Topical Bible: The Heart: God: Opens

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Topical Encyclopedia

In biblical theology, the concept of God opening the heart is a profound theme that underscores the divine initiative in human understanding and spiritual transformation. The heart, in biblical terms, often represents the center of human will, emotion, and intellect. When God opens a person's heart, it signifies a divine act that enables an individual to perceive, understand, and respond to spiritual truths.

Scriptural Instances:

One of the most illustrative examples of God opening the heart is found in the New Testament, in the account of Lydia's conversion. In Acts 16:14, the Berean Standard Bible states, "Among those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message." This passage highlights the divine role in Lydia's conversion, emphasizing that it was the Lord who enabled her to truly understand and accept the gospel message preached by Paul.

Theological Implications:

The act of God opening the heart is often associated with the doctrine of prevenient grace, which suggests that God's grace precedes human decision and action. This divine intervention is necessary because, according to Scripture, the human heart is naturally inclined towards sin and resistant to God's truth. Jeremiah 17:9 describes the heart as "deceitful above all things and beyond cure," indicating the need for divine intervention to transform and enlighten it.

Old Testament Insights:

In the Old Testament, the theme of God influencing the heart is also present. For instance, in 1 Samuel 10:9 , it is recorded that "As Saul turned to leave Samuel, God changed Saul’s heart, and all the signs came to pass that day." Here, God actively changes Saul's heart, equipping him for the role of king over Israel. This transformation is indicative of God's sovereign ability to prepare individuals for His purposes.

Spiritual Receptivity:

The opening of the heart by God is not merely an intellectual awakening but a holistic transformation that involves the entire being. It enables individuals to not only understand but also to embrace and live out the truths of the gospel. This divine act is often accompanied by a newfound spiritual receptivity and a desire to follow God's will.

Practical Application:

For believers, the concept of God opening the heart serves as a reminder of the necessity of prayer and reliance on the Holy Spirit in evangelism and discipleship. It underscores the belief that while humans can present the gospel, it is ultimately God who prepares and opens the heart to receive it. This understanding encourages Christians to pray for God's intervention in the lives of those they seek to reach with the message of Christ.

In summary, the biblical theme of God opening the heart is a testament to His sovereign grace and power in the process of salvation and spiritual growth. It highlights the necessity of divine action in overcoming the natural resistance of the human heart to God's truth, enabling individuals to respond in faith and obedience.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Acts 16:14
And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended to the things which were spoken of Paul.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Having Prayed to God, He Pours Forth a Shower of Tears, And ...
... Chapter XII."Having Prayed to God, He Pours Forth a ... Tears, And, Admonished by a Voice,
He Opens the Book ... my misery before the sight of my heart, there arose ...
/.../the confessions and letters of st/chapter xii having prayed to god.htm

God's Agency is Needful Even in Man's Doings.
... we read," It is man's part to prepare his heart;" and yet, that man may do this,
God helps him ... and to say with marvellous triviality that man opens his own ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/chapter 20 gods agency is needful.htm

The Decalogue: I --Man and God
... Testament. God opens His heart first, and then asks for men's. This prelude
certainly confines the Decalogue to the people of Israel. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the decalogue iman and god.htm

"For as Many as are Led by the Spirit of God, they are the Sons of ...
... there are, whose eyes the Spirit of God opens, and lets ... the curse and wrath of the
everliving God, that there ... discovery cannot choose but make the heart of a ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon xxxvi for as many.htm

Daily Bread.
... in Pompeii, and prepared their corn, and bread to strengthen their heart, just as ...
round, we are almost looking famine in the face, and then God opens His Hand ...
/.../the life of duty a years plain sermons v 2/sermon lxii daily bread.htm

The Man after God's Own Heart
... Oh, what possibilities of life it opens up! ... He is guiding him, even in what he asks,
if he is the man after God's own heart; so God sets no limit to his ...
//christianbookshelf.org/drummond/the ideal life/the man after gods own.htm

Prayer and the Word of God (Continued)
... Prayer opens the way for the Word of God to run without let or hindrance, and creates
the atmosphere ... By having God's Word hidden in his heart; in having his ...
/.../bounds/the necessity of prayer/xiii prayer and the word.htm

The Corruption of Man, his Conversion to God, and the Manner ...
... of God; but by the efficacy of the same regenerating Spirit He pervades the inmost
recesses of man; He opens the closed and softens the hardened heart, and ...
//christianbookshelf.org/anonymous/synod of dort/the corruption of man his.htm

How to Meet God
... that has a dread of God at the back of his heart, killing all its joy. But let the
spring sunshine come, and then all the frost-bound earth opens and softens ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/how to meet god.htm

God Seeks Intercessors
... Faith sees the Holy Spirit dwelling and praying in the heart, making, in ... effort,
intercession is the chief thing, the power that moves God and opens heaven ...
/.../murray/the ministry of intercession/chapter xiv god seeks intercessors.htm