IS YOUR HEART RIGHT? by Ellet Joseph Waggoner

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Sep 16, 1880

IS YOUR HEART RIGHT?

By Ellet Joseph Waggoner

“It makes no difference what I believe if my heart is right,” and “God will never condemn a man for his honest opinions,” are expressions that we frequently hear from individuals when certain truths of God’s word are presented to them. Many seem to think that they can thus screen themselves from the necessity of obeying God’s law. It is usually a last resort, and nothing could be more fallacious. It is true that God will not condemn a man merely for his opinions, for the Judgment tries men’s characters; and those will be condemned who have “done evil.” Jno. 5:29. Neither will a man be saved for his opinions, for it is only those who “do his commandments” who are blessed with a right to the tree of life. Rev. 22:14. “For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.” Rom. 2:13. It is “every work” and not every opinion that shall be brought into Judgment, and the standard by which these works are to be judged is not an individual standard, but the commandments of God. Eccl. 12:13, 14.

But how are we to know that our hearts are right? Are we ourselves the proper judges? What says the Bible? “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I the Lord search the heart.” Jer. 17:9, 10. Thus we see that if we judge ourselves by any standard of our own we shall fall into error; but God sees the heart, and cannot be deceived. His standard is his holy law, Jas. 2:8–12; Rom. 2:12. It is evident, therefore, that a man’s heart is right when it leads him to do the things contained in God’s law; but if he finds himself unwilling to obey any portion of that law, he may be sure that his heart is not right, but is sinful. Paul says, “The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” And “to be carnally minded is death.” Rom. 8:6, 7. The man whose heart is right will not find the requirements of God irksome, but will be ready to exclaim with David, “O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.” Ps. 119:97. It is dangerous to try to excuse ourselves from keeping any of God’s commandments. God will not excuse us. “To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” Jas. 4:17. The feelings and consciences of men unenlightened by the word of God are a very unsafe guide. The only safe way is to follow God’s word. “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.” Ps. 119:130.

Reader, are you sure that your heart is right? E. J. WAGGONER.