The modern evangelical Christian finds it more desirable that the ministerial candidate have a high emotion (i. e. a “heart for God”) than a solid intellectual foundation; I contend that we cannot sacrifice either.
To advocate such a view, one must ignore Jesus’ answer to the Pharisee who asked: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). God does not call us to apportion off parts of our inner being and say that one is more important than the other. God created humans not only with hearts but also with heads, and expects them to use both. We err when we equate mere emotion toward God with true devotion; proper feelings toward God arise from proper thoughts about God which, by definition, must be informed by holy Scripture.
I assert that it is impossible to have a proper emotional response to truth apart from a deep knowledge of that truth. To have a relationship with God, we must avoid thinking vaguely about Him and His ways—we must gain knowledge of sound doctrine from His Word. (II Timothy 2:15) The regenerate heart will leap at the sound of the Shepherd’s voice, and that voice may be heard distinctly through the study of sound doctrine. The Word has much to feed hungry minds, and in feeding the mind, will transform the heart. We make a grave mistake in eradicating the intellectual element from our glorious religion.
Let us please to recognize that spiritual sensitivity does not in and of itself qualify anyone for ministry. Ministry requires certain gifts and specifications recorded in Scripture (Timothy 3). The prophet-king David was certainly spiritually sensitive, yet he was not allowed to serve as a priest, or even to build the Temple. Women are not allowed to serve as ministers in the Church, although many of them may be spiritually sensitive (I Timothy 2:12).
Additionally, the “heart for God” is a quality not to be credited to an individual. It is evidence of God’s work in the heart of an elect believer. Proverbs 21:1 says that even “the king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.” If salvation is of the Lord, how much more sanctification? I do not imply here that believers have no responsibility, for the Word has given many instructions, but simply that a human dare not take the credit for what God has accomplished in the life of a believer.
To advocate such a view, one must ignore Jesus’ answer to the Pharisee who asked: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). God does not call us to apportion off parts of our inner being and say that one is more important than the other. God created humans not only with hearts but also with heads, and expects them to use both. We err when we equate mere emotion toward God with true devotion; proper feelings toward God arise from proper thoughts about God which, by definition, must be informed by holy Scripture.
I assert that it is impossible to have a proper emotional response to truth apart from a deep knowledge of that truth. To have a relationship with God, we must avoid thinking vaguely about Him and His ways—we must gain knowledge of sound doctrine from His Word. (II Timothy 2:15) The regenerate heart will leap at the sound of the Shepherd’s voice, and that voice may be heard distinctly through the study of sound doctrine. The Word has much to feed hungry minds, and in feeding the mind, will transform the heart. We make a grave mistake in eradicating the intellectual element from our glorious religion.
Let us please to recognize that spiritual sensitivity does not in and of itself qualify anyone for ministry. Ministry requires certain gifts and specifications recorded in Scripture (Timothy 3). The prophet-king David was certainly spiritually sensitive, yet he was not allowed to serve as a priest, or even to build the Temple. Women are not allowed to serve as ministers in the Church, although many of them may be spiritually sensitive (I Timothy 2:12).
Additionally, the “heart for God” is a quality not to be credited to an individual. It is evidence of God’s work in the heart of an elect believer. Proverbs 21:1 says that even “the king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.” If salvation is of the Lord, how much more sanctification? I do not imply here that believers have no responsibility, for the Word has given many instructions, but simply that a human dare not take the credit for what God has accomplished in the life of a believer.
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