![]() Our own desires, affections, thoughts, and actions are bent toward sin at all times ( Romans 1:24 James 1:14), but by the grace of God ( Ephesians 2:8), conviction and faith by the Spirit ( John 16:8), and redemption through Jesus ( Romans 3:24), this natural heart state is being transformed ( 2 Cor. Paul, James, and Peter all use similar language of war to describe the conflict that wages within us between our flesh and earthly passion and the work of the Spirit to redeem us and purify our desires ( Romans 7:23 James 4:1, 7-8 1 Peter 2:11). So then, like a pop psychology online personality quiz that reveals your “true self” you might prefer to keep hidden, are words spoken (or screamed) in moments of anger and passion somehow more accurate reflections of who we really are because they are somehow bypassing the carefully developed guardian of our Christian façade? As Sigmund Freud might suppose, are these unchecked impulses from our inner recesses truer expression of self and therefore unchangeable or irrevocable? No. The words that flow from our lips are a sample of the content that lies within our hearts. If our heart actually includes how we think and behave along with how we feel, then the expression of this collective wholeness demonstrates the composition of our desires through our words, habits, and behaviors. What the heart trusts, the mind justifies, the emotions desire, and the will carries out.” And from the heart flow our thinking, feelings, and actions. As Tim Keller explained, “The heart is not just the seat of the emotions but also the source of our fundamental commitments, hopes, and trust. The Bible does not distinguish between the head and the heart, combining the elements of mind, will, and emotions together with the language of an organ that can feel, think, and act. In our culture today, we tend to think of the heart as the home of our emotions, sending chalky-tasting heart-shaped candies to one another to express our love and affection, but the biblical concept of the heart is broader than the emotions. Jesus summarizes His higher standard by stating, “ The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” ( Luke 6:45). ![]() Jesus expands the requirements of the Law from expecting good behavior to transforming us into His people by responding to His words with action. Jesus describes what it looks like to be His disciple, raising the bar of the Law from “ Do good to those who do good to you” ( Luke 6:33) to “ Love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return” ( Luke 6:35). In Luke 6, a great crowd is gathered before Jesus, seeking to hear him and be healed. We are told to think before we speak, but when we don’t remember to do this, where are these words coming from? Why in moments of strong emotion, anger, or pain, do our words tear down and not edify and what can we do about it? How Does the Mouth Speak Out of the Abundance of the Heart? It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison” ( James 3:7-8, ESV). Have you ever said something hurtful or unkind and wondered, “Where did that come from?” Have words left your lips and even as they exit you regret their expression and wish to retract them? James acknowledged the deadly impact of the tongue when he said, “… No human being can tame the tongue. ![]() " The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks." ( Luke 6:45, ESV)
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