In his book about the importance of having the right heart before God, J C Ryle writes;
“I make no excuse for asking the special attention of my readers, while I try to say a few things about the heart. The head is not the principal thing. You may know the whole truth as it is in Jesus, and consent that it is good. You may be clear, correct, and sound in your religious opinions. But all this time you may be walking in the broad way which leadeth to destruction. It is your heart which is the main point. “Is thy heart right in the sight of God?”.
Your outward life may be moral, decent, respectable, in the eyes of men. Your minister, and friends, and neighbours, may see nothing very wrong in your general conduct. But all this time you may be hanging on the brink of everlasting ruin. It is your heart which is the main thing. Is that heart right in the sight of God?
Wishes and desires are not enough to make a Christian. You may have many good feelings about your soul. You may, like Balaam, long to “die the death of the righteous” (Numbers 23:10). You may sometimes tremble at the thought of judgment to come, or be melted to tears by the tidings of Christ’s love. But all this time you may be slowly drifting downward into hell. It is your heart which is the main thing. Is that heart right in the sight of God?”
Thousands of people in our world today attend church, read their Bible, and go through all of the “actions” one would expect of a Christian, yet they truly have no personal relationship with God because they have NOT given Him their heart.
This is just one chapter in a book written by J C Ryle on TRUE Christianity. There are 3 different sections to this chapter about the importance of having the right heart. I want to share them with you over the next three days.
1. The immense importance of the heart in religion
In the first place, I will show the immense importance of the heart in religion. How shall I prove this point? From whence shall I fetch my arguments? I must turn to the Word of God. In questions of this kind it matters nothing what the world thinks right or wrong. There is only one sure test of truth. What saith the Scripture? What is written in the Bible? What is the mind of the Holy Ghost? If we cannot submit our judgments to this infallible umpire, it is useless to pretend that we have any religion at all.
For one thing, the Bible teaches that the heart is that part of us on which the state of our soul depends. “Out of it are the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23). The reason, the understanding, the conscience, the affections, are all second in importance to the heart. The heart is the man. It is the seat of all spiritual life, and health, and strength, and growth. It is the hinge and turning-point in the condition of men’s soul. If the heart is alive to God and quickened by the Spirit, the man is a living Christian. If the heart is dead and has not the Spirit, the man is dead before God. The heart is the man! Tell me not merely what a man says and professes, and where a man goes on Sunday, and what money he puts in the collecting-plate. Tell me rather what his heart is, and I will tell you what he is. “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7).
For another thing, the Bible teaches that the heart is that part of us at which God especially looks. “Man looketh at the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). “Every way of man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord pondereth the heart” (Proverbs 21:2). Man is naturally content with the outward part of religion, with outward morality, outward correctness, outward regular attendance on means of grace. But the eyes of the Lord look much further. He regards our motives. He “weigheth the spirits” (Proverbs 16:2). He says Himself, “I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins” (Jeremiah 17:10).
For another thing, the Bible teaches that the heart is the first and foremost thing which God asks man to give him. “My son”, He says, “give Me thine heart” (Proverbs 23:26). We may give God a bowed head and a serious face, our bodily presence in His house, and a loud amen. But until we give God our hearts, we give Him nothing of any value. The sacrifices of the Jews in Isaiah’s time were many and costly. They drew nigh to God with their mouth, and honoured Him with their lips. But they were all wholly useless, because the heart of the worshippers was far from God (Matthew 15:8). The zeal of Jehu against idolatry was very great, and his services in pulling down idols brought him many temporal rewards. But there was one great blot on his character which spoiled all. He did not walk in the law of God “with all his heart” (2 Kings 10:31). The heart is what the husband desires to have in his wife, the parent in his child, and the master in his servant. And the heart is what God desires to have in professing Christians.
What is the heart in man’s body? It is the principal and most important organ in the whole frame. A man may live many years in spite of fevers, wounds, and loss of limbs. But a man cannot live if you injure his heart. Just so it is with the heart in religion. It is the fountain of life to the soul. What is the root to the tree? It is the source of all life, and growth, and fruitfulness. You may cut off the branches, and wound the trunk, and the tree may yet survive. But if you hurt the root the tree will die. Just so it is with the heart in religion. It is the root of life to the soul.
What is the mainspring to the watch? It is the cause of all its movements, and the secret of all its usefulness. The case may be costly and beautiful. The face and figures may be skilfully made. But if there is anything wrong with the mainspring the works will not go. Just so it is with the heart in religion. It is the mainspring of life to the soul.
What is the fire to the steam engine? It is the cause of all its motion and power. The machinery may be properly made. Every screw, and valve, and joint, and crank, and rod may be in its right place. But if the furnace is cold and the water is not turned into steam, the engine will do nothing. Just so is it with the heart in religion. Unless the heart is lighted with fire from on high, the soul will not move.
Would you know the reason why such multitudes around you take no interest in religion? They have no real concern about God, or Christ, or the Bible, or heaven, or hell, or judgment, or eternity. They care for nothing but what they shall eat, or what they shall drink, or what they shall put on, or what money they can get, or what pleasure they can have. It is their heart which is in fault! They have not the least appetite for the things of God. They are destitute of any taste or inclination for spiritual things. They need a new mainspring. They want a new heart. “Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart unto it” (Proverbs 17:16).
Would you know the reason why so many hear the Gospel year after year, and yet remain unmoved by it? Their minds seem like Bunyan’s “slough of despond”. Cartloads of good instruction are poured into them without producing any good effect. Their reason is convinced. Their head assents to the truth. Their conscience is sometimes pricked. Their feelings are sometimes roused. Why then do they stick fast? Why do they tarry? It is their hearts which are in fault! Some secret idol chains them down to the earth, and keeps them tied hand and foot, so that they cannot move. They want a new heart. Their picture is drawn faithfully by Ezekiel: “They sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness” (Ezekiel 33:31).
Would you know the reason why thousands of so-called Christians will be lost at last, and perish miserably in hell. They will not be able to say that God did not offer salvation to them. They will not be able to plead that Christ did not send them invitations. Oh no! They will be obliged to confess that “all things were ready” for them, except their own hearts. Their own hearts will prove to have been the cause of their ruin! The lifeboat was alongside the wreck, but they would not enter it. Christ “would” have gathered them, but they “would not” be gathered (Matthew 23:37). Christ would have saved them; but they would not be saved. “They loved darkness more than light”. Their hearts were in fault. “They would not come to Christ, that they might have life” (John 3:19; John 5:40).
I hope you will prayerfully think over and consider what J. C. Ryle has written. If our heart is NOT right with God, our life is NOT right with God. And that is a VERY DANGEROUS place to be in. We are NOT guaranteed tomorrow or even the next hour. What about you? Is your heart right with Almighty God?