Basic TrainingBible MinistriesGene CunninghamBasic Training Bible Ministries KBKnowledge Base

What is the heart of man?

Answered by Gene Cunningham, Basic Training Bible Ministries · from The Basics

The heart is the inner man and the place where thinking takes place. Without faith, the mind is under the dictates of the sin nature and is absolutely untrustworthy. It is described as deceitful, fraudulent, and polluted (Jer. 17:9–10).

Furthermore, the heart of man is incurable and malignant. No one can understand the heart except God, and without the illuminating, teaching, and convicting ministries of the Holy Spirit, humans cannot understand who they are or why they do the things they do (Jer. 17:9–10; 1 Cor. 2:9–11).

God searches the heart to look for content and tests the mind to examine function. He evaluates thoughts and motives (Heb. 4:13) to give to each person according to their ways and the results of their deeds (Jer. 17:9–10).

Also asked: What is the inner man and where does thinking occur in the human being?
Also asked, more loosely
How does God evaluate and judge the thoughts and motives of humanity's inner beings? · Can humans truly trust their own minds and thoughts without the influence of the Holy Spirit?

Source: The Basics The Basics -- Subject Index entry 'Heart of man' (printed pp. 148) · Read this lesson in the book →

What this answer is about

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Heart of manMindSin natureTests

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Scripture this answer rests on

Scripture the book prints on the pages this answer's source covers. That source names a range of pages rather than one spot, so these passages sit near this teaching rather than on it. Shown in Bible order.

Isaiah 64:6What BTBM teaches from this chapter →Read it on Blue Letter Bible →
p.148
1 Corinthians 2:9-11What BTBM teaches from this chapter →Read it on Blue Letter Bible →
p.148
1 Corinthians 10:13What BTBM teaches from this chapter →Read it on Blue Letter Bible →
p.148
Hebrews 4:13What BTBM teaches from this chapter →Read it on Blue Letter Bible →
p.148
James 1:2-3What BTBM teaches from this chapter →Read it on Blue Letter Bible →
p.148
Also printed on these pages
Jeremiah 17:9-10What BTBM teaches from this chapter →Read it on Blue Letter Bible →
p.148
John 3:6What BTBM teaches from this chapter →Read it on Blue Letter Bible →
p.148

Where this is taught in the book

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p.148

Scripture is not BTBM’s to license: the references above link to Blue Letter Bible (NASB95), and the verse text shown on this page is served by BLB under their own license and terms.