“re: Pastor Bob, what makes sense in my heart has to first make sense in my head”

 

        Thanks for your post, Barry.  I tend to agree with you and also believe that this subject is very important for all believers.  I have a couple of thoughts to put forth on this matter.

 

        We can read the Bible and understand what it says because we know the language.  But, it is not knowing what it says, by way of ‘head sense’, that produces faith or life change.  In fact, quite the opposite is true!

 

        ...”So faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of Christ” (Romans 10:17).

 

        In this verse, it is the Rhema definition of the term ‘Word’ that is being used (Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, pg. 536).  In other words, faith comes by hearing the voice of God as ‘quickened’ to the inner man by the Holy Spirit of Truth (i.e. ‘heart sense’).

 

        Faith starts with agreement between the ‘heart’ and the ‘head’.  Therefore, when we receive God’s Word in ‘the heart’ (the spirit),  it is then easily confirmed by ‘the head’ (the soul) and we have the faith-building power of agreement at work in us...as well as access to God’s truth.

 

        I am convinced that Jesus foreknew that we would ultimately have the Bible when He made the following statement:

 

                    “But when the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak and He                     will disclose to you what is to come” (John 16:3).

 

        This verse might raise the question as to why we need the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth...since we have the Bible that is the truth?

 

        Clearly, Jesus knew that our ability to understand the Bible by way of reasoning (or study), apart from revelation by the Spirit of Truth, would not be sufficient.

 

        Finally, if we insist on allowing our ‘head sense’ to dominate our understanding of God’s Word, we take ownership of the truth!  This very thing is what has caused ‘tradition’ to flourish in our churches.  This is the first step towards quenching the Spirit of God.

 

P.S. – We don need more information...we need more understanding of God’s truth.

 

        It is good to hear from you, Barry.  I always look forward to your ‘posts’.

 

        Tyler Cole