When the Bible speaks of the heart, what does it mean? I remember when the heart transplant first started and I had some people ask, " if a person that is saved had a heart attack and received the heart of a lost person would they have to get saved again?". If you think that hilarious then the reason is because the heart transplant has been around as long as lot of you have. But when they first started heart transplants and most people did not understand what the Bible meant when it stated believe with the heart, they were serious about the question. When people get under Holy Ghost conviction, which is very rare these days, it feels as if the heart is going to burst so people believed that it was the heart organ which believed. If you do not understand what God means by the word heart, then this is a good question.

The first three times the word heart is mentioned in the Word Of God reveals what the heart of man consists of. The first time it is found is in Genesis 6 : 5 "And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." Notice the words "thoughts of the heart". This is the intellectual part of a man, the mind. This enables a man to reject or believe the Word of God and thereby be saved or lost.

The second time the word heart is mentioned is in Genesis 6 : 6 "And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart." Notice the words "grieved him at his heart.." This is the emotional make up of a man. The emotions of men are grief, love, hate, joy, anger happiness sadness etc. So by the word grief we understand is referring to the emotions. When a person is under conviction the Holy Spirit stirs up his emotions.

The third time the word heart is mentioned is in Genesis 8 : 21 "And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done." Notice the words "The Lord said in his heart, I will", this shows God’s will is in His heart and man being created in His image also has a will within his heart.. With this will he can choose to do right or wrong, get saved or stay lost.

Now the Calvinists say man has no will to get saved because their salvation is predetermined before the foundation of the world. But when he gets saved he can will to do right or wrong, good or evil. There is a fool born every day.

So in summery, biblically speaking, a man's heart consist of his emotions, mind and will. This is the real person and not the outward appearance. When a person is saved he is a new creature and is to love the Lord with all his heart, have the mind of Christ and a surrendered will to the word of God. Old things are passed away and all things become new.