When the word "heart" is used in the New Testament, it signifies the soul, the emotions, the mind and the spirit. The word "middle" is used in reference to the heart; as in referring to the heart of a tree or even the heart of a subject or the "heart" of the matter.
After the fall of man in the Garden, the spirit of man was dominated by his soul and emotions. His spirit, being cut off from God because of Adam's transgression, was now silent as far as righteousness was concerned. Man set about, through satan's guidance, to establish his own righteousness. Consequently, man was now out of control for the most part and was guided by his soulish parts.
Even in his fallen state, man had a knowledge of God and a desire to be pleasing in some ways. Satan, acting as god, would now direct all of fallen man's desire to worship unto himself by presenting them with false gods. This false worship had a soothing effect on man as he was now fulfilling his deepest inner drive and satisfaction.
Romans 1:21-23 (Amplified) says that, "Because when they knew Him and recognized Him as God, they did not honor and glorify Him as God or give Him thanks. But instead they became futile and Godless in their thinking (with vain imaginings, foolish reasonings, and stupid speculations) and their senseless minds were darkened." Verse 22 says, "Claiming to be wise, they became fools (professing to be smart, they made simpletons of themselves." Verse 23 says, "And by them the glory and majesty and excellence of the immortal God were exchanged for and represented by images, resembling mortal man and birds and beasts and reptiles."
Now, man's inner need to worship was met without any laws to govern his sinful nature. His heart (his inner self) was now able to control his spirit and still fulfill the evil impulses of the flesh. Some men, even though they were in a fallen state, still had the Law of God written in their hearts. Romans 2:14-15 (Amplified) tells us that, "When the gentiles who have not the (divine) Law do instinctively what the Law requires, they are a law to themselves, since they do not have the Law. Verse 15 says, "They show that the essential requirements of the Law are written in their hearts and are operating there, with which their consciences (sense of right and wrong) also bear witness; and their (moral) decisions (their arguments of reason, their condemning or approving thoughts) will excuse or perhaps defend and excuse (them)."
Even though man still knew the difference between right and wrong, he had no power (without God) to keep the moral laws that held him. 1Corinthians 2:14 (Amplified) tells us, "But the natural, non-spiritual man does not accept or welcome or admit into his heart the gifts and teachings and revelations of the Spirit of God, for they are folly (meaningless nonsense) to him; and he is incapable of knowing them (of progressively recognizing, understanding, and becoming better acquainted with them) because they are spiritually discerned and estimated and appreciated."
Man, at this time, walked only by his willpower to do right or wrong. The will of man, even though there's a kind of power in it, couldn't take away the sin ruling him. It's much like an alcoholic attending A.A. meetings 3-4 times a week. He isn't drinking, but he's still an alcoholic. His willpower can maintain his sobriety, but it's still a constant struggle for him. This is still a problem for a man without God's putting a new heart within him. We still know the difference between right and wrong, but we're powerless to perform it without God.
A heart transplant is needed in the life of every man. Our heart condition needs surgery from the Great Surgeon, God. Even under the Law, man couldn't walk upright before a Holy God. He had to continually make a sacrifice for his inability to keep the commandments of the Lord. They kept adding amendments to the Law to cover their inability to walk it. The heart condition had already brought death to man and he didn't even know it.
Ephesians 4:17-18 (Amplified) says, "So this I say and solemnly testify in (the name of) the Lord (as in His presence) that you must no longer live as the heathen (the gentiles) do in their perverseness (in the filly, vanity, and emptiness of their souls and the futility) of their minds." Verse 18 goes on,"Their moral understanding is darkened and their reasoning is beclouded. (They are) alienated (estranged, self-banished) from the life of God (with no share in it; this is) because of the ignorance (the want of knowledge and perception, the will blindness) that is deep seated in them, do to their hardness of heart (to the insensitiveness of their moral nature)."
See how when a man gets born again from on High, his spirit get joined together with the Spirit of God, but his mind and emotions (soul or heart) is still unrenewed. Now we understand what the Apostle Paul was saying in Romans 12:1-2 (Amplified), "I appeal to you therefore brethren, and beg of you in view of (all) the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies (presenting all your members and faculties) as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship." Verse 2 goes on, "Do not be conformed to this world (this age) (fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs) but be transformed (changed) by the (entire) renewal of your mind (by its new ideals and its new attitude) so that you may prove (for yourselves) what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect (in His sight) for you."
As God's people, we have always majored in getting others born again, but never really majored in getting them to renew their minds by reading and teaching them the Word. Until the Word is sown into the mind(soul and emotions), the heart of the man, he is like someone who's trying to walk with God by his shear willpower. It's like sending someone to rehab and expecting them to be alright. Some have come out of rehab and do alright, but most do not. That's why such programs as the "Teen Challenge" has been so much more successful than government programs. The government programs deal solely with the cleansing the person's body of drugs or alcohol. But, Teen Challenge renews the addict's mind with the Word of God. If you come out of rehab, your body is clean from the drugs, but your mind still thinks the same way it did before.
The heart of man is the very core of his being that encompasses the spirit and the soul (mind, will, emotions) of man. These, in turn, will govern the body to obey the Holy Spirit Who is now leading the entire man. Galatians 5:16 (Amplified) tells us, "But I say, walk and live (habitually) in the (Holy) Spirit (responsive to and controlled and guided by the Holy Spirit) then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of the human nature without God)."
In the Church, we keep telling people they must stay out of sin, but we don't always renew their minds by the Word and allow for a change of heart. They want to walk upright before God in their spirits, but in their minds desire the fleshly desires. We keep renewing our vows and recommitting our lives to God. We walk in guilt and condemnation over our failures and pray for deliverance from the flesh. Matthew 26:41 (Amplified) tells us that, "All of you must keep awake (give strict attention, be cautious and active) and watch and pray; that you may not come into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
This is still true today for all who are saved. We need to keep awake, be cautious and active in His Word. The flesh is still as weak as it always was. This is the condition of the heart (the core of our being). When we were saved, our spirit got saved, but our mind, will and emotions (the flesh and soul) of the man was still as it was. It had been in control of our lives from the first and would still try and rule like it always had. Close fellowship with the Lord and time spent in His Word will bring the soulish part (the core and heart) of man under the control of his born again spirit. By renewing your mind with the Word of God, the control of an unrenewed mind that had guided us for so long, will become obsolete in our lives. Your body can only do what your head tells it to or allows it to do.
This heart condition is what brings all the torment and sickness into the natural flesh and blood body we live in. The oppression of the enemy, the condemnation and guilt coming from the heart, brings all the misery in our lives in the form of self-accusation. We read in Acts 10:38 (Amplified), "How God anointed and consecrated Jesus of Nazareth with the (Holy) Ghost and with strength and ability and power; how He went about doing good and in particular, curing all who were harassed and oppressed by the (power of) the devil, for God was with Him."
In the Gospel of Luke 2:45-46 (Amplified) we read, "And when they failed to find Him (Jesus) they went back to Jerusalem, looking for Him (up and down) all the way." Verse 46 says, "After three days they found Him (came upon Him) in the (court of the )Temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions." Even Jesus studied the Word and attended Synagogue. Luke 4:16-17 (Amplified) tells us, "So He came to Nazareth, (that Nazareth) where He had been brought up, and He entered the synagogue, as was His custom on the Sabbath day, and He stood up to read." Verse 17 says, "And there was handed to Him (the roll of) the book of the Prophet Isaiah, He opened (unrolled) the book and found the place where it was written."
Even Jesus read the Word, studied the Word, and knew the Word. Luke 4:4 (Amplified) says, "And Jesus replied to him (the devil) it is written, Man shall not live and be sustained by (on) bread alone, but by every word and expression of God." Jesus wasn't just a preacher, but a teacher. He knew that if the people didn't get the seed (the Word) in their hearts, then it wouldn't change them. We still need the Word in our hearts to change the condition of our hearts.
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