Heart Motivations Revealed in Scripture and Christian Living
In biblical understanding, the "heart" is considered the central core of human existence, encompassing not only spiritual activity but also all aspects of human life [3]. It is the "home of the personal life," defining a person's character, whether wise, pure, upright, righteous, pious, or good [3]. While "heart" and "soul" are sometimes used interchangeably in scripture, they are not generally synonymous [3].
Scripture emphasizes that God actively engages with the human heart. God tries the heart, knows its depths, searches it, and understands its thoughts [2, 4]. The Lord also influences the heart and can prepare it [2]. A key theme is the transformation of the heart. The Bible speaks of God creating a new heart and putting a new spirit within individuals [2, 14]. This transformation is described as replacing a "stony heart," which is unimpressible and unfit for receiving spiritual truth, with a "heart of flesh," which is impressible and docile [14]. While humans are commanded to "make you a new heart," this command highlights human responsibility and the need to recognize one's helplessness, ultimately driving individuals to seek God's Holy Spirit for this change [15].
The motivations of the heart are crucial in Christian living. A renewed heart is characterized by a desire to seek God, being fixed on Him, and finding joy in Him [8]. Such a heart is described as perfect with God, upright, clean, pure, tender, single, sincere, honest, good, broken, contrite, and obedient [8]. It is filled with the law of God, awed by His word, and filled with the fear of God [8].
The New Testament further develops the concept of the heart's significance. Paul prays that the Colossians' hearts may be encouraged and knit together in love, leading to a personal knowledge of Christ [1]. In Ephesians, the indwelling of Christ in the heart through faith is presented as the source of spiritual power for life and ministry [5, 13]. This indwelling enables believers to be rooted and grounded in love [5]. Christian love, which originates from God, is characterized by a willingness to prioritize the good of others over one's own desires [11, 12].
The scriptures are seen as inspired by God and the Holy Spirit, providing guidance for the heart [7, 10]. The prayer that God would lead or "make straight" hearts reflects an Old Testament expression found in passages like 1 Chronicles 29:18 and Proverbs 23:19 [9]. This leading enables Christians to love as God loves and to practice patient endurance, mirroring Christ's own endurance [9]. Love for Christ is manifested through seeking Him, obeying Him, ministering to Him, and preferring Him above all others, even to the point of taking up the cross [6]. This love should be sincere, from the soul, and proportionate to the mercies received [6].
Sources
- Colossians “Colossians 2:2 (Rotherham) — In order that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, even unto all the riches of the full assurance of their understanding, unto a personal knowledge of the sacred secret of God,—Christ:”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Heart, The — Issues of life are out of -- Pr 4:23. God Tries. -- 1Ch 29:17; Jer 12:3. Knows. -- Ps 44:21; Jer 20:12. Searched. -- 1Ch 28:9; Jer 17:10. Understands the thoughts of. -- 1Ch 28:9; Ps 139:2. Ponders. -- Pr 21:2; 24:12. Influences. -- 1Sa 10:26; Ezr 6:22; 7:27; Pr 21:1; Jer 20:9. Creates a new. -- Ps 51:10; Eze 36:26. Prepares. -- 1Ch 29:18; Pr 16:1. Opens. -- Ac 16:14. Enlightens. -- 2Co 4:6; Eph 1:18. Strengthens. -- Ps 27:14. Establishes. -- Ps 112:8; 1Th 3:13. Should be Prepared to God. -- 1Sa 7:3. Given to God. -- Pr 23:26. Perfect with God. -- 1Ki 8:”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Heart — According to the Bible, the heart is the centre not only of spiritual activity, but of all the operations of human life. "Heart" and "soul" are often used interchangeably (Deut. 6:5; 26:16; comp. Matt. 22:37; Mark 12:30, 33), but this is not generally the case. The heart is the "home of the personal life," and hence a man is designated, according to his heart, wise (1 Kings 3:12, etc.), pure (Ps. 24:4; Matt. 5:8, etc.), upright and righteous (Gen. 20:5, 6; Ps. 11:2; 78:72), pious and good (Luke 8:15), etc. In these and such passages the word "soul" could not ”
- 1 Chronicles “I know also, my God, that you try the heart, and have pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these things. Now have I seen with joy your people, that are present here, offer willingly to you. -- 1 Chronicles 29:17”
- Ephesians “that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that you, being rooted and grounded in love, -- Ephesians 3:17”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Love to Christ — Exhibited by God -- Mt 17:5; Joh 5:20. Exhibited by saints -- 1Pe 1:8. His personal excellence is deserving of -- Song 5:9-16. His love to us a motive to -- 2Co 5:14. Manifested in Seeking him. -- Song 3:2. Obeying him. -- Joh 14:15,21,23. Ministering to him. -- Mt 27:55; 25:40. Preferring him to all others. -- Mt 10:37. Taking up the cross for Him. -- Mt 10:38. A characteristic of saints -- Song 1:4. An evidence of adoption -- Joh 8:42. Should be Sincere. -- Eph 6:24. With the soul. -- Song 1:7. In proportion to our mercies. -- Lu 7:47. Supreme. -- ”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Scriptures, The — Given by inspiration of God -- 2Ti 3:16. Given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit -- Ac 1:16; Heb 3:7; 2Pe 1:21. Christ sanctioned, by appealing to them -- Mt 4:4; Mr 12:10; Joh 7:42. Christ taught out of -- Lu 24:27. Are called the Word. -- Jas 1:21-23; 1Pe 2:2. Word of God. -- Lu 11:28; Heb 4:12. Word of Christ. -- Col 3:16. Word of truth. -- Jas 1:18. Holy Scriptures. -- Ro 1:2; 2Ti 3:15. Scripture of truth. -- Da 10:21. Book. -- Ps 40:7; Re 22:19. Book of the Lord. -- Isa 34:16. Book of the law. -- Ne 8:3; Ga 3:10. Law of the Lord. -- Ps 1:2; Isa”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Heart, Character of the Renewed — Prepared to seek God -- 2Ch 19:3; Ezr 7:10; Ps 10:17. Fixed on God -- Ps 57:7; 112:7. Joyful in God -- 1Sa 2:1; Zec 10:7. Perfect with God -- 1Ki 8:61; Ps 101:2. Upright -- Ps 97:11; 125:4. Clean -- Ps 73:1. Pure -- Ps 24:4; Mt 5:8. Tender -- 1Sa 24:5; 2Ki 22:19. Single and sincere -- Ac 2:46; Heb 10:22. Honest and good -- Lu 8:15. Broken, contrite -- Ps 34:18; 51:17. Obedient -- Ps 119:112; Ro 6:17. Filled with the law of God -- Ps 40:8; 119:11. Awed by the word of God -- Ps 119:161. Filled with the fear of God -- Jer 32:40. Meditat”
- 2 Thessalonians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 2 Thessalonians 3:5: 3:5 The prayer that God would lead (literally make straight) their hearts reflects an Old Testament expression (1 Chr 29:18; Prov 23:19). Christians are expected to love as God loves and practice patient endurance as Christ endured.”
- 1 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Corinthians 2:10: revealed . . . by . . . Spirit--The inspiration of thoughts (so far as truth essential to salvation is concerned) makes the Christian (Co1 3:16; Co1 12:3; Mat 16:17; Joh 16:13; Jo1 2:20, Jo1 2:27); that of words, the PROPHET (Sa2 23:1-2; Kg1 13:1, Kg1 13:5), "by the word of the Lord" (Co1 2:13; Joh 20:30-31; Pe2 1:21). The secrets of revelation are secret to some, not because those who know them will not reveal them (for indeed, the very notion of revelation implies an unveiling of what had been veiled), but because those to whom they are announ”
- 1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 13:4: 13:4-7 This description of Christian love emphasizes the willingness to give up one’s own desires for the good of others (see also 8:1–10:33; Rom 5:6-8; 15:3; 2 Cor 8:9; Phil 2:4-8).”
- 1 John (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 John 4:7: 4:7-21 John explains the source of a Christian’s love and its outworking.”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 3:17: 3:17 Having Christ . . . make his home in your hearts is the source of spiritual power for life and ministry (see John 14:16-17, 23; 15:4-5; Gal 2:20).”
- Ezekiel (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ezekiel 36:26: new heart--mind and will. spirit--motive and principle of action. stony heart--unimpressible in serious things; like the "stony ground" (Mat 13:5, Mat 13:20), unfit for receiving the good seed so as to bring forth fruit. heart of flesh--not "carnal" in opposition to "spiritual"; but impressible and docile, fit for receiving the good seed. In Eze 18:31 they are commanded, "Make you a new heart, and a new spirit." Here God says, "A new heart will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you." Thus the responsibility of man, and the sovereig”
- Ezekiel (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ezekiel 18:31: Cast away from you--for the cause of your evil rests with yourselves; your sole way of escape is to be reconciled to God (Eph 4:22-23). make you a new heart--This shows, not what men can do, but what they ought to do: what God requires of us. God alone can make us a new heart (Eze 11:19; Eze 36:26-27). The command to do what men cannot themselves do is designed to drive them (instead of laying the blame, as the Jews did, elsewhere rather than on themselves) to feel their own helplessness, and to seek God's Holy Spirit (Psa 51:11-12). Thus the outwa”