A
new "heart" is synonymous with a new mind since the "heart" is used to
"know" and "understand" and even "will". The heart is not an emotional
center, although at times Scripture does use heart this way:
Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (Genesis 6:5 NKJ)
And the LORD smelled a soothing aroma. Then the LORD said in His heart, "I will never again curse the ground for man's sake, although the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done. (Genesis 8:21 NKJ)
So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding; (Proverbs 2:2 NKJ)
And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him, (Luke 9:47 NKJ)
In short, the Evangelical distinction between the "head" as intellectual knowledge and the "heart" as the emotional center of the soul is itself a false dichotomy and the source of liberal theology via Friedrich Schleiermacher.
It is "knowledge" that sanctifies and knowledge that saves:
"Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. (John 17:17 NKJ)
who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:4 NKJ)
The reprobate refuse to have knowledge of God: And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; (Romans 1:28 NKJ)
The people perish because of a lack of knowledge:
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. (Hosea 4:6 NKJ)
In short, ignorance is not a badge of the born again Christian. On the contrary, without knowledge of God, Christ, and Scripture salvation and saving faith is flat impossible.
"let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. 11 "This is the`stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.' 12 "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:10-12 NKJ)
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14:6 NKJ)
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. (John 3:16-17 NKJ)
"He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:18 NKJ)
Basically, those who "think" doctrine does not save are more in the company of liberals and Roman Catholics than with the teaching of Scripture.
Salvation is not by works but by the means of a God-given faith. Men are unable to know God or believe the Bible unless God gives them the grace to do so. Total inability.
Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (Genesis 6:5 NKJ)
And the LORD smelled a soothing aroma. Then the LORD said in His heart, "I will never again curse the ground for man's sake, although the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done. (Genesis 8:21 NKJ)
So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding; (Proverbs 2:2 NKJ)
And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him, (Luke 9:47 NKJ)
In short, the Evangelical distinction between the "head" as intellectual knowledge and the "heart" as the emotional center of the soul is itself a false dichotomy and the source of liberal theology via Friedrich Schleiermacher.
It is "knowledge" that sanctifies and knowledge that saves:
"Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. (John 17:17 NKJ)
who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:4 NKJ)
The reprobate refuse to have knowledge of God: And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; (Romans 1:28 NKJ)
The people perish because of a lack of knowledge:
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. (Hosea 4:6 NKJ)
In short, ignorance is not a badge of the born again Christian. On the contrary, without knowledge of God, Christ, and Scripture salvation and saving faith is flat impossible.
"let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. 11 "This is the`stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.' 12 "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:10-12 NKJ)
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14:6 NKJ)
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. (John 3:16-17 NKJ)
"He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:18 NKJ)
Basically, those who "think" doctrine does not save are more in the company of liberals and Roman Catholics than with the teaching of Scripture.
Salvation is not by works but by the means of a God-given faith. Men are unable to know God or believe the Bible unless God gives them the grace to do so. Total inability.
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