Although God is interested in the heart as a clean, pure place in which the Spirit of God dwells, it is important to acknowledge that heart can also be an unclean place in which evil dwells.

STUDY TIP: See this link for more about evil hearts.

God’s focus, however, is always on clean, pure hearts as a storehouse into which we put the things we treasure (i.e. his words.) 

The value God puts on clean, pure hearts is represented in the fact that the heart is the place where he places his name (i.e. character.) God commands that his children (i.e. sons of God created in his image) will competently and effectively represent his character to the world of religion that does not know him. They are inspired and empowered to represent him because they have God’s laws written on their hearts.

STUDY TIP: See Third Commandment for understanding of God’s character.

Here are a few key facts to know about the heart:

• • • • The heart is the place where we serve God, love God and fear God.
      • We understand God’s spoken word in our heart.
      • We treasure God’s spoken words in our heart.
      • God speaks to our hearts and writes his laws/words on our hearts.
      • We hear and understand gods voice in our hearts.
      • We love god with our heart.
      • Our mouth speaks good or evil out of what is in our heart.

God’s attitude about clean, pure hearts is revealed in the following scriptures:

Jeremiah 31:31-34: “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant which I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant which they broke, though I was their husband, says the LORD. 33 But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And no longer shall each man teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

COMMENTARY: This is perhaps the best-known scripture about the New Covenant. Along with other New Covenant scriptures, it anticipates changes of heart that happen when God speaks his words to the hardhearted religious people who cannot hear his voice.

Deuteronomy 6:6-8: And these words which I command you this day shall be upon your heart; 7 and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 And you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes

COMMENTARY: Here God commands that his words shall be written on hearts and taught to others constantly. Religious people who do not actively and sincerely listen to hear God’s voice  and speak his words to others, rebel against this command.

2 Corinthians 3:3: and you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

COMMENTARY: Apostles like Paul are prophets sent by God to speak his words. This verse says that when God’s words are written on the hearts of New Covenant disciples, their words (i.e. teachings) come from their hearts and symbolically become letters of instruction for others.

Deuteronomy 11:18: “You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.

COMMENTARY: This is another command from God to actively and purposefully seek to receive God’s words in your heart.

Deuteronomy 30:14: But the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.

COMMENTARY: The word in view here is God’s spoken word — not the written word. When it is in the heart, there is an automatic response to speak it to others and live according to God’s spiritual laws.

Deuteronomy 32:45-46: And when Moses had finished speaking all these words to all Israel, 46 he said to them, “Lay to heart all the words which I enjoin upon you this day, that you may command them to your children, that they may be careful to do all the words of this law.

COMMENTARY: Moses was a true prophet who, like Jesus, spoke God’s words to others. Speaking God’s words to others is a command — not an option.

Psalm 26:2: Prove me, O LORD, and try me; test my heart and my mind.

COMMENTARY: This is a prayer by a New Covenant disciple that God would check his/her heart for evidence that it might still have traces of impurity (i.e. religion) in it.

This is not a necessary prayer because God already  knows our hearts and tests them. Thus, the prayer is an act of humility that acknowledges that it was once true that the one who is praying once was religious and is capable of being religious again. The one praying feels such remorse and regret about having been religious that he/she desires that God would warn him/her when old religious habits creep into his/her heart again.

Psalm 37:30-31: The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice. 31 The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip.

COMMENTARY: Righteous people have God’s words/laws written in their hearts. God’s words are like laws that control every aspect of our lives.

Psalm 40:8: I delight to do thy will, O my God; thy law is within my heart.”

COMMENTARY: When God’s laws are written on the heart, every aspect of life is a delight.

Psalm 119:1-16: Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD! 2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, 3 who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways!

COMMENTARY: To be blessed means to hear God’s spoken word.

4 Thou hast commanded thy precepts to be kept diligently.

COMMENTARY: Whatever God speaks to the heart is like a law, or a commandment.

5 O that my ways may be steadfast in keeping thy statutes! 6 Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all thy commandments. 7 I will praise thee with an upright heart, when I learn thy righteous ordinances. 8 I will observe thy statutes; O forsake me not utterly! 9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to thy word. 10 With my whole heart I seek thee; let me not wander from thy commandments! 11 I have laid up thy word in my heart, that I might not sin against thee. 12 Blessed be thou, O LORD; teach me thy statutes! 13 With my lips I declare all the ordinances of thy mouth. 14 In the way of thy testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. 15 I will meditate on thy precepts, and fix my eyes on thy ways. 16 I will delight in thy statutes; I will not forget thy word.

COMMENTARY: See COMMANDS, STATUTES DECREES, ORDINANCES AND JUDGMENTS for understanding the many ways God refers to his laws written on hearts.

Proverbs 3:1-8: My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments; 2 for length of days and years of life and abundant welfare will they give you. 3 Let not loyalty and faithfulness forsake you; bind them about your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 So you will find favor and good repute in the sight of God and man. 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. 7 Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. 8 It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.

COMMENTARY: This refers to the many benefits of having God’s laws written on the heart.

Isaiah 51:7: “Hearken to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear not the reproach of men, and be not dismayed at their revilings.

COMMENTARY: Righteousness is equated with having God’s laws written on the heart.

Ezekiel 11:19: And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them; I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh,

COMMENTARY: This is what happens when God does the miracle of changing a heart from evil and impure to clean and pure.

Ezekiel 11:16-20: 16 Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: Though I removed them far off among the nations, and though I scattered them among the countries, yet I have been a sanctuary to them for a while in the countries where they have gone.’ 17 Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: I will gather you from the peoples, and assemble you out of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.’ 18 And when they come there, they will remove from it all its detestable things and all its abominations. 19 And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them; I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, 20 that they may walk in my statutes and keep my ordinances and obey them; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

COMMENTARY: Verses 16-18 describe the condition of Old/First Covenant religionists. Verses 19-20 describe the hearts of New Covenant disciples.

Ezekiel 18:31: Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed against me, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel?

COMMENTARY: Transgressions are the sin of religion. In God’s view, people who practice religion have evil, impure hearts and are dead because they do not hear God’s spoken voice. The way that they come alive, get a new heart, and get a new spirit is by listening to God’s voice.

Ezekiel 36:26: 26 A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will take out of your flesh the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

COMMENTARY: This is the promise of the miracle of a heart transplant that gives new life.

Ezekiel 36:16-29: 16 The word of the LORD came to me: 17 “Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their ways and their doings; their conduct before me was like the uncleanness of a woman in her impurity. 18 So I poured out my wrath upon them for the blood which they had shed in the land, for the idols with which they had defiled it. 19 I scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed through the countries; in accordance with their conduct and their deeds I judged them.

COMMENTARY: The conduct that God recognizes as uncleanness is the sin of religion. He judges the hearts of religious people to be unclean and impure. Therefore, he pours out his wrath on them by scattering them to many religious nations where they will practice religion. His wrath is that he allows them to continue to practice religion until they are ready to humble themselves and repent.

20 But when they came to the nations, wherever they came, they profaned my holy name, in that men said of them, ‘These are the people of the LORD, and yet they had to go out of his land.’ 21 But I had concern for my holy name, which the house of Israel caused to be profaned among the nations to which they came. 22 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. 23 And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them; and the nations will know that I am the LORD, says the Lord GOD, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes.

COMMENTARY: See Third Commandment for understanding of profaning God’s name (i.e. character.)

24 For I will take you from the nations, and gather you from all the countries, and bring you into your own land. 25 I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will take out of your flesh the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances. 28 You shall dwell in the land which I gave to your fathers; and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. 29 And I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses; and I will summon the grain and make it abundant and lay no famine upon you.

COMMENTARY: God gives people new hearts by sprinkling/washing/baptizing them with his spoken word. These verses restate the principles of the New Covenant found in other scriptures.

Here is a collection of scriptures that show how God feels about hearts:

• • • • We love God and others with a pure heart.
      • The heart is like a book.
      • The mouth speaks out of the overflow of an evil, impure heart, or
      • The mouth speaks good news and wisdom out of the overflow of a clean, pure heart.

• • • • We should love God with heart mind soul strength.
      • We hear and understand God laws/words in our hearts.
      • We treasure God’s laws/words in our heart.