Introduction and Text

Reading of Proverbs 14:2 and introduction of the message title, 'Christians Who Despise God.'

Well, it's a joy to be back in the pulpit and to see each one of you. Those of you who were not here last week did indeed miss a blessing. I'm so thankful that the Lord ordained that conference, and I hope the many CDs and DVDs and posting it on the Internet, a lot of people would indeed be blessed by that. I want you to open your Bibles, if you would please, to the book of Proverbs, chapter 14. Proverbs, chapter 14. We're going to be reading just one simple verse. And I hope the message this morning will actually tie together and cement everything that you've heard this past week, for those of you who have heard the series on Christian obedience. So in Proverbs chapter 14 and verse 2, the Bible says this: "He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the Lord."

"But he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him." So let me just read it one more time. It's very brief. "He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the Lord: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him." The title of the message is "Christians Who Despise God." If you were to ask the average Christian, "Do you despise God?" you are going to get a resounding negative. In fact, you may get more than a negative. You may get looked at in a very hard and incredulous manner. You may be hollered at or even cussed at in a Christian manner, of course, you understand, because obviously someone who professes to love Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father is not going to admit to despising Him.

Profession vs. Action

Actions reveal the true heart, not mere profession, as taught in Matthew 7:16,20.

However, there's a vast difference between what you and I would call profession and action. Each of us has used, as well as has heard, the old adage, "I cannot hear what you are saying for the way you are acting." Our Lord made this truth abundantly clear in Matthew 7, verse 16, when He said,

He then repeated the same truth in Matthew 7, verse 20, when He said,

So it's not the profession that counts; it's the actions that reveal the real man. In the strictest sense of the word, it really does not matter what you say, and it really does not matter what you profess. What really, genuinely counts is how you act. Because your actions and your conduct and your conversation reveal the innermost heart of man. That's why Solomon said in Proverbs 4 and verse 23, "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." And our Lord in Matthew 15 said, "For out of the heart the mouth speaketh." So in reality, our actions demonstrate exactly what we are.

The Meaning of Walking and Despising

Walking in uprightness demonstrates fear of the Lord; perverse ways demonstrate despising Him. The Hebrew word for 'despise' means to hold in contempt.

Now, our text demonstrates this truth by emphasizing the reality of walking. Look at it. "He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the Lord." Well, your walk is your life. It is your conduct. It is how you live. Look at the latter part. "But he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him." Of course, in this passage, "he" refers to a man's ways. What is a man's ways? It is his life, it is his walk, it's how he lives, how he acts. So therefore God puts it together: "He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the Lord: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him." So this truth is exceedingly simple. When one walks in uprightness, that is, that which is right and righteous and just and moral and ethical according to God's law, it is a demonstration of the fact and reality that he fears God. On the other hand, the one who does not fear God, the one who does not hold God in awe and reverence, the one who does not regard Him and submit to Him, the one that is perverse in his ways—and the word "perverse" means that which is crooked, that which is devious, that

which is froward, that which is disobedient—he evidences in reality that he has no regard for God, and in actuality, he despises Him. By the way, when you look at the word "despise" in verse 2, "He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the Lord: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him," the Hebrew word for "despise" literally means to hold in contempt, to disdain, to scorn, to make contemptible, and to count as vile and worthless. Can you imagine counting God as vile and worthless? Now, we understand that believers disdain God, they hold God in contempt, and they despise Him. In fact, there are clear passages in the Scripture which show us very evidently that men despise the Lord Jesus Christ. For instance, whole Proverbs 14, but look in your Bibles to Isaiah chapter 49 and verse 7. Isaiah 49, and look if you would please at verse 7. Notice, if you would, what is stated in this verse. Isaiah 49, verse 7: "Thus saith the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the Lord that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel,

Biblical Evidence that Men Despise Christ

Isaiah 49:7 and 53:3 show that unsaved men despise and reject Christ.

and he shall choose thee." But note, if you would, what they say concerning the Lord Jesus Christ in this passage, that man despises Him, and Israel as a nation abhorred or hated Him. And if you'll look in Proverbs—I'm sorry, not Proverbs—Isaiah 53, notice if you would please verse 3, which many of you can quote. Talking about our Lord Jesus Christ, "He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not." By the way, not only does this passage talk about our Lord being despised, but when it says "we esteemed him not,

Can a Christian Despise God?

The answer is yes, as illustrated by David, a man after God's own heart, who despised God's commandment and thus despised God (2 Samuel 12:9-10).

For He said in Matthew chapter 6 and verse 24, "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." Now, I've thrown something out for you to think about, and it's probably already boggled your mind, because the title of the message is "Christians Who Despise God," and you're sitting there thinking, "I don't believe this is possible for a real, genuine believer to actually despise God." Well, perhaps it would help you if I gave you an illustration of a real, genuine believer who actually despised God, and God counted it as despisement. For instance, everyone understands who David was. If you would look in your Bibles very quickly to the book of Acts, chapter 13 and look at verse 22 at what God said concerning David. And of course David is known as a lover of God; he's known as a man after God's own heart. So in Acts chapter 13 and verse 22, the Scripture says this—notice if you would—Acts chapter 13 and verse 22, the Bible says, "And when he had removed him," that is, King Saul, "he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony,

and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will." So David now is classified as a man after God's own heart by God Himself. If it is possible then for David, who is known for his love for God and his obedience to God, and called a man after God's own heart, if it's possible for David to despise God, then you must ask yourself how much more easy it is and how much more readily are we who do not love Him and do not obey Him, as did David, to despise Him. So, look in your Bibles, if you would please, to 2 Samuel chapter 11. 2 Samuel chapter 11. Everyone knows the story of David and Bathsheba. In 2 Samuel chapter 11, David has sinned. He has taken Bathsheba. And he has killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the children of Ammon. And the Bible says this in 2 Samuel 11, verses 26 and 27: "And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband. And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.

You remember how he told him the story about the rich man who had all of these sheep, and one poor man who had just this one little ewe lamb that he had nourished and raised in his own bosom. And when a traveler came to the rich man, the rich man spared to take of his own flock, but he took this poor man's lamb and killed it. And David was incensed, and he said, "The man that had done this thing shall restore fourfold, and he shall surely die." And Nathan said, "Thou art the man.

Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; and I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah;

and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things." All you had to do was ask. All you had to do was obey. Now watch verse 9. "Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? Thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun." And the answer is yes, for David certainly despised him.

So you have to ask yourself this question: how do we despise God? Well, the answer is, in the same way that David despised him. Well, how did David despise him? Look, if you would please, at verse 9 again. The Bible says, talking to David, God says, "Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? Thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon." What had David done? David had violated his law. David had transgressed his commandments. And God says, "You have despised My commandments." So, first of all, David despised the Word of God. He despised the law of God. Now, it should be obvious right now to you that God and His law are one, because if you look in verse 10, "Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me." Now in verse 9, he despised the commandment of God.

God and His Word Are One

You cannot separate God from His law; to despise His Word is to despise Him. John 12:48 shows Christ and His Word are one.

and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things." All you had to do was ask. All you had to do was obey. Now watch verse 9. "Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? Thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun." And the answer is yes, for David certainly despised him.

So you have to ask yourself this question: how do we despise God? Well, the answer is, in the same way that David despised him. Well, how did David despise him? Look, if you would please, at verse 9 again. The Bible says, talking to David, God says, "Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? Thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon." What had David done? David had violated his law. David had transgressed his commandments. And God says, "You have despised My commandments." So, first of all, David despised the Word of God. He despised the law of God. Now, it should be obvious right now to you that God and His law are one, because if you look in verse 10, "Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me." Now in verse 9, he despised the commandment of God.

In verse 10, he has despised God. So when you have no regard for God's law, you do not have any regard for God Himself. You cannot separate God and His law. Let me tell you something. I've told our people this over and over and over. Here's a simple truth you need to learn. A king rules by his law.

Now, I don't care if you're talking about an earthly king or we're talking about the heavenly king. What is the law? The law is the expression of the ruler for his people. It's an expression of his will. And so God has given us his law. It is the expression of his will for his people. And you cannot separate God and His law. That's why David said in Psalm 138 and verse 2, God and His Word are one.

So here's what I want you to see. I want you to understand it is impossible to maintain one attitude toward God and a different attitude toward His Word. Let me say it again. It is impossible to maintain one attitude toward Jesus Christ and a different attitude toward His Word, because He puts Himself and His Word together. Let me show you. Turn in your Bibles to the book of John, chapter 12, and look, if you would please, at verse 48. John chapter 12 and verse 48. I want you to see how our Lord says this very plainly. John chapter 12 and look if you would please at verse 48. Our Lord makes this statement. Now watch. "He that rejecteth me," that is Christ the living Word, "he that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words," that's the written Word, "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day." What did he say? We know who the judge is.

Who is the judge? It's the Lord Jesus Christ. Now he says the Word is going to judge. Christ and His Word are one. So you can't say, "Well, I love the Lord Jesus Christ, but I just don't like what He said in the New Testament, or I don't like this command, or I don't like that command, or I don't want to obey that." No, no, no. You can't do that. Because God and His Word are one. The Lord Jesus Christ and His Word are one. You cannot separate God and His Word. So, when a Christian then refuses—listen to me—when a Christian refuses to obey God, when he refuses to obey God's law, when he refuses to obey God's commandment, he is guilty of despising the Word of God. And when he's guilty of despising the Word of God, he's guilty of despising God. For you cannot separate God and His law. Wow.

Esau as a Profane Despiser

Esau despised his birthright, becoming a fornicator and profane person, illustrating the danger of despising spiritual duties.

May I remind you of something else? When we do despise God's Word, when we do despise God's commandment, we become like Esau. We become a despiser of spiritual truths and blessings, and we actually become a fornicator and a profane person. You say what? Well, look in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews chapter 12. Hebrews chapter 12. And notice verses 16 and 17. Hebrews chapter 12. Look what the Scripture says about Esau.

In fact, let's begin reading with verse 15. Hebrews 12 verse 15, God says,

Now what did Esau do? Esau despised his birthright. The birthright happened to be, as the firstborn, being now the inheritor as the administrator of the estate, or the executor of the estate, the number one child, so to speak. He also got a double portion of whatever the family had, because it was his responsibility in the old age of his parents to take care of his parents. Moreover, included in that was the lineage of the Messiah. And the Bible says that Esau despised his birthright. What did he do? He despised his duties. He despised his obligations. He despised what God had given. Now, the Bible calls him a fornicator. And the term "fornicator" here is not used in reference to fleshliness as such, although he probably was a fornicator in that sense as well. But the Bible here uses the term "fornicator" in reference to the fact that he sold his birthright. In other words, a fornicator refers then to the unlawful use of the body. His lawful use of his body would have been to obey God and fulfill his duties and his obligations. But he used his body unlawfully in that he despised that birthright.

He's called a profane person because profanity refers to treating that which is holy as something that is common or unclean. So Esau now treats the birthright, he treats the spiritual truths and spiritual blessings as if they are nothing. And he's willing to trade them for a mess of pottage. So he is a profane person. So watch carefully. What is our Lord warning us about? The warning is this: we become like Esau when we refuse to obey and fulfill our duties and our obligations and our responsibilities to our Heavenly Father because we are acting in an unlawful manner. And moreover, we're treating Him and His Word and that which He's entailed upon us as something that is common and unclean.

Old Testament Warnings for New Testament Believers

Israel's despising of God's statutes serves as an example and warning for Christians (1 Corinthians 10:11).

Therefore, we count Him as one who is to be disdained and despised. Did you realize that one of the problems that God had with Israel consistently was they despised His Word and they despised Him? Look in your Bibles, if you would please, to the book of Leviticus chapter 26. Leviticus 26. And we'll begin reading there with verse 14. I'll show you several passages where Israel despised the commandments of God, and thus despised God. Leviticus 26. Notice, if you would please, verse 14. Hear the Word of God. God is speaking to them, and He says, "But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments; and if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments," and the word "abhor" is a very strong word for hatred, "so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant: I also will do this unto you;

Now what did He say? "If ye despise my statutes." Look in Leviticus chapter 26 and verse 43. Again, he says, "The land also shall be left of them, and shall enjoy her sabbaths, while she lieth desolate without them: and they shall accept of the punishment of their iniquity: because, even because they despised my judgments, and because their soul abhorred my statutes." Look in your Bibles to the book of Numbers chapter 11. Numbers chapter 11. And notice, if you would please, verse 20. Numbers 11 and verse 20. You know the story here, I do not have to read how the people are crying for flesh to eat, but God says this in verse 20, "But even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the Lord which is among you."

Then they wept before him, saying,

So here they are despising God. How? By whining and complaining and bellyaching and saying, "We were better off back in Egypt." Wow. Look in your Bibles, Numbers chapter 14 and verse 31. Numbers 14 verse 31. You remember how the children of Israel would not go up into the land when God commanded them. So the Bible says in the book of Numbers chapter 14 and verse 31, "But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised." Wow. Have you ever thought about despising God's gifts? Look at Numbers chapter 15, beginning of verse 29. Watch carefully. Numbers 15, verse 29. God says, "Ye shall have one law for him that sinneth through ignorance, both for him that is born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them. But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the Lord; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Because he hath despised the word of the Lord, and hath broken his commandment,

that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him." Turn right over, if you would, to the book of Isaiah chapter 5 and verse 24. Isaiah chapter 5 and verse 24. And God, in this passage, is dealing with Judah and Jerusalem. In fact, go back to verse 1 in Isaiah chapter 5, verse 1, "Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill." Well, if you want to know who that vineyard is, look at verse 3, "And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard." And he goes on to say that indeed, they are His, verse 7, "For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant:

and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry." So God is talking to Israel and particularly to Judah and Jerusalem. So skip down to verse 24 and look what He says to them. "Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel." Wow. Now, you say, "But Brother Weaver, wait a minute. All of that was Israel in the Old Testament." I understand that. So in that case, I want you to turn to Romans 15 and then to 1 Corinthians chapter 10. So look in Romans chapter 15. And let me lay out for you a simple truth, Romans 15. And then we're going to 1 Corinthians chapter 10. Now, watch carefully. Romans 15 and verse 4. Look what the—I'm sorry, Romans 15 verse 4, Romans 15 verse 4, look at it. "For whatsoever things were written aforetime," that is in the Old Testament, "were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink

the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. Now watch, "But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness." "Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer." Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come."

So what is He telling us? Everything that happened to Israel in the Old Testament is there for a reason. It is for our admonition. It is for our learning. It is for our instruction that we should not do what they did. What did they do? They despised the commandments of God. They despised the Word of God. They despised God. God judged them. They sinned, they violated the commandments of God, they transgressed.

Now the interesting thing is this, there are a multitude of warnings that are just simply scattered throughout Scripture. For instance, go in your Bibles to the book of Proverbs chapter 1. Proverbs chapter 1. And I want you to look there beginning, oh, I might start a little bit earlier. I started, say, verse 29, but let's begin reading Proverbs chapter one with verse 20. Let's read down through here and get to the climax a little bit later here. Watch. Proverbs chapter one, verse 20.

"Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets: she crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying, How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

Consequences of Despising God

Proverbs and 1 Samuel 2:30 warn that those who despise God will be destroyed or lightly esteemed. Despising God's messengers is despising God (2 Chronicles 36:15-16; Luke 10:16).

Now the interesting thing is this, there are a multitude of warnings that are just simply scattered throughout Scripture. For instance, go in your Bibles to the book of Proverbs chapter 1. Proverbs chapter 1. And I want you to look there beginning, oh, I might start a little bit earlier. I started, say, verse 29, but let's begin reading Proverbs chapter one with verse 20. Let's read down through here and get to the climax a little bit later here. Watch. Proverbs chapter one, verse 20.

"Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets: she crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying, How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. Now look what God says, "Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; but ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; when your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me,

but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: for that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord: they would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices." Look in your Bibles to Proverbs 13 and verse 13.

God says, "Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded." What is fearing the commandment? It's obeying, according to Proverbs 14, verse 2, our text. "But whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed." Look in Proverbs 19 and verse 16. Proverbs 19 and verse 16. "He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul; but he that despiseth his ways shall die." Wow. "He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul; but he that despiseth his ways shall die."

Now, the general principle is set forth in 1 Samuel, chapter 2 and verse 30. God there is condemning Eli and his house. And God says this, "Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the Lord saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed." What did God say? Those that honor me will I honor. Those that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. In other words, you despise God, God will despise you back. So here's my question. Is it any wonder then that our prayers are unanswered and our lives are lived in an unblessed manner because we're being disobedient to our God? We're despising His Word and despising Him.

We are holding Him in contempt and He in turn is holding us in contempt. So here's my question. Think about this as an earthly father. What earthly father wishes to bless a rebellious, disobedient, hateful son?

What grandfather wishes to bless a hateful, disobedient, rebellious grandchild? I remember years ago, our two oldest grandchildren were 2 and 8. When they were about two, they wanted some cow boots. They couldn't even say cowboy boots. They called them cow boots. So Alice and I took them to the store and here's the absolute truth. I had 20 bucks to my name. That's all I had. And I needed that to buy some groceries. So our plans were we were going to take them to the store, find the boots, try them on them, make sure that they could fit and would fit. And then we were going to come back a week or so later and get the boots.

Well, we got the boots off, we tried them on, we noticed the size and the amounts, and they weren't that expensive. It would have consumed most of the 20 bucks that I had. And the grandkids walked around in those cowboy boots, you know. And so we took them off, and Alice jotted down the sizes and everything. We took them off and put them back in the box, put them back on the shelf. And I picked up the oldest grandson. She picked up the little girl. And as we were walking away, my little grandson did this. He said, "Bye-bye, cow boots." I looked at Alice and I said, "Get them. We're just still hungry. Get them. Get them."

Now, if he had pitched a fit and started kicking and screaming, he had never gotten any cowboy boots. You see what I'm saying? No father wishes to honor a dishonorable son. I want you to look in your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Malachi, chapter 1 and verse 6. Look there. Look at the question that God asked. Malachi chapter 1, last book in the Old Testament, and God is asking this question of His priests. Look, if you would, Malachi chapter 1 and verse 6. God says this, "A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the Lord of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?" And then he answers that question. But notice, here are his priests despising his name. Do you realize that we despise God by holding Him and His Word in contempt? We despise God by disobedience.

We despise God by refusing to honor and obey Him. We despise God by counting His service and worship as something that is vile and worthless. We despise God by saying, "I'm not interested in going to church. I'm not interested in hearing that man preach. No, no, no, no. I'd rather be doing something else." That's despising God.

Is it possible for a real Christian to despise God? The answer is yes. Turn in your Bibles to 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. I want you to see this. I read this passage this past week, but I did not emphasize the one verse. Look in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, beginning there with verse 3. Because in this passage, the apostle is talking about sanctification, and he's talking about obedience to the law of God. So watch carefully. 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. Notice if you would please verse 1. Let's begin there. He says, "Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: that no man go beyond and defraud his brother

in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness." Now, I pointed out that anyone here who commits fornication is not only violating the seventh commandment, but the eighth commandment, and the tenth commandment, and also violating the first commandment, because you're dethroning God and enthroning yourself. Now, he's talking about God's commandments, very obviously. Look, if you would, please, at verse 8. Here's what he said, "He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit." So Paul said, if you don't like what I'm telling you, you're despising God. Is it possible for a Christian to despise God? Of course. Because we despise His commandments. We despise His Word. We do what we want to do instead of obeying God.

Now, before I make some applications, I want to give you one more thought that's connected with this. I want you to turn in your Bibles to 2 Chronicles 36. I want you to see this. Second Chronicles chapter 36. I want to make sure that you understand this. Second Chronicles chapter 36. And let's begin reading there with verse 15. "And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers,

that is, the prophets, the preachers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place." So when God wants to have compassion upon a people, He sends them His Word. He sends them His preachers. Well, what happened? Watch carefully. "But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy.

Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age: he gave them all into his hand." Now, let's take the time and go back and look at verse 15. "And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers," plural, he sent more than one, "rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place: but they mocked the messengers," plural, "they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words," singular. Whose words were they despising? God's. How were they despising God's Word? They were refusing to listen to the word that was being expounded and explained and applied by the preachers that God sent. "But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets," plural, "until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy."

Do you realize you can despise God in a church service? You can despise Him when you have come to worship Him and give Him honor and glory. When you refuse to hear His words and apply them to your heart, when you even refuse to listen to the preaching and the teaching of the Word of God, you are despising God. You say, how can that be? Turn in your Bibles to Luke chapter 10, and look at verse 16. Look at what our Lord said. This is undeniable. Luke 10, and notice if you would please, verse 16. Our Lord sends His disciples out to preach, and look what He says in verse 16 of Luke 10.

He said, "He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me." So you despise the preaching and teaching of the Word of God, you're despising the Lord Jesus Christ, and you're despising God the Father who sent the Lord Jesus Christ. Is it possible for Christians to despise God? Yeah. It is. It is possible for true, genuine believers to despise their Heavenly Father who has revealed Himself in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. It is possible for you to despise the God whom you profess to love and serve.

The Awfulness of Despising Christ

Hebrews 10:28-29 warns of sorer punishment for treading under foot the Son of God and doing despite to the Spirit of grace.

Therefore, we must pay close attention to our attitudes, our actions, our conduct, because our life demonstrates the reality of what we genuinely believe. One last scripture, I want you to look at Hebrews chapter 10. And I want you to see the awfulness of despising our Lord Jesus Christ. Hebrews chapter 10. Look at the language that is used in verses 28 and 29. In verse 28, "He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses." So if you violated the law in the Old Testament and there were two witnesses against you and it was a law that merited the death penalty, you were put to death. That's all there was to it. There was no appeal. You were just executed. So, "He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses."

Now watch verse 29, "Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?" So here's what God is saying: when we disobey, when we despise His Word, when we despise His commandment, we're despising Him and we're trodding the Son of God under our feet as if He was vile and contemptible and worthless and not worthy to be honored, served, or obeyed. And we're doing despite to the Spirit of grace.

Application and Illustration

A sobering story of a deacon who handled things his own way instead of God's way, leading to tragic consequences.

This truth should teach us to live soberly as well as righteously. We must genuinely consider our actions, our attitudes. We must contemplate what we do before we do it in reference to our God and His Word. Our thoughts, our actions, our conduct should be measured by the standard of the Word of God, because we realize it is possible to despise the Word of God and the God of the Word. Years ago, there was a man who had two children in our Christian school. The man was also a member of our church. He was already a member when I went there. He was also a deacon. But his children were so rebellious they would not listen. They would not be taught. I confronted the father on several occasions. But finally, it got so bad we were going to just kick them out of the Christian school. So I called the father.

And I explained to him what was happening. He stood in front of my desk, never sat. I took over an hour and I went through scripture after scripture showing him how this was to be handled and what church discipline was all about and that these two children were going to be brought before the church. And unless there was repentance, yes, they would be cut out. And they would certainly be cut out of the Christian school. After I spent over an hour explaining everything, showing scripture after scripture, he said this to me: "Preacher, I know you're right. And I know the Bible is right.

But I have to handle this in my own way." So he took his family and left the church. What happened? The young girl turned out to be a prostitute. The boy turned out to be a drunkard and a dopehead. And his parents had to sleep with a loaded pistol by their bed because their own son had threatened to kill them so many times. They had to call the law, have him arrested so many times because he's out of his mind on drugs, trying to kill them and destroy everything they had. Until finally that young man got drunk and went to sleep in his car on a railroad track.

And they identified him only by his teeth after the train ran over him. It does not pay to despise God and His Word. You handle things God's way, not your way. Do not trod the Son of God under your feet. The Father does not look lightly upon such. Do not despise God. "He that walketh uprightly feareth the Lord: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him." Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow before Thee. We thank You for Your Word, for Your truth. Lord, make us serious, sober Christians who understand the absolute necessity of obedience in every area of our lives. And give us grace, Lord, to serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. Forgive us, Lord, for we have despised Thee, and we have despised Thy Word, and we have done what we wanted and what we felt like and what we desired instead of what You have commanded. Forgive us for our sins, and help us, deliver us, we pray in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Closing Prayer

Prayer for forgiveness and grace to serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

And they identified him only by his teeth after the train ran over him. It does not pay to despise God and His Word. You handle things God's way, not your way. Do not trod the Son of God under your feet. The Father does not look lightly upon such. Do not despise God. "He that walketh uprightly feareth the Lord: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him." Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow before Thee. We thank You for Your Word, for Your truth. Lord, make us serious, sober Christians who understand the absolute necessity of obedience in every area of our lives. And give us grace, Lord, to serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. Forgive us, Lord, for we have despised Thee, and we have despised Thy Word, and we have done what we wanted and what we felt like and what we desired instead of what You have commanded. Forgive us for our sins, and help us, deliver us, we pray in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Amen.