Topical Bible: The Heart: we should do the Will of God From

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The concept of the heart in the Bible is rich and multifaceted, often symbolizing the center of human emotion, will, and intellect. In Scripture, the heart is not merely a physical organ but represents the core of a person's being, where decisions are made and desires are formed. It is from the heart that one is called to do the will of God, reflecting a sincere and genuine commitment to His commandments and purposes.

Biblical Understanding of the Heart

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for heart, "leb," encompasses the inner man, mind, will, and understanding. Proverbs 4:23 instructs, "Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life." This verse underscores the importance of the heart as the source of life and moral action. The heart is the seat of emotions and intentions, and it is crucial to guard it against influences that lead away from God's will.

The New Testament continues this theme, with the Greek word "kardia" used to describe the heart. Jesus emphasizes the significance of the heart in spiritual life, teaching that true worship and obedience to God must originate from within. In Matthew 22:37 , Jesus declares, "‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’" This commandment highlights the heart's role in loving and serving God fully and sincerely.

The Heart and the Will of God

The heart is central to understanding and doing the will of God. In Romans 6:17 , Paul writes, "But thanks be to God that, though you once were slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were committed." Here, wholehearted obedience is presented as a response to God's transformative work, indicating that the heart must be aligned with God's will for true obedience to occur.

Moreover, the heart is where faith resides, as seen in Romans 10:10 : "For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved." Faith and belief are matters of the heart, and it is through a heart aligned with God that one can truly understand and pursue His will.

Purity of Heart

Purity of heart is essential for doing the will of God. Jesus teaches in Matthew 5:8 , "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." A pure heart is undivided in its devotion and intent, seeking to please God above all else. This purity is not self-generated but is a result of God's sanctifying work in the believer's life.

David's prayer in Psalm 51:10 reflects the desire for a pure heart: "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." This plea acknowledges the need for divine intervention to cleanse and renew the heart, enabling one to live in accordance with God's will.

The Heart's Role in Love and Obedience

The heart is integral to the greatest commandments, which encompass love for God and neighbor. In Deuteronomy 6:5 , the Israelites are commanded, "Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." This command is reiterated by Jesus in the Gospels, emphasizing that love for God must be wholehearted and all-encompassing.

Obedience to God's commandments is also a matter of the heart. In John 14:15 , Jesus states, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." Love and obedience are intertwined, with the heart being the source from which genuine adherence to God's will flows.

Transformation of the Heart

The transformation of the heart is a key aspect of the New Covenant, as prophesied 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." This promise signifies a radical change, where God replaces a hardened heart with one that is responsive and obedient to His will.

In conclusion, the heart is central to the biblical understanding of doing the will of God. It is from the heart that love, faith, and obedience flow, and it is through the transformation of the heart that believers are empowered to live in accordance with God's purposes.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Ephesians 6:6
Not with eye-service, as men pleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Waiting on God
... upon God, upon the living God, every heart were crying ... we take Christ for what God
intended we should, our religion ... What do we read in Hebrews 7? "He is able to ...
//christianbookshelf.org/murray/the masters indwelling/iii waiting on god.htm

God's Will and Man's Will
... If we should, however, be troubled with doubts about the ... and fulfilling, despite
man's hardness of heart, despite man's ... We think, then, that analogy helps to ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 8 1863/gods will and mans will.htm

Love
... I cannot lay down my life for you,' we should have questioned ... What shall we say to
those who have not a ... strength in the angels cannot make the heart love God ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/the ten commandments/1 2 love.htm

Fenelon -- the Saints Converse with God
... his past errors; of having purified his heart, so that ... If then, the Almightly do
not grant our petitions, let ... will obtain from Him what we should never obtain ...
/.../various/the worlds great sermons vol 2/fenelon the saints converse.htm

For this Reason we Believe Also in his Son...
... We do not bring in two Gods as some do, who say ... of a family and he hath a son, so
we should say, the ... If ye make to yourselves such like in your heart, ye set up ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/on the creeds/section 3 for this reason.htm

Christian Perfection
... the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with ... notice in the few preceding verses
that we should be perfect ... that we shall love our enemies, that we may indeed ...
/.../byers/sanctification/chapter viii christian perfection.htm

Entire Sanctification as Taught by James and Jude.
... Himself also helpeth our infirmities, for we know not what we should pray for as
we ought; but ... Ghost who does the groaning, but He causes the heart of the ...
/.../clark/the theology of holiness/chapter x entire sanctification as.htm

The Morning Watch in the Life of Obedience.
... be led by Him, should walk after Him, should have our ... But if we do this and patiently
wait on Him, not to ... get the power of the Word in our heart, we can count ...
/.../murray/the school of obedience/iv the morning watch in.htm

I Look Upon all the Four Gospels as Thoroughly Genuine...
... Intellect gets in the way of the heart. ... The spirit of prayer should rule our spirits
and our conduct. ... We must do God's will in our lives if we would have God's ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bounds/purpose in prayer/chapter x i look upon.htm

A Knowledge of God
... Fill the whole heart with the words of God ... of any man as to what the Scriptures teach,
but should study the ... If we allow others to do our thinking, we shall have ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/steps to christ/chapter 10 a knowledge of.htm