STUDIES FROM BRETHREN IN CHRIST

SERMON MENU SELECTIONS

4/21/2013 ~ Unbelief


"... help my unbelief!" ~ Mark 9:24

                                                             ┌─> Lack of interest.
Many hold the position of indifference.
Some can’t believe one can believe in God.
Some can’t believe one does not believe in God.

It is more common for people not to believe, to be unsure.


... "Is the LORD among us or not?" ~ Exodus 17:3-7

... And their words seemed to them like idle tales,
and they did not believe them. ~ Luke 24:11


Either despair or anger often dictates alienation
in an isolation of non-engagement.
Unbelief occurs alone. 


TRUST NO ONE

"But God draws the mighty away with His power;
He rises up, but no man is sure of life." ~ Job 24:22

          \  |  /
No man can be sure, it is a matter of choice all have been left to.
Either one has an open heart or a closed one for the Lord's wealth.


The rich and the poor have this in common,
The LORD is the maker of them all. ~ Proverbs 22:2


Atheists
believe
no God
Faithful
in God

Societal issues have left many disgusted
- lost feeling goodness has been abandoned. 
A yearning for truth grips a spirit of suffocation.

Times of great tribulation repeat themselves when people loose faith.
                                                                         /  |  \

... For they are a perverse generation, Children in whom is no faith.
~ Deuteronomy 32:20


When has there been a time without a perverse generation?

"... we will walk according to our own plans, and we will every one
obey the dictates of his evil heart." ~ Jeremiah 18:12


Things can appear hopeless, and perhaps they are.

... to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; ... ~ Titus 1:15

Unbelief can be masked by passionate belief in a lie over truth.
Do we cater to our culture or regard the word?
Believing unbelieving doctrines pollutes the truth of God.


... should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe
the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. ~ 2nd Thessalonians 2:11-12


Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light,
and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, ... ~ Isaiah 5:20-23


... who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded,
who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel ... ~ 2nd Corinthians 4:3-4


Truth is often obscured when the majority chooses paths of self interest.
On the one side of the coin, there are those passionate against God.
                                                     

Why do the wicked renounce God? He has said in his heart,
"You will not require an account." ~ Psalm 10:13


The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." ... ~ Psalms 53:1

... Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him? And what profit
do we have if we pray to Him?' ~ Job 21:14-15


They said to God, 'Depart from us! What can the Almighty do to them?'
~ Job 22:17


For he has said, 'It profits a man nothing That he should delight in God.'
~ Job 34:9


There are those that will never turn from bitter hearts plowing evil ways.
Small minds miss the scope of a grander universal purpose of living.
~ And to the dust they return.

Unbelief can result in a split personality not knowing what to believe.
Many just struggle tortured in hoping to believe.
Searching

... "What is truth?" ...
~ John 18:38

                                                                      
It is hard for some to believe in that which is unseen and eternal.
Grappling with such vast unknowns challenges all those caring to know.


... For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in
part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. ~ 1st Corinthians 13:11-13


It is disbelief that we strive to overcome.
When one comes to one's own self, a decision is made.


BELIEF OR UNBELIEF

Fear builds both the saints in the light and demons in the dark.
The difference is the end each meets.


... "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?" ~ Mark 4:40

"... Do not be unbelieving, but believing." ~ John 20:27

The test in faith is being true to yourself.

For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the
faithfulness of God without effect? Certainly not! ... ~ Romans 3:3-4


... how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? ...
~ Romans 10:13-17


It is a choice to hear His entire word or not.

"... But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?"
~ John 5:46-47


And some were persuaded by the things which were spoken,
and some disbelieved. ~ Acts 28:24


But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and
poisoned their minds against the brethren. ~ Acts 14:2


"... testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness."
~ John 3:11


There is always someone trying to convince you of one thing or another.

... do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God;
because many false prophets have gone out into the world. ~ 1st John 4:1


It is Jesus that stands before us all as He is.

"But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe." ~ John 6:36

Then they said to Him, "Where is Your Father?" Jesus answered,
"You know neither Me nor My Father. ..." ~ John 8:19


... "If I tell you, you will by no means believe." ~ Luke 22:67

Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
~ Matthew 13:58


Lack of faith shows one less, not more.

... He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart,
because they did not believe ... ~ Mark 16:14


So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; ..." ~ Matthew 17:20

So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. ~ Hebrews 3:19

Without a strong believing faith, life is made more difficult.

He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened
in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had
promised He was also able to perform. ~ Romans 4:20-21


There is no unbelief in sincere faith.

... Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith.
Do not be haughty, but fear. ... ~ Romans 11:20-23


We see that one can come back to the Lord if
choosing to believe in His given truth.


 T 
 R 
 U 
 T 
 H 
 
   Faith  
  Belief  
 
 
  Unbelief  

It is also abundantly clear that if one does not
remain in His truth, he will be cut off.


"Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every
branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit." ~ John 15:2


... having saved the people out of the land of Egypt,
afterward destroyed those who did not believe. ~ Jude 1:5


... I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
~ 1st Timothy 1:13


God is merciful on former unbelievers.
Mend your ways and turn from your mistakes.


"Do you not believe that I am in the Father,
and the Father in Me? ..." ~ John 14:10


"... if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins." ~ John 8:24

Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart
of unbelief in departing from the living God; ~ Hebrews 3:12


And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith." ~ Luke 17:5

I desire therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands,
without wrath and doubting; ... ~ 1st Timothy 2:8


Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. ...
what communion has light with darkness? ~ 2nd Corinthians 6:14


BELIEF
E
T
E
R
N
A
L


UNBELIEF
F
I
N
I
T
E

. L
A
C
K
I
N
G

DARKNESS

F
A
I
T
H

LIGHT

"I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not
abide in darkness. And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, ..."
~ John 12:46-48


"... 'to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light,
and from the power of Satan to God, ..." ~ Acts 26:18


"But the cowardly, unbelieving, ... shall have their part in the
lake which burns with fire and brimstone, ... ~ Revelation 21:8


... Even the demons believe--and tremble! ~ James 2:19

TRUST GOD

"... he who does not believe the Son shall not see life,
but the wrath of God abides on him." ~ John 3:36


"He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but
he who does not believe will be condemned." ~ Mark 16:16


"But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. ..." ~ John 8:45-46

      
TRUTH


BELIEF

UNBELIEF
BAPTISM
LOST

    
          
SAVED
GOD'S WRATH
 
"... Do not be unbelieving,        
but believing."     
~ John 20:27        
LIFE
DESTROYED

What you believe will define your eternity.



 

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