Heart Opened - Acts 16:14

Act 16:14 And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.

Had spoken to someone recently about election, then this verse was in my daily reading.  Tried looking up other references to ‘open’ and ‘heart’.  Gives a new perspective on ‘open heart surgery’.

Heart – G2588

Prolonged from a primary κάρ kar (Latin cor, “heart”); the heart, that is, (figuratively) the thoughts or feelings (mind); also (by analogy) the middle.

Opened – G1272 – Used 8 times in 8 verses (new beginnings).

From G1223 and G455; to open thoroughly, literally (as a first born) or figuratively (to expound).

• ·         G1223 - A primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through (in very wide applications, local, causal or occasional). In composition it retains the same general import.
• ·         G455 - From G303 and οἴγω oigō (to open); to open up (literally or figuratively, in various applications).

The word ‘election’ is used 20 times in 20 verses.

OT - Isaiah 42:1, 45:4, 65:9, 65:22

NT – Matthew 24:22, 24, 31; Mar 13:20, 22, 27; Luke 18:7; Romans 8:33; Colossians 3:12; 1 Timothy 5:21; 2 Timothy 2:10; Titus 1:1; 1 Peter 1:2, 2:6; 2 John 1:1, 13.

1Pe 1:2 Elect (G1588) according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

G1588 - From G1586; select; by implication favorite.

• ·         G1586 - Middle voice from G1537 and G3004 (in its primary sense); to select.

Rom 9:11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election (G1589) might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth (G2564;)

Election

G1589 - From G1586; (divine) selection (abstractly or concretely).

Called

G2564 - Akin to the base of G2753; to “call” (properly aloud, but used in a variety of applications, directly or otherwise).

This article, “Who are the elect of God?” gives a comprehensive explanation.  I’m appreciating the challenge to know and understand, and hopefully share in a concise, understandable method why I believe in the Sovereignty of God and man’s total depravity and inability to choose anything good, especially salvation.

God grant each of us to be an accurate reflection of this passage:

2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.