Beware Of An Unbelieving Heart

I. EXORDIUM:

Take care of your heart.

Proverbs 4:23 (Amplified Bible)

4:23 Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.

II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:

Believers

III. OBJECTIVES:

To show that we need to guard our heart from unbelief.

IV. TEXT:

Hebrews 3:12 (Amplified Bible)

3:12 [Therefore beware] brethren, take care, lest there be in any one of you a wicked, unbelieving heart [which refuses to cleave to, trust in, and rely on Him], leading you to turn away and desert or stand aloof from the living God.

V. THESIS:

My heart is guarded by GOD.

Jude 1:24 (The Message)

1:24 And now to him who can keep you on your feet, standing tall in his bright presence, fresh and celebrating—

VI. TITLE:

Beware of an unbelieving heart

VII. EXPLICATION:

A. Date of writing: Before AD. 70

B. Style of writing: Best Greek style

C. Authorship: Not specific, but generally attributed to Apostle Paul. Can be also ascribed to Barnabas, Luke, Apollos

D. Audience: Hebrew Christians

E. Theme: Christ is superior to the prophets; Christ is superior to angels—J. Vernon McGee's Thru The Bible

F. Purpose: The chief doctrinal purpose of the writer was to show the transcendent glory of the Christian dispensation, as compared with that of the Old Testament.—Thompson Chain - Bible Book Outlines

G. Keyword: better

VIII. MAIN BODY:

A. Beware of an unbelieving heart

"[Therefore beware] brethren, take care, lest there be in any one of you a wicked, unbelieving heart [which refuses to cleave to, trust in, and rely on Him],"

Unbelief or unbelieving means: [Greek: "apistia"] {noun:feminine}

1. unfaithfulness, faithless

2. want of faith, unbelief

3. weakness of faith

Hebrews 2:1-3 (Amplified Bible)

2:1 SINCE ALL this is true, we ought to pay much closer attention than ever to the truths that we have heard, lest in any way we drift past [them] and slip away.

2:2 For if the message given through angels [the Law spoken by them to Moses] was authentic and proved sure, and every violation and disobedience received an appropriate (just and adequate) penalty,

2:3 How shall we escape [appropriate retribution] if we neglect and refuse to pay attention to such a great salvation [as is now offered to us, letting it drift past us forever]? For it was declared at first by the Lord [Himself], and it was confirmed to us and proved to be real and genuine by those who personally heard [Him speak].

Matthew 24:4 (Amplified Bible)

24:4 Jesus answered them, Be careful that no one misleads you [deceiving you and leading you into error].

1 Corinthians 10:12 (Amplified Bible)

10:12 Therefore let anyone who thinks he stands [who feels sure that he has a steadfast mind and is standing firm], take heed lest he fall [into sin].

Romans 11:21 (Amplified Bible)

11:21 For if God did not spare the natural branches [because of unbelief], neither will He spare you [if you are guilty of the same offense].

Cleave to, trust in, and rely on JESUS as the center of your heart.

B. Beware of a heart that turns away from GOD

"leading you to turn away and desert or stand aloof from the living God"

What the wicked says regarding GOD:

Job 21:7 (Amplified Bible)

21:7 Why do the wicked live, become old, and become mighty in power?

Job 21:14 (Amplified Bible)

21:14 Yet they say to God, Depart from us, for we do not desire the knowledge of Your ways.

Job 22:17 (Amplified Bible)

22:17 They said to God, Depart from us, and, What can the Almighty do for or to us?

Their prosperity will be their destruction.

Proverbs 1:32 (King James Version)

1:32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.

Isaiah 59:13 (Amplified Bible)

59:13 Rebelling against and denying the Lord, turning away from following our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving in and muttering and moaning from the heart words of falsehood.

My company is JESUS. My treasure is JESUS.

Psalms 37:4-5 (The Message)

37:4 Keep company with God, get in on the best.

37:5 Open up before God, keep nothing back; he'll do whatever needs to be done:

Matthew 6:21 (The Message)

6:21 It's obvious, isn't it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.

Matthew 6:21 (Amplified Bible)

6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

IX. CONCLUSION:

Stay at the center of GOD's Love.

Jude 1:21 (The Message)

1:21 staying right at the center of God's love, keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. This is the unending life, the real life!

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