Heart of the Matter
Thank you for your question. The Bible refers to the human heart many times in both the Old and New Testaments. Both the Hebrew (OT) and Greek (NT) words for heart actually mean the same thing.
The Hebrew word for heart is “leb,” and it can mean the following determined by the context:
- The physical organ of the body
- Seat of thoughts and understanding
- Seat of our will
- Seat of feelings and emotions
- The inmost center of one’s being
The Greek word for heart is “kardia,” and it can mean the following determined by the context:
- The physical organ
- Seat of thoughts and understanding
- Seat of our will
- Seat of feelings and emotions
- The inmost center of one’s being
So we see that the heart can be a physical organ or can be the unseen part of us. The Bible is very plain concerning what parts we humans are comprised of.
1 Thessalonians 5:23:
And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Here we see the parts of our human make-up. We have a spirit, soul, and body. You can more accurately say we are a spirit that has a soul, which lives in a body. When the body dies the spirit and soul will go to heaven if you are a Christian. A Christian’s body will be redeemed at the rapture of the Church. So, if we are a spirit with a soul that lives in a body, where is the heart located? It is clear that we do not have four parts to our makeup, so the heart (when not referring to the physical organ) must involve the spirit and soul. Both the Hebrew and Greek words for heart can either refer to the functions of the soul: understanding, thoughts, feeling, emotions, and the will; or it can refer to the inmost part of us, which is our spirit. A detailed examination of scriptures referring to the heart confirms this fact.
The definition and context in which the word heart is used in scripture reveals that it refers to the inward man versus the outward man or physical body.
Our inward man is comprised of our spirit and soul. We often focus on the human spirit and soul being separate and distinct from one another, while failing to realize the degree to which they interrelated and connected. Only the Word of God can reveal the distinction between the spirit and soul.
Hebrew 4:12:
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
When we were born again, the Word of God made a division between our spirit and soul. Our human spirit was given eternal life and the Spirit of God came to dwell in our heart when we believed on Jesus Christ. Our human spirit is protected from sin and any spiritual contaminates that would defile it. Our soul, which is our mind, will, and emotions, remain in the same condition they were before we received salvation; that is why we must be transformed by the renewing of our mind through meditation and study of God’s Word.
Before we got saved we had a single heart. Both our spirit and soul were ungodly. When we got saved we actually received a divided heart. Our spirit was renewed and perfected for all time; however, our soul was still against God in many ways. The goal of the Christian life is not to become pure in our spirits; that was accomplished the moment we were born again. While we remain in this earth, we need to work on the sanctification of our souls, which comes simply by renewing our wrong thoughts and beliefs with the Word of God. When we do this we are able to be single-hearted toward God. When our soul comes into alignment with our human spirit, God’s power is able to flow through us unhindered.
When the word heart appears in the Bible, you need to look at the context in which it is used to determine whether the verse is referring to the born again human spirit or to the soul. Here are some verses containing the word heart referring to the human spirit:
Galatians 4:6:
And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
Romans 2:29:
But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
1 Peter 3:4:
But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
Here are some verses containing the word heart referring to the soul:
2 Corinthians 9:7:
Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
Hebrew 3:12:
Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
James 1:26:
If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
James 3:14:
But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
Hebrews 3:15:
While it is said, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.
These verses point out that we can purpose in our heart to give. Our heart can also be evil, deceived, have bitter envy and jealousy, and can be hardened. These verses cannot refer to our perfected human spirits in which the Spirit of God dwells because of being born again; they refer to our soul—our mind, will, and emotions. Again, there is a spiritual part of the heart, which has been born again and a soulish part that still is being sanctified by the Word and Spirit of God.
It is important to daily spend time in the Word of God. The Spirit of God transforms us, but His main agent for doing this is the Word of God. (2 Corinthians 3:17) As we look into the mirror of God’s Word, we see the image of God. We also see who we are in Christ. We see who we already are in our born again human spirit. When we see the righteous image of who we are spiritually in Christ and renew our minds to that image, and walk it by faith, our soul is transformed. Our mind, will, and emotions all come into line with what is true in our human spirit. Our actions then become godly. We become single-hearted toward God.
Matthew 5:8:
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
This verse says that we are blessed when we have a pure heart and we shall see God. When we got saved our hearts became purified by faith. (Acts 15:9) This refers to our spirits. However, our soul needs purifying. This happens progressively day-by-day as we renew our mind with the Word of God.
James 4:8:
Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners! And purify your hearts, double minded ones!
Notice, the part of our heart that needs purifying is our mind. We are often double-minded; part of our thinking and beliefs line up with God and His Word while at the same time another part does not. The renewing of the mind is progressive in our Christian walk. As we continue to renew our minds with God’s Word, we become more and more conformed to His image and see Him more clearly and His plan for our life.
Matthew 22:37:
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
In this verse, Jesus first identifies the heart. We are to love the Lord with all our heart; this means with our entire inward man. Jesus then identifies the part of the heart that is our soul. Finally, He identifies the most important part needing our attention in order to love God in our daily life, which is the mind. What we are thinking about will determine the direction we will go, either towards God or away from Him.
I hope this helps,
Rick McFarland
Director/Singles Director
Real Answers bookstore
Grace Church
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