigilance involves regular self-examination, repentance, and reliance on God's grace to maintain purity of heart.

The pursuit of a clean heart is a lifelong journey, marked by a deepening relationship with God and a growing conformity to the image of Christ. Through prayer, meditation on Scripture, and the fellowship of the church, believers are continually renewed and empowered to live out their faith with integrity and love.

Nave's Topical Index

Psalm 51:10
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Nave's Topical Index

Psalm 73:1
Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

The Difference Between the Upright in Heart and the Clean in Heart ...
... ascend, innocent in his hands, and stand, clean in his ... course he departs from it,
and is renewed day by ... them to works of mercy, and "cleanse his heart from all ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/36 the difference between the.htm

"Thou Canst Make Me Clean"
... Thou canst make me clean," shall hear the answer, "I will; be thou made clean."
Matt.8 ... And the same power that gave life to the body had renewed the heart. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/white/the desire of ages/chapter 27 thou canst make.htm

For Purity of Heart.
... contrite heart, Believing, true, and clean, Which neither life nor death can part
From him who dwells within;". 3 A heart in every thought renewed, And full ...
/.../adams/hymns for christian devotion/472 for purity of.htm

How, While the Whole Heart is Employed in Sacred Love, yet one May ...
... different from himself in this love; and that with his second heart which God created
pure and clean in him, and with his right spirit which God renewed in his ...
/.../francis/treatise on the love of god/chapter iii how while the.htm

O for a Heart to Praise My God
... Believing, true, and clean; Which neither life nor death can part. From him that
dwells within. A heart in every thought renewed,. And full of love divine,. ...
/.../sundays after trinity praise and 12.htm

The Story of an Opium Smoker
... restored in body and mind, and with a heart renewed in hope. ... He also knew by heart
a number of verses from the ... He gave His life, He washed me clean, He verily ...
/.../cable/the fulfilment of a dream of pastor hsis/chapter x the story of.htm

A Penitent Heart, the Best New Year's Gift
... If your repentance is true, you are renewed throughout, both in ... Had you now a heart
to turn from your sins ... for uncleanness: O wash, wash and be clean: come and ...
/.../whitefield/selected sermons of george whitefield/a penitent heart the best.htm

Balerma. CM
... contrite heart, Believing, true, and clean, Which neither life nor death can part
From him that dwells within;". 4 A heart in every thought renewed, And full ...
//christianbookshelf.org/lorenz/the otterbein hymnal/331 balerma c m.htm

The King after Man's Heart
... last token of friendship, a last appeal to his heart? ... crowd, standing where their
fathers had renewed the Covenant ... but he carried away a pair of clean hands, as ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the king after mans heart.htm

CM Wesleyan. Desires for Holiness.
... trustful heart, Believing, true, and clean, Which neither life nor death can part
From Him who dwells within;". 3 A heart in every thought renewed, And full ...
/.../book of hymns for public and private devotion/518 c m wesleyan desires.htm