The life from which issues the law of life is the life of God. When at our regeneration we first receive this life, this life within us, though it is complete organically, is not grown up and mature in each individual part of our whole being. It is like fruit borne on a tree. The life of this fruit when it first appears, though it is complete, is only complete organically. For it to be complete in every part, it must wait until it is grown and mature. Likewise, the life of God we receive at the time of regeneration is only complete organically. If we want this life to have completion of maturity, it also needs to gradually grow and mature in every part of our whole being. The growing and maturing of this life comes about by the working of the law of life in every part of our whole being. This reveals that the place where the law of life works is in every part of our whole being. This is what Jeremiah 31:33 refers to as our “inward parts.”
What are our inward parts? These are the parts of our spirit, soul, and heart. This heart is not the biological heart, but the psychological heart. Within us human beings, the spirit and the soul are independent parts, but the heart is of a composite nature. According to the record in the Bible, the heart contains at least:
1. The mind. For example: “think ye evil in your hearts” (Matt. 9:4), and “thoughts of the heart” (Heb. 4:12).
2. The will. For example: “with purpose of heart” (Acts 11:23), and “intents of the heart” (Heb. 4:12).
3. The emotion. For example: “Let not your heart be troubled” (John 14:1), and “your heart shall rejoice” (John 16:22).
4. The conscience. For example: “having our heart... an evil conscience” (Heb. 10:22), and “if our heart condemns” (1 John 3:20).
These references show us that the heart contains the mind, will, and emotion, which are the three parts of the soul, and the conscience, which is a part of the spirit. The heart has these parts as its components. Thus, the heart not only consists of a component of the spirit and all the components of the soul, but it really connects the spirit and soul together.
Of the various parts within us, the intuition and fellowship parts of the spirit are more related to God and are for God; the conscience part in the spirit, having the power to discern between right and wrong, is more related to man and is for man. The mind, will, and emotion in the soul, being the seat of the personality of man, are also more for man and related to man’s side. Since the heart contains the mind, emotion, will, and conscience, it is thus a composite part which brings together these various inward parts of man. It can be considered as man’s chief representative.
The law of life within us continuously works in these various inward parts. Whichever part its work reaches, it becomes the law of that part. When its work reaches the mind, it becomes the law of the mind. When its work reaches the will, it becomes the law of the will. When its work reaches the emotion, it becomes the law of the emotion. When its work reaches the conscience, it becomes the law of the conscience. In this way, it becomes a law to each of our inward parts. Thus Hebrews 8:10 and 10:16 name this law, “laws.” These “laws” actually are but the one inward law, which is the law of life, or what God speaks of as “law” in Jeremiah 31:33; but it is put in the various “parts” within us.
In Jeremiah this law of life is called “law,” while in Hebrews it is called “laws”—one is singular, and the other plural. This is because when speaking of the law itself, there is only one; therefore, it is singular. Yet when speaking of the effects of the working of this law, since it manifests its capabilities and functions in the various parts of our whole being, it becomes various laws; therefore, it is plural. Whether Jeremiah calls it the singular law or Hebrews calls it the plural laws, they both really refer to this one law.
We have seen that the place where the law of life works is in our various inward parts. Of these various part, the heart is the chief. This is because the heart is the conglomerate of man’s inward parts, and it is man’s chief representative. Therefore, the heart is very closely related to the law of life, which works in our various inward parts and thereby becomes the various laws. For this reason, we shall speak in detail of the situation of the heart.
We have already mentioned that the heart connects the spirit and the soul; thus, the heart is in between the spirit and the soul. If life is to enter into the spirit, it must pass through the heart; if life is to proceed out from the spirit, it also must pass through the heart. Thus, the heart is the pathway through which life must pass. It can be said to be the entrance and exit of life. For example, when someone hears the Gospel of the Lord and feels the pain and sorrow of sin or the sweetness of God’s love, the emotion of his heart is touched, his conscience is grieved, his mind repents, and his will determines to believe. Then his heart is opened to the Lord, he receives salvation, and the life of God thereby enters into his spirit. Conversely, if his heart does not agree and is not open, regardless of how you preach to him, there is no way for the life of God to enter into his spirit. It is for this reason that the great British evangelist, Mr. Spurgeon, once said that in order to move man’s spirit, one must move man’s heart. This statement is really true; only when the heart is moved can the spirit receive the life of God.
Likewise, after man is saved, if the life of God is to come out from within him, it must pass through the heart and have the cooperation of the heart. When the heart agrees, life can pass through. When the heart does not agree, life cannot pass through. Sometimes the heart only partially agrees. Perhaps only the conscience agrees, and other parts do not. Or, perhaps the mind of the heart agrees, while the emotion part does not. Hence, life still cannot pass through. Thus, the heart is really the entrance and exit of life. Just as the receiving of life begins with the heart, so also the living out of life begins with the heart.