The Challenge Of Choosing An Undivided Heart-2 Series

SERIES: The Careful Considerations of Our Christian Confession

Hebrews 3:1-6; 7-17; 3:18--4:11; 4:11-13; 4:14---5:11

Previously in Hebrews, we have looked at...

A. The Challenge of Choosing the Greater STEWARDSHIP—Hebrews 3:1-6

Today we will look at the 2nd installment of...

B— A challenge traditionists face in their Christian confession is acceptance of an...UNDIVIDED / DIVIDED HEART—II(3:7-19)

The writer to the Hebrews set before his audience a deeper/further consideration of an Undivided Heart.

’Christians,’ tempted by tradition, are encouraged toward a deeper/further consideration of an Undivided Heart.

What challenges do ’Christians,’ tempted toward tradition(traditionists), face in the consideration of an Undivided Heart?

6 Challenges traditionists must face in their confession of an Undivided Heart.

The challenge of choosing an Undivided Heart is accepting the Voice of...

1. OPPORTUNITY(:7)

2. COMPARISON(:8-9)

3. CHOICE(:10-11)

We looked at the Parable of the Soils & how it is an apt description of the varying degrees to which the heart is divided, regarding Christ & the state within which people live their lives.

Mat. 13:3-9, 18-23

4—The challenge of choosing an Undivided HEART is accepting the Voice of...

WARNING(:12)

Explanation:(:12)

:12—“Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;”

The writer’s “brethren”(spiritual brethren) are warned to take care. They are warned because there is a distinct possibility that even one ‘of them’ may have an evil heart.

The presence of an evil heart is to be avoided.

An evil heart is an unbelieving heart. We follow our hearts & a heart given to unbelief in one dimension will naturally be drawn to another dimension. In this case, an unbelieving heart causes one to fall away from the living God & thereby to trust in other ‘gods.’

Unbelief is the enemy of the “living God.”

Mr 9:23 -24—“Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out & said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!””

These people are those who are currently recognized as being with the “living God.” An “evil heart” will cause this person to “depart” from Him.

There must be personal Doubt/Questions/Concerns regarding various aspects of their Christianity....

....Possibility of Martyrdom, Oppression—Political, cultural & social. Buying power ruined—Pushed to poverty. Your children outcasts—Marked for disdain/disrespect/contempt, educational inferiority, career limitation.

Easy-believism is a threat to Christianity. The Truth & Good news(Gospel) must be presented in the fullness of its exclusivity to Christ & its subsequent targeting by those who hate. This must be presented even in societies favorable to evangelical Christianity...who do not face active persecution. We do not want to produce a culture of particularly ‘Stony ground’ or even ‘Thorns & Thistles’ nominal Christians.

“Beware/Take heed/Take care/See to it”—blepw—1) To see, discern, of the bodily eye; 2)metaph. To see with the mind’s eye; 3)In a geographical sense of places, mountains, buildings, etc. turning towards any quarter, as it were, facing it. Strong—To look at (literally or figuratively):-- Behold, beware, lie, look (on, to), perceive, regard, see, sight, take heed.

“Evil”—ponhrov—1) Full of labors, annoyances, hardships; 2) Bad, of a bad nature or condition. It means mischief-making, delighting in injury, doing evil to others, dangerous, destructive. Strong—Hurtful, i.e. evil (properly, in effect or influence, Figuratively—Calamitous; also (passively) ill, i.e. diseased; but especially (morally) culpable, i.e. Derelict, vicious; neuter (singular) mischief, malice, or (plural) guilt; masculine (singular) the devil, or (plural) sinners:-- Bad, evil, grievous, harm, lewd, malicious, wicked(-ness).

“Unbelieving/Unbelief”(See :19)—apistia—1) Unfaithfulness, faithless; 2) Want of faith, unbelief; 3) Weakness of faith. Strong— Faithlessness, i.e. (negatively) Disbelief (lack of Christian faith), or (positively) Unfaithfulness (disobedience):-- Unbelief.

“Falling away/Departing/Falling away/Turns away”—afisthmi—1) To make stand off, cause to withdraw, to remove; 2) To stand off, to stand aloof. Strong—To remove, i.e. (actively) instigate to revolt; usually (reflexively) to desist, desert, etc.:-- Depart, draw (fall) away, refrain, withdraw self.

Argumentation:

Mat. 10:16-24—““Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents & harmless as doves. But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils & scourge you in their synagogues. You will be brought before governors & kings for My sake, as a testimony to them & to the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; “for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. Now brother will deliver up brother to death, & a father his child; & children will rise up against parents & cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes. A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.”