How should we respond to the knowledge that Jesus knows our hearts? I have often heard the idea presented that God will forgive our sins because He knows our hearts. It is implied that because the intentions of our hearts are good, God will consider our intent, rather than our actions, in judging us. I believe that this idea is a misunderstanding of Scripture that ultimately presents a false characterization of the Gospel.
When Scripture presents the idea that God knows someone’s heart, the implications are not good. I find no instances in which God knows a person’s heart is pure and good. I find multiple cases where God knowing the heart is presented as understanding the evil, hidden motives of people.
“If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god, would not God discover this? For he knows the secrets of the heart.” – Psalms 44:20-21
“By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.” – John 3:19-20
“But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, ‘Why do you think evil in your hearts?'” – Matt 9:4
So, how does the idea that God forgives us because He knows the intentions of our hearts infringe on the Gospel? If we are forgiven because of our good intentions, then it is our intentions that save us rather than Jesus Christ. Instead of substituting Christ’s life for our actions, we are only substituting our intentions for our actions. Ultimately, rather than justifying us, our hearts, just like our actions, would condemn us. Knowing our hearts is much like knowing our actions, and neither should make us very confident before God. Knowing Christ, and knowing what He has done for us, can make us confident before God, despite our hearts and our actions. †
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