THE SIN OF UNBELIEF

MARK 6:6

A. "AND HE MARVELLED BECAUSE OF THEIR UNBELIEF"
  1. People in His own country refused to believe in Him: Matt. 13:57
  2. They judged Him:
    1. By the lowly estate of His parents - Mark 6:3; Luke 4:22
    2. By His opportunity the schools of Doctors of learning - Mark 6:4; John 7:15
  3. Our Lord marvelled at their unbelief:
    1. Prejudice blinded them against truth, preached by the Son of God.
    2. They judged Him, not by what He was or did, but by His lowly estate.
B. THE SIN OF UNBELIEF
  1. Unbelief defined:
    1. Unbelief is a state of doubt with reference to a person or a fact.
    2. It is the rejection of the revelation of God, His will, and His efforts in our behalf.
    3. It is, in fact, closing the eyes to the evidence before us.
  2. The evil of unbelief:
    1. It is an insult to the wisdom and the integrity of God - Matt. 25:24-26
    2. Unbelief closes its victim's eyes to the truth that would save the soul - 2 Cor. 4:4
    3. It renders the all-important work of redemption impossible - John 5:40; Heb. 4:2; 11:6
    4. It shuts heaven and opens the gates to hell - Heb. 4:11; 13:12
    5. Unbelief makes it impossible for God, His Word, and His Spirit to save our soul - Mark 6:6
    6. It is the great gulf between its victim and the kingdom of heaven - Heb. 4:11; Luke 16:26
  3. The cause of unbelief:
    1. It is a condition of the heart - Heb. 3:12; Jer. 17:9
    2. Ignorance or blindness of the mind is a contributory factor to the sin of unbelief - Luke 23:34
    3. Paul gives ignorance as one of the reasons why the Jews rejected the gospel of Jesus Christ - Rom. 10:3
    4. Bias or prejudice is still another element leading to unbelief.
    5. That was Paul's experience - 1 Tim. 1:13
    6. But, perhaps, the basic cause of unbelief is Satan -
      1. That was how the sin of doubt was planted into the minds of our first parents - Gen. 3:1-6
      2. It is the work of that wicked one - 2 Thess. 2:8-11
C. EFFECTS OF THE SIN OF UNBELIEF
  1. Keeps the guilty in a state of condemnation:
    1. That is the verdict of the Son of God - John 3:19
    2. Paul affirms our Lord's verdict - Rom. 8:18
  2. It renders useless all the provisions of the gospel of Jesus Christ:
    1. The Bible cannot help the unbeliever.
    2. The Spirit of God cannot influence the heart that is full of unbelief - Acts 7:51; Heb. 10:29; Isa. 63:10
    3. Prayer is useless.
  3. What those who are plagued with the sin of unbelief should do:
    1. They should cry unto God saying, "Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief" - Mark 9:24
    2. "Increase our faith" - Luke 17:5
    3. Lord help me to trust thee and accept thy word without any doubt in my heart.


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