Depraved & Defiled Heart [Mt.15:19-20]

INTRODUCTION:

The heart is the seat and center of human thoughts. It harbors and nurtures our inner feelings before they are eventually expressed outwardly. Except that the owner of the heart enters into the domain of mortality, the likelihood of carrying out the inner or hidden thoughts is most probable. In other words, only death terminates every thought that is yet to be executed. Hence, whatever thoughts are processed in the heart translate to physical actions, whenever the thinker deems fit to, or the targeted time is ripe, whichever be the preference of the actor. For instance, having nurtured a ‘corporate heart of betrayal’ for a period of time, Judas and his dubious team were patient enough to arrest Jesus Christ at a time they felt He was more vulnerable, “when I was with you daily in the temple, you did not try to seize Me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.” (Lk.22:53). Ironically, a wicked heart at times can be patient until an opportune time, “now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.” (Lk.4:13).

THE THOUGHTS IN HEARTS VS OUTWARD APPEARANCES:

More often than not, we tend to erroneously match a friendly and cheerful facial appearance with some of the vices that proceed out of the hearts as listed in our text above, (evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies). In a similar manner, our complex world has trained us to believe that a not-too-friendly or inviting face is necessarily a representation of heinous thoughts hidden behind it. This is where exceptions come in. In essence, the physical expressions of a face should not be stigmatized or attached to a particular expected behavior(s). In my few years in this world, I have seen both sides of the divide, of particular fellows, contemporaries, and leaders, always wearing smiling faces, but with the most unbelievable incurably bad hearts!, while on the contrary, behind some ‘stern’, ‘firm’, and‘grim’ looking faces, are golden and tender hearts.

It is in view of this contradictory views that the famous English poet and playwright, Williams Shakespeare, in one of his famous works, MACBETH (1603), said, “there is no art to know the mind’s construction in the face.” In other words, most inviting and friendly outward looks betray the masked evil atrocities going on in human hearts, and vice-versa. Or else, how could we explain Judas, a member of the inner circle, to be the architect of the evil hearts that betrayed the Master before ultimately nailing Him to the cross. If there was anything that would expose Judas as a follower of Jesus Christ with evil thoughts shrouded in his mind, it was not in any way conspicuous on his face! The fact that he was a close follower of Christ, who mingled, dined, wined, went in and out with other good, trusted, and kind-hearted disciples, exempted him from any possible searchlight, except that his conscience pricked him at the last supper. At the parting meal, he had responded to Christ’s prompting, “Assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.” (Mt.26:21). He had joined the bandwagon of other disciples, who were ‘exceedingly sorrowful’ at the nudge, asking, “Lord, is it I ? , rephrasing his own question, with specifics on Christ’s title, “Rabbi, is it I?” (Mt.26:25). And interestingly, he only was the one that got a response from the Master, “You have said it.” (Mt.26:25).

The evil thoughts in the heart of Judas pushed him to betraying Jesus Christ, “…and they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him.” (Mt.26:15-16). For every murder act and other vices executed, the whole thought process would have originated from the heart. A heart that is void of, and repulsive to Jesus Christ is, without mincing words, a depraved heart. To this end, necessity is laid on us to personally and individually work on our hearts. This we have to do on our own. The scriptures, to this effect, implore us to, “keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.” (Pr.4: 23). A loose or unguarded heart, is void of the presence of Jesus Christ, and hence is the devil’s habitation and seat of ungodly activities. God does not struggle, either, with such a heart, since, “and even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things that are not fitting.” (Rom.1:28).

It was the adulterous nature in the heart of David that made him kill his subordinate, Uriah, after putting his wife in the family way(2 Sam.11). In Gen.35:22, the uncricumcised heart in Reuben pushed him to fornicate with his father’s concubine. The heart of covetousness in the heart of Achan pushed him to steal ‘a beautiful Babylonian garment’ as against the much expected and deserved victory over the city of Ai (Jos.7:21). It is unimaginable what losses and destructions a heart of theft could bring on a family, people, or a nation. To cover up her illicitus affairs with Joseph, Potiphar’s wife doubled her heart- destroying intention, by playing the trio roles of the victim, the accuser, and the ONLY‘false’ witness in her made up allegation against Joseph (Gen.39:16-18). The woman’s depraved and corrupt heart led to the untimely and inglorious exit of Joseph from his master’s house, albeit to limelight. It was with utmost brazen blaspheme to the name of God that Sennacherib invaded Judah (Is.36) before meeting his waterloo. His emissary had earlier sent derogatory and life-threatening words to king Hezekiah in the course of his effrontery, asking, ‘Thus says the great, the king of Assyria: “What confidence is this in which you trust?” (Is.36:4). Is it not blasphemeous to classify Sennacherib as ‘great’ ? , after all the scriptures emphasize “…You, O LORD, You are great, and Your name is great in might.” (Jer.10:6). At the end of the day, the calamity that befell Sennacherib’s family and kingdom was monumental!

A depraved and defiled heart remains so until overtaken by destruction!

SIDEBAR:

• Hence, whatever thoughts processed in the heart translate to physical actions, whenever the thinker deems fit to, or the targeted time is ripe- whichever be the preference of the actor.
• In a similar manner, our complex world has trained us to assume that a not-too-friendly or inviting face is necessarily a representation of heinous thoughts hidden behind it. This is where exceptions come in.
• The heart is the seat and center of human thoughts. It harbors and nurtures our inner feelings before such are eventually executed outwardly.
• Necessity is laid on us to personally and individually work on our hearts!

Conclusion:

God gave us conscience- which is an inner sense or moral compass- to discern between right and wrong. This is otherwise known as freewill. In other words, at this point we are left with the freedom of choice between good and bad.

Jer.17:9, “the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, who can know it?”. This tells us of the deceptive and unpredictably weak nature of the human heart. And by implications, it is practically difficult to foresee or predict the depth of evil or good, a heart harbors. For the wicked and depraved heart, it poses the most dangerous and hidden thoughts and threats, to even the best of friends. Had Julius Caesar known Brutus, his closest ally, was breeding such an evil heart against him, he probably would have heeded the earlier warning given by the Soothsayer, “beware of the Ides of March.” [ William Shakespeare’s : Julius Caesar]. May the LORD deliver us from all wicked, depraved and defiled hearts. Amen!

PRAYER OF SALVATION:

LORD JESUS, please forgive my sins and wash me with Your blood . I accept You as my Lord and Savior. Amen!

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