Faith is of the heart, not of the head. This is an important understanding, but what do we mean by the heart?
Obviously, the heart in scripture isn’t referring to the blood pump, although there is a subtle connection, because, Biblically, the life of the person is in the blood.
What we all do know, though, is that the heart is the centre of the inner man. We all experience the sense of being at this point. Perhaps this is also connected to breathing or our heart-beat, but we know that we have an emotional and sensual centre at this point.
Even science, although it doesn’t yet have an explanation, admits that there is a definite connection between the heart and the brain when we experience certain situations, such as extreme love, or guilt, or shame, or anxiety, even joy and laughter.
While there is much still to understand, science already tells us there is no doubt that emotion impacts not only our mental health but also our physical well-being, especially that of the heart.
“A growing body of evidence suggests that psychological factors are — literally — heartfelt, and can contribute to cardiac risk,” Harvard’s Medical School reported.
What Science Tells Us About Emotion And Our Hearts • Abbott.com
The heart is also the place of believing. The Bible talks about believing with our heart, which, as we have said, can only be at the centre of our being, not with the organ.
Faith is centred here. We can believe with our minds, of course, but actual faith is centred in our spiritual heart. That is what the Bible is referring to. When you are born again the place of realisation is here. The place of knowing is here.
Head or heart
There is head knowledge, and there is heart knowledge. This sounds strange, but most people will know this is true. Even in secular terms we talk about people having a big heart, which is clearly not referring to an outsized blood-pump, but to a person being of a generous and expressively warm personality and character.
Where do we care for people internally? We know it is the heart. When we say we love, do we love from our head or from our heart? Of course, our head complies with our heart instincts, but love is a heart thing.
Keep your heart with all diligence,
Proverbs 4:23
For out of it spring the issues of life.
Yes, so put everything into guarding your heart. Everything in life stems from our heart condition. How do we guard our heart?
My son, give attention to my words;
Proverbs 4:20-22
Incline your ear to my sayings.
Do not let them depart from your eyes;
Keep them in the midst of your heart;
For they are life to those who find them,
And health to all their flesh.
Wisdom tells us to Keep God’s Word and be a hearer, but also to be a doer of the Word. Don’t let God’s words be dismissed from our view. Keep them always in front of you.
Jewish people would literally have the scriptures written and kept about their person, and this is a good way of reciting and memorising. What Wisdom is actually telling us to read and hear and study and internalise and live the Word of God. This way we will guard our hearts because the Word and Spirit will work together to show us the way to fruitful living.
And we need to guard our minds also, because when there is a conflict between our head and our heart we can become confused, even depressed, about life. What happens when we come under pressure to be anxious or worried? Our heart seems to beat faster. We feel the pressure in our chest. You know that fear can afflict our heart also.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7
A peaceful heart
Don’t allow anxiety to interfere with peace. Cast every care on the Lord. He will relieve us from the pain of fear and worry. This is a learned process, which depends on us knowing who we are in Christ and who God is to us.
When we are saved, God gives us a new heart and renewed spirit. We have a fresh start, but it comes from believing the Word as it is preached by allowing it to fill our heart with its truth and power.
But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”
Romans 10:8-11
‘The Word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart.’ Salvation comes through confessing with our mouth what we know to be true in our heart. When the good news is preached and it enters our heart, we will know what to agree to as we are led to confess Jesus as Lord.
Paul is quoting from Deuteronomy 30:14, where God tells Israel how close He is to them. As close as our mouth. As near as our heart. He placed before them the keys to everlasting life or the permanent separation through death. He presented the options of blessings or curses. He advised them to choose life and blessing.
How close is this life–eternal life? It is in your mouth and in your heart. How is it activated in your life? By saying what you know to be true in your heart–that Jesus died, and was buried, and was raised from death so that we could be saved and made free from the sin of our past, and so that we could be raised with Him on that glorious day of redemption.
It’s all in the heart.
