What does the Bible mean when it talks about the heart, if it isn't the physical organ?
Scripture uses heart to mean the inner, central part of a person that relates to the spirit world, not the physical pumping organ. It is where God begins and finishes His work, and where true belief, trust, and faith in the gospel must reside rather than mere head knowledge.
Les explains that even the Bible speaks of the heart as being in the chest area—for example, the stones placed in a pouch on the chest because it was the love of Israel next to the heart. But this is not the pumping organ that moves blood through veins and arteries. Rather, the heart is the very central part of us that has relationship with the spirit world, and it is in that area where God must begin and finish His work. Believing the gospel is therefore true heart belief, not just mental assent to historical facts about Christ's life, death, or resurrection. Les warns that many may miss heaven by 12 inches because they had it in the head but never in the heart. God must open our ability to believe and trust our whole eternal destiny on it, since Scripture shows heart faith is where it begins.
More Questions
Why does the Bible speak of the heart as being in the chest area?
The Bible locates the heart in the chest area because the stones worn in the high priest's little pouch were placed on his chest rather than his back or hips, signifying the love of Israel next to the heart.