The physical heart is composed of four chambers.  (1) The right ventricle (lower, right chamber) pumps deoxygenated blood into the lungs where it picks up oxygen and gets rid of carbon dioxide.  (2) The left atrium (upper, left chamber) receives oxygenated blood from the lungs and pumps it into the next chamber.  (3) The left ventricle (lower left chamber) pumps oxygenated blood through the body.  (4) The right atrium (upper right chamber) receives the deoxygenated blood and pumps it to the right ventricle where the process starts all over.  A septum (wall) keeps the oxygenated blood (left side) from mixing with the deoxygenated blood (right side); valves in the system keep the blood flowing in the proper direction.  All of this points to intelligent design.

Spiritual Heart

Like the physical heart, the spiritual heart has four chambers.  It’s time for a heart exam.  Are all four chambers of your spiritual heart pumping and healthy?

1.  The Intellect

It has been said that the spiritual heart is, “The thinker in the head, not the thumper in the chest.”  The spiritual heart: (a) thinks (Genesis 6:5; Esther 6:6; Job 17:11; Psalm 139:23; Acts 8:22; Hebrews 4:12); (b) meditates (Psalm 19:14); (c) understands (1 Kings 3:9; Proverbs 2:1-6; 15:14; (d) believes (Mark 11:23; 16:14; Luke 8:14; 24:25; Acts 8:36-37; Romans 10:9-10).

How’s this first chamber?  Where are your intellectual thoughts?  Do you meditate on God’s Word (Psalm 119:11, 97, 99b)?  Do you think on wickedness (Proverbs 6:18; Matthew 5:28)?  God wants your mind (Mark 12:30).  He cares about your heart (1 Samuel 16:7).

“Purer in heart, O God, help me to be…”

2.  Conscience

The Spiritual heart can be “pricked” (KJV) or “cut” (NKJV).  This is what happened on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:37).  If men are going to be saved, their hearts must be soft enough to care about right and wrong (cf. 2 Corinthians 7:10).

It is sad that many do not even blush at sin (Jeremiah 6:15; 8:12).  They are past feeling (Ephesians 4:19).  They have hardened their hearts (Proverbs 28:14; Hebrews 3:8, 15; 4:7).  They have seared their consciences (1 Timothy 4:2).

How is this second chamber? How is your conscience?  Does sin still vex your soul?  Does it bother you at all?

“Give me the heart of a servant.  Tender and faithful and true.  Fill me with love, so that the world may see you.”

3. The Will

The Spiritual Heart: (a) purposes (Daniel 1:8; Acts 11:23; 2 Corinthians 9:7); (b) has intentions (Hebrews 4:12-13) and (c) obeys (Romans 6:17). External actions originated in the heart (Proverbs 4:23; Jeremiah 11:8; Mark 7:21-23; Romans 6:17).

Let’s grant that you intellectually understand God’s will, and even believe it in the first chamber. Let`s also grant that your conscience is tender enough to be bothered by sin in the second chamber. What about this third chamber? Do you have the will to do His will?

“Have thine affections been nailed to the cross? Is thy heart right with God?”

4.  Emotion.

The spiritual heart has emotions.  The Bible speaks of the heart having: (a) anguish (2 Corinthians 2:4); (b) desire (Romans 10:1); (c) love for others (Colossians 2:21; 1 Peter 1:22); (d) love for God [(Matthew 22:36; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27); heart = emotions (feelings); soul=being (life’s existence); mind = intellect (brain); strength = energy (effort, muscle)].

How is this fourth chamber? Are you emotionally connected with God?  Do you truly love Him with all your being?

“As the deer pants for the water so my soul long after You.  You alone are my heart’s desire and I long to worship You.”

Conclusion

So, how’s your heart?  Are you pumping in all four chambers?  “Is thy heart right with God?”

Some one suggested to me that when trying to discern whether one is of the age of accountability all four chambers of the heart should be considered. Some intellectually know the purpose of baptism, but have no real consciousness of sin, or determined will which cannot easily be dissuaded.