because if the heart condemns us, seeing that God is greater than the heart, and knows all. (1 John 3:20)
The word heart is καρδία (kardia) the heart, regarded as the seat of feeling, impulse, affection, desire; the heart, as the seat of the intellect; the heart, as the inner and mental frame; the conscience; the heart, the inner part, middle, center. From the Greek word "kardia" we get the English word Cardia is which refers to heart action or location; the opening of the esophagus into the stomach. In regards to our being, the heart and the stomach are inner related, and so is the mouth, which leads to the stomach. Because of this, we say things like I have "butterflies in my stomach" Today, we refer to it as the innermost of our being. Jesus said it is what comes from the heart that defiles a person. A lying tongue, that coming out of the mouth, comes from the heart. In regards to scripture, what is the heart referring to? And knowing this we see that God is greater than our heart.
Like the Greek word καρδία (kardia) has a deeper meaning so does the Greek word στόμαχος, (stomachos) which has the root word for mouth, στόμα (stoma) the mouth; speech, words. We see how these are inner related and speak of more than just organs and mere words but of our being. The scriptures of the new testament say we have a spirit, soul, and body. In fact, Peter says the goal of our faith is the salvation of our soul. (1 Peter 1:9) This is a very profound insight from Peter. Why the salvation of my soul? Are there other parts of us to be saved? The soul in the new testament is distinguished from spirit and body. Think of what happens when we believe, as Paul writes when we hear the gospel and believe we are marked with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14) Which is equivalent to entering the kingdom of God by being born of the Spirit. The Spirit of adoption cries out Abba Father and testifies deep within our inner being, spirit, that we are children of God. This testimony we have along with the testimony of blood, of justification. Believing in the heart, born of Spirit, then the testimony of change inwardly coming outwardly, confession unto salvation. What salvation? of the soul? It is not a coincidence Paul begins Ephesians with the concepts of election, predestination, adoption, redemption, forgiveness, before going into, by grace through faith are you saved, not of works but a gift from God. In our spirit, we are adopted, born anew, a new creation, made alive in Christ. We have a spirit, a soul, and a body. The soul we are working out its salvation, and the body we are awaiting salvation of, therefore our spirit is saved in new birth.
Beloved, I beseech you as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from the desires of the flesh, which war against the soul; (1 Peter 2:11)
For walking about in the flesh, not accordingly fleshly. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal rather powered of God for destroying strongholds, tearing down reasoning and every height raised against the knowledge of God, and taking captive every thought to the obedience of Christ, (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)
now, at the present, it is no longer I working out sin rather sin dwelling in me. (Romans 7:17)
I think therefore I am, the wisdom of the world says. But Paul writes the opposite, beware of what you think, "the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, for they are opposed to each other, so to keep you from doing the things you want." (Galatians 5:17) The Spirit aids us in this deception of the mind and heart, "Now, the one searching the heart knows what is the mind (desires) of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God." (Romans 8:27) Paul tells us when we want to do good evil is right there. (Romans 7:21) And that sin dwells in the flesh. (Romans 7:17) If you are born of God and you think it is you, you are defined by the desires of the flesh, then you are being defeated in your mind. This is one powerful way that the devil wars against our souls. He prevents growth in knowledge of Jesus thus keeps us from knowing our true identity in Christ.
little children love not in word or speech rather in deed and truth and in this we know that we exist of truth and assure our hearts, confident in His presence, because if our heart condemns us God is greater than our hearts and knows all things. (1 John 3:18-20)
that if you speak the same in your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For the heart believes to the extent of righteousness, now the mouth confesses to the extent of salvation. (Romans 10:9-10)
Notice, we as believers assure our hearts or conscience in His presence, not according to how our heart condemns us or not. At the heart of the matter is sin, specifically in this passage of scripture, John writes of the sin or failure to live righteous by loving our brothers. Like Cain who was immoral and murdered his brother and why did he murder his brother? because his works were evil and his brother's righteous. (John 3:10-15) The scriptures say the righteous will be persecuted and we see why because the world hates righteousness. Why? the heart of sinful man is bad, evil, immoral, "it is deceitful above all things and is beyond cure." (Jeremiah 17:9) Notice, Jeremiah writes it is beyond cure. The new covenant that God purposed in Christ speaks of him putting his Spirit within us and giving us a new heart, of writing his principles on our hearts and minds. (Ezekiel 11:19; 36:26; Jeremiah 31:33; Hebrews 8:10) Now, in regards to us being in a new covenant with God, and being new creations in Christ, is the heart beyond cure?
... love not in word or speech rather in deed and truth and in this we know that we exist of truth and assure our hearts... (1 John 3:18-20)
Notice, we assure our hearts in His presence, in truth and deed, as he gave instructions of loving one another, not by deeds or works only, but in deeds and truth. Faith comes by hearing the truth so we see it is not by works alone but by faith and deeds. To help us understand, "By faith, Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain through which he testified, existing righteous..." (1 John 3:18-20) How did Abel by faith offer an acceptable sacrifice to God, better than Cain's? Surely, not as some blasphemously say, because he gave his best ten percent and Cain did not, no, it was by faith he was counted righteous, he believed in the heart, thus through giving a sacrifice acceptable he testified of that faith. The deed testified of the believing in the heart, thus he was counted among the righteous. No one will be justified in the eyes of God by his works but by faith. We see how Abel testified of faith in the deed; giving a spotless lamb believing that God would give his Son as a spotless lamb. Yes, the righteous do good works that testify of their faith, but not all who do good works are righteous nor will enter the kingdom of heaven, but those who know or are known by God.
What happened first the believing in the heart or the mouth confessing? Believing. It is interesting, believing in the heart meant I received the gift of righteousness, which is through justification by faith, blood, and by grace through redemption. I testify of my believing in the heart through confession that comes through the mouth of my inner being. The testimony of confession of the mouth came afterward. Thus believing in the heart came first then a testifying of faith through a work. How does the deed of Abel, of giving a spotless lamb testify of his faith? because he believed in his heart, he looked by faith into that which is unseen, like others who were of the faith of Abraham, whom the gospel was preached to beforehand, who believed and were counted righteous by their faith. And what did Abel believe? God would give his Son, the spotless Lamb. But here we see the argument of James, faith without the testimony of works, of loving my brother, is dead. And John and Paul agree that faith without works is dead; Paul says if I have all faith to move mountains but do not love it is nothing, and John says those born of God will not continue in sin and will love His brethren.
that if you speak the same in your mouth (stoma) the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart (kardia) ...
for I delight in the principles of God according to the inner man, but I see different principles in my member waging war against the principle of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin dwelling in my member... (Romans 7:22-8:17)
One of the greatest areas where our heart may condemn us, and the devil, is in the understanding or should I say misunderstanding of the distinction of spirit, soul, and body. For example, I was one who struggled with condemnation because I like Paul wanted to do good but kept doing the things I hated. How many other people have been freed from a heart condemned by the truth Paul gives in Romans? The principle exists that one can delight in the things of God in the inner man (how can one delight inwardly in God, except by being a new creation?) while a different principle exists that opposes the spirit, waging war to bring us into captivity to sin. Herein we see the concept of the salvation of the soul. What must I do to be saved has much more meaning than how can I escape God's wrath.
If the goal of faith is the salvation of the soul and there is a distinction of spirit, soul, and body, then we see the battle lies within the soul and our hearts can condemn us. But God is greater than our hearts, in our spirit. By what power could I come to God, accomplish the softening of my heart when I was blinded and hardened in the heart as the scriptures say we were?* As John Piper pointed out to me, which we find in Ephesians, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead, into the heavenlies, seating him at the right hand of God, has raised us from the dead and seated us in the heavenlies, making us alive. (Ephesians 1:19-20, Ephesians 2:5-6) Which part of me is seated with Christ? my born a new spirit.
This involved God's power, a new birth of Spirit, a new heart, enlightenment, and new understanding. I think there is further enlightenment that Paul prays for our hearts to have, not only the same power that raised Jesus but the same power that kept Jesus from sin (as the Son of Man, existing in the same kind of body as we do) will also free us from sin. We see this truth in Romans 8, the Spirit frees us from the law of sin and death in our members. And those led by the Spirit, by the Spirit sin will be rendered powerless in the flesh. Of course not all is complete yet, the scripture tell us we are awaiting salvation of our body, its redemption, and complete glorification. (Romans 8:23)
for the word of God lives and is effectual and sharper above all two-edged swords and penetrates as far as dividing soul and spirit, bones and marrow, and discerns thoughts and intentions of hearts. (Hebrews 4:12)
There are thoughts and intentions of the heart. Paul also speaks of the eyes of the heart. (Ephesians 1:18-19) The word of God is greater than the heart, it cuts like a knife would divide bone from marrow, it divides the thoughts of the soul from the thoughts of the spirit. It can sort these things out, the thoughts and intentions of the heart, so we can discern the will of God. So the heart doesn't condemn us. "For who among men knows the man except for the man's spirit that is in him? in the same way no one can know of God except the Spirit of God." (1 Corinthians 2:11-16) Paul goes on to say we have received the Spirit of God so we can know the things of God, as the natural man can not receive them because they are spiritual truths, but the spiritual man can discern them.
Who has known the mind of the Lord to unite together with him? now, we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:13-16)
To unite with Christ, to have the power to discern, but not just discern but the power to be obedient, to accept his will as good, perfect, and pleasing we need a spiritual mind, the mind of Christ. "Put off your former way of life your old self corrupted in its deceitful desires and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new self, created like God in righteousness and holiness in truth..." (Ephesians 4:22-24) The spiritual part of me has the mind of Christ but as a child, the soul part of me has a carnal mind, "But I brothers have no power to speak to you as spiritual rather like as fleshly, like as children in Christ... for you are still fleshly..." (1 Corinthians 3:1-4) Transformation brings the spirit and soul together, by renewing the mind, so to be united together like the mind of Christ.
now, if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with another and the blood of Jesus the one his Son cleanses us from all sin... (I John 1:7-10)
On the cross Jesus was atonement and propitiation for sin, but as John writes he continues to be an advocate for us. (1 John 1:9 1 John 2:1-2) Another example of God being greater than my heart, if my heart condemns me, walk in the Light, confess my sin. Another truth is to humble ourselves, resist the devil, and draw near to God, cleanse your hands, purify your hearts. (James 4:6-8,10) Am I humble, resisting the devil, then what's the problem? if I'm under condemnation it's not God. I have the boldness to approach His throne because of the riches I've received in Christ. The devil is very active in using the carnal mind to bring us into captivity to sin then condemning and accusing the conscious, the heart.
We are still in this body of flesh, though we do not walk according to the flesh but like as spiritual. The devil is deceptive at keeping us from the knowledge of God, and from being in His presence. Through shame, lack of assurance and confidence, guilt, and condemnation which should not exist if we know the truth. If there are strongholds in my life the power of God is meant to tear them down. There is further sanctification happening, the salvation of my soul. The antitype of Baptism which now saves you is not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good heart (conscience) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, (1 Peter 3:21) This testimony of water is a whole study in itself, this further washing of the word, purification of the body of sin which brings or conforms us into the image of His Son. The power of God is working in us for his glory.
so that no longer existing children tossed to and fro and blown about in all wind of doctrine, in human cunning, in craftiness with deceitful scheming. (Ephesians 4:13-14)
Said another way the devil attempts to keep believers like children because a child sees dimly as he is known by God. (1 Corinthians 13:12-13) Thus true Church growth, truth in love, in the knowledge of Jesus, and in the unity of the faith will fight this attack. Also, the Spirit of truth aids us in this fight, "now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons." (1 Timothy 4:1) The devil used scripture against Jesus, and we read he introduces false teaching and preaching into the church for the specific purpose to keep children tossed to and fro in deceitful scheming. This is why Paul writes of spiritual warfare and armor and weapons so we learn to grow strong in the Lord, to fight in the spiritual realm, against these schemes of the devil. (Ephesians 6:10-18)
Because the one born of God overcomes the world and this is the victorious principle that overcomes the world, even our faith. (1 John 5:4)
We see salvation in parts; spirit, soul, and body. If my spirit sits in the heavenlies with Christ at the present, then it is complete. But I am working out my salvation in fear and trembling Paul writes. It is God working in me to will and do according to His good pleasure and purpose so that we are blameless and pure on the day of Christ. (Philippians 2:12-16) For the elect, this is why God chose us, to be holy, blameless before Him in love. (Ephesians 1:4) And this is the goal of faith, the salvation of our souls. There is something going on deeper within us than we know, but the scriptures speak of a growth process, of a purpose that conforms us to the image of Christ, of transformation by the renewing of the mind, of growing in the knowledge of Jesus into the full measure of the stature of His image. If this is what God has purposed, and he is in me, and he is greater than that which is in the world then he is greater than my heart. Even if the heart condemns, God is greater and knows all.