Topical Bible: Heart: Renewed: Tender

◄ Heart: Renewed: Tender ►

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In the biblical context, the heart is often seen as the center of one's being, encompassing emotions, will, and intellect. A renewed heart signifies a transformation brought about by the work of God, leading to a tender and responsive disposition towards Him and others.

Biblical Foundation

The concept of a renewed and tender heart is rooted in the transformative power of God's grace. In Ezekiel 36:26, God promises, "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 passage highlights the divine initiative in renewing the heart, replacing hardness with tenderness and receptivity to God's will.

Characteristics of a Tender Heart

1. Sensitivity to God's Word: A tender heart is responsive to the teachings and convictions of Scripture. In Acts 2:37, after Peter's sermon at Pentecost, the listeners were "cut to the heart" and sought guidance, demonstrating a tender heart's openness to divine truth.

2. Compassion and Mercy: A renewed heart is marked by compassion and a desire to extend mercy to others. Colossians 3:12 encourages believers to "clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience," reflecting the tender heart's inclination towards love and empathy.

3. Repentance and Humility: A tender heart is quick to repent and humble itself before God. In Psalm 51:17, David acknowledges, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise." This verse underscores the value God places on a heart that is humble and contrite.

4. Obedience to God: A renewed heart is eager to obey God's commands. In Deuteronomy 30:6, God promises to "circumcise your heart and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love Him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live." This transformation leads to a life characterized by obedience and devotion.

Examples in Scripture

· King Josiah: In 2 Kings 22:19, Josiah's heart is described as tender because he humbled himself before the Lord upon hearing the words of the Law. His response led to significant religious reforms in Judah, demonstrating the impact of a tender heart on leadership and community.

· The Prodigal Son: In Luke 15:17-20, the prodigal son experiences a change of heart, leading him to return to his father in repentance. His tender heart is evident in his acknowledgment of wrongdoing and desire for reconciliation.

Theological Implications

A tender heart is a testament to the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit in a believer's life. It reflects a shift from self-centeredness to God-centeredness, enabling individuals to live in accordance with God's purposes. The renewal of the heart is both an initial act of salvation and an ongoing process of spiritual growth, as believers are continually shaped into the likeness of Christ.

Practical Application

Believers are encouraged to seek a tender heart through prayer, study of Scripture, and fellowship with other Christians. Regular self-examination and confession of sin help maintain a heart that is sensitive to God's leading. Engaging in acts of service and compassion further cultivates a tender heart, aligning one's life with the character of Christ.

Nave's Topical Index

1 Samuel 24:5
And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt.
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2 Kings 22:19
Because your heart was tender, and you have humbled yourself before the LORD, when you heard what I spoke against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and have rent your clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard you, said the LORD.
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Job 23:16
For God makes my heart soft, and the Almighty troubles me:
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Psalm 22:14
I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the middle of my bowels.
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Ephesians 4:32
And be you kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake has forgiven you.
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Library

The Stony Heart Removed
... To complete the picture, in the tender heart there is a tenderness of the affections.
The hard heart does not love God, but the renewed heart does. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 8 1863/the stony heart removed.htm

"The Tender Mercy of Our God"
... Secondly, he shows his tender mercy in that HE VISITS US AS THE DAYSPRING FROM ...
suitableness in the grace of God to the heart, and in the renewed heart to the ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 32 1886/the tender mercy of our.htm

A Faithful Witness
... power, which leads men to reveal Him in the conversation, in the tender, pitiful
spirit ... "We love Him, because He first loved us." In the heart renewed by divine ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 54 a faithful witness.htm

Prayer Born of Compassion
... compassion, the kind born in a renewed heart, which is ... was concerned over them, and
his heart was strangely warmed with tender compassion for their ...
/.../bounds/the essentials of prayer/x prayer born of compassion.htm

From the Fond Caresses which the Soul Has Has with God Beneath the ...
... Tender God, oh, that Thy servant had but been there to ... Me, so often is My own death
freshly renewed and made ... with the joyful consent of thy own heart thou art ...
/.../suso/a little book of eternal wisdom/chapter xv from the fond.htm

Mary in the House of Caiphas.
... When in the vicinity of Caiphas's house, their grief was renewed by the ... the most
frightful oaths and curses, which pierced the heart of the tender Mother of ...
/.../the dolorous passion of our lord jesus christ/chapter xi mary in the.htm

The Friends of Jesus
... tender and soft emotions may be stirred in our bosom by the story of the perfect
life and Divine death of Jesus; and yet we may be as far from a renewed heart ...
/.../chadwick/the gospel of st mark/chapter 3 31-35 the friends of.htm

Mercy and Pity in the Judgment of God.
... at once says, "Thy youth shall be renewed like the ... "Who crowneth thee with
loving-kindness and tender mercy;" this ... who shall then boast of having a pure heart? ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/chapter 59 mercy and pity in.htm

What are Evidences of Backsliding in Heart.
... and to see that your love and zeal are renewed. ... A seared conscience is also an evidence
of a backslidden heart. ... and loving, the conscience is as tender as the ...
/.../finney/the backslider in heart/iii what are evidences of.htm

Letter iii. True Religion a Work of Grace in the Heart; but it ...
... well represents the fixed state of the renewed soul, as ... The latter is the disposition
of the heart. ... another." "Be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted." This ...
/.../letter iii true religion a.htm