What is the greatest business of the Christian life? According to Prov 4.23 it is to keep the heart. It is the Christian’s chief concern to keep his heart from sin–since this disorders it from godly conduct, and in turn to keep his heart in a godly and gracious frame–since this alone fits it for a life of communion with God and for the doing of all his deeds to the approval and glory of God. Several points can be offered in support of this.
First, consider that the most dreadful judgment the earth has ever seen–the flood–was sent forth on account of men’s evil hearts (Gen 6.5-7). Moreover, that which provoked God to give up His people and vomit them out of the land of Canaan was the evil of their hearts (Jer 6.14).
Second, consider that the sincerity of a Christian’s profession depends greatly upon the care given to keep his heart. If his heart is neglected, then whatever his religious services may be and howsoever good they appear to be, he is a hypocrite and pretender. Jehu is an example of this. The deeds he performed for God were outwardly religious and praiseworthy, because he executed God’s judgment on the house of Ahab. So for the matter of them, they appear in every way to be righteous. But what about the manner of his doing them? None can know this without knowing the heart–which God well knows. And what did He say of them? That they were not done with a right heart because he continued in the sins of Jeroboam (2Kgs 10.31). Whatever he professed to men–that he was zealous for the LORD’s glory (2Kgs 10.16), Jehu was a hypocrite (cf. Acts 8.21) because he was content with Jeroboam’s golden calves . If we would be sincere in our profession and performances, then we must keep our hearts in a godly frame.
Third, since the way and course of life flows out of the heart (Pr 4.23), there’s no other way to bring forth a godly conduct in life than by keeping the heart. The life will go as the heart goes (Mt 15.19). If the heart is in a righteous frame, then the life cannot but reveal that to be the case. How easily can parents see into their children’s hearts by their actions and words! Their gestures, words, tone, body language, and all else, so quickly reveal the state of the heart to the discerning parent. Therefore if we would walk and talk as we should, then we must first tend to the heart as we should.
Fourth, consider that the Christian’s growth in grace depends greatly on his keeping the heart. The implanting of grace is a sovereign work which brings new life into the soul. But the life implanted is a divine seed that must be regularly cultivated and nourished if it’s to produce fruit. But how can one cultivate the heart unto fruitfulness if one neglects to keep the heart from sin and in a gracious frame? Can any number of spiritual duties profit a man whose heart is neglected when he does them? Only by closely tending to the heart, with prayer and watchfulness and with a diligent use of the means of heart-piety, can we nurture and enjoy life-piety. John Flavel said, “In a word, all ordinances, means, and duties, are blessed unto the improvement of grace, according to the care and strictness we use in keeping our hearts in them.”
Lastly, consider that how well we fare in the face of temptation will greatly depend on how well we’ve tended to our hearts. The careless and neglected heart is an easy target for Satan’s wiles. Is it difficult to get the victory over a city whose gates are wide open and whose watchmen are asleep and whose soldiers are away at play? It no more difficult for the devil to gain the victory over a neglected heart, for its state is no different than that city. It lay open to temptation, open for attack, open for conquering. The watchful heart, however, is so guarded by sentinels, that it stamps out the fires of temptation before they ever reach the walls of the city; and if it is surprised by temptation–for even the best kept hearts are sometimes surprised–it will not let the fires get far before putting them out.
Are you keeping your heart?
