Quote:
Originally posted by Jeff_Bartel
My question is not regarding true belivers to mere professors. My question is more regarding some who believe that you can actually believe the gospel in your head, but if you don't believe it in your heart, it's all worthless. To these people, I would ask, are there two kinds of beliefs? What is the difference? The only things that that James mentions that demons believe is the fact that God is one.
A verse that touches on this subject, "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he." Is this different than thinking in your mind/head?
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First, you've got these verses yanked out of their context. Oops - that's going to mess you up! However, the Proverbs verse is relevent in the sense that if a person professes Christ - they will act like the profession is true. Good works will follow because they are already regenerate - not because they wish to earn salvation.
Second - keep in mind that the ancient Jewish idea of "heart" when it's in Scripture refers to a total combination of mind-will-attitude-heart-bowels as being that "center" of oneself - where deep conviction resides. It's not the romantic/sentimental/sappy 19th Century European idea of "heart."
Warning...read large portions of Scripture, in context-topically. Don't chop-out verses and assemble them to fit your question.
Robin