Jeremiah 17:9-10
This passage
confronts us with the reality that our heart, far from being an infallible
oracle of truth is often a deceptive guide. Like a demagnetized compass, our
feelings can lead us astray if they are not aligned with the true will of God.
THE NATURE OF THE HUMAN HEART:
A. "The
heart is deceitful above all things..." Jeremiah 17:9a
B. The heart, as the seat of emotions and the fallen
will, is not a reliable guide. It is distorted by sin and self-deception, often
obscuring the truth.
THE INABILITY TO SELF-EVALUATE:
A. "...And
desperately wicked; who can know it?" Jeremiah 17:9b
B. We cannot, on our own, fully diagnose the depth of
our wickedness or our motivations. The heart hides its own intentions from us.
DIVINE EXAMINATION AND JUSTICE:
A. "I, the Lord, search the mind and test the
heart, to give to every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of
his deeds." Jeremiah 17:10
B. Only God possesses the omniscience to discern the
true condition of the heart. His judgment is perfect and based on complete
knowledge, not on appearances.
THE SOLUTION: THE RENEWAL OF THE MIND:
A. The biblical basis: Romans 12:2. "Do not be
conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that
you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."
When a believer
understands the true nature of their heart, they stop trusting in their own
shifting feelings and begin to rely on the unchanging truth of the Word of God.
He is no longer guided by "what he feels," but by "what is"
right in the eyes of the Lord. This dependence is not passive, but an act of
the will to surrender every thought to obedience to Christ.
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