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A Conversation with a Well-Seasoned Christian About ‘Heart and Head’

I recently was able to spend some time with a seasoned brother in the faith. While he has been a Christian for many years he maintains a zealous affection for Christ while serving actively in his church. This (rare) marriage of theological depth and evident, emotional love for Christ, is what I intrigued by.

As a guy looking down the road ahead and wanting to look like that when I am in his station, I asked him a few questions as to what the Lord used to make him so. He talked about 4 key areas.

1) A Constant Emphasis on the Gospel

He mentioned this as the foundation of everything. If you build your life on the fact that God is infinitely merciful and good to you in Christ then there is no room for prideful personal kingdom building. His first area was emphasized in the last three as well.

2) A Constant Encounter with the Bible

As one who has taught the Bible for years he remarked of the importance not only of the study for teaching but the steady reading of the Scriptures for himself and his family. He talked about the benefit to his soul of just reading the Bible and prayerfully knowing who God is. I found it encouraging to hear him speak of how much he learns afresh when he reads the Bible. It truly is a book like no other!

3) A Continual Study of Theology

My friend remarked that there are many who are emotional without any depth and many with depth without any heart. His burden, from the early days, was to read and learn theology. This, he said, caused him to know that his emotional reactions were truly to God and his word. He spoke of the importance of digging deep theologically, over the period of you life, so that it can color, shape, and inform the whole of your Christian life. In other words, a deep theological well helps you in private devotions, family worship, preaching, and missions. It is integral, he said, to keep learning theologically. It drives doxology (worship).

4) A Continual Priority of the Local Church

“I love the Lord’s Day!” he told me. He talked about what it means to him to, week after week, gather together as people ransomed from sin, under the banner of the gospel, to pray, confess sin, sing glorious songs, hear the word preached, and enjoy the Lord’s Table. These means of grace have greatly served him to have a heart instructed and kindle in the good of the gospel.

Furthermore, the local church and all of her dynamics have served to be a great tool for personal edification and sharpening. The conversations with other believers about the greatness of Christ, the burden-bearing, the service together, the times of refreshment along the way, etc. All of these things have been great tools for sustaining a deep, gospel-centered joy in Christ.

I love this guy and am so thankful that God has afforded me the opportunity to grow around him. May God continue to use believers to showcase his grace!

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