The Heart of Man

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The Heart of Man
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall
see God." (Matt. 58)
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The Heart of Man
Because of this statement of Jesus, Christian
discipleship is often called "the religion of the
pure in heart."
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The Heart of Man
But what is the heart that must become pure and
how does God change it?
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The Heart of Man
What does the Bible teach?
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The Heart of Man
Emotional Nature
Ethical Nature
Intellectual Nature
Volitional Nature
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How God Changes The Heart of Man
Emotionally
Ethically
Intellectually
Volitionally
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How God Changes The Heart of Man
Contrary to the false doctrine of Calvinism, God
does not change the heart by operating on it
directly.
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How God Changes The Heart of Man
To operate directly is to operate without
"means," or "instrumentation," such as a surgeon
operating by means of a scalpel.
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How God Changes The Heart of Man
Through what "means," or "instrumentation," does
God operate on and change the heart?
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How God Changes The Heart of Man
God operates on and changes the heart through the
"means," or "instrumentation," of His word.
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How God Changes The Heart Intellectually
God operates on and changes the heart,
intellectually, by means of information.
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How God Changes The Heart Intellectually
The heart is a "seedbed" in which the word of God
must be planted.
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How God Changes The Heart Intellectually
"A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he
sowed, some fell by the wayside and it was
trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured
it." (Luke 85)
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How God Changes The Heart Intellectually
"Now the parable is this The seed is the word of
God. Those by the wayside are the ones who hear
then the devil comes and takes...
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How God Changes The Heart Intellectually
...away the word out of their hearts, lest they
should believe and be saved." (Luke 811-12)
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How God Changes The Heart Intellectually
The word of God must be understood in order for
the heart to be changed for the better,
intellectually.
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How God Changes The Heart Intellectually
Then He spoke many things to them in parables,
saying "Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as
he sowed, some seed fell by the...
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How God Changes The Heart Intellectually
"...wayside and the birds came and devoured
them." (Matt. 133-4)
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How God Changes The Heart Intellectually
"When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and
does not understand it, then the wicked one comes
and snatches away what was sown...
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How God Changes The Heart Intellectually
"...in his heart. This is he who received seed by
the wayside." (Matt. 133-4,19)
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How God Changes The Heart of Man
Every other change also involves the intellect.
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How God Changes The Heart Emotionally
God operates on and changes the heart,
emotionally, by means of specific information
concerning His love for mankind.
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How God Changes The Heart Emotionally
God manifested His love for us by sending His Son
to the cross.
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How God Changes The Heart Emotionally
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should
not perish but have everlasting life." (John 316)
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How God Changes The Heart Emotionally
Jesus demonstrated love by giving His own life
for us.
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How God Changes The Heart Emotionally
"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay
down one's life for his friends." (John 1513)
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How God Changes The Heart Emotionally
By this we know love, because He laid down His
life for us. And we also ought to lay down our
lives for the brethren. (1 John 316)
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How God Changes The Heart Emotionally
Our love is in response to His love.
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How God Changes The Heart Emotionally
We love Him because He first loved us. (1 John
419)
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How God Changes The Heart Ethically
God operates on and changes the heart, ethically,
by means of information concerning His authority.
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How God Changes The Heart Ethically
Paul's conscience had been clear, even while he
was persecuting Christians.
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How God Changes The Heart Ethically
Then Paul, looking earnestly at the council,
said, "Men and brethren, I have lived in all good
conscience before God until this day." (Acts 231)
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How God Changes The Heart Ethically
"This being so, I myself always strive to have a
conscience without offense toward God and men."
(Acts 2416)
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How God Changes The Heart Ethically
Pauls heart had not made proper ethical
judgments because it had not been properly
educated.
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How God Changes The Heart Ethically
"Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things
contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth." (Acts
269)
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How God Changes The Heart Ethically
But when he saw Jesus on the road to Damascus, he
realized that he did not have the authority of
God to persecute Christians for worshiping Jesus
as God.
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How God Changes The Heart Ethically
So he, trembling and astonished, said, "Lord,
what do You want me to do?" Then the Lord said to
him, "Arise and go into the city, and you will be
told what you must do." And the men...
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How God Changes The Heart Ethically
...who journeyed with him stood speechless,
hearing a voice but seeing no one. Then Saul
arose from the ground, and when his eyes were...
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How God Changes The Heart Ethically
...opened he saw no one. But they led him by the
hand and brought him into Damascus. And he...
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How God Changes The Heart Ethically
...was three days without sight, and neither ate
nor drank. (Acts 93-9)
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How God Changes The Heart Ethically
On Pentecost, Peter changed the hearts of the
people, ethically, by showing that Jesus had the
authority of God for the things He did and that
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How God Changes The Heart Ethically
they did not have the authority of God for
putting Him to death.
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How God Changes The Heart Ethically
"Men of Israel, hear these words Jesus of
Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by
miracles, wonders, and signs which God did...
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How God Changes The Heart Ethically
"...through Him in your midst, as you yourselves
also know-- Him, being delivered by the...
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How God Changes The Heart Ethically
"...determined purpose and foreknowledge of God,
you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified,
and put to death" (Acts 222-23)
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How God Changes The Heart Ethically
"Therefore let all the house of Israel know
assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you
crucified, both Lord and Christ." Now...
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How God Changes The Heart Ethically
...when they heard this, they were cut to the
heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the
apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?"
(Acts 237-38)
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How God Changes The Heart Volitionally
"A man convinced against his will Is of the same
opinion, still."
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How God Changes The Heart Volitionally
God operates on and changes the heart,
volitionally, by means of specific information
concerning His goodness and severity.
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How God Changes The Heart Volitionally
Gods goodnessand promise of further goodnessis
to motivate us to repentance.
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How God Changes The Heart Volitionally
Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you
are who judge, for in whatever you judge another
you condemn yourself for you who...
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How God Changes The Heart Volitionally
...judge practice the same things. But we know
that the judgment of God is according to truth
against those who practice such things. And...
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How God Changes The Heart Volitionally
...do you think this, O man, you who judge those
practicing such things, and doing the same, that
you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you...
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How God Changes The Heart Volitionally
...despise the riches of His goodness,
forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that
the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
(Rom. 21-4)
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How God Changes The Heart Volitionally
Gods severityand promise of further severityis
for the same purpose.
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How God Changes The Heart Volitionally
You will say then, "Branches were broken off
that I might be grafted in." Well said. Because
of unbelief they were broken off, and you
stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. For
if...
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How God Changes The Heart Volitionally
...God did not spare the natural branches, He may
not spare you either. Therefore consider the
goodness and severity of God on those who...
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How God Changes The Heart Volitionally
...fell, severity but toward you, goodness, if
you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also
will be cut off. (Rom. 1119-22)
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How God Changes The Heart Volitionally
The hearts of those to whom Peter preached on
Pentecost were changed, volitionally, after Peter
promised them the remission of sins.
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How God Changes The Heart Volitionally
Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every
one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus
Christ for the remission of sins and you
shall...
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How God Changes The Heart Volitionally
...receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts
238)
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How God Changes The Heart of Man
The heart continues to change throughout life,
whether for the better or for the worse.
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How God Changes The Heart of Man
When the alien sinner has completely obeyed
the conditions of salvation, he is "born again"
and is granted citizenship in the kingdom of God.
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How God Changes The Heart of Man
Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you,
unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he
cannot enter the kingdom of God. (John 35)
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How God Changes The Heart of Man
He has delivered us from the power of darkness
and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of
His love, in whom we have redemption through...
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How God Changes The Heart of Man
...His blood, the forgiveness of sins. (Col.
313-14)
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How God Changes The Heart of Man
The heart of the faithful kingdom citizen
continues to change for the better.
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How God Changes The Heart of Man
Not that I have already attained, or am already
perfected but I press on, that I may lay hold of
that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold...
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How God Changes The Heart of Man
...of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have
apprehended but one thing I do, forgetting those
things which are behind and reaching forward...
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How God Changes The Heart of Man
...to those things which are ahead, I press
toward the goal for the prize of the upward call
of God in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 312-14)
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How God Changes The Heart of Man
His heart continues to change for the better,
intellectually, as he continues to learn more and
more of Gods word.
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How God Changes The Heart of Man
His heart continues to change for the better,
emotionally, as he grows in his love for God and
others.
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How God Changes The Heart of Man
His heart continues to change for the better,
ethically, as he continues to heed the voice of
his conscience.
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How God Changes The Heart of Man
His heart continues to change for the better,
volitionally, as he continues to bring his life
into greater harmony with the will of God.
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How God Changes The Heart of Man
Has your heart been sufficiently changed so that
you have been born again and translated into the
kingdom of God, the church?
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How God Changes The Heart of Man
Has it continued to change for the better since
that time?
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How God Changes The Heart of Man
Have you continued to grow in knowledge of the
word of God and in love for the word of God?
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How God Changes The Heart of Man
Are you making better ethical judgments and
decisions?
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How God Changes The Heart of Man
Are your actions now in greater harmony with the
will of God than they have been in the past?
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How God Changes The Heart of Man
Do you need to make your heart right with God?