The Disposition of the New Heart

(Part 2)

The Disposition of the New Heart

I. Adam: Inclined Towards God and Holiness

II. The New Man: Inclined Towards Holiness (Eph. 4:24b)

The Need for a New Heart (Jn. 4:21-24)

The Gift of a New Heart (Ezek. 36:25-28)

The Disposition of the New Heart

I. Adam: Inclined Towards God and Holiness

II. The New Man: Inclined Towards Holiness (Eph. 4:24b)

III. The New Man: Tuned to Love (Rom. 5:5)

! The Heart and Its Affections

" Creaturely Affections

" Rational Affections

" Corrupted Affections

" Redeemed (Religious) Affections

! Love, a Redeemed Affection

" Context: The Benefits of Our Justification (Rom. 5:1-4)

• exult to boast, to rejoice in, to brag about, to speak loudly about

• proven character trial, examination, proving, approval

" Affirmation: Love, the Basis of Our Hope (Rom. 5:5)

o What God commands and expects the believer to do, He enables the believer to do.

o God does not change His will to accommodate fallen men, but instead He changes fallen men such that they will be enabled to fulfill His holy will.

Treatise Concerning Religious Affections, Jonathan Edwards.

Tom J. Nettles from “Repentant Revival: Religious Affections by Jonathan Edwards”

Edwards pointed to David, Paul, and John to demonstrate that true religion consists very

much in love, fear, hatred, desire, joy, sorrow, gratitude, compassion, and zeal. As

Edwards argues in several writings (e.g., Charity and its Fruits and The Nature of True

Virtue) these affections may be summed up in love. Jesus himself was dominated by holy

affection.

Jay Keywood from “Jonathan Edwards’ Religious Affections: And True Religion in the Local Church”

Some examples of affections in religion are fear of God, hope in God, love to Christ,

desire and longings for holiness, delight in the law, sorrow for sin, and compassion for

the poor. The chief of all affection is love, since the greatest commandment is to love

God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength (Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37).

Dr. Daniel Wallace

It is true that the context is clearly about what God has done for us, rather than about what

we have done for God. Thus, contextual considerations seem to indicate . . . “the love

which comes from God has been poured out within our hearts.” However, the fact that

this love has been poured out within us (as opposed to simply upon or toward us)

suggests that such love is the source for a reciprocated love . . . The idea, then, would be:

“The love that comes from God and that produces our love for God has been poured out

within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”