To briefly review Part I, we established that the heart, as the Bible spoke of it, was defined in the mind, will, and emotions of each man. We recall the fact that most of the references to heart in the OT are metaphorical, pointing to “the center of human psychical and spiritual life, to the entire inner life of a person.”[1] In other words, the heart is essentially the soul of man. In summary, the contents of the heart are the feelings, affections, emotions, thoughts, intentions, will, purpose, determination, and intelligence of the inner portion of every man.

We also observed previously that the practices of sociology and psychology have provided many seemingly wonderful solutions to the problems man experiences. What is interesting about these two “sciences” is that each one claims to have the “wonder fix-it” solution for most of man’s problems. Sociology, concerned with man’s environment, purports that man needs education. For instance, the way to curb sexually transmitted
diseases (STD’s) is to educate teenagers how to have “safe-sex.” [2] If teens only knew how to have sex without endangering themselves, then STD’s would be severely minimized.[3] Psychology, concerned with man’s inner self, propagates that sex is necessary for teens because these desires are a normal part of growing up and therefore should not be curbed or restrained.[4]

But have education and freedom of expression made any advancements in curing or even curbing the sexually social ills of mankind? Or has any such ideology racing from the minds of psychologists and sociologists done anything at all to deal with the problems we face? The answer is obviously and blatantly, NO! It is quite interesting to note that the age of pragmatism in which we live psychology and sociology, whose programs wreak with pragmatic philosophy and methodology, still crank out more programs which don’t work! How can this be! Simply because they have failed to identify the nature of the most important feature in man which is responsible for everything he thinks and does – his heart.

Turning to Christian Theology for concrete answers again, we find Genesis 6:5 laying the most important understanding of the heart of man at the earliest outset of Scripture. “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Just a few hundred years after the creation, man is characterized as sinful in everything he is and does. It is interesting to notice that the verse clearly identifies specifically the mind and will of man’s heart. In other words, all of man’s intelligence, thought processes, as well as his purpose, determination, and intention is “only evil continually.” Furthermore, “it is the formulation of the thoughts which falls under divine scrutiny.”[5] And “even after the flood has destroyed the wickedness of the earth, God still characterizes ‘the imagination of man’s heart [as being] evil from his youth’ (Gen. 8:21).”[6] Solomon echoes the same theology when he states that “the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil, and insanity is in their hearts throughout their lives” (Eccl. 9:3).[7] Finally, the prophet Jeremiah virtually seals the case shut when he states in 17:9 that “the heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (NIV). Jesus Himself knew that the heart is the source from which all evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, lies, and slanders come (Matt. 15:19).

If this is the case, then psychology and sociology are faced with a dreadful blow: man's mind (intelligence and thinking faculties), will (purpose, determination, and action faculties), and emotions (feelings and affections) are all constantly and continually infected with and inclined toward evil. Thus, every man’s heart is full of evil and deceit and is desperately wicked and incurable. Since the heart is the source of all evil that men do, there is no program which can be designed by any man which can curb or cure any social or psychological ill of mankind. The Scriptures contain the only conclusive and absolute plan for curing man.

Observe then this conclusive evidence of Scripture concerning the nature of the heart, that is, the mind, will, and emotions of mankind.[8]

1. Let’s look first at the state and condition of the mind of man.[9]

· Recalling Genesis 6:5 (and 8:21) we remember that man’s thoughts and inclinations and imaginations are only evil continually.

· Jeremiah preached the same thing - men know how to do evil but they don’t know how to do good; they are senseless and without understanding (4:22).

· Paul’s letters virtually close the case. For instance, in Romans 1:28 God has given them over to their own reprobate minds. In Romans 3:11, he wrote that there is no one who understands the things of God. And in Romans 8:7 we find that the carnal or natural mind is at war with God. Paul further teaches in 1 Corinthians 2:14 that this same man does not and cannot accept or understand the things of the Spirit of God because these things are foolishness to him. Their minds are blinded (2 Cor. 3:14) and their minds and understanding are darkened and empty, having no comprehension of the truth (Eph. 4:17,18). Their minds and consciences are defiled (literally “dyed with another color”[10] – Titus 1:15) and they are ever learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth (2 Tim. 3:7). Because they do not have the Spirit they cannot understand (Jude 18,19; cf. 2 Pet. 3:3).

2. Second, observe the state and condition of the will of man.

· In John 8:45 we find Christ describing those who refuse to believe the truth as unwilling to believe him.

· Recalling Romans 3:11 once again, there is no one who will even seek after the things of God. Paul told Timothy that men are captive to the Devil to do his will (2 Timothy 2:26).

3. Third, follow the teaching of Scripture on the condition of man’s emotions.

· Job had a very clear understanding of man’s emotional faculties by understanding that men do not desire the knowledge of God (21:14).

· Solomon carried the same conviction: the faithless are trapped by their evil desires (Prov. 11:6), and their souls desire wickedness (Prov. 21:10).

· According to the prophet Habakkuk, men have desires which are not upright (2:4).

· Pointing to man’s affections, Jesus stated in John 3:19 that men love darkness rather than light. He also stated that man has the Devil as his father because it is the Devil's desires that he wants to do (John 8:44).

· And returning to Paul’s epistles, his conclusion was that men have sinned so much that God has given them over to their sinful desires (Rom. 1:24). Man is described in Romans 13:14 as constantly thinking on how to gratify and satisfy the sinful desires of their flesh (cf. Gal. 5:16,17,24; 1 Pet. 4:2). They have inordinate affections (Col. 3:5), are corrupted according to their deceitful lusts (Eph. 4:22), and take pleasure in unrighteousness (2 Thess. 2:12). In 2 Timothy 3:2 Paul instructs Timothy that men are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.

· Peter echoes the same thoughts in understanding that man lives in ignorance in all the sinful desires that he has (1 Pet. 1:14).

4. Finally, Scripture also often describes the state, condition, and nature of the heart of man, his entire inner person.

· David refers to the entire inner person when he says in Psalm 5:9 that man's inward parts are essentially wickedness.

· And Solomon, his son, concluded that man’s foolishness ruins his life because his heart rages against the Lord (Prov. 19:3). It is the fool who “has said in his heart (and acted in his life) ‘there is no God.’ They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who does good” (Psalm 14:1).

To conclude Part II, the equation is one of doom and condemnation. If this is the status and condition of every man’s heart then man is imprisoned in sin and disobedience. Surely this is what Paul meant in Romans 11:32 when he stated that God has shut up all men in disobedience. They are entirely unable, in and of themselves, to change themselves or better their condition. So if this is the state and condition of the heart of man, then what is left for him?

Footnotes

[1] Luc, NIDOTTE, Vol. 2, #4213.

[2] The Sex Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS) is one such governmental organization, begun in part by a sociologist. The council’s stated purpose is affirming that “sexuality is a natural and healthy part of life. SIECUS develops, collects, and disseminates information, promotes comprehensive education, and advocates the right of individuals to make responsible sexual choices.” Their stated mission is “to assure that all people - including adolescents, the disabled, sexual minorities, and the elderly - have the right to affirm that sexuality is a natural and healthy part of their lives.” (These quotes taken from http://www.siecus.org/ and the links “About Siecus,” “What Siecus Believes,” and “Fiscal Year 97 Report.”)

[3] The National Aids Clearinghouse has published an article on the internet entitled “Does Sex Education Work?” Citing over ten statistics of teenage sex related problems, the article affirms the necessity of sex education stating that “kids need the right information to help protect themselves… The sooner sex education begins, the better, even as early as elementary school.” The article listed four of the best programs available to assist in this problem all of which are guided by sociology and psychology. All of these programs are said to have six characteristics which make them successful. The sociological underpinnings of sex education is clear in the second characteristic: “Social learning theories as a foundation for program development, focusing on recognizing social influences, changing individual values, changing group norms, and building social skills.” (Adapted from the article as it appears at www.courttv.com/legalcafe/health/sex_ed.)

[4] Any readings of the writings of Sigmund Freud will serve as a foundation for understanding the writings of many similar literature dealing with the psychology of sexuality.

[5] Zemek, pp. 216-217.

[6] Erickson, Millard. Christian Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1985), 622.

[7] An excellent article which will give greater insight and understanding into the doctrine of sin as taught in Ecclesiastes is “God and Man in Ecclesiastes” by Roy B. Zuck in Bibliotheca Sacra 148 (1991): 47-57.

[8] An even more concise observation on the Scriptural teaching of the heart of man, other than what is found in this paper, is the section entitled “God’s Estimate of Man” in Robert P. Lightner’s Sin, Savior, and Salvation (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1991), 42-44. See also Theo Kunst article “The Kingdom of God and Social Justice” in Bibliotheca Sacra 140 (1983):109-116. His following statement is a superb summary: “The heart of the unregenerate brings forth evil (e.g., before the Flood [Gen 6:5], and after it [Gen 8:22]), is deceitful and wicked (Jer 17:9), is fully known only by God (Ps 139:23; Jer 17:10), is the source of all bad things (Mark 7:20–23), and is foolish (Rom 1:21) and blind (Eph 4:18)” (p. 113).

[9] An article which is particularly helpful in determining the biblical effects of sin on man’s mind is the little section “The Effect of Sin on Man’s Knowledge” in Gordon Clark’s article “The Bible as Truth” in Bibliotheca Sacra 114 (1957): 158-171. Pages 159-162 are of particular interest to this study.

[10] Packer, J.I. in The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology vol. 1 ed. by Colin Brown (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1986), 447. Vincent (Vincent’s Word Studies of the New Testament vol. 4) describes this defilement as “moral pollution” (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, nd), 339.

posted by rob wilkerson  # 6:31 PM