18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. Rom. 8:18-19
Although Adam might have been able to fly, yet, under the New Covenant, we could hardly find time to talk about Adam and his flying skills. On the contrary, we are to look at the heart. Something bad happened with Adam’s heart. And thereafter, grief, sorrow, fear and death reigned over the earth. Whether Adam was able to fly thereafter or not is no more of importance to us.
I truly thank God for the revelation that He has given to the church concerning the heart. Where would we be without this revelation? No doubt we would be preaching the charismatic gospel of material prosperity, et al.
But the Bible says:
“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Prov. 23:7).
I have heard many preachers try to make this scripture to be about the human intellect. But they could hardly be more off-track. This scripture is not talking about the brain. Indeed, no scripture addresses the human intellect. All scripture addresses the heart. All it is saying here is that as a man is in his heart, so is he. As a man is in his heart, so is everything about him.
Elsewhere, the Psalmist wrote:
“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.” (Ps. 139:14)
The Psalmist was in the Spirit when he wrote those words. He was not in the flesh. The Psalmist here therefore is talking about the heart. God could hardly be bothered with our bodies the way we are.
In the Bible, we find men and women who had the heart of God. Men like David. And Abigail, among countless others. I have it in my heart to write about these two especially and, God willing, I shall do so within the next few days.
God has given us a heart that is fearfully and wonderfully made. A heart where God can dwell. Through Jesus Christ, our hearts have become the dwelling place of God.
Is that not so wonderful! But for us to arrive at the place where God dwells in our hearts, we have to pay the price. And, pray, what is the price?
The price is to circumcise our hearts. Those are the “sufferings” the Apostle Paul talks of in our key scripture above. Notice,
“we preach Christ crucified” (1 Cor. 1:23)!
The true gospel of Jesus Christ preaches the singularity of the sufferings and death of Christ through crucifixion. It may not be a “pop” gospel, but it is the true gospel. Any other gospel, any other Jesus, is not genuine and the preaching of such simply draws men and women further from eternal life (2 Cor. 11:4).
In Matthew 16:24, Jesus Himself said,
“If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”
The denial of self and the taking up of our cross is not easy. But there is no different path. The cross makes for a beautiful heart. A beautiful heart, on the other hand, makes the difference in this world – and in the next.
I find myself singularly wanting in any endeavor to do justice to this important subject. What I have written here is my small contribution for now. I pray it might make a difference in the lives of any who read it.
[Man is an incredibly wonderful creation. God intended it to be so. Judge Frank Caprio]
Cross of Christ 
Cultural traditions (language) make this idea a little difficult. In the Hebrew language of the Old Testament the heart was the metaphor for thinking (kidney was the metaphor for emotion). In Canada heart is used to refer to emotions. Our thoughts betray us, for we dwell on those things that tempt us away. Pride is how we think about ourselves (“not to think of yourselves more highly than you ought” Romans 12:3). The point you make does not depend on this, as the culture out of which we serve defines our definitions, but I simply write what this term referred to in ancient Hebrew culture. For example, it is important in the story of the Exodus, for Pharaoh “hardened his heart” in many translations, but what he did was close his mind to the evidence in front of him and then reject the One True God whom Moses preached.
Peace
Thank you, David. I cannot fully express my appreciation, not just for your time, but for the value of the thoughts that you add to this blog. I am deeply indebted to you.