The Foundation of Life and Disease • ~10 min read
Welcome, dear friends, to another enriching session of our Bible study! Today, we delve into a profound and often challenging topic: the true condition of the human heart. It's easy to believe we know ourselves well, but Scripture offers a deeply insightful perspective on our inner workings. We'll explore how the inherent deceitfulness of the heart, if left unaddressed, can become the very root of dysfunction, impacting not only our spiritual lives but also our physical and mental well-being. Understanding this foundation is crucial for grasping God's path to true wholeness and health.
The Bible presents a stark reality about the human heart—our core being, the seat of our affections, thoughts, and intentions. It's a truth that challenges our self-perception:
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Jeremiah 17:9
This powerful verse from Jeremiah tells us that our hearts are not always reliable guides. They can deceive us, leading us to believe our motives are pure when they are not, or to rationalize choices that are contrary to God’s will. This deceitfulness means that we often struggle to truly know ourselves or the depth of our own inclinations. It's a "desperately wicked" condition, indicating a profound alienation from God's perfect character and design. This internal state, if unchecked, lays the groundwork for all forms of dysfunction in our lives, as our actions flow from our heart's condition.
When the heart is deceitful and estranged from God, it gives rise to what the Bible calls the "carnal mind." This mindset is fundamentally opposed to God and His loving ways:
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
Romans 8:7
So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
Romans 8:8
The "carnal mind" or "mind of the flesh" describes a way of thinking and living that is focused on self, worldly desires, and an independence from God. This mind is not merely resistant to God's law; it is enmity against God. It cannot submit to His perfect and righteous law because its very nature is opposed to divine authority and self-sacrificing love. When we live according to this carnal mindset, we cannot truly please God, and our lives will inevitably move out of harmony with His divine order for peace and well-being.
What is this "law of God" that the carnal mind resists? The Bible defines transgression clearly:
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
1 John 3:4
Here we see that sin is not just an arbitrary list of do's and don'ts; it is the breaking of God's perfect law, which is a reflection of His character of love. When our deceitful hearts and carnal minds lead us to transgress God's law, whether it's the moral law, the laws of health, or the principles of love, we introduce disharmony and dysfunction into our lives. These broken laws inevitably lead to negative consequences, often manifesting as spiritual, mental, and even physical disease.
One common way the deceitful heart manifests its dysfunction is through a spirit of judgment towards others, while remaining blind to its own deeper issues. Jesus addressed this directly:
Judge not, that ye be not judged.
Matthew 7:1
For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
Matthew 7:2
And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Matthew 7:3
Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Matthew 7:4
Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
Matthew 7:5
When our hearts are deceitful and unrenewed, we tend to project our own flaws and insecurities onto others, finding fault and criticizing, while overlooking our own significant shortcomings. This judgmental spirit creates division, strife, and stress, both internally and in our relationships. Such internal and external conflict is a profound source of dysfunction and can have serious repercussions for our overall health and peace. It's a clear indication that our hearts are not aligned with God's loving character.
So, what is the antidote to the deceitful heart, the carnal mind, and the spirit of judgment? It is God's ultimate law—the law of love. Jesus summarized all of God's requirements with two great commandments:
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Matthew 22:37
This is the first and great commandment.
Matthew 22:38
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Matthew 22:39
On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Matthew 22:40
Here, Jesus reveals that the entire law and the teachings of the prophets are founded upon love. To love God with all our heart, soul, and mind means surrendering our deceitful hearts and carnal minds to Him, allowing Him to transform us. To love our neighbor as ourselves means replacing judgment with compassion, and selfishness with selfless service. When we live by this law of love, we are in harmony with God's perfect design for life. This alignment brings peace, joy, and wholeness, and it is the true foundation for spiritual, mental, and physical health. Conversely, when we break these fundamental laws of love, we inevitably introduce discord, stress, and disease into our lives.
The journey to wholeness begins with an honest look at our hearts. The Bible reveals that the human heart is inherently deceitful and prone to wickedness, leading to a carnal mind that resists God's law. This internal dysfunction manifests in judgment, sin, and a breaking of God's perfect order, ultimately contributing to disease and suffering. However, God, in His infinite love, offers a solution: a transformed heart that embraces the law of love—loving Him supremely and our neighbors as ourselves. This is the foundation for true health and abundant life.