What inspires my blogs are things that I see or hear throughout my day or week that I would like to respond to because well, I have a lot to say. I may seem quiet on the inside, but on the inside the brain in constantly thinking and analyzing things, hence the insomnia. However, I cannot talk the credit for everything I blog about, a lot of the things I say is from what I learned in school. However, I do not buy into everything that professors tell, I analyze it and choose for myself whether I agree or disagree. I believe every Christian should figure out for themselves what they believe and do not believe, but it is also important to have biblical support for what you try and tell people. Biblical support does not mean taking verses out of context, it means really studying the passage and interpreting correctly. It doesn't take a genius to take a verse and have it mean what ever he/she wants to. And this leads me to the point of this blog.
I have heard this verse many times and I think most of us have. It's Jeremiah 17:9, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick (some translations say wicked); who can understand it?"
This is verse is quoted so many times by people who do not know the true meaning of it meaning it's out of context. And sadly it is quoted by Christians to Christians. Okay, some may be thinking "why is that a bad thing?" "isn't it good to quote Scriptures and speak truth into someone life?" Well, it is great to memorize Scripture and it is great to speak truth into someone's life. However, would you like it if someone came up to you and said that your heart is deceitfully wicked? Probably, not.
So when we quote verses out of context, it does become a bad thing especially if that person has a real problem or is seeking you for counsel.
What does this verse actually mean then? Well, it means what it says, but it was written by Jeremiah who was a prophet in the OT that had a revelation from God to the people of Israel, actually this particular passage is about the sin of Judah. What this means, it is not to or about Christians.
If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, you are a new creation. 2 Cor. 5:17, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold the new has come."
Romans 5 talks about we have been justified by the blood of Christ. Jesus says to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength." If the heart of a believer was still deceitfully wicked, do you think Jesus would instruct us to love God with it? I'm not convinced that He would.
So, the heart of a Christian is not wicked. So if someone quotes this verse to you, I hope you now know how to approach the situation.
Until next time.
