I once had some "Christian" ladies tell me I didn't know their heart when I rebuked them for their attire.
They were romping on the beach in string bikinis hanging all over the young "Christian men. I told them that their clothing was too revealing and they were exhibiting their bodies sinfully.
They mocked me and said that I didn't know their heart. The truth is I did know their heart. The good heart of a godly woman would never dress like that nor would they flirt shamelessly with men who are lusting after them.
When the bikini was first marketed in the 50's no model would display themselves like that. The promoters of that suit had to hire prostitutes to model them.
Yes, we can know someone's heart by the way they act.
Our heart is revealed by the way we conduct our lives.
The young ladies in the immoral suits didn't realize they were sinning through flaunting their bodies for men to lust. Or maybe they did know it. I know that a godly woman would not do this, but worse yet as they claimed to be Christian, they were stubborn and arrogantly fighting back to defend their sin. Instead of being ashamed an older woman chastised them, they mocked and demeaned her.
Luke 6:44-45 "…44 For each tree is known by its own fruit. Indeed, people do not gather figs from thornbushes, or grapes from brambles. 45 The good man brings good things out of the good treasure of his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil treasure of his heart. For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. 46 Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ but not do what I say?…"
Only God knows who is going to heaven or hell, perhaps someone will get saved later and we wouldn't know that. But we can know the condition of someone's heart by the way they conduct their lives.
If someone murders we know they have an evil heart of murder. This comes straight from their heart. The heart condition is first and the actions follow.
Those girls on the beach were flirting exhibitionists hoping to entice the men. There is no other reason for flaunting oneself mostly naked except to expose the body immorally.
This modern lie that no one can know another man's heart comes from psychology in which it is taught that people do things because of the hurts in their life.
Many people have been hurt who do not hurt others just because they were hurt. We have a choice to act properly or not to act properly. No difficulty or rejection is an excuse to act sinfully.
The mantra, "only God knows the heart" comes from the mouth of those who do not know the Bible. They are merely repeating, once again, a phrase from scripture taken out of context.
Another equally wrong doctrine is the "don't judge" mantra. These phrases taken out of context are designed to intimidate others into silence so that no one will feel guilty about their sin. Those who tell the truth about sin and the condition of someone's heart are those who are battered the most.
The culture doesn't want to have to face their sin nor do they want anyone to judge them. Therefore the devil has come up with some phrases for rebellious people to throw out there to manipulate and intimidate others to accept any and all sin without challenge.
1 Corinthians 5:1-13
It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father's wife. And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you. For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.
Hebrews 3:13 "But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin."
Proverbs 27:5
"Better is open rebuke than hidden love."
1 Timothy 5:20
"As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear."
Titus 2:15
"Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you."
Proverbs 27:6
"Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy."
All rebuke in the Christian family is for the purpose of redirecting those who walk sinfully, to learn not to sin against God and others. If there is someone who refuses to be rebuked, refuses to feel shame and mocks and rejects those who correct them, probably were never born again. Those who have no conscience even hostile to defend their sin cannot have the Holy Spirit living in them.
A born again believer is ashamed of sin when they are caught. Many even confess their sin out loud before anyone catches them. The Holy Spirit is a very powerful entity working every day in our lives to move us along in holiness.
John 14:26
"26 "But the Helper , the Holy Spirit , whom the Father will send in My name , He will teach you all things , and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you."
1 Corinthians 3:16 "16 Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?"
The Holy Spirit cannot live in someone who deliberately defies Christ.
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