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Lev, God’s People and the Ways of the World

Lev, God’s People and the Ways of the World

Last updated on: October 21, 2023 at 4:54 pm by Martin Thomas Johnson

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Lev, God’s People and the Ways of the World 2023-10-21T16:54:37-04:00 Martin Thomas Johnson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Civil War

Image by Pixabay

As the fighting around the world and in Congress continues, this week saw a few rays of hope. Ukraine is making advances against Russia. Israel is nearing a ground attack against Hamas terrorists.

And here at home, the Civil War among conservative politicians has eased. There is a clear line drawn between good and evil around the world.

Selfishness
Pride
Thirst for power

A basic Christian teaching is that war begins in the heart (Genesis 6:5, Romans 7:23, James 4:1). Jesus warned in the last days the hearts of men would grow cold (Matthew 24: 12).

Jesus was referring to God’s people because the lost and the world aren’t concerned about the things of God. In John’s vision, Jesus continues to rebuke the church because their hearts have grown cold to the things of God (Revelation 2:1-7).

Hearts

Most of us understand the importance of our hearts in a biological sense, we understand the heart is what helps keep us alive, it represents life. As a brain injury survivor, I can assure you without the brain, hearts are useless.

Anatomy of the Heart

Image by Pixabay

In fact, most states will declare a person dead if they have a heartbeat, yet no brain activity. Brain death is irreversible and requires a person to be kept alive solely by external means.

Because the heart needs the brain to keep it and the rest of the body working. The heart has spiritual significance as it does physical and not just when someone gives their “heart” to Jesus.

Spiritually, the heart is more than just an organ keeping us alive. The Apostle Paul wrestled with God and himself within his heart (Romans 7:15- 20). As a Jewish Pharisee, he knew the spiritual significance of the heart. This is why the Bible refers to the hearts of man.

Lev

I hate to break your heart, but the heart isn’t just a place of our feelings. There is no word for brain in Hebrew, heart implies the mind also. In Judaism, the heart is called Lev. It is the essence of every man and woman, it is the inner person. Beyond our emotions, Lev performs spiritual functions.

Judge
Discern
Store wisdom
Think
Feel
Desire
See
Hear

How often do we “hear” the voice of God in our hearts? A heart is essential to spiritual life as it is physical. Jesus’ ancestor David cried out to God for a new heart because he knew his inner man was corrupt (Psalm 51:1-10).

Heart's desires

Image by Pixabay

When Jesus emphasized the need for new life, He was restating the need for a new heart. It is with a pure heart we experience new life because the old man is gone (Ephesians 4:22-24).

Corrupt

Corruption is a spiritual concept, “Dishonest or illegal behavior especially by powerful people and a departure from the original, what is pure.” Because of sin, our heart is corrupted and easily led astray by the things of this world (Isaiah 53:6, 1 Peter 2:25).

Corruption

Image by Pixabay

Our flesh is at war with the Spirit (Romans 8:5, Galatians 5:17). This is why Jesus taught His followers to store their treasures in heaven; He knew their hearts would follow (Matthew 6:19-21).

I am sickened when churches deceive God’s people into chasing their hearts’ desires. That is the way of the world, instead of apostles; they produce apostates of the gospel.

Greedy
Prideful

As God’s people, we are called to fight the flesh and deny ourselves (Matthew 16:24). Jesus made it clear we cannot serve two masters because our hearts would be divided, we cannot have peace with war in our hearts (lev)!

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