Topical Bible: Heart: Renewed: Love

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In the Christian faith, the concept of a renewed heart is central to the transformative work of God in a believer's life. A renewed heart is one that has been changed by the Holy Spirit, resulting in a life that reflects the love of God. This transformation is often described as moving from a heart of stone to a heart of flesh, as seen in Ezekiel 36:26 : "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."

The renewed heart is characterized by love, which is the greatest commandment and the fulfillment of the law. Jesus emphasized the importance of love in Matthew 22:37-39 : "Jesus declared, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" This love is not merely an emotion but an active commitment to seek the well-being of others, reflecting the love of Christ.

The Apostle Paul further elaborates on the nature of love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 , where he describes love as patient, kind, and not envious or boastful. This passage serves as a guide for believers to understand the attributes of love that should emanate from a renewed heart. Paul also highlights the supremacy of love in 1 Corinthians 13:13 : "And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of these is love."

A renewed heart filled with love is also evident in the fruit of the Spirit, as outlined in Galatians 5:22-23 : "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." Love is the first fruit mentioned, indicating its foundational role in the life of a believer. The presence of these qualities signifies the work of the Holy Spirit in renewing the heart.

The love that flows from a renewed heart is sacrificial and selfless, mirroring the love of Christ. In John 15:12-13 , Jesus commands His followers: "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." This sacrificial love is the hallmark of a heart transformed by the grace of God.

Moreover, the renewed heart's love is not limited to fellow believers but extends to all people, including enemies. Jesus taught in Matthew 5:44 : "But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." This radical love is a testament to the power of a renewed heart, capable of transcending natural inclinations and reflecting divine love.

In summary, a renewed heart is marked by love that is rooted in the love of God, expressed through obedience to His commandments, and demonstrated in selfless actions towards others. This love is the evidence of a life transformed by the Holy Spirit, aligning the believer's heart with the heart of God.

Nave's Topical Index

Matthew 22:37
Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

God Reigns in a Pure Heart.
... In that compound of matter and spirit, the heart, which you regard as your ... the moment
it realises its mistake it returns to you with renewed love, and clings ...
/.../de caussade/abandonment to divine providence/section viii god reigns in a.htm

The Test of Discipleship
... "We love, because He first loved us." 1 John 4:19, RV In the heart renewed
by divine grace, love is the principle of action. It ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/steps to christ/chapter 7 the test of.htm

The Perfect Heart.
... lowest translation, it means that a man is whole-hearted in love, and thorough ... cannot
mean a merely natural heart, it must mean a renewed heart, because there ...
//christianbookshelf.org/booth/godliness/chapter viii the perfect heart.htm

How, While the Whole Heart is Employed in Sacred Love, yet one May ...
... in this love; and that with his second heart which God ... and with his right spirit
which God renewed in his ... penitence, he sang the canticle of his love far more ...
/.../francis/treatise on the love of god/chapter iii how while the.htm

Love's Logic
... further. Love to God is as natural to the renewed heart as love to its mother
is to a babe. Who needs to reason a child into love? ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 17 1871/loves logic.htm

The Stony Heart Removed
... The hard heart does not love God, but the renewed heart does. The hard heart is
selfish, cold, stolid. "Why should I weep for sin? Why should I love the Lord? ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 8 1863/the stony heart removed.htm

The Approbation of Goodness is not the Love of It.
... cannot convert itself into a holy love and inclination ... to renew, to radically change,
the heart and will ... cannot renew themselves, they must be renewed; and there ...
/.../shedd/sermons to the natural man/the approbation of goodness is.htm

A Faithful Witness
... found. "We love Him, because He first loved us." In the heart renewed by
divine grace, love is the ruling principle of action. It ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 54 a faithful witness.htm

Love
... And why do you love God the Spirit? I love him because he has renewed my heart.
That is to say we love God for what he has given to us. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 5 1859/love.htm

On Love
... All haughtiness, whether of heart, speech, or behaviour, vanishes away ... we suffer,
if we are not renewed in the spirit of our mind, by "the love of God shed ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 139 on love.htm