An Evil Heart of Unbelief

1
An Evil Heart of Unbelief

• What is it?
• How is it caused?
• How can it be avoided?

2
Hebrews 312-13

• Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an
  evil heart of unbelief in departing from the
  living God but exhort one another daily, while
  it is called "Today," lest any of you be hardened
  through the deceitfulness of sin. ?

3
Background

• The Hebrew Christians had been facing trials and
  persecutions because of their religion.
• Some had fallen away.
• The epistle to the Hebrews was written to
  encourage the rest not to develop an evil heart
  of unbelief in departing from the living God.
• But what is an evil heart of unbelief?
• How is an evil heart of unbelief caused?
• How can an evil heart of unbelief be avoided?

4
What IsAn Evil Heart?

• It is not mans physical heart, but his spiritual
  heart that can become evil.

5
What IsAn Evil Heart?

• By an easy transition the word heart came to
  stand for man's entire mental and moral activity,
  both the rational and the emotional elements
  (Vine's p. 297).

6
What IsAn Evil Heart?

• It is his intellectual, emotional, ethical and
  volitional natures combined.

7
What IsAn Evil Heart?

• It is the seedbed for all things good evil in
  man.

8
Matthew 1235 1519

• A good man out of the good treasure of his heart
  brings forth good things, and an evil man out of
  the evil treasure brings forth evil things. For
  out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders,
  adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness,
  blasphemies. ?

9
What IsAn Evil Heart?

• An evil heart contains mostly evil treasure and
  is therefore set on evil.

10
What IsAn Evil Heart of Unbelief?

• There are two kinds of unbelief.
• Doctrinal - Not believing)
• Practical - Not seeking)

11
Hebrews 116

• But without faith it is impossible to please Him,
  for he who comes to God must believe that He is,
  and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently
  seek Him. ?

12
What IsAn Evil Heart of Unbelief?

• There are two kinds of unbelief.
• Doctrinal - Not believing
• Practical - Not seeking

13
What IsAn Evil Heart of Unbelief?

• There are two kinds of unbelief.
• Doctrinal - Not believing
• Practical - Not seeking

14
What IsAn Evil Heart of Unbelief?

• There are two kinds of unbelief.
• Doctrinal - Not believing
• Practical - Not seeking

15
What IsAn Evil Heart of Unbelief?

• Unbelief in the immediate context.

16
Hebrews 37-11

• Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says "Today, if
  you will hear His voice, Do not harden your
  hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of trial
  in the wilderness, Where your fathers tested Me,
  tried Me, And saw My works forty years. Therefore
  I was angry with that generation, And said, 'They
  always go astray in their heart, And they have
  not known My ways.' So I swore in My wrath, 'They
  shall not enter My rest.' "

17
Hebrews 316-19

• For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it
  not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? Now
  with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not
  with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the
  wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they
  would not enter His rest, but to those who did
  not obey? So we see that they could not enter in
  because of unbelief.

Is this doctrinal or practical unbelief?
18
Hebrews 46-7, 11

• Since therefore it remains that some must enter
  it, and those to whom it was first preached did
  not enter because of disobedience, again He
  designates a certain day, saying in David,
  "Today," after such a long time, as it has been
  said "Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not
  harden your hearts."
• Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest,
  lest anyone fall according to the same example of
  disobedience. ?

"Obstinacy, obstinate rejection of the will of
God."
Clearly, this is practical unbelief.
19
What IsAn Evil Heart of Unbelief?

• Belief and unbelief may co-exist.

20
Mark 914-16

• And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great
  multitude around them, and scribes disputing with
  them. Immediately, when they saw Him, all the
  people were greatly amazed, and running to Him,
  greeted Him. And He asked the scribes, "What are
  you discussing with them?"

21
Mark 917-18

• Then one of the crowd answered and said,
  "Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute
  spirit. And wherever it seizes him, it throws him
  down he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth,
  and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples,
  that they should cast it out, but they could not."

22
Mark 919-20

• He answered him and said, "O faithless
  generation, how long shall I be with you? How
  long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me."
  Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw
  Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he
  fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the
  mouth.

23
Mark 921-24

• So He asked his father, "How long has this been
  happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood.
  And often he has thrown him both into the fire
  and into the water to destroy him. But if You can
  do anything, have compassion on us and help us."
  Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all
  things are possible to him who believes."
  Immediately the father of the child cried out and
  said with tears, "Lord, I believe help my
  unbelief!" ?

24
Matthew 1719-21

• Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and
  said, "Why could we not cast it out?" So Jesus
  said to them, "Because of your unbelief for
  assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a
  mustard seed, you will say to this mountain,
  'Move from here to there,' and it will move and
  nothing will be impossible for you. However, this
  kind does not go out except by prayer and
  fasting." ?

25
What IsAn Evil Heart of Unbelief?

• An evil heart of unbelief is a heart that is
  indifferent to what God wants done.
• That is, it has no intention of obeying God.

26
What IsAn Evil Heart of Unbelief?

• The practical unbelief of the Jews is a warning
  to Christians.

27
1 Corinthians 101-5

• Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be
  unaware that all our fathers were under the
  cloud, all passed through the sea, all were
  baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,
  all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank
  the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that
  spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock
  was Christ. But with most of them God was not
  well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in
  the wilderness.

28
1 Corinthians 106-7

• Now these things became our examples, to the
  intent that we should not lust after evil things
  as they also lusted. And do not become idolaters
  as were some of them. As it is written,
• "The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose
  up to play."

29
1 Corinthians 108-11

• Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of
  them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand
  fell nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them
  also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents nor
  complain, as some of them also complained, and
  were destroyed by the destroyer. Now all these
  things happened to them as examples, and they
  were written for our admonition, upon whom the
  ends of the ages have come. ?

30
What Causesan Evil Heart of Unbelief?

• Can be caused by failing to understand the role
  of tribulations and persecutions.

31
James 12-4

• My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into
  various trials, knowing that the testing of your
  faith produces patience. But let patience have
  its perfect work, that you may be perfect and
  complete, lacking nothing. ?

32
1 Peter 16-9

• In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a
  little while, if need be, you have been grieved
  by various trials, that the genuineness of your
  faith, being much more precious than gold that
  perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be
  found to praise, honor, and glory at the
  revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen
  you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet
  believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and
  full of glory, receiving the end of your
  faith--the salvation of your souls. ?

33
Matthew 1321

• But he who received the seed on stony places,
  this is he who hears the word and immediately
  receives it with joy yet he has no root in
  himself, but endures only for a while. For when
  tribulation or persecution arises because of the
  word, immediately he stumbles. ?

34
Luke 813

• But the ones on the rock are those who, when they
  hear, receive the word with joy and these have
  no root, who believe for a while and in time of
  temptation fall away. ?

35
What Causesan Evil Heart of Unbelief?

• Can be caused by not fully trusting God.

36
Exodus 161

• And they journeyed from Elim, and all the
  congregation of the children of Israel came to
  the Wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and
  Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month
  after they departed from the land of Egypt.

37
Exodus 162-3

• Then the whole congregation of the children of
  Israel complained against Moses and Aaron in the
  wilderness. And the children of Israel said to
  them, "Oh, that we had died by the hand of the
  Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the
  pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full!
  For you have brought us out into this wilderness
  to kill this whole assembly with hunger." ?

38
Exodus 171

• Then all the congregation of the children of
  Israel set out on their journey from the
  Wilderness of Sin, according to the commandment
  of the Lord, and camped in Rephidim but there
  was no water for the people to drink.

39
Exodus 172-3

• Therefore the people contended with Moses, and
  said, "Give us water, that we may drink." And
  Moses said to them, "Why do you contend with me?
  Why do you tempt the Lord?" And the people
  thirsted there for water, and the people
  complained against Moses, and said, "Why is it
  you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us
  and our children and our livestock with thirst?" ?

40
Numbers 141-3

• So all the congregation lifted up their voices
  and cried, and the people wept that night. And
  all the children of Israel complained against
  Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said
  to them, "If only we had died in the land of
  Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness!
  Why has the Lord brought us to this land to fall
  by the sword, that our wives and children should
  become victims? Would it not be better for us to
  return to Egypt?" ?

41
Numbers 214-5

• Then they journeyed from Mount Hor by the Way of
  the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom and
  the soul of the people became very discouraged on
  the way. And the people spoke against God and
  against Moses "Why have you brought us up out of
  Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no
  food and no water, and our soul loathes this
  worthless bread." ?

42
1 Corinthians 1013

• No temptation has overtaken you except such as is
  common to man but God is faithful, who will not
  allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able,
  but with the temptation will also make the way of
  escape, that you may be able to bear it. ?

43
What Causesan Evil Heart of Unbelief?

• Can be caused by the love of the world.

44
1 John 215-17

• Do not love the world or the things in the world.
  If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father
  is not in him. For all that is in the world--the
  lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the
  pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the
  world. And the world is passing away, and the
  lust of it but he who does the will of God
  abides forever. ?

45
Matthew 1322

• Now he who received seed among the thorns is he
  who hears the word, and the cares of this world
  and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word,
  and he becomes unfruitful. ?

46
Luke 814

• Now the ones that fell among thorns are those
  who, when they have heard, go out and are choked
  with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and
  bring no fruit to maturity. ?

47
2 Timothy 49-10

• Be diligent to come to me quickly for Demas has
  forsaken me, having loved this present world, and
  has departed for Thessalonica--Crescens for
  Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia. ?

48
What Causesan Evil Heart of Unbelief?

• Can be caused by overconfidence.

49
1 Corinthians 1012

• Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed
  lest he fall. ?

50
How Can One Avoidan Evil Heart of Unbelief?

• Avoiding the development of an evil heart of
  unbelief is a matter of sheer determination.

51
How Can One Avoidan Evil Heart of Unbelief?

• Don't allow yourself to become indifferent to
  what God wants you to do.

52
John 716-17

• Jesus answered them and said, "My doctrine is not
  Mine, but His who sent Me. If anyone wants to do
  His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine,
  whether it is from God or whether I speak on My
  own authority." ?

53
Acts 1711

• These were more fair-minded than those in
  Thessalonica, in that they received the word with
  all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily
  to find out whether these things were so. ?

54
How Can One Avoidan Evil Heart of Unbelief?

• What He wants you to do is found in the Bible.

55
How Can One Avoidan Evil Heart of Unbelief?

• He wants the alien sinner to believe, repent,
  confess his faith and be baptized for the
  remission of sins.

56
Mark 1615-16

• And He said to them, "Go into all the world and
  preach the gospel to every creature. He who
  believes and is baptized will be saved but he
  who does not believe will be condemned." ?

57
Acts 238

• Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every
  one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus
  Christ for the remission of sins and you shall
  receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." ?

58
How Can One Avoidan Evil Heart of Unbelief?

• And He wants His children to be faithful unto
  death.

59
Revelation 210

• Do not fear any of those things which you are
  about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to
  throw some of you into prison, that you may be
  tested, and you will have tribulation ten days.
  Be faithful until death, and I will give you the
  crown of life. ?

60
How Can One Avoidan Evil Heart of Unbelief?

• Steadfastness is required for optimum growth.

61
Act 242

• And they continued steadfastly in the apostles'
  doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of
  bread, and in prayers. ?

62
Hebrews 312-13

• Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an
  evil heart of unbelief in departing from the
  living God but exhort one another daily, while
  it is called "Today," lest any of you be hardened
  through the deceitfulness of sin. ?