Post by chuckfinney on Jun 9, 2010 13:49:06 GMT -5
I was in the Calvinist thread on Crosswalk the other day and someone tried to prove that man's heart is pure evil... with the scriptures below:
Genesis 8:21 (King James Version)
21And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.
My response
First, man's heart is evil from their "youth", not from birth. Secondly, this is speaking of a certian group preceding the flood in a certain period of time... Not all men at all times. Please don't take this verse out of context.
Jeremiah 17:9 (King James Version)
9The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
My response
This may have been written in "Midrash" (Exaggerating to make a point). Which the Jews did often. This is Jeremiah talking about Judah's sin... Again, a certain group of people in a certain period of time... Read the whole chapter in context. Not everything is written literally. He certainly did not mean that all mankind's hearts are wicked and unable to please God... Compare your verse with the whole counsel of God...
1 Samuel 2:1 - Hannah’s heart rejoiced in the Lord.
Kings 3:6 - David’s heart was upright before the Lord.
1 Kings 15:14 - Asa's heart was perfect with the Lord all his days.
2 Kings 20:3 - Hezekiah walked before the Lord with a perfect heart.
2 Kings 23:25 - Josiah turned to the Lord with all his heart.
2 Chron. 19:3 - Jehoshaphat prepared his heart to seek God.
2 Chron. 11:16 - Tribes of Israel set their hearts to seek the Lord
Ezra 7:10 - Ezra prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord.
2 Chron. 15:15 - Nation of Judah sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire.
2 Chron. 22:9 - Jehoshaphat sought the Lord with all his heart.
2 Chron. 29:34 - Levites were upright in heart.
These individuals and groups of people were under the old covenent, UNREGENERATE, not born again, without the indwelling holy spirit... and look what they did...
Mark 7:20-23 (King James Version)
20And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.
21For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
22Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
23All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
My response
This is like trying to prove that all apples are red, by showing me a red apple. Nonsense... Yes... these things can proceed out of the heart of man, but so can goodness, repentance, humbleness, righteousness, etc. .
Genesis 8:21 (King James Version)
21And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.
My response
First, man's heart is evil from their "youth", not from birth. Secondly, this is speaking of a certian group preceding the flood in a certain period of time... Not all men at all times. Please don't take this verse out of context.
Jeremiah 17:9 (King James Version)
9The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
My response
This may have been written in "Midrash" (Exaggerating to make a point). Which the Jews did often. This is Jeremiah talking about Judah's sin... Again, a certain group of people in a certain period of time... Read the whole chapter in context. Not everything is written literally. He certainly did not mean that all mankind's hearts are wicked and unable to please God... Compare your verse with the whole counsel of God...
1 Samuel 2:1 - Hannah’s heart rejoiced in the Lord.
Kings 3:6 - David’s heart was upright before the Lord.
1 Kings 15:14 - Asa's heart was perfect with the Lord all his days.
2 Kings 20:3 - Hezekiah walked before the Lord with a perfect heart.
2 Kings 23:25 - Josiah turned to the Lord with all his heart.
2 Chron. 19:3 - Jehoshaphat prepared his heart to seek God.
2 Chron. 11:16 - Tribes of Israel set their hearts to seek the Lord
Ezra 7:10 - Ezra prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord.
2 Chron. 15:15 - Nation of Judah sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire.
2 Chron. 22:9 - Jehoshaphat sought the Lord with all his heart.
2 Chron. 29:34 - Levites were upright in heart.
These individuals and groups of people were under the old covenent, UNREGENERATE, not born again, without the indwelling holy spirit... and look what they did...
Mark 7:20-23 (King James Version)
20And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.
21For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
22Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
23All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
My response
This is like trying to prove that all apples are red, by showing me a red apple. Nonsense... Yes... these things can proceed out of the heart of man, but so can goodness, repentance, humbleness, righteousness, etc. .