Something Danny and I have been discussing started me thinking

We often hear that we can not know a mans heart. And I can understand that some may appear to be good and pure, and these may fool us. But can we know a mans heart by their actions and deeds if they are blatantly worldly, false, or evil?

Some scripture for your consideration:

Matt 12:34-35 You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.

Matt 15:11-20 What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.'" Then the disciples came to him and asked, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?" He replied, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them; they are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit." Peter said, "Explain the parable to us." "Are you still so dull?" Jesus asked them. "Don't you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean.' For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man 'unclean'; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him 'unclean.'"

Jesus says evil things come out of an evil man. So it seems to make sense that if we know one whom speaks/does evil, we would then know his heart is evil?

Acts 8:20-23 Peter answered: "May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin."

Now I know Peter is an apostle, and had direct guidance of the Holy Spirit, but this case with Simon seems to be a little different than the one with Ananias and Sapphira. Peter seemed to get a direct supernatural knowledge here. Without Ananias or Sapphira saying anything, he knew they had lied to the Holy Spirit. But in Simon SPOKE of buying the gift of God with money. If a man today SPOKE the same, wouldnt we know his heart was not right before God as Peter did with Ananias and Sapphira?

Rom 2:5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.

Again, Paul is an apostle, but he knew of their stubbornness and unrepentant heart because of what they did. Can we not know the same?

Heb 3:12 See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. If we know a person that turns away from God, wont we know that his heart is sinful and unbelieving because he has turned away?

Acts 1:24 Then they prayed, "Lord, you know everyone's heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen

Of Course we know that God only knows EVERYONES heart, but does this mean that we can not know any mans heart?

-- Anonymous, September 23, 2000

Answers

Lee, The Scriptures you presented indeed support that we may "know the tree by its fruits," as Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount. We don't know people's hearts, and, unless they tell us, we cannot fathom people's motives -- why they do what they do. Even if they tell us, they may be lying or may not themselves have a full understanding of their own intentions. We may, however, as you said, know what people do. Many actions and words are intrinsically evil or good. No one may say Jesus is Lord, says John, except by the Spirit of God. Obviously, John has in mind not only the words but the obedience in view as well behind the confession. A few thoughts to put in the collective hopper. Randal
FORTHRIGHT Magazine
Straight to the Cross

-- Anonymous, September 23, 2000