Double Minded

Double Minded I. Definitions. A. double-minded: Having two 'minds'; undecided or wavering in mind. B. waver: Of persons, their sentiments, etc.: To exhibit doubt or indecision; to change or vary; to fluctuate or vacillate (between); to falter in resolution or allegiance; to show signs of giving way. C. establish: To render stable or firm. a) To strengthen by material support. b) To ratify, confirm, validate. c) To confirm, settle (what is weak or wavering); to restore (health) permanently; to give calmness or steadiness (to the mind). d) To calm (anger), to settle (doubts). D. stable: Able to remain erect; secure against falling or being overthrown. E. confirm: To make firm or more firm; to add strength to, to settle; establish firmly. F. steadfast: Fixed or secure in position. a. Of a person, esp. a soldier in battle: Maintaining his ground. II. Christians are warned against being double-minded or wavering in their faith. JAM 1:5-8. A. Double-mindedness contrasts the nature of God. JOB 23:13; JAM 1:17. B. Saints should not be of a doubtful mind, but should walk surely in areas where God has spoken. LUK 12:29; ACT 10:19-20; PRO 10:9. C. Saints should be sure of what they believe. JOH 6:69; 2TI 1:12; HEB 10:23. 1. The more we uphold Christ, the greater our spiritual strength. ACT 10:20-22. 2. If unsure about points of faith, at least be 100% sure that God wants you to know the truth and gave you a Bible full of answers and guidance to accommodate that. D. Being stedfast discourages opposition. RUTH 1:11-18; LUK 4:1-13. E. How persuaded are you of what God has declared or promised? Are you more like: 1. Joshua and Caleb (NUM 14:6-8) or the rest of Israel? NUM 13:28, 33. 2. Abraham (ROM 4:19-21) or King Agrippa? ACT 26:28. III. Double-mindedness speaks of instability. JAM 1:8. A. The root of instability is an impure heart. JAM 4:8. B. The devil especially targets the unstable. 2PE 2:14; 3:16-17. 1. The beguiling of men (especially unstable men) is often accomplished with enticing words of men. 2CO 11:3; COL 2:4; 1CO 2:4. 2. The simple are most easily enticed with such words. ROM 16:18. a. simple: As pl. Persons in a humble or ordinary condition of life. 2. Those who are unlearned, ignorant, easily misled, unsuspecting, etc. b. Consider the tendency of elitism to denigrate and exploit the common man and unlearned, as did the scribes and Pharisees. JOH 7:45-49; MAT 23:13-14 ct/w MAT 11:25. 3. The antidote for simplicity is actually cited by O.E.D. as an example of the second definition of simple. PSA 119:130. 4. Combining personal Bible reading with church preaching and church singing makes for a strong three-fold cord. EPH 4:11-14; COL 3:16 c/w ECC 4:12. 5. The person who wants Christianity without the sound doctrine of Christ and His means for advancing it will eventually be enticed, waver and fall. 2TI 4:3-4. C. The unstable do not amount to much. GEN 49:4. D. By contrast, those who are firmly grounded in the faith will not easily waver and shall be used of God mightily. DAN 11:32; MAT 11:7; 1CO 9:26. Double-Minded 3-23-25 Page 1 of 3  E. Ultimately, God calls us to cease from wavering. 1KI 18:21; MAT 12:30; REV 3:15. F. In other words, make up your minds. c/w JOS 24:15. IV. No structure will be stable without a good foundation. A. Do you believe there is a God? Are you fully persuaded that He exists? HEB 11:6. B. What do you believe about Jesus Christ? 1CO 3:10-11. 1. Is He only a man, or a good prophet at best, as the Muslims believe? 2. Is He a created lower deity as some of the cults believe? Or is He “the mighty God” (ISA 9:6),” “God with us” (MAT 1:23), God the Word “made flesh” (JOH 1:1-3, 14), “over all, God blessed forever” (ROM 9:5), “God...manifest in the flesh (1TI 3:16), the resurrected, presently reigning Head and King of the church (HEB 2:9; COL 1:18), the One Mediator between God and men (1TI 2:5) before Whom every knee shall bow and acknowledge His Lordship (PHIL 2:9-10)? C. Has God revealed His will to man? If so, where? 1. God's word is internally consistent. Imposters are not. 2. God's word most glorifies Jesus Christ. Imposters do not. 3. If God reveals Himself outside of His word, how could it differ from what is in His word? JAM 1:17; 1CO 14:33. 4. Nature is not (as some affirm) the 67th book of the Bible. a. If it is so, then it is inspired, revelation-wise, just like the other 66 books and the other 66 books must be considered as of the same character as nature. b. Nature groans from the corruption of sin. ROM 8:21-22. c. Are the other 66 books corruption-laden revelation also? d. Curiously, corruption-ridden nature’s testimony actually concurs with the testimony of Scripture. It is corrupt man’s corrupt interpretations of nature’s testimony that conflict with Scripture. 5. If all declaration, be it from angel, nature or man, must agree with what is in His word (GAL 1:8-9), then Scripture is the final standard. D. Are you convinced that you are eternally saved by God's will ALONE and not your will? JOH 1:12-13; ROM 9:16; EPH 1:5. 1. God sovereign / man passive is a critical foundation. 2TI 2:19. 2. Building faith on anything other than grace will not produce true stability. HEB 13:9. V. The devil's first tool to destabilize men is doubt (GEN 3:1). The following are some major fiery darts of doubt which plague saints, and their recommended antidotes. A. Evolution or “oppositions of science falsely so called” (1TI 6:20). This blasphemous religion masquerading as science has sown many seeds of doubt in God's children. 1. Since it is promoted with such impressive credentials, it has an aura of authenticity. In fact, it is self-contradictory on every hand and its many “proofs” are consistently debunked with time. And it still can't account for the ultimate beginning of the stuff of the universe (regardless of how many zeroes they use). 2. The problem is that many people can't answer the evolutionists' arguments themselves and make no effort to consider the arguments of those who can. At the root of this wavering is a lack of faith in God's wisdom and too much faith in man's wisdom. HEB 11:3; ROM 1:22; 1CO 1:21. 3. There are excellent works available from such organizations as I.C.R. or A.I.G. Double-Minded 3-23-25 Page 2 of 3  which refute the fallacy of macro-evolution and demonstrate the scientific basis of biblical creationism. B. Dreams, visions and other so-called revelations. 1. God has revealed Himself in His word. 1SAM 3:21. 2. His word is complete. 1CO 13:8-10 c/w JAM 1:25. 3. All prophecy must agree with what is in His word, especially that written by His apostles. ISA 8:20; 1JO 4:6. 4. There is nothing that any angel, man, dream or vision should tell you except “READ YOUR BIBLE” and “HEAR IT DECLARED.” C. Miracles. Many people are blown off course by sensational displays which attend false religionists. 1. Miracles were given to confirm Scripture, not contradict it. MAR 16:20. 2. The devil and his troops can perform miracles. MAT 24:24. 3. Are you going to walk by faith or sight? 2CO 5:7. D. The numbers game. This foul wind (EPH 4:14) tosses many by equating truth and righteousness with large numbers. 1. The followers of truth are always proportionately few. MAT 7:13-14. 2. The majority was the wrong crowd to align with in Noah's and Elijah's days. 3. God gave His kingdom to a little flock. LUK 12:32. E. Overexposure to false doctrine, its teachers and adherents. 1TI 4:1. 1. Objectivity has its limitations. There comes a time to cease from entertaining bogus doctrine. PRO 19:27; 1CO 15:33. 2. Some things need to be simply avoided. 1TI 1:4; 2TI 2:16; TIT 3:9. F. The effeminate gospel/emotionalism. This scented breeze (EPH 4:14) causes many to waver with its heady, intoxicating perfume. But, like all perfumes, it is really a cover for something unpleasant. 1. True love cannot be divorced from obedience. JOH 14:15; 1JO 5:2-3. 2. True love rebukes and chastens. REV 3:19. 3. Do not let your heart overrule God's word. JER 17:9. VI. As Christians, we need to by faith be: A. well-founded on the rock of Christ's commands. LUK 6:46-49. B. well-grounded in Him Who made them. COL 2:7. C. built up in His word. ACT 20:32. D. anchored in the hope of salvation. HEB 6:18-20. E. not easily shaken. 2TH 2:2. F. immovable. 1CO 15:58. G. fully persuaded of gospel declarations and promises. ROM 4:20-21. VII. (2TH 2:16-17) Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work. Double-Minded 3-23-25 Page 3 of 3