Dangers to the pure heart

1. Dangers to the pure heart

2. Previously • The pure heart is an important part of the Christian’s life. • The heart is the control center of our eternal spirit. • The seat of our intellect, emotions, attitudes, thoughts and will. • PURITY– undiluted and unpolluted

3. Qualities • Undivided, prioritized and resolved • Integrity and Honesty • Self-control and Patience • Humility and Contentment • Kindness, Dignity, Confidence • Love • Today - Dangers to the pure heart)

4. It is imperative that we maintain a pure heart (Prov. 4:23, 3:5-6) • BUT, there are dangers to keeping the heart pure. • In this lesson we will discuss some of these dangers

5. WARNING! • Psa. 66:18, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear.” • Gen. 6:5, “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”

6. WARNING! • Matt. 12:34-35, “Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.”Mark 7:18-23

7. WARNING! • Titus 1:15, “To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled.”

8. Lust • Lust - ἐπιθυμία (epithymia) a strong desire to have that which belongs to another or that which you are not entitled to.

9. Lust • ἐπιθυμία (epithymia) • Desire – Phil. 1:23, 1 Thess. 2:17, Luke 22:15 • When translated “lust”, always bad! • LUST will very quickly taint the pure heart.

10. Lust • Romans 6:12, “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.” • Romans 13:1,“But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.”

11. Lust • James 1:14-15, “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.”

12. Lust • 2 Timothy 4:3, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;”

13. Lust • 1 John 2:15,16, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lustof the flesh, the lustof the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world...”

14. Sensuality • Our society is driven by lust • Sensuality is everywhere – television, movies, music, books, magazines, billboards. • The greatest purveyors of lust are accessible from our homes! • Such will rapidly taint our hearts

15. Sensuality • Matt. 6:22-23, The lamp of the body is the eye… • What we allow into our bodies through the eyes affects our heart.

16. Sensuality • Matt. 5:27-28, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

17. Sensuality • Rom. 1:24, “Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,” • Galatians 5:24, “And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”

18. Sensuality • Colossians 3:5, “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”

19. Sensuality • We must learn to recognize lust and avoid it! • Job 31:1““I have made a covenant with my eyes; Why then should I look upon a young woman?” • 1 Pet. 2:11, abstain from fleshly lusts • 2 Tim. 2:22 – flee youthful lusts Developing Self-Control will help you overcome lust!

20. “He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, But whoever walks wisely will be delivered.” Proverbs 28:26 Is your heart pure?