1 Thessalonians (heart/emotions)

Last time we looked at the soul and the first aspect the mind. So now let's examine the function of the kardia, the heart or emotions. We first see emotions in Adam in Genesis chapter two where God said it wasn't good for Adam to be alone. Loneliness is an emotion. Even before the fall this was characteristic of human beings. God gave us limited space and time which required us interacting with each other through other means. Emotions are not bad in and of themselves. We see that fear of death kept Adam and Eve from eating the fruit. They loved God and trusted Him and knew the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was dangerous to them. When the serpent took away their trust and made the tree safe did they eat from it. Emotions combine with information from the mind and spirit to make relationships bond. When we look at a sunset we take in visually what the sunset looks like but then our spirit is related to God through the idea of sunset but then we are overwhelmed by the concept of beauty. How does this happen? Our spirit trusts God created the sunset. Our mind is fascinated by the intricacies of the visual stimuli but our emotions take the information about the colors and how they fit together plus the relationship to God and our emotions produce, awe, love, and beauty which bonds us to God in that moment. Without emotions we wouldn't experience passion, affection, fear, compassion and intimacy with each other and with God. It is intriguing to me that a mother as soon as she finds out about life inside her is bonded to that life having never seen the child or held the child. We are bonded to each other through emotion. The apostles talk about the depth of tenderness for the churches and Paul talks about the kindred spirit he experienced with Timothy and Titus through their bond with Christ. Emotions are not the enemy but emotions can be used by the enemy. When someone questions the validity of a confession stating that it is emotional this can be dangerous. Emotions are part of who we are. If we trust something is true and are overwhelmed by the love that Christ has for us we will express it in some emotional way. We need to distinguish between a confession based on a group dynamic where the individual wanting the approval of the group comes forward or makes a decision and where there is no substance to their confession versus one based upon truth with emotional responses. We also need to refrain from judging others on their outward expression of gratitude toward God or their depth of devotion. Do some have an addiction to emotions? Yes. This is something that occurred before an individual comes to Christ. They let their emotions be the chief contributor of information to the will. So they live by fear, anger, avoidance of pain and addiction to infatuations. If they feel warm and fuzzy at a church service they perpetually seek that feeling instead of a more sustainable passion for God. Passion is different because it is the emotions under authority. When we have a passion for each other because of God that is positive and bonds us to God through Christ. Should we fear emotions? No in fact we need to have a healthy Christ centered attitude toward them. So God doesn't reject our sadness or anger He just wants us to trust Him so we don't do something out of anger, sadness or fear that is sin. When Job tore his clothes and wept for his children in Job 2:20 God says Job didn't sin with his lips. God knows we are going to mourn our sin, mourn the loss of people and possessions. He just doesn't want us to succumb to despair. So the emotions were never meant to take over the will but to compliment the mind and spirit. Many people act out of their emotions and blame it on their personalities. A person's personality is the totality of who they are not just what they say. If an individual runs at the mouth it is because their mind and emotions have control of their will and not the Spirit of God. God doesn't give us an out when it comes to change. Everything including what we say comes under the authority of God or else we grieve Him. Change from habitual emotional responses to Spirit controlled emotional bonding is difficult and requires conscious awareness of the process. It also requires strengthening the mind and that is where scripture ingestion can put our emotions in check and allow us to trust from a place of truth and not fear or anger.