The LORD Looks at the Heart

Bulletins

Michael Hickox
03/31/24 - General

In 1 Samuel 16, God instructed Samuel to visit the house of Jesse, where Samuel would find the one God had chosen to be the next king of Israel. When Samuel looked at David’s older brother Eliab, he assumed Eliab was the one God had chosen because of his appearance. God responded to this assumption by saying, “Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for I don’t see as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance, but the lord looks at the heart” (verse 7).

God knows the hearts of all (Acts 1:24). He sees each of us as we truly are. As Hebrews 4:13 says, “There is no creature that is hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account.” God not only knows every word ever spoken and every action ever taken; he knows every thought of our hearts.

This is seen in the example of Simon the (former) sorcerer. Simon became a Christian in Acts 8 and sinned shortly after becoming a Christian. In verse 22 of the chapter, Simon was told, “Repent therefore of this, your wickedness, and ask God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.”

Notice what Simon needed to be forgiven of. While we can sin through actions and words, Acts 8:22 shows that we can also sin through thoughts of the heart.

Matthew 5:27-28 is another passage that exemplifies this principle. There our Lord says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery;’ but I tell you that everyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.” Sins such as that condemned by Jesus in this passage may be “hidden” from others, but God is fully aware every time such sin is committed.

God is also aware of our motives when doing things in service to Him. He knows whether we’re doing the right things for the right reasons. Just as He saw through the scribes and Pharisees who did all their religious works “to be seen by men” (Matt. 23:5), He sees through the show of righteousness put on by all those whose service to Him is not sincere.

More generally, God knows whether our affection is truly set on things above or set on things on the earth (Col. 3:2). He knows if one has an “honest and good heart” (Luke 8:15) that’s truly committed to pleasing Him no matter the cost, or if one’s heart is such that some comfort or pleasure is valued more highly than Him.

While God’s perfect knowledge of our hearts is frightening to the hypocrite, it is a comfort to the faithful. Such comfort is contingent, though, on each of us doing our part to purify our hearts.

What David said in 1 Chronicles 28:9 expresses principles that are true today, just as they were in the Mosaic dispensation. There David told Solomon to “serve [God] with a perfect heart and with a willing mind; for the lord searches all hearts, and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts…”