@josephw saidWhen Matt Johnson penned the lyric: "The only true freedom is freedom from the heart's desires", I get his bog standard poetic use of the word "heart".
The heart's desire makes a convert of the mind.
It might be concluded that freedom from desire liberates the mind.
In vernacular literature, since the Middle Ages, the "heart" has been used as a metaphor for the "...enclosure in which a person lives, and which can be entered, conquered and ruled."
But when you penned the words: "The heart's desire makes a convert of the mind", you seem to me to be differentiating between "the mind" and "the heart", as if the "heart" shares cognitive functions with the brain.
So, apparently, you are NOT using the "heart" as a literary metaphor for the emotional side of our brains. You do this as if desires [thoughts] originate from the organ that pumps blood through our circulatory system ~ as if they do not originate from the brain/mind.
The brain is "...a complex organ that controls thought, memory, emotion, touch, motor skills, vision, breathing, temperature, hunger and every process that regulates our body."
So, your first sentence should read: The mind's desire makes a convert of the mind.
What do you mean by "a convert"?
@sonship saidPerhaps. I didn't have that in mind, though. Buddhism might be behind Matt Johnson's lyrics. Maybe so.
@FMF"The only true freedom is freedom from the heart's desires"
Basically it sounds like Buddhism to me.
What would be a Christian definition of "true freedom" as experienced in their lifetime?
@fmf said"The brain is "...a complex organ that controls thought, memory, emotion, touch, motor skills, vision, breathing, temperature, hunger and every process that regulates our body." "
When Matt Johnson penned the lyric: "The only true freedom is freedom from the heart's desires", I get his bog standard poetic use of the word "heart".
In vernacular literature, since the Middle Ages, the "heart" has been used as a metaphor for the "...enclosure in which a person lives, and which can be entered, conquered and ruled."
But when you penned the words: "The he ...[text shortened]... ence should read: The mind's desire makes a convert of the mind.
What do you mean by "a convert"?
I think "complex" is the operative word here. The Word of God makes a distinction between the components that make up the whole of man.
Heart, soul, mind and body. They are so inextricably linked as to make it virtually impossible to perceive their separate functions. Except for the body perhaps.
Biblically speaking, the heart is the spirit. Desire is a function of the heart. Desire can overpower intellect. The mind says "no, this is wrong", but desire can cause the mind to excuse it, until reason is overrun with desire.
But, if you insist on being controlled by a pound of flesh, then by all means believe as it tells you to.
What would be a Christian definition of "true freedom" as experienced in their lifetime?
"For the law of the Spirit of life has freed me in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and of death." (Rom. 8:1,2)
The automtic working of the influence of the Holy Spirit in our lives freeing us in Christ Jesus.
"And the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom." (2 Cor. 3:17)
Where the Spirit of the Lord Jesus enters and has His liberating life power
working - blending in with our lives as He promised.
@sonship saidIs there any evidence that you are enjoying true freedom in this way?What would be a Christian definition of "true freedom" as experienced in their lifetime?
"For the law of the Spirit of life has freed me in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and of death." (Rom. 8:1,2)
The automtic working of the influence of the Holy Spirit in our lives freeing us in Christ Jesus.
[b]"And the Lord is the Spirit; an ...[text shortened]... s enters and has His liberating life power working - blending in with our lives as He promised.
@FMF
I believe so.
Is there any evidence that your postured objectivity is genuine when it comes to
lovers of Jesus Christ?
The heart (psychological) is composed of the mind, will, emotion, and conscience of man.
For example when the New Testament says "That Christ may make His home in your hearts through faith" (Eph. 3:17) it means one living Person's personality may compound Himself into your personality.
That is Christ's mind (Christ who is alive) may blend more and settle down in your mind, by faith.
That is that Christ's emotion (Christ who rose from the dead and is available) may mingle more and more with your emotion.
That is that the living and available Christ's will may infiltrate and permeate your will, making "home" there.
That is that the available and living Christ's conscience may settle down in your conscience.
This coming into the human heart, room by room, chamber by chamber, can actually happen by the exercise of faith. That is the rust that all you need in your various parts of the personality Christ CAN be.
Now the word "psychological" can perhaps only be borrowed.
Because the conscience, I believe, is something deeper than the soul, the psuche.
The conscience is something that resides in the spiritual part of man.
We see in the biography of Paul a man who was free.
You may ask, where is Paul's biography?
Other write of his life and he autobiographically writes about his life in many of his letters. Particularly he writes autobiographically in Second Corinthians.
But other letters of his like Philippians I think definitely reveal both his service to God yet paradoxically his FREEDOM.
This is a paradox. In His being a slave of Jesus Christ Paul experienced a great freedom. Living a life responsive and responsible to his Lord Jesus Christ Paul simultaneously expereinced a tremendous freedom.
Many things which plague most of us Paul rode high above in transcendent freedom and liberty. He overcame the bondage of many many things in the fallen humanity with a powerful freedom he enjoyed in Christ Jesus.
In this regard, he, like others of the apostles, was free to really live.
Nothing could keep him down because in Christ he learned to live in the freedom
of a all fitting life of the Son of God as a model to others.
Here is an example of Paul's freedom from anxiety, fear, dread, and unsettling concern for ANYTHING that might happen to him as he lived for Christ.
"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." (Rom. 8:28)
This is like Paul saying - " I do not look for trouble. I do not encourage you to go looking for tragedies to happen to you. But I encourage you that whatever happens God is able to engineer all events to turn out to good to those who love Him and are called to His eternal purpose. Whatever may happen, the sovereign God who has providence over all the universe and time is fully able to make it turn out for good according to His purpose for us."
This manifest a true freedom from unhealthy regret over misfortune.
Again, this shoud not be construed as advice to hunt out misfirtune or hope calamities, tragedies, turmoils, errors, mistakes will come. They should be avoided.
But, the Christian need not be a slave of negtive regret because God has the power to turn out all things for hus good eventually in the whole scheme of His eternal purpose.
Here again Paul displays his freedom rooted in his consecration to Jesus Christ.
"For I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels not principalities nor things present nor things to come nor powers not height nor depth nor any other creature will be avble to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (ROm. 8:38,39)
HIs freedom is from anything in life, anything in death, anything past, present, or to come in the future can sever his attachment to God's love.
His freedom is freedom from worry that anyting in all creation, any creature, any power, authority, high circumstance, low circumstance, long running circumstance, even supernatural beings as evil angels, NOTHING can separate the believers from the eternal indestructible love of Christ Jesus.
His freedom is because of his confidence in the unconquerable and indestructible love of God embodied in the Son of God Christ Jesus.
This he puts forth as the real only true freedom for man.