Written on The Heart

My son, obey your father’s commands, and don’t neglect your mother’s instruction. Keep their words always in your heart.Tie them around your neck. Proverbs 6:20-21 NLT

Obey my commands and live!
Guard my instructions as you guard your own eyes.
Tie them on your fingers as a reminder.
Write them deep within your heart. Proverbs 7:2-3 NLT

While many people think the ten commandments should be posted on courthouses and schools, I saw a t-shirt that read, “Put the Commandments back where they belong, in our hearts.” In the Bible, we read time and again about the Commandments being in our hearts and homes, and not necessarily on public building walls. I am not saying there is anything wrong with them being on the walls, but we miss the point if they are not written on our hearts.

Many people believe the commandments being written on our hearts is a new idea found in the New Testament, but as we read here in Proverbs the concept is actually an Old Testament concept. God’s original plan was for Him to write the law of love on our hearts. We see this in Jeremiah.

But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel after those days,” says the Lord. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. Jeremiah 31:33 NLT

The New Covenant is actually in the Old Testament! The New Covenant, of letting God write His law on our hearts is the only covenant God ever endorsed. God made clear to His people, that He was the One who rescued them from the bondage in Egypt. They did not rescue themselves. God also made it clear the He would rescue them from the bondage of sin if they would trust His promise to write the law not just on stone but on their hearts.

Let’s not trust old useless man-made promises and covenants. Let’s trust in Jesus’ new and everlasting promise and covenant, and let Him write His commandments on our heart. This way they will be with us wherever we go, including courthouses and public buildings.

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Is it THE TEN COMMANDMENTS(WORDS) specifically that God intends to write on the Heart in the NEW COVENANT? Whenever Law or Commandments is mentioned, we immediately determine it to be the TEN COMMANDMENTS. They were indeed given to Israel of the Flesh through Moses by Angels. “Law was given through Moses”(John 1:17; 7:19). “LAW came in that SIN might abound”.

It would reveal that man was enslaved by sin.(Rom.6:14). This administration under Law would persist only until CHRIST. “It (Law) was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through Angels by the hand of a mediator, UNTIL the Seed would come to whom the promise had been made”Gal 3:19. “GOD sent forth HIS SON... so that HE might redeem those who were under Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons”Gal 4:4,5.“As sin reigned in Death(under Law), even so Grace would reign through Righteousness to Eternal Life through JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD”Rom 5:20,21. Again “I may be found in HIM, not having a Righteousness of my own derived from Law, but that which is through the Faith of CHRIST, the righteousness which is from GOD on the basis of FAITH...”Phil 3:8-11. “If a Law had been given which was able to give life, then Righteousness would indeed have been by Law”Gal 3:21. “What the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin...”Rom 8:3

So the NEW COVENANT would supersede the OLD COVENANT not coexist. One deals with “dead works”, the other with living and life giving instruments. “Cast out the bondwoman and her son for the son of the bondwoman shall not be an heir with the son of the FREE WOMAN.”Gal 4:30. “Our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a NEW COVENANT, not of the Letter but of the SPIRIT; for the LETTER kills, but the SPIRIT gives LIFE. But if the MINISTRY OF DEATH , in Letters engraved on stones, came with Glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory? For if the ministry of Condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of Righteousness abound in glory..... For if that which fades away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory”2 Cor 3:5-11.

The whole Law was a Sign, a Symbol, a Type, a Token, a Shadow of the Good things, the True, the Real things to come --- lambs, bulls, shewbread, water, altars, tabernacle, priests, sabbaths, Moses, Joshua, the Ten Commandments(Words) etc all pointed to CHRIST. e.g “The whole Law is fulfilled in ONE WORD, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself”Gal 5:14. Six Words of the Ten Commandments realized in One of CHRIST’S LAWS. Christ established His own Laws and Commandments just as GOD promised in Dt 18:18,19; 1 Cor 9:21; Gal 6:2. What is written on the heart is dynamic and fervent with the Spirit. It is not static “not doing” things. The Love of GOD is vibrant engendering life. Whatever was promised in the Law and the Prophets would be fulfilled and realized in Christ. Matt 11:26-29 “All things have been committed to ME by MY FATHER ..... Come to me...”

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Written on The Heart — 13 Comments

John Gilmore on January 11, 2015 at 6:30 am said:

Thank you for the observation regarding the public posting of the Commandments vs where God says He wants them written. This may be useful in public discussion regarding current legal issues, to turn the conversation to more eternal issues.

But two questions are not yet answered. What does it mean for His law to be "written on our hearts"? (We know that it does not mean that God will give us cardiac tattoos.) And how is it done? (Let's get practical.)

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- Nevine Thompson on January 12, 2015 at 7:44 pm said:
  
  John, it certainly does not mean we will have cardiac tatoos, but we will bear the fruit of the spirit after studying God's word. We must be careful though not to live as though the law is an albatross around our necks and fear God out of fear. We must genuinely love God and want to please him by obeying His Laws and fearing him out of awe, love, honour and adoration.
  
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William Earnhardt on January 11, 2015 at 2:07 pm said:

Thank you for your comment and good question John. Since the law is the character of God then I believe it means to reflect God's character. In Revelation 7 those who have the seal of God in their foreheads (The heart is actually the mind) keep the commandments and reflect God's character.

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- Paul Blanke on January 12, 2015 at 2:38 pm said:
  
  William I agree that the heart is a metaphor for mind. This is where our memory is stored. In this day of computers and memories it is more understandable. I would like to make a comment about the word law that is mentioned in Proverbs 6:20 and nearly the same in Proverbs 1:8. What is Solomon saying? That the father and the mother have instructions from differing sources? The father doesn't use the word, law, as a definition of his instruction. The word law is only used in two out of eight versions that I have and I wondered why?
  The reason seems to be that the word Torah or To-wrah to-raw translated law, is not quite accurate per Torah Resource International. It is translated as direction, teaching, instruction, or doctrine. Depending on the context. It is translated as law when the context justifies. This answers my question I think, as to why the majority of the versions that I checked use the word, teaching.
  The KJV is the main version that uses the word law, and so we as SDA read that as the Ten Commandments. Strongs reinforces that understanding by saying that the word does mean precept or statute, but then adds, especially Decalogue, or Pentateuch. I use Strongs almost exclusively but I have to wonder in this instance. The context is found in Proverbs 1:4
  
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  - Kenny Springer on January 16, 2015 at 6:53 pm said:
    
    Is it THE TEN COMMANDMENTS(WORDS) specifically that God intends to write on the Heart in the NEW COVENANT? Whenever Law or Commandments is mentioned, we immediately determine it to be the TEN COMMANDMENTS. They were indeed given to Israel of the Flesh through Moses by Angels. “Law was given through Moses”(John 1:17; 7:19). “LAW came in that SIN might abound”.
    
    It would reveal that man was enslaved by sin.(Rom.6:14). This administration under Law would persist only until CHRIST. “It (Law) was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through Angels by the hand of a mediator, UNTIL the Seed would come to whom the promise had been made”Gal 3:19. “GOD sent forth HIS SON... so that HE might redeem those who were under Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons”Gal 4:4,5.“As sin reigned in Death(under Law), even so Grace would reign through Righteousness to Eternal Life through JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD”Rom 5:20,21. Again “I may be found in HIM, not having a Righteousness of my own derived from Law, but that which is through the Faith of CHRIST, the righteousness which is from GOD on the basis of FAITH...”Phil 3:8-11. “If a Law had been given which was able to give life, then Righteousness would indeed have been by Law”Gal 3:21. “What the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin...”Rom 8:3
    
    So the NEW COVENANT would supersede the OLD COVENANT not coexist. One deals with “dead works”, the other with living and life giving instruments. “Cast out the bondwoman and her son for the son of the bondwoman shall not be an heir with the son of the FREE WOMAN.”Gal 4:30. “Our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a NEW COVENANT, not of the Letter but of the SPIRIT; for the LETTER kills, but the SPIRIT gives LIFE. But if the MINISTRY OF DEATH , in Letters engraved on stones, came with Glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory? For if the ministry of Condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of Righteousness abound in glory..... For if that which fades away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory”2 Cor 3:5-11.
    
    The whole Law was a Sign, a Symbol, a Type, a Token, a Shadow of the Good things, the True, the Real things to come --- lambs, bulls, shewbread, water, altars, tabernacle, priests, sabbaths, Moses, Joshua, the Ten Commandments(Words) etc all pointed to CHRIST. e.g “The whole Law is fulfilled in ONE WORD, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself”Gal 5:14. Six Words of the Ten Commandments realized in One of CHRIST’S LAWS. Christ established His own Laws and Commandments just as GOD promised in Dt 18:18,19; 1 Cor 9:21; Gal 6:2. What is written on the heart is dynamic and fervent with the Spirit. It is not static “not doing” things. The Love of GOD is vibrant engendering life. Whatever was promised in the Law and the Prophets would be fulfilled and realized in Christ. Matt 11:26-29 “All things have been committed to ME by MY FATHER ..... Come to me...”
    
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Vincent Atuncha on January 11, 2015 at 8:12 pm said:

Through prayerful study of God's word we give God the opportunity to translate the lawa into something precious for our lives. We must make meditation on God's word our routine throughout the day such that our thoughts, actions, & words reflect our communion with God.

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Laure Cook on January 12, 2015 at 2:51 am said:

Thank you so much for being a very important part of my weekly Bible Study group. I'm the one with the computer so I get to type up our study notes that are based in our Sabbath School pamphlet. Your insightful posts are always looked forward to and appreciated. This weeks post is just so appropriate at this time of political correctness gone crazy. May God continue to bless your ministry so that we your extended study group may also continue to be blessed.
Yours in faith
Laure (Australia)

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William Earnhardt on January 12, 2015 at 12:19 pm said:

Thank you for your ministry in Australia Laure. I hope to visit there one day.

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- Laure Cook on January 12, 2015 at 1:50 pm said:
  
  Hi William,
  I'm certain you will love it here in Oz when you visit hopefully in the not too distant future, take care and God Bless until we meet either here or with our Lord.
  
  Laure 🙂
  
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Thomas Gigliotti on January 12, 2015 at 2:37 pm said:

Hi William, Just like to let you know that I find your articles very good and enjoy reading them,God bless you as you continue to serve HIM,

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Regina Forman on January 13, 2015 at 5:40 am said:

Thanks William for allowing God to use you by sharing very important, detailed information that will help your brothers and sisters in Christ draw closer to God. Thank You!

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John Dexter on January 16, 2015 at 9:44 pm said:

It is my understanding that the Greek word translated as "new" in reference to the covenant has a connotation of renewed or refreshed rather than replacing something old. The Israelites were saved by faith as shown by their actions just as we learned that we are, who are grafted in, from our study of James last quarter.

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Gaza Asitore on March 9, 2015 at 1:11 am said:

Thank for reading your article on the Law writtwen on the heart. Gods Law I believe is His mind revealed in written tablets of stone given as a visible expression of what he expects of every human on earth to identify with himself by a life of obeying his thinking. Therefore, a life of willing obedience is an outward evidence of living the mind of God "or in other words His Law is written on our minds " ehich is the cotex of the mind where he controls the will to act. As such Solomon says "Prov.4:23 - Above all else guard your heart (Mind) with all deligence for out of it are the issues of life"

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Written on The Heart — 13 Comments

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