Revelation: Hearts and Minds

 Revelation: Justification by Faith

Hearts and Minds

Revelation 2:20–23
"But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works."

Today, we will examine what it means for God to search "hearts and minds."

Jezebel called herself a prophetess, leading others into immorality and idolatry. Yet these overt sins are rarely committed in the church without some form of excuse. Perhaps Jezebel might have argued that her actions were not truly idolatrous, claiming she did not genuinely worship these gods. She could have justified her authority as queen or prophetess, stating it gave her the right to permit such practices. She might even have declared that the prohibition against idolatry no longer applied or was no longer relevant.

Through such rationalizations, she might have cloaked her sin in piety. This pattern is not uncommon:

Matthew 23:27–28
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness."

Isaiah 29:13
"And the Lord said: 'Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men,'”

People may deceive many with their pretense of humility and devotion. However, God is not fooled by their outward appearance. They might even deceive themselves, sincerely believing they are righteous. But God searches the hearts and minds.

What Are the Hearts and Minds?

This is the standard by which God judges. While we will explore judgment according to works in another study, today, we focus on the "hearts and minds."

In Hebrew thought, the kidneys (minds) were considered the seat of emotions and affections. The heart, however, represented the deepest reasoning and intentions of a person. Why do we do the things we do?

Hebrews 4:12–13
"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account."

God’s judgment of hearts and minds reveals the true nature of a person. Even if sin is dressed up to appear righteous, it remains sin. The violation of God’s law still demands the penalty of death. And the sins we prefer to keep hidden—even from ourselves—are known to God.

It is for these very sins that Christ died. Anyone who confesses them will receive forgiveness. God simply asks us to acknowledge that we are in the wrong. No excuse should leave our mouths; instead, we must hear God’s Word and accept it as though He speaks directly to us.

When God judges Jezebel and her children, it will prove that mere outward religion is insufficient. God searches the hearts and minds.

Why Do We Serve God?

Is it for the sake of the cross, or merely to escape hell?
Why do we believe certain "small sins" do not matter?
Why do we say the things we say or do the things we do?

Is that kind word spoken out of flattery or the hope of receiving kindness in return? Do we make excuses for our idols so we can keep them?

The situation worsens when God's true people are persecuted. There has always been an excuse for the persecutor, and Jezebel likely had hers. Persecutors often claim that true Christians are the problem rather than the sin in the church.

What does Jeremiah say in such a situation?

Jeremiah 11:19–20
"But I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter. I did not know it was against me they devised schemes, saying, 'Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name be remembered no more.' But, O LORD of hosts, who judges righteously, who tests the heart and the mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you have I committed my cause."

Jeremiah 20:12
"O LORD of hosts, who tests the righteous, who sees the heart and the mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you have I committed my cause."

God Himself takes up the case, searching hearts and minds and judging justly. We often struggle to judge rightly because we cannot see the heart and mind. This truth not only warns against judging others prematurely, assuming they are not Christians, but also cautions against the opposite.

We cannot know the motives behind someone’s actions. People often disguise selfishness or deceit under the guise of "good works." We even deceive ourselves. But the Lord says:

Jeremiah 17:9–10
"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? 'I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.'”

Jeremiah 17:5
"Thus says the LORD: 'Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the LORD.'”

Let us then beware of deceitful Jezebels, whether they are others or lurking within our own hearts.