The Sin of Defeatism

The Sin of DefeatismThe Sin of DefeatismAre You Guilty?Are You Guilty?

The Sin of DefeatismThe Sin of Defeatism"Defeatism" is "accepting defeat, "Defeatism" is "accepting defeat, before and without a fight." before and without a fight." We are to "fight the good fight of faith, We are to "fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life."lay hold on eternal life."

1 Timothy 6:121 Timothy 6:1212 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

The Sin of DefeatismThe Sin of Defeatism"Defeatism" is "accepting defeat, before and without a fight." We are to "fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life."If we become defeatists, however, we will not "fight the good fight of faith" and we will fail tofail to "lay hold on eternal life."

Examples of DefeatismExamples of Defeatism

A.Ten of the twelve spies

Numbers 13:26-31Numbers 13:26-3126 Now they departed and came back to Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the children of Israel in the Wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh; they brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land.

Numbers 13:26-31Numbers 13:26-3127 Then they told him, and said: "We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28 Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there.

Numbers 13:26-31Numbers 13:26-3129 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the South; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan."

Numbers 13:26-31Numbers 13:26-3130 Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, "Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it." 31 But the men who had gone up with him said, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we."

Examples of DefeatismExamples of Defeatism

A.Ten of the twelve spiesB.The one-talent man

Matthew 25:24-30Matthew 25:24-3024 Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.'

Matthew 25:24-30Matthew 25:24-3026 But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.

Matthew 25:24-30Matthew 25:24-3028 Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.

Matthew 25:24-30Matthew 25:24-3030 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

Examples of Positive Thinking

Philippians 4:13Philippians 4:1313 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.


A.The other two spies

Numbers Numbers 13:3013:3030 Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, "Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it."

Numbers Numbers 14:6-10, 2414:6-10, 246 But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; 7 and they spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying: "The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land.

Numbers Numbers 14:6-10, 2414:6-10, 248 If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, 'a land which flows with milk and honey.' 9 Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them."

Numbers Numbers 14:6-10, 2414:6-10, 24

10 And all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Now the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of meeting before all the children of Israel.

Numbers Numbers 14:6-10, 2414:6-10, 2424 But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it.


A.The other two spiesB.Abraham

Romans 4:9-22Romans 4:9-229 Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness.

Romans 4:9-22Romans 4:9-2210 How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised.

Romans 4:9-22Romans 4:9-2211 And he received the sign of circum-cision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteous-ness might be imputed to them also,

Romans 4:9-22Romans 4:9-2212 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised.

Romans 4:9-22Romans 4:9-2213 For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

Romans 4:9-22Romans 4:9-2214 For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, 15 because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression.

Romans 4:9-22Romans 4:9-2216 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all

Romans 4:9-22Romans 4:9-2217 (as it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations") in the presence of Him whom he believed--God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;

Romans 4:9-22Romans 4:9-2218 who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, "So shall your descendants be."

Romans 4:9-22Romans 4:9-2219 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb.

Romans 4:9-22Romans 4:9-2220 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. 22 And therefore "it was accounted to him for righteousness."

Effects of DefeatismEffects of Defeatism

A. Israel

Numbers 14:32-35Numbers 14:32-3532 "But as for you, your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness. 33 And your sons shall be shepherds in the wilderness forty years, and bear the brunt of your infidelity, until your carcasses are consumed in the wilderness.

Numbers 14:32-35Numbers 14:32-3534 According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, for each day you shall bear your guilt one year, namely forty years, and you shall know My rejection.

Numbers 14:32-35Numbers 14:32-3535 I the Lord have spoken this; I will surely do so to all this evil congregation who are gathered together against Me. In this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.' "

Effects of DefeatismEffects of Defeatism

A. IsraelB.The one-talent man

Matthew 25:28-30Matthew 25:28-3028 " 'Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.

Matthew 25:28-30Matthew 25:28-3030 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' "

Modern Examples of DefeatismModern Examples of Defeatism

A.Lack of evangelistic fervor There is no need to try, if we are not going to succeed.

Titus 2:11-14Titus 2:11-1411 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live sober-ly, righteously, and godly in the present age,

Titus 2:11-14Titus 2:11-1413 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.


A.Lack of evangelistic fervorB.Failure to plan

There is no need to plan the work, if we are not going to work the plan.


A.Lack of evangelistic fervorB.Failure to planC.Failure to grow spiritually

If there is no effort put forth, there can be no positive results.


A.Lack of evangelistic fervorB.Failure to planC.Failure to grow spiritually D.Failure to fear

Hebrews 4:11 Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it.

The Sin of DefeatismThe Sin of DefeatismLet's not become defeatists, either as a congregation or as individuals. Let's "fight the good fight of faith" and "lay hold on eternal life," "knowing that [our] labor is not in vain in the Lord."

The Sin of Defeatism

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