by Holly A. Melton

Our hearts are easily impressionable. Have you ever watched or read a love story where a person is in a marriage where the spouse doesn't seem to give them the time of day? They are this wonderful person, but unseen and not cherished by the spouse. Then, an intriguing coworker comes along, and a spark leads to a "business" lunch, which leads to a night in a bedroom. We watch it thinking, "I'm so happy they are now in a relationship where they are loved and valued." We don't even think about the fact they had an affair. The affair becomes justified in our minds because the spouse wasn't giving them enough time and attention. These thoughts affect what we believe. What we believe, we start to live out.  We flirt with a person at work, thinking it's just fun and games. We start texting them about personal things because they seem to understand and care about us.  We dream what life might be like if we were married to them. And an affair can be right around the corner. Our hearts are easily impressionable. 

We cannot call ourselves followers of Jesus and follow our hearts.  Remember, our hearts deceive us.  How many times have we heard people say when it comes to relationships, "Just follow your heart?" When we do that, we are at risk of no longer following the commands of the Lord found in the Bible. We follow what feels right, what society encourages is acceptable, and our hearts fall into sin. Numbers 15:39 says, "And it shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the Lord, to do them, not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined to whore after."

We live in a post-Christian society. A society that no longer respects or values the clear principles found in the Bible. The world says that certain things done to us are unforgivable.  The Word says to forgive anyone for anything because Christ has done the same with us. The world says that marriage's ultimate goal is to be happy and satisfied, and if we are not, we can divorce. The Word says that we should not get divorced but if we do, only if there is an affair. The world says that the end justifies the means. The Word says that having integrity in the process matters.  The world says that it is our bodies, so we can choose what to do with them. The Word says that our bodies are not our own because we were paid for with a price, Christ's death. It's convicting to see the contrast between what we wish was right and what the Bible actually says is right. Our hearts have already been enticed. 

Listen to what Jeremiah 13:10 says about this, "This evil people, who refuse to hear my words, who stubbornly follow their own heart have gone after other gods to serve them and worship them, shall be like this loincloth, which is good for nothing." Our Christian faith is good for nothing if we chose to say we are Christians but don't change our worldview to be Biblical. We are no different from the world because we follow our hearts just like they do. 

What we believe becomes the driving force behind our emotions, decisions, and actions. If what we think about something cannot be supported by Scripture, we must humbly consider if it is a wrong belief. Every culture, every society has an unbiblical worldview that must be challenged and transformed by the truth of Scripture. We must be careful that we are not taken "captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ" (Colossians 2:8). We may not be able to change the laws of the land, but we can change how we abide by the laws of the Scriptures. When we have the Bible as our foundation for making decisions on what we say and do, we will not follow our hearts, which seduce us to live in what feels good at the moment. To transform from the inside out, we must stop following our hearts and follow Scripture instead. 

Take a Moment:

• What worldview have you been living out that is unbiblical? 

• What can you do to make sure that your beliefs and actions are Biblical? 

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word that guides me on what I should believe and why. Help me to not live by the values of the culture, but to live by the values in Your Word instead. Reveal to me where I have faulty beliefs or values so that I change from the inside out.

Becky on: Feb 26th, 2024 06:27pm

Great post and a thought provoking question.