Why do you need to guard your heart above all else (Proverbs 4:23)?

The Pharisees made clean the outside of the cup and platter, but that did not cleanse the inside, for it is that which comes from within defiles the man. The stream was bitter because the fountain was bitter; and the fruit was bad because the tree was bad. The fountain of a man’s defilement lies in his own heart. No attendance upon a religious ritual could be of any value. The mere fact of this only made men hypocrites. An appearance of sanctity and goodness might be, and had been, adopted by the Pharisees as an outward garb, leaving the seat of the disease untouched; but of what avail was that in the presence of One whose eye was upon the heart. And “out of it are the issues of life” (Prov. 4:23). There is nothing to be gained by attention to that which is merely external. If the tree were good the fruit would be good, and if the fountain were sweet the stream would be sweet; and if the heart were pure the man would be pure also. Not that which entereth into a man defiles him, but that which comes out. “Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: these are the things which defile a man.”

As we have noted, the heart is the center of all motives and activities. Little wonder then that we are admonished, "Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life." Keeping the heart certainly involves carefully controlling the heart's desires, that it is not allowed to lead in devious ways. It produces "the issues of life" (v. 23), whether good or bad. But the person is given the responsibility of governing his heart. We all know this, though we may pay little attention to it.

"Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them." Sad progress downward! The heart deceived. This is the beginning of all declension. "And ye turn aside." The feet are sure to follow the heart. Hence the deep need of keeping the heart with all diligence; it is the citadel of the whole moral being, and so long as it is kept for the Lord, the enemy can gain no advantage; but when once it is surrendered, all is really gone; there is the turning aside; the secret departure of the heart is proved by the practical ways; "other gods" are served and worshipped. The descent down along the inclined plane is terribly rapid.

Having laid the foundations, the Spirit of God gives, in the next place, counsels for the maintenance of the spiritual life, and for the preservation of a holy walk. The first of these relates - and necessarily relates - to the heart, which is to be kept with all diligence, because out of it are the issues of life. An unsatisfied heart is a constant source of danger, and a divided heart is the continual cause of inconsistency of walk. On the other hand, when Christ possesses and engrosses the affections we are superior to every temptation of the enemy. We have only to read what the Lord Himself says about the heart of man (Matt. 15:19, 23), to understand what evils lurk in the flesh even of believers, and the consequent necessity for this exhortation. It should ever be remembered that if our hearts are set on one single thing on which the heart of God is not set, in so far we are out of communion. This fact will make it very evident that the issues of life proceed from the heart. (Compare Romans 8:13.) Let every dear babe in Christ weigh this in the presence of God, for Satan well knows, even if we forget, that his most successful temptations are addressed to the affections of the young.

Scripture shows that there is an intimate connection between the two, and that the heart exercises a considerable influence over the mind. When the declension of man from the knowledge of God to the darkness and corruption of heathendom is described, it is first stated that they "became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened." It then follows that "even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind" (Rom. 1:21, 28). The heart foolish and darkened was the precursor of the reprobate mind. Again, the apostle prays for the Ephesians that God would give them "the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him; the eyes of your heart (not, "understanding" as in the A.V.) being enlightened: that ye may know what is the hope of his calling," etc. So that it is clear that while the knowledge of God was lost through the darkening of the heart, the full knowledge of Him is now communicated through the enlightening of the heart. Since the heart therefore is the highway to every true and proper apprehension of the things of God, it is of the highest importance that the heart should be strictly guarded; even as it is said, "Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life" (Prov. 4:23). So the apostle writes to the Philippians, "And the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:7), thus pointing out what alone can form an efficient garrison for the central citadel of man's nature.

For scripture uniformly teaches that the heart is the core of man's being. It is the seat of the affections and of the impulses that carry man forward in the path of life. The Lord Himself declared to those who were content to make clean the exterior of the platter that there is a fountain of uncleanness within, which they entirely ignored. It is from the heart that proceeds every thing that defileth (Matt. 15:19). The evil heart of the natural man therefore gives a colour to his every action; for it is thence the mischief springs (Matt. 5:28, 1 John 3:15). On the other hand, the heart of the renewed man is so to characterise every action that it may prove good and acceptable before God. As servants of Christ we are to do "the will of God from the heart" (Eph. 6:6). To this end the love of God has been "shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us" (Rom. 5:5). Indeed the very Spirit of God Himself is in our hearts to originate and characterise every affection. This the apostle teaches, "Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father" (Gal. 4:6; 2 Cor. 1:22).

This fact is of great moment to such as have learnt the deceitfulness of the natural heart (Jer. 17:9). We are not left to ourselves to produce proper feelings Godward. He Who gives us right thoughts of God and the Father gives us right feelings too. For He is the Spirit of love as well as of a sound mind (2 Tim. 1:7). It is He, Who fills the heart with such a sense of the incomparable love of God Rom. 5:5) that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Matt. 12:34-35; Luke 6:45).

How we ought to bless Him for such touching words! They do so reveal His own loving heart to us. Assuredly, He loved us in deed and in truth; and He cannot be satisfied with anything else, whether in our ways with Him or our ways one with another. All must flow straight from the heart.

"And these words which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart" — at the very source of all the issues of life. This is peculiarly precious. Whatever is in the heart comes out through the lips, and in the life. How important then, to have the heart full of the word of God, so full that we shall have no room for the vanities and follies of this present evil world. Thus shall our conversation be always with grace, seasoned with salt. "Out of the abundance of the heart the month speaks." Hence we can judge of what is in the heart by what comes out of the mouth. The tongue is the organ of the heart — the organ of the man. "A good man out of the good treasure of the heart brings forth good things; and an evil man, out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things." When the heart is really governed by the word of God, the whole character reveals the blessed result. It must be so, inasmuch as the heart is the main-spring of our entire moral condition; it lies at the centre of all those moral influences which govern our personal history and shape our practical career.

Hence the call to "keep thy heart more than all thou guardest." The utmost vigilance is needed and due; "for out of it are the issues of life." Scripture ever and truly views the heart as the moral centre on which all outward conduct and walk depend. Hence the Lord in Luke 8 speaks of those who in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience; as in John 15 He said, "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you. Ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done to you." This indeed is piety: to abide in Him who is life and salvation and peace, to have His words, yea not only obeyed but constantly cherished, with prayers going up and answers coming down accordingly. No wonder then that His Father is glorified, much fruit borne, and the Lord Jesus not ashamed to own such as His disciples.

How wise is God to say, "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life" (Prov. 4:23). Again, as a man "thinks in his heart, so is he" (Prov. 23:7). It is not what I do, or what I say with my lips: but what I really am, is what my heart is, what the affections are occupied with. I believe we are in a day when intelligence goes very far ahead of the heart. I shall not be speaking too plainly if I say, the secret of the want of a great deal of spiritual power is pride of heart. Hence would I say before God, let us beware of backsliding in heart. God must have reality.

176 We have, then, another element. The heart which thus seeks God, and has a desire to do His will, not only seeks outward conduct to be right when the occasion arises, but keeps the word at the centre, so to speak, and springs of action. He hides it in his own heart as that which he loves; "out of the heart (where that word is hid) are the issues of life." How large a place the word has here! Note, too, man's estimate of conduct disappears. It is between God and the heart, and this is integrity of heart. It is not here a single eye to an object; so far as that is here, it is found in seeking with the whole heart. This is the integrity which, by reason of the desire towards God, takes His mind as governing the springs of life. It is a blessed and important principle. The word hid in the heart prevents sinning against Him.

But the heart goes farther. It owns the blessedness of Jehovah Himself, known in His ways, His goodness, His mercy, that endureth for ever. There, in the midst of its distress, the renewed heart finds its resource and its rest. "Blessed art thou, O Jehovah." This makes the heart look for what He has decreed and ordained, and for divine teaching in it. This looking at God gives courage and the consciousness of integrity and faithfulness. When the heart is right, this is the case. The heart, however humble, when it walks in integrity, has the consciousness of it before God. It may see weakness and infirmity in its ways, shortcomings of which it will judge the cause; but with God it will have the consciousness of entire guilelessness and purpose of heart. "This one thing I do"; "to me to live is Christ." This does not affect humility; entire dependence on grace and divine strength for willing and doing is felt (we are in result unprofitable servants, had we done all), it is duty and delight. But there is the joyfulness with and from God that the heart is right.

Hear also what our Lord Jesus Christ says on this subject. "Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies." Out of what heart? Is it the heart of some hideously depraved and abominable wretch wholly unfit to appear in decent society? Nay; it is out of the human heart the heart of the writer and of the reader of these lines.