I have wondered what the precise meaning of “heart” was in the Bible. Our pastor mentioned in one of his sermons that “heart” meant inner most being. Knowing this makes clear several passages. Following are a few examples:
God wants us to know truth and wisdom in our inmost being: “Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.” Psalm 51:6
More importantly than anything else is to keep our inmost being pure before God: “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” Proverbs 4:23
We should not only memorize but think about often and apply to our lives what God tells us so that we will not sin against Him: “I have hidden your word in my inner most being that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:11
When God’s way becomes part of our inner most being, that wisdom of His ways and knowledge of who He is will give us pleasure in the part of a person that thinks, feels, causes the body to act: “For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.” Proverbs 2:10
Trust in the Lord in your inner most being, so much so that you will have confidence in Him and obey Him even when what He says or does is against what you perceive to be to way to go: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;” Proverbs 3:5
Sin originates in the inner most being, so be careful not to allow yourself to be tempted: “Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes,” Proverbs 6:25 If our inner most being wants to avoid sin we can flee (2 Timothy 2:22) or ask God for help .
Just as silver is tested God knows and tests what we think in our inner most being, even when we rationalize our behavior or thoughts: “The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the heart.” Proverbs 17:3
In the parable of the sower the ground represents the heart or inmost being of man. The farmer represents Jesus. His children/friends/servants are His fellow workers: “So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.” 1 Corinthians 3:7-9
“…‘A farmer went out to sow his seed. (4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. (5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. (6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. (7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. (8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. (9 He who has ears, let him hear. “Matthew 13:3-9 (Mark 4:3-9 Luke 8:4-8)
The Parable of the Sower Explained:
“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: (19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart This is the seed sown along the path. (20 What was sown on rocky places is the man who at once receives it with joy. (21 But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. (22 What was sown among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. (23 But what was sown on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” Matthew 13:18-23 (Mark 4:13-20 Luke 8:11-15)
If someone does not understand the Word of God, the devil can quickly cause him to forget what he has heard. If a person is excited about the truth, but it is only superficial, it lasts only as long as it is convenient. Someone else might seem to have a relationship with Jesus, but that relationship is less important than the worries and pleasures of life, ad eventually ends. However, some people have a real relationship with Jesus in their innermost being and they become His children/friends/servants/fellowworkers.
This helps explain why some people fall away. They never had a relationship with Jesus in their inner most being or else it was not firmly rooted.
We are responsible for others: “But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first” Hebrews 3:13-14 Let is “hold firmly till the end” love and obedience to Jesus.