Head knowledge vs heart knowledge

[ByTheSpirit]

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge
(Hosea 4:6)

Knowledge, the type of knowledge that God wants us to have is not just an academic knowledge of him. It is an experiential knowledge of Him. We are to walk with him and get to know him on an intimate level.

And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
John 17:3

Think of it like this.

Your next door neighbor writes you a beautifully worded letter explaining who they are and how you can better know them as a neighbor. Just reading the letter is head knowledge. Going next door and spending time with them is when you begin to be filled with heart knowledge.

For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.
Romans 10:2.

The Jews knew about God because of the scriptures. They even had great zeal for God. But it was lacking, why? Because they didn't know him!

3 For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
Romans 10:3–4.

In saying that they are “zealous for God” Paul is saying that they have great passion for God.
They are excited in their minds about Him. They are stoked, amped, pumped about God.

He then says that “their zeal is not based on knowledge.”
The Greek word Paul uses for knowledge here is “epignosis.” That word is translated “full knowledge.”
Some commentators say it is knowledge from the heart or digested knowledge.

“Gnosis” is head knowledge.
“Epignosis” is heart knowledge.

Paul is saying that the Jews know about God, but it is in their heads. They even have passion for Him, but it is from their minds. It has not made its way to their hearts.

Paul goes on to say that the Jews lack “heart knowledge” because they do not trust in the righteousness of God, but in their own righteousness. They try to do it on their own. (Taken from: 410 Bridge)

What is the fruit of head vs. heart knowledge?

Someone with only head knowledge of God, may outwardly appear very zealous. The Jews did. But you can always tell, if not by actions, then by their motivations. The Jews had a form of righteousness (Romans 10:3) but it was a righteousness established on their own works. So they may outwardly appear very righteous indeed, but they may worry about God's judgement for past sin, they may say they have to do good works to be acceptable, they may not be holy or righteous at all while excusing their sinfulness with God's grace (Romans 6:1-2)

Someone with heart knowledge of God will be at peace at all times. Their life will be one of righteousness and holiness. They will walk in love and be full of the Holy Spirit.

So how do we go from head knowledge to heart knowledge?

Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God. For the spirit of whoredom is within them, and they know not the LORD.
Hosea 5:4

but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear. Isaiah 59:2

First off, we have to acknowledge our sins and repent of them!

For I take no pleasure in anyone’s death, declares the Lord GOD. So repent and live! Eze 18:32

Secondly, go to the source!

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
Ephesians 1:17

6 “Come, let us return to the Lord; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up. 2 After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him. 3 Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.”
Hosea 6:1–3.

Go to God with your request and be persistent!

Luke 18:1-8
1One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. 2“There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people. 3A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ 4The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, 5but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’” 6Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. 7Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?”

Jesus equates our persistence in prayer to the amount of faith we possess. It shows how much we desire what we are requesting, so stay persistent. Ask God to forgive you of your sins then turn away from them. Then ask him to give you wisdom and revelation so that you may know Him more! Ask Him to take your head knowledge and plant it into your heart so you may live for Him as He would desire!

 

[frank sears]

Interesting. I see knowledge as knowledge. The expression,"with all your heart", seems to me to simply mean to be completely persuaded in your thinking. There certainly are people who know about God and believe that He is real but have no real interest in following God. To be truthful, I am a little careful about separating the mind from the heart, as some folks use this to mean, go by your feelings(heart), rather then by logical thinking. I hope you do not mean that?

 

[ByTheSpirit]

as some folks use this to mean, go by your feelings(heart), rather then by logical thinking. I hope you do not mean that?

Not in the slightest, I don't even think I implied that.

The Bible clearly states there are multiple forms of knowledge. As laid out using Romans 10:2-4, there is a knowledge of God that results in zeal, but not righteousness, this is head knowledge, Romans 10:3-4. This type of knowledge does not result in eternal life, John 17:3.

Heart knowledge is based on faith (Romans 10:4). It's a knowledge that goes beyond just learning about God, and experiencing Him. It's not someone who is a hearer of the Word only, but a doer as well (James 1:22-25)

Someone living in sin is not able to know God (Hosea 5:4), but those who repent and go to Him will find Him and know Him (Hosea 6:1-3)

 

[com7fy8]

I can be very intellectual . . . very into trying to impress people by explaining God's word. But His words are not just ideas but God's words talk about realities >

"These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual." (1 Corinthians 2:13)

God's words talk about realities which He wants us to experience, and we experience these in sharing with God Himself, since these realities are in Jesus and the Holy Spirit > for example >

"Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." (Romans 5:5)

These words say that God shares His own love with us "in our hearts". This is Heaven's love in Heaven's Holy Spirit; so we will experience this and feel this if God is so sharing with us. And this is included in knowing the LORD by experiencing Him, and not only knowing about Him.

 

[d taylor]

-​

Heart and Mind, the Scriptures often use them interchangeably. Both refer to the inner self where one thinks and believes and feels.

Hebrews 8:10, “I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts.”
Mind and hearts are used synonymously there.

 

[tturt]

reminds me of-
Jesus said "This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me." Matt 15:8

 

[ByTheSpirit]

-​

Heart and Mind, the Scriptures often use them interchangeably. Both refer to the inner self where one thinks and believes and feels.

Hebrews 8:10, “I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts.”
Mind and hearts are used synonymously there.

I’m not necessarily speaking of only “the mind” in the sense of our thought process. Scripture does clearly teach that we are to be mindful of things of the Spirit and such.

What I’m referencing is the type of knowledge that only enters a person’s head, but never their heart. An academic knowledge that has no power to change.

2 Timothy 3:7
who are always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.

Those type of people. This is what Paul is describing in Romans 10:2-4 as well. People whose knowledge of God led them to great zeal, but not to righteousness. For righteousness is of course, based off faith, not works.

That’s why in my OP I stated that the fruits of someone with only head knowledge may well look like they have great zeal, perhaps even righteousness, but they will not be motivated by faith or love.

IOW, head knowledge only affects the intellect while heart knowledge affects the whole being

Proverbs 4:23
Luke 6:45
Mark 7:20-23
Ezekiel 36:25-27

 

[ByTheSpirit]

duplicate

 

[ByTheSpirit]

reminds me of-
Jesus said "This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me." Matt 15:8

exactly it.

Isaiah 1:13-17 speaks of bringing vain offerings before the Lord. The people had knowledge of God, they know his law but they didn’t walk in it, because that is not the knowledge that God wants us to stop at.

Head knowledge of God is not wrong, but the knowledge God wants us to have goes beyond that into the heart.

Hosea 6:6 I desire mercy and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings, for my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6)

It really does get down to sin.

Hosea 5:4 Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God. The spirit of whoredom is within them and they know not the LORD.

Those with only head knowledge have not truly repented and turned to Him so He can heal them (Isaiah 59:2). If they would only be rid of those things, then God could give the spirit of wisdom and revelation so they could know Him (Ephesians 1:17). And that’s the answer right there.

To truly know God is to forsake all things of the world, all things and run to Him with our whole heart (Hosea 6:1-3).

 

[tturt]

Also, "God is a spirit. Those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:24

In order for us to worship God as He desires, He wants both.

Jesus said "...Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thine understanding; and thy neighbour as thyself." Luk 10:27

 

[d taylor]

Someone with heart knowledge of God will be at peace at all times. Their life will be one of righteousness and holiness. They will walk in love and be full of the Holy Spirit.

That simply is not true take a look at the church in Corinthians (1 and 2) they were anything but at peace.

 

[ByTheSpirit]

That simply is not true take a look at the church in Corinthians (1 and 2) they were anything but at peace.

What kind of knowledge did the Corinthian church have? Was it head knowledge, an intellectual knowledge? Or was it heart knowledge, a transformational knowledge? Paul literally addresses this very issue in Chapters 2 and 3 of 1 Corinthians as he dives into the myriad of issues that church had.

Worldly people cannot accept truths of God's word that causes transformation because those truths are spiritual and only for those who are in the Spirit. And while the Corinthians were infants in the Spirit, they had not matured, YET. But they could. And it's not just enough to have the knowledge, we have to act on it. That's the point.

Someone with intellectual knowledge is not bad, they just don't have complete knowledge. Knowledge of God is not meant to make us merely wise, it's meant to change us. It clearly hadn't penetrated the Corinthian church yet, but that's why Paul wrote to them three times (at least). He was trying to form Christ in them and encouraging them by giving them spiritual truth so that it could transform them from babes in Christ to mature and spiritual believers (1 Corinthians 2:14-3:3)

They had knowledge of God, but it wasn't complete. Their fruit was worldly, as I said at the beginning. They had zeal and righteousness, but inwardly they still had room to grow. Clearly they had not yet had the full revelation of knowledge in Christ. The entire letter(s) is geared around this very principle. You are infants in Christ and not spiritual because you are in sin. Knock it off and let the knowledge you have transform you. What did I say in my first post?

The way to go from head knowledge to heart knowledge is to repent of sin and turn to God. What is basically all of 1 and 2 Corinthians if not a call from Paul for the Corinthians to repent of sin and turn to God.

 

[aiki]

What is "heart knowledge," exactly? Not its effects on the believer's life, but that which produces those effects. How, precisely, is "heart knowledge" itself, apart from its effects, distinct from "head knowledge"? How are you defining "heart knowledge" itself?

Also, is it "heart knowledge" that is transformational? Or is the work of the Spirit what transforms the believer?

 

[d taylor]

What kind of knowledge did the Corinthian church have? Was it head knowledge, an intellectual knowledge? Or was it heart knowledge, a transformational knowledge? Paul literally addresses this very issue in Chapters 2 and 3 of 1 Corinthians as he dives into the myriad of issues that church had.

Worldly people cannot accept truths of God's word that causes transformation because those truths are spiritual and only for those who are in the Spirit. And while the Corinthians were infants in the Spirit, they had not matured, YET. But they could. And it's not just enough to have the knowledge, we have to act on it. That's the point.

Someone with intellectual knowledge is not bad, they just don't have complete knowledge. Knowledge of God is not meant to make us merely wise, it's meant to change us. It clearly hadn't penetrated the Corinthian church yet, but that's why Paul wrote to them three times (at least). He was trying to form Christ in them and encouraging them by giving them spiritual truth so that it could transform them from babes in Christ to mature and spiritual believers (1 Corinthians 2:14-3:3)

They had knowledge of God, but it wasn't complete. Their fruit was worldly, as I said at the beginning. They had zeal and righteousness, but inwardly they still had room to grow. Clearly they had not yet had the full revelation of knowledge in Christ. The entire letter(s) is geared around this very principle. You are infants in Christ and not spiritual because you are in sin. Knock it off and let the knowledge you have transform you. What did I say in my first post?

The way to go from head knowledge to heart knowledge is to repent of sin and turn to God. What is basically all of 1 and 2 Corinthians if not a call from Paul for the Corinthians to repent of sin and turn to God.

Well first i have to guess as to who this heart/head knowledge is addressing as you never identify whether it is believers or unbelievers you are addressing.

For example the part of your post i quoted states "Someone with heart knowledge of God will be at peace at all times".

So who is this someone, a believer if so, why not say a believer. If it is an unbeliever they do not have faith in God to begin with.

The Corinthian church Paul is addressing, is addressed to believers. Showing that believers are not always or as you state "will be at peace at all times".
Or take David or Saul, Sampson

So are you saying that if a person is not at peace at all times they do not have heart knowledge of God, they have just head knowledge and are not a believer.

Is that really what this thread is addressing, only people with heart knowledge of God, are as you would probably say believers.

 

[ByTheSpirit]

Well first i have to guess as to who this heart/head knowledge is addressing as you never identify whether it is believers or unbelievers you are addressing.

For example the part of your post i quoted states "Someone with heart knowledge of God will be at peace at all times".

So who is this someone, a believer if so, why not say a believer. If it is an unbeliever they do not have faith in God to begin with.

The Corinthian church Paul is addressing, is addressed to believers. Showing that believers are not always or as you state "will be at peace at all times".
Or take David or Saul, Sampson

So are you saying that if a person is not at peace at all times they do not have heart knowledge of God, they have just head knowledge and are not a believer.

Is that really what this thread is addressing, only people with heart knowledge of God, are as you would probably say believers.

Jesus tells us to not sin, and the Bible says those who do sin are not children of God, but we know we all sin. Even the Apostles sinned, as listed in scripture. So were they not believers because they sinned? Saying "sin not" has a literal meaning, we are to not sin, but it doesn't mean sinning once means we are doomed. It's more about lifestyle right? Like, I'm going to sin, but it's not going to be the defining characteristic of my life.

That's what I meant by saying "peace at all times". Paul mentions in 2 Corinthians about how he was distressed beyond life itself, so clearly even the Apostle had times of uneasiness. But if you look at his response, it was to seek God. 2 Corinthians 1:8 So even when we are uneasy, it causes us to seek God, not trust in our own devices (Proverbs 3:5-6)

 

[ByTheSpirit]

What is "heart knowledge," exactly? Not its effects on the believer's life, but that which produces those effects. How, precisely, is "heart knowledge" itself, apart from its effects, distinct from "head knowledge"? How are you defining "heart knowledge" itself?

Also, is it "heart knowledge" that is transformational? Or is the work of the Spirit what transforms the believer?

James 4:6, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

I'd submit to you that heart knowledge = submitting to the work of the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit cannot work on someone who is actively opposing Him, can He? Thus, knowledge that resides within the heart is the renunciation of all self and submission to God so He can work His will in us. Going back to Romans 10:2-4, the Jews had great knowledge of God, but it was lacking... why? They had all the zeal and righteousness, but not faith. And what is true faith? It's a submission basically to God. Abraham believed God... he submitted to Him. (Galatians 3:26-29; Romans 2:28-29) See the Jews thought (head knowledge) that because they had the law and the DNA of Abraham that they were acceptable to God as they were. What they didn't accept was this Jesus telling them that they still needed to repent and turn back to God. Thus the Spirit wasn't given to them to change them, but only to those who had the faith of Abraham. (Galatians 3:14)

So heart knowledge is the kind of knowledge that leads a person to completely deny themselves and submit to God. Head knowledge can give someone information about who God is and what he wants, but it doesn't give the power to do so (Romans 8:3a). When that knowledge penetrates the heart by faith, that when we can say that we truly know God (John 17:3; Romans 8:14, Ezekiel 36:25-27)

 

[aiki]

James 4:6, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

I'd submit to you that heart knowledge = submitting to the work of the Holy Spirit.

Okay. So, why not refer to submitting to the Holy Spirit instead of "heart knowledge"?

The Spirit cannot work on someone who is actively opposing Him, can He?

Not much, no.

Thus, knowledge that resides within the heart is the renunciation of all self and submission to God so He can work His will in us.

Hmmm...Again, this sounds like you're talking about "heart knowledge" by way of its effects. The effects of a thing, however, can be utterly different from the thing that caused those effects. The baker (the cause) is nothing like the bread (the effect) he has made, right? So, talking about a thing by way of its effects isn't really helpful in understanding what, exactly, you're talking about.

Here, you've explained where "heart knowledge" resides (in the heart) and that it causes the renunciation of all Self and submission to God, but you still haven't defined clearly what "heart knowledge" actually is.

Going back to Romans 10:2-4, the Jews had great knowledge of God, but it was lacking... why? They had all the zeal and righteousness, but not faith.

Oh? Hmmm...well, consider the immediate context of Paul's words:

Romans 9:31-33 (NASB)
31 but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law.
32 Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone,
33 just as it is written, "BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED."

Romans 10:1-4 (NASB)
1 Brethren, my heart's desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation.
2 For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.
3 For not knowing about God's righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.
4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

The Jews had faith - in Yahweh. And many of them were zealous to keep His laws, as a result. Some, of course, were law-keepers of the hypocritical sort, like the Pharisees, but not all. Think of Zacharias and Elizabeth in Luke 1, or Simeon and Anna in Luke 2. As Paul explained in the passages from Romans 9 and 10 above, Israel as a nation did not accept Jesus, they did not believe him to be the "end of the law for righteousness," the prophesied Messiah of Israel. Consequently, the vast majority of Jews continued to try to achieve connection to God through law-keeping, as they had for millenia.

It doesn't seem, then, that Paul was talking about faith itself so much as he was the object of faith - in this case, Jesus Christ, the "rock of offense" to the Jews. Do you see what I'm talking about?

And what is true faith? It's a submission basically to God.

Well, here, again, it seems to me you're confusing the effect of faith (submission) with faith itself, the cause (in part) of submission. I submit to God because I believe He exists, I believe He is who the Bible reveals Him to be, because I believe He wants and has commanded me to do so, and so on. But it's not just any sort of casual intellectual acknowledgment that I'm talking about here when I talk of belief. I mean a settled confidence in the reality, the truth, of a thing - in this instance, God. And when I, or anyone, has this settled confidence in - this faith - in God, they submit to Him as He's commanded them to do. Does this make sense?

See the Jews thought (head knowledge) that because they had the law and the DNA of Abraham that they were acceptable to God as they were. What they didn't accept was this Jesus telling them that they still needed to repent and turn back to God.

Yes, but not turn just to God but to himself, their Creator, and God, and Messiah in the flesh. This was particularly what Paul was getting at in the first few verses of Romans 10.

So heart knowledge is the kind of knowledge that leads a person to completely deny themselves and submit to God.

Right. You already explained this effect of "heart knowledge," but what you mean by "heart knowledge" itself remains a mystery.

Head knowledge can give someone information about who God is and what he wants, but it doesn't give the power to do so (Romans 8:3a). When that knowledge penetrates the heart by faith, that when we can say that we truly know God (John 17:3; Romans 8:14, Ezekiel 36:25-27)

It seems...odd to me to speak of the enabling power of the Spirit as "heart knowledge." No amount of knowledge can accomplish what the Spirit - a Person, not a body of information (knowledge) - can accomplish in transforming a born-again believer. The Spirit does his work in tandem with, or through, knowledge, but he is distinct from that knowledge, above and beyond it, the Third Person of the Godhead.

What does it mean to say that knowledge has "penetrated your heart"? Does it not have to do so by way of your mind? It seems so to me...

I find Christians are notoriously murky about what they mean. And that murkiness ends up clouding and confusing their walk with God such that they can't really know and enjoy Him. And so, I ask the questions I have. I hope they aren't aggravating but thought-provoking.

 

[David's Harp]

"Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.
And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.
But if any man love God, the same is known of him."
(1 Corinthians 8:1-3)

Would it be fair to say @ByTheSpirit that when you say "heart knowledge", you mean love?

 

[mndgn.j]

I think often times when speaking from the flesh, things that make sense to us, do not translate so well for others. How is it possible to truly know God without The holy spirit of God revealing the truth to us?
we shouldn't differentiate knowledge into "kinds". Knowledge is knowledge, it comes from the flesh. That's why the bible says not to lean on your own understanding. The holy spirit of God is whom resides in all true Christians. Which is the source of the transformative power he spoke about. The only sense My 3lb brain made out of this gentleman's spiel is this: head knowledge v heart knowledge is similar to what the bible describes in many different ways: law v faith, religion v relationship, the flesh v the spirit, Jew v gentile, etc.