Sunday, September 15,
2013
PURER IN HEART (14)
Dangers to the Pure Heart – 3
Ignorance and unbelief
a.
Hosea 4:6 says, “My
people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected
knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you
have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.”
Ignorance was one of the downfalls of Israel and Judah.
It started with the leaders, both spiritual and national.
It led to error and even outright idolatry.
It was their refusal to learn and remember God’s laws that led
them away from Him.
b.
The word “ignorance” is
from the Greek word, ἀγνοέω, agnoeo, which means, not to know, not to
recognize, disregard, not to understand (BDAG).
Often times the word has a deliberate connotation to it.
Our English word, agnostic, is based upon this word.
c.
We have heard the
expression, “Ignorance is bliss.”
As a rule, that is NOT true, nor is it a good philosophy to abide
by as Christians. Yet we
live in a society where ignorance is a danger in society.
IT can bring devastating consequences.
It can kill you (e.g. poison in the cake, not being aware of the
stop sign, etc.). It can
ruin friendships and trust. Yet
there are many who thrive on ignorance and think it is a lovely state to
be in. In our society, there
are many who don’t want the facts (e.g. “Don’t confuse me with the
facts”). They blindly follow
promises (whether it be politicians, lawyers, the new media, and in some
cases their professors) hoping they have not been deceived.
And many want to keep it that way.
d.
But it is also a serious
problem spiritually that will lead one away from God.
i.
IT will leave the pure
heart vulnerable to both diluting and pollution.
ii.
Yet we live in times of
great spiritual ignorance.
Many are simply not interested in devoting time to the word of God and
they don’t want to be confused with the facts, that is, TRUTH!
iii.
In fact, in spiritual
matters, ignorance is sometimes encouraged, (not in such direct
terms, but in principle) as if to say if one learns he might be forced
to change.
How many churches today refuse to address certain subjects because of
the consequences? When
preachers, elders and members don’t want to honestly study some issue
lest they have to repent and change, they are WILLFULLY ignorant.
iv.
Ignorance can lead to
error. False teachers prey
on the ignorant! Rom. 16:18
says, “For those who are such do
not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth
words and flattering speech
deceive the hearts of the simple” (Note vs. 17 – we are to avoid
those who cause division). 2
Pet. 2:1-3 speaks of the deceptive words that they will exploit you
with.
And ignorance, whether sincere or willful is STILL ignorance.
Ignorance leads to error!
1 Timothy 1:5-7 addresses Paul encouraging Timothy to exhort some to
quit their erroneous (false) teaching.
They were getting carried away and striving over words (endless
genealogies, fables and disputes).
Paul then says, “Now the
purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good
conscience, and from sincere faith, from which some, having strayed,
have turned aside to idle talk, desiring to be teachers of the law,
understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm.”
NOTICE how ignorance leads to
false conclusions and therefore error.
e.
Paul is a good example
of the danger of ignorance.
He acted in ignorance as he persecuted Christians (1 Tim. 1:13, Acts
26:9).
It was when he learned the truth that he changed.
In fact, as he recounted his conversion he was told his purpose
would be to go to the Gentiles, “to open their eyes, in order to
turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to
God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among
those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’” (Acts 26:18)
f.
For one to say his heart
is good while in ignorance is like saying he has good eyesight even
though he is blind. Jesus
spoke of the blind leading the blind and what was the result? Both would
fall in the ditch. (Matt. 15:14) Ephesians
4:18, “having their understanding
darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance
that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart;”
g.
Many passages warn of
ignorance:
i.
Proverbs 19:2 says, “Also
it is not good for a soul to be without knowledge, And he sins who
hastens with his feet.”
ii.
James 1:26, “If
anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue
but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.”
iii.
2 Cor. 2:11, “lest
Satan should take advantage of us; For we are not ignorant of his
devices.”
iv.
2 Tim. 2:23, “But
avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife.”
v.
1 Peter 1:14,
“as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former
lusts, as in your ignorance;”
vi.
Acts 20:30-31, “Truly,
these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men
everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will
judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has
given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”
h.
Ignorance will NOT save
–what are we expected to believe? TRUTH!
What is truth? In contrast to ignorance it is the revealed word
of God.
How often are we told to believe?
Believe in what? (John 3:16, Mk. 16:16)
Rom. 10:17 tells us that faith comes by hearing.
Clearly that is TRUE faith. How can you know the truth if we are
in ignorance? John 8:32
tells us that it is the truth that will make us free.
i.
Knowledge is the key to
overcoming ignorance (2 Pet. 1:5).
i.
That is why it is so
important that we diligently study God’s word (2 Tim. 2:15).
ii.
Acts 17:10-11 – we need
to search the scriptures daily.
iii.
We need to love His law
and meditate therein night and day. (Psa. 1:1-2, 119:97)
II.
Unbelief –
a.
Another threat to the
pure heart. Heb. 3:12 says,
“Beware, brethren, lest there be
in any of you an evil heart of
unbelief in departing from the living God;” It does not get
plainer than that. In vs. 15, the writer quoted the psalms saying, “Today
if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the
rebellion.”
b.
There are many today who
believe in God, even strongly.
They might even profess to love Him.
BUT, they do not BELIEVE GOD! That is, they do not believe what
He says. Whenever someone
willfully rejects the commands of God he has an impure heart.
How many today are following error because they don’t want to
change?
c.
How many have redefined
the character of God to soften His severity? (cf. Rom. 11:22, 2:1-11)
d.
1 Samuel 15:22–23
speaking of King Saul’s disobedience to God’s command to destroy the
Amalekites. “So
Samuel said: “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and
sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is
better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion
is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and
idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has
rejected you from being king.” The ultimate truth is that King Saul
did not believe God’s instructions.
He only went along with that portion he agreed with.
e.
Mark 16:14, while not
guilty of the rebellious attitude we have discussed, Jesus as He
appeared to the eleven after His resurrection, “rebuked
their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those
who had seen Him after He had risen.”
f.
Revelation 21:8, “But
the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral,
sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake
which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
g.
Friends, unbelief has to
be dealt with. If you don’t
believe what God says, your heart will explain it away and almost always
in your favor over His will.
Notice what John says of the one who does NOT believe
God, “He who believes in
the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God
has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God
has given of His Son.” (1 John 5:10)
h.
The key to overcoming
belief is a strong faith that will not compromise and will obey Him at
all times (Matt. 28:19-20, cf. Matt. 7:21-23).
1 John 2:3-6 says, “Now by
this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says,
“I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the
truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God
is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he
abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.”
And thus we can see 2 more dangers to the pure heart.
These deal with our failure to respect God’s word the way that we
must. Sincerity, while
important, will not get one to heaven unless it is prompts one to
completely obey God’s will.
What about you? How much
effort have you put into knowing ALL of His will?
insert content here