The Honest and Good Heart
So much depends upon the condition of one’s heart! The divine invitation to salvation and moral excellence is offered to EVERY man, but it is the attitude of heart which determines which ones among all men will receive the word of God and be quickened spiritually. The parable of the sower (Matt 13; Luke 8) makes it clear that the same word will produce radically different responses according to the nature of the heart into which the word falls. Satan knows full well the part the heart plays in our relationship with God, and so he makes every effort to impede the full effect that the gospel can have upon it. In the “wayside” ground, he “snatches away the word out of the heart” lest that one believe and be saved. It is Satan who attacks the “stony ground” by confronting the hearer with things which undermine the shallow ground, with no depth of earth to provide a foundation to survive through difficult times. He exposes the “thorny ground” to the distractions of the flesh, which rise up and choke any growth that might come. The only ground he has little chance of thwarting is that of “the honest and good heart”.
Such a heart walks the fine line between gullibility and receptiveness. As those in Berea demonstrate, it is possible to “receive the word with all readiness of mind”, and still be skeptical enough to “search the scriptures daily, to see whether these things were so..” (Acts 17:11) Faith is based on evidence. The honest and good heart is ready to believe any and all truth, but demands whatever claims to be “truth” to be based upon solid proof. The honest and good heart will search for truth, no matter what the cost, and will acknowledge it to be truth–and more, will accept the changes that following truth may require in its life. The honest and good heart will meekly receive criticism, and strive to overcome all shortcomings. The honest and good heart will freely admit deficiencies and work for self-improvement. It is the man with an honest and good heart for whom God seeks, and for whom He has promised great things.
What kind of heart we have is ours to determine. Solomon says, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life...” (Prov 4:23) Many sins we commit are first and foremost heart attitudes, which we are well able to overcome. Many of the qualities which determine our response to God and others–faith, love, patience, kindness–are likewise generated from the heart and have a great impact upon our actions. The service God accepts is always dictated by the heart. (Rom 6:17; etc.) What about yours? --AcBelue
Editorial: “They Say and Do Not”
From the very start of His earthly work, Jesus was at odds with the entrenched religious leaders of His time–and some of His most severe criticisms were aimed at the Pharisees. The 23rd chapter of Matthew is largely taken up in a point by point indictment of their form of religion. The chapter begins by urging men to distinguish between the words and the actions of such teachers. They TAUGHT well, but ACTED poorly. As He put it, “they say and do not..”, and such a contradiction was soundly condemned by Him.
This is still, no doubt, the kind of conduct that is displeasing to God, and fruitless to those who engage in it. The question is raised in Luke 6:46– “Why do ye call me Lord, Lord, and do not the things that I say?” No doubt most who read this little paper would claim to love Jesus, and honor His word and work–but how many of us “say, and do not”? James illustrates the point, and refers to the outcome, when, in James 2:15, 16 – “If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled, notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body, what doth it profit?”
Even so, we SAY that we follow Him, but are we those who “say, and do not”? Our Lord is a Lord of UNITY, and He demands that all His disciples “be one”. Such an obligation demands that we conform to the standard of unity–that we come to common ground on Scriptural teaching. Eph 4:1-6 tells us “...there is ONE body, and ONE spirit, even as ye are called in ONE hope of your calling. There is ONE Lord, ONE faith, and ONE baptism, ONE God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all..” It is not enough to “say” such things: we must actually accept, abide by, and defend them. In a world of MANY bodies, MANY faiths, MANY hopes, and MANY baptisms, even MANY gods, those who “do” as well as “say” will be active in seeking the unity of believers upon this divine platform, and will settle for nothing less. No doubt the disciples at Corinth would claim that they loved the Lord, and that they wanted unity, but what they did was divide into sects, seek to serve God under different names, trample over the consciences of brethren, and act toward each other in ungodly ways (see 1 Corinthians, esp. chapters 1-3).
It is possible to “say” regarding every divine requirement, but fail to “do”. This is one reason why Paul urges us to “examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith..” (2 Cor 13:5) It is in not “doing” that we contribute to religious confusion, exalt the commandments of men, and fail to truly honor our Lord. There is only one “WAY” to truly serve Jesus, and it is not enough to “say” that we are in it! Again, friend, do you “say” and “do not”? –The Editors
Heart Disease
Heart disease is a serious illness, but the condition is not limited to disorders of the cardiac muscle and arteries. Many people are suffering from spiritual heart disease, and they are not even aware of it. The Proverbs writer said, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life” (4:23). In the Bible, the heart represents the inward man; it is the seat of our emotions, reason, and will. Let’s consider four common heart problems and their spiritual cure.
Many people are bitter and resentful over the circumstances of their life. Like Naomi who returned to Bethlehem bereaved of her husband and sons (Ru. 1:19-21), these people are so blinded by their pain that they cannot perceive their blessings. The Bible tells us to put away bitterness (Eph. 4:31) and warns us that if rooted in our lives it can defile the believer (Heb. 12:15). The solution for bitterness is gratitude. Gratitude can counteract the power of bitterness by compelling us to look with thankful hearts at the blessings that surround us. “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1Th. 5:18).
Greed is evidence of a materialistic worldview that values temporal possessions above spiritual treasure. Greed is a powerful and persistent sin; it will never be satisfied no matter how we may prosper (Ecc. 5:10). The Bible tells us that covetousness (greed) is actually a form of idolatry since it places our desire for things ahead of God (Col. 3:5). The solution for greed is contentment. Contentment can eliminate greed by helping us realize the difference between our wants and needs. Paul told Timothy, “We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content” (1Ti. 6:7-8).
It was hate that led Cain to kill Abel (1Jn. 3:11-13) and Joseph’s brothers to sell him as a slave (Ge. 37:4). Even though our hate may not lead to an act of violence, Jesus said that unjustified anger was just as sinful as murder (Mt. 5:22). The solution for hatred is love. Jesus commanded His followers, “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Mt. 5:44). By imitating the life of Jesus, love and hate can be put in their Biblical relation to one another. (Eph. 5:2; Heb. 1:9).
Pride is one of the very worst of the spiritual diseases of the heart. The book of Proverbs lists seven things the LORD hates. The first on the list is “a proud look” (6:16-17). Man’s pride must appear very foolish from God’s perspective. After all, what reason do weak and worthless creatures have to be prideful? The Bible warns, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (Jas. 4:6). The Biblical solution for pride is humility. If we evaluate ourselves in light of God’s truth, we will see clearly that we have no basis for pride. “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD” (1Co. 1:31).
The quality of our heart will determine the quality of our actions, and what we allow to enter and remain in our heart will determine whether it is spiritually diseased. What is the condition of your heart today? -JME
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