How Does God Operate on and Change the Heart?

By Bob Myhan

Contrary to the doctrine of Calvinism, God does not change the heart by a direct operation of the Holy Spirit. He does not send the Holy Spirit to operate on the heart of man without means or instrumentation.

The Holy Spirit, rather, operates indirectly by means, or instrumentation. To illustrate, a heart surgeon might, occasionally, have to drop his instruments and massage his patient’s heart with his hands; but he almost always operates with instruments such as a scalpel.

The reason God does not directly operate on a man’s heart is that He has given man the gift of free will. Therefore, every man must ultimately change his own heart. But God desires a change of heart in each sinner and “operates” on every sinner’s heart to that end.

Through what means, then, does God operate on and change the sinner’s heart? He operates on and changes the sinner’s heart through the instrumentation of His word.

As mentioned last week, the heart is intellectual, emotional, ethical and volitional in nature. Intellectually, it is the mind. Ethically, it is the conscience. Volitionally, it is the will. Thus, to be completely changed, it must be changed in all four of its natures.

First, He changes the heart, intellectually, by means of information because the heart is a figurative "seedbed" in which the word of God must be planted.

"A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it…. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved." (Luke 8:5, 11-12)

The word of God must be understood in order for the heart to be changed intellectually.

Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: "Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them…. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside." (Matt. 13: 3-4, 19)

Every change involves the intellect. That is, information must enter the heart through the intellect in order to produce an emotional, ethical and volitional change.

Second, God changes the heart, in its emotional capacity, by means of specific information concerning His love for mankind. He manifested His love for us by sending His Son to the cross.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

Jesus demonstrated His love by sacrificing His life for us.

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. (John 15:13).

By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. (1 John 3:16)

And, because of His love for us, we love Him in return.

We love Him because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19)

But we would never have known about the love that God and His Son have for us if it were not revealed in His word.

Third, God changes the heart, in its ethical capacity, by means of information concerning His authority. Paul's conscience had been clear, even while he was persecuting Christians. (Acts 23:1; 24:16) His heart had not made proper ethical judgments concerning his actions because it had not been properly educated. (Acts 26:9)

But when he saw Jesus on the road to Damascus, he realized that he did not have the authority of God to persecute Christians for worshiping Jesus as God. He then realized that it was he, not Christians, who was guilty of blasphemy.

So he, trembling and astonished, said, "Lord, what do You want me to do?" Then the Lord said to him, "Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do." And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damas­cus. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank. (Acts 9:3-9)

Thus, Paul experienced an intellectual, emotional and ethical change of heart on the road to Damascus. But, if he was saved on the road to Damascus, he was saved before "calling on the name of the Lord" and before washing his sins away. (Acts 22:16)

By going to Damascus and waiting for someone to tell him what he "must do," he was, indeed, exercising his volition but his heart would not be fully changed (and he would not be saved) until he did, by faith, what he would be told that he "must do."

On Pentecost, Peter changed the hearts of the people, ethically, by explaining that Jesus had the authority of God for the things He did and they did not have the authority of God to put Him to death.

"Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know-- Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death…. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" (Acts 2:22-23; 36-37)

But how does God change the heart in its volitional capacity? It is sometimes said, "A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still." Because man's will is free, his heart can only be changed if he is willing to have it changed.

“For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.” (Matt. 13:15)

God operates on and changes the heart, in its volitional capacity, by means of specific information concerning His goodness and severity. God's goodness—and promise of further goodness—is designed to motivate us to repentance, which is an act of the will.

Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the good­ness of God leads you to repentance? (Rom. 2:1-4)

God's severity—and warning of further severity—is for the same purpose.

You will say then, "Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in." Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. Therefore consider the good­ness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. (Rom. 11:19-22)

The hearts of those to whom Peter preached on Pentecost were changed, volitionally, after Peter promised them the remission of sins, which is a manifestation of the goodness of God.

Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38)

Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. (Acts 2:41)

Likewise, three days after Saul of Tarsus arrived in Damascus, during which time he was praying and fasting, a man who was sent by Jesus to tell Saul what he "must do," commanded him,

"And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord." (Acts 22:16)

Authoritative commands must be obeyed. Submission to an authoritative command is a volitional act. And submission to the command to be baptized is the final volitional act of an alien sinner, because he is then born again of water and the Spirit and enters into the kingdom of God (John 3:3-5), where he enjoys heavenly citizenship. (Phil. 3:20) &