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Sustained Belief

Sustained Belief. Hebrews 3:12-13.

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Sustained Belief

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  1. Sustained Belief Hebrews 3:12-13 12Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from ethe living God. 13 But fexhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by gthe deceitfulness of sin.

  2. By way of example . . . Snake Oil • The Oxford English Dictionary defines snake oil as “as a quack remedy of panacea.” • History of snake oil. • Favorite go to phrase for politicians • Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell called his Republican primary, Tea Party candidate Matt Bevin, a snake oil salesman. • While campaigning for his second term, President Obama referred to the Romney-Ryan tax plan as “trickle-down snake oil” at a rally.

  3. Brief History • The 1800 saw thousands of Chinese arrive in the U.S. • They worked on the Transcontinental Railroad. • They brought medicines including snake oil • Chinese would apply to reduce inflammation esp. Arthritis and bursitis. (Chinese water snake) • Its “healing properties” became infamous. • Enter Clark Stanley aka “The Rattlesnake King” • Patent medicines and cure all tonics • Promised to cure headaches, gall stones, “female complaints”, arthritis, bursitis, gout, blood sugar, etc.

  4. Brief History cont. . . . • 1893 World’s Exposition in Chicago. • Stanley reached into a sack, plucked out a snake, slit it open and plunged it into boiling water. When the fat rose to the top, he skimmed it off and used it on the spot to create ‘Stanley’s Snake Oil,’ a liniment that was immediately snapped up by the thousands. • Two problems: No actual snake oil was found Chinese water snake contains three X as many vital acids and omeg-3 as the rattlesnake

  5. What is Belief? • Webster’s – Belief - conviction of the truth of some statement or the reality of some being or phenomenon especially when based on examination of evidence • Sadly the world, especially the denominational world, does not view belief this way. • The Israelites consistently displayed this same understanding by constantly needing a physical manifestation of God to believe in God.

  6. What three things can lead the Christian to fall away (12-13) • Developing an evil heart of unbelief • A believer can develop "an evil heart of unbelief" • Sin is deceitful... 1) Promising pleasure, power, and prestige 2) In the short term that may be true, but such things are "passing" (temporary) • Hardened heart – The Greek word here is to be obstinate; stubborn. • It will do no good to help them. They do not want to hear the word of God. They are only looking for an handout.

  7. Three things that serve as an antidote to apostasy (12-14) • Beware of unbelief or Take heed – Often equivalent to scrutinize, observe. Greek word meaning - To fix one’s (mind’s) eye on, direct one’s attention to, a duty toward it. • Exhort one another properly, to urge, acknowledging what is praiseworthy, i.e. "recommend, advise, urge" This is an emphatic compound which means "to admonish in a personal way" – i.e. as "up-close-and-personal." daily – • Hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end. Greek word meaning to hold together, i.e. To compress (the ears, with a crowd or siege) or arrest (a prisoner);

  8. Sammy said it best . . . • Christians have replaced searching for the truth with socializing, producing an unstable belief system easily swayed by shallowed arguments that appear logical.

  9. What can you do? • Be mindful of how strong or weak your faith is. • Exhort one another daily. • Hold steadfastly • Never cease searching for the TRUTH. • Follow the Bereans example in Acts17:11 • Above all have a ACTIVE , LIVING, BREATHING faith!

  10. How to be Saved • Hear/Understand the Gospel ( Rom. 10:17) • The Gospel is the Death,Burial,Ressurrection of Jesus. I Cor. 15:1-4 • Believe – Mark 16:16 • Repent of you sins – Luke 13:3, Acts 22:16 • Confess the name of Jesus Rom. 10:10 • Baptized for the remission of your sins Act 2:18

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