Proverbs: The Fear of the Lord and Wisdom: The Doctrine of Election

Seeing and Hearing Part 3

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Old Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2015-02-01

Synopsis: In this sermon, John Weaver continues his series on spiritual understanding, emphasizing that understanding must be diligently sought, daily exercised, and applied. He argues that true understanding inevitably leads to application in life, and without application, there is no real understanding. He illustrates this with examples from Scripture, showing how understanding creation leads to worship and responsible stewardship, and how understanding the lordship of Christ leads to acknowledging salvation by grace. Weaver also stresses that understanding is necessary for salvation and repentance, and that it is a distinctive and discriminating gift from God, not given equally to all. He concludes with applications to thank God for understanding, glory in knowing Him, and remain in the way of understanding to avoid spiritual death.

[John Weaver] Well, let's open our Bibles today to Matthew Chapter 13. Matthew Chapter 13. And we're reading verses 10 through 17. Matthew Chapter 13 verses 10 through 17. This is part three of seeing and hearing, but not understanding. So look in Matthew Chapter 13, beginning there with verse 10. And the disciples came and said to him, why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance, but whosoever hath not from him shall be taken away, even that which he hath. Therefore speak unto them in parables, because they seeing see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, By hearing you shall hear and shall not understand, and seeing you shall see and shall not perceive. For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed, lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

[John Weaver] But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear, For verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which you see, and have not seen them, and to hear those things which you hear, and have not heard them. Let me just very quickly review the first two messages because I want to tie everything together today. But in the first message, we looked at the importance and the necessity of understanding. And over and over in the scripture, we have been commanded to understand And I also pointed out from the scripture that when one is without understanding, he is likened unto a beast or a dumb animal. In fact, sometimes the animals are more understanding than we who claim to be men.

[John Weaver] For instance, in Psalm 32 and verse 9, he said, Be not as the horse or as the mule, which have no understanding, whose mouth must be held in with bid and bridle as they come near unto you. Then in Psalm 49 verse 20, he said, man, that is an honor to understand. It's not. It's like the bees that perish. But what when I said that some bees have a little more understanding than men, he said, and Isaiah one in verse three, the ox knoweth his owner and the asses master's crib.

[John Weaver] But my people does not know and my people does not consider. So I pointed out in the first message that understanding spiritual truth is very unnatural for a fallen man. In fact, according to the Bible, he is incapable of understanding spiritual truth except by the grace and mercy of God when God opens his eyes. Moreover, I also endeavored to point out that it is equally true that believers are unable to understand truth unless our Lord opens our mind and our understanding as well. But the first message centered even around the 12 apostles. Because over and over in the Bible, the Bible said neither did they understand, and they would all the time ask our Lord to explain his teaching or to explain a parable unto them. And the point I made is this. We do not need to consider ourselves dumb or stupid just because we don't understand something in the Bible. Even the apostles didn't understand. They had to ask And it had to be taught them again and again so that they could understand.

[John Weaver] In the second message, I pointed out that understanding is a duty as well as a gift. So true understanding actually is the gift from God. Proverbs 2 and verse 6 said, For the Lord giveth wisdom, out of his mouth cometh understanding. And then in Matthew chapter 13 verse 11, he said this, because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. So while understanding is indeed the gift of God, it is likewise our duty, our responsibility and our obligation to seek that gift. Do you remember that the apostle Paul in first Corinthians 12 and verse 31 said this, but covet earnestly the best gifts. In other words, we should desire the gift of understanding. And by the way, when Paul said covet earnestly the best gift, that is not a suggestion. It is a command because it is a present active imperative in the Greek, which means he is commanding us to covet earnestly the best gifts. Likewise, the Apostle Paul said in 2 Timothy 2 and verse 7 to Timothy, consider what I say.

[John Weaver] And the Lord give the understanding in all things. And the word consider there is also a present active imperative. An imperative means it's a command. When it's present active, it means that you are to be continually and constantly considering. So he's commanding us to consider what he says and the Lord will give him understanding.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to understand that understanding is the gift of God. But it is also our duty to seek that gift. But God does not give the gift of understanding willy-nilly. He does not just simply drop understanding into the minds of the lazy, the ignorant, and the slothful. I've said this before, no one goes to bed ignorant and wakes up smart. No one goes to bed dumb in spiritual things and wakes up brilliant in spiritual truth.

[John Weaver] It doesn't work like that, no. As we study, as we consider what he says, we're prayerfully seeking his gift that God would open our minds and give us understanding. So understanding is not just only a gift, it is also a duty and a responsibility and an obligation.

[John Weaver] Now today I want to begin with the third point and that is this. Understanding must be diligently sought and daily exercised and applied. Understanding must not only be diligently sought, it must be daily exercised and applied. Have you considered the fact that you need understanding, not just weekly or daily, but even hourly? And the truth of the matter is, we must be applying it constantly and consistently in every area and every avenue of our lives.

[John Weaver] If you and I try to view understanding as a hit and miss proposition, such as sometimes we have it and sometimes we don't, then we're never ever going to be living a godly, biblical oriented life. Now listen carefully to what I'm about to say. When God graciously opens our eyes when he enlightens our minds to understand a specific truth. It is for the purpose that we might exercise and apply that truth in our lives. And it's not that we just simply say, oh, I see that today. I understand that today. Well, today I'll do it. But then tomorrow I won't, or I'll do it for this week, but the next week I'll no longer do it. No. If God opens our minds and enables us to understand the truth, it is so that we may constantly and consistently apply that truth the rest of our lives. Let me say this, and I believe I can have biblical warrant for saying this. Here it is. If there is no application of the truth, There is really and truly no understanding of the truth.

[John Weaver] Because when God gives us understanding, it's so that we might apply it. Now, look in Matthew 13 and verse 15, let me show you. Look what he said concerning these people, he said, for this people's heart is wax gross and their ears are dull of hearing. And their eyes they have closed, lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

[John Weaver] Now, let me ask this question. What would happen if this people really and truly heard, really and truly saw, and really and truly understood? What would happen? The answer is, they would repent and believe. In other words, this verse, verse 15, implies that truth has to be applied. If you hear truth, if you see truth, if you understand truth, then you apply truth. Truth held in the mind but never applied is worthless.

[John Weaver] I want you to look in your Bibles, whole Matthew 13, but turn to the book of Colossians chapter 1. Colossians chapter 1. Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians. Look in Colossians chapter 1 and let's begin reading there with verse 9. Colossians 1 verse 9. Colossians 1 verse 9, Paul writes to these Colossian Christians and he says this, For this cause we also since the day we heard it, Do not cease to pray for you and to desire that you might be filled with the knowledge of His will.

[John Weaver] Now watch in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. That you might walk worthy of the Lord and to all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with all might according to His glorious power unto all patients and longsuffering with joyfulness giving thanks unto the Father who made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints and the like.

[John Weaver] Now, go back to verse 9 and look at this. He says, For this cause also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you and to desire that you might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. So here's my question. What is going to be the result Or what will be the consequences if you are filled with the knowledge of His will and all wisdom and spiritual understanding? If God gives you spiritual understanding, what will be the result? Well, look in verse 10. That you might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God Strengthened with all might. In other words, if God gives you understanding, there cannot help but be an application of that understanding in your life. You will walk pleasing unto the Lord. You will be fruitful in every good work. So understanding must be applied.

[John Weaver] It is to govern our lives. Paul spoke in Colossians 2 and verse 2 about the riches of full assurance of understanding. Do you realize it is understanding that enriches our lives? Because it enables us to walk pleasing to the Lord and be fruitful in every good work. So let me ask you a question. How does one exercise and apply biblical understanding? How does one exercise and apply biblical understanding? Well, the answer is you apply and exercise biblical understanding the way that you apply and exercise any understanding. So let me give you a couple of illustrations, one just made up and the other is biblical. OK, here's a good illustration of applying understanding.

[John Weaver] Let's suppose that you need a certain thing, a certain object. In fact, you may need several of them. And so you go into a store that carries those objects that you desire, and you find the object. And you look at it, and you look around there, and there's another package that has multiple of the same objects in it. And let's say that you really truly need 50 of what you're looking for. You look at the price of the one. You look at the price of the package that has 25. You look at the price of the package that has 50 in it. And then you look and see how much money you have in your pocket. Now you may need 50 of them. But if you only have enough money, if you only have enough money to buy 25 of them, what you're now doing is applying and exercising not only your understanding of the object that you want, but you're also applying and understanding the money that you have in your pocket to the object there.

[John Weaver] So you're going to apply biblical understanding the same way basically Did you apply any other understanding? So let me show you. Look in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews chapter 11. Hebrews chapter 11. And let's look at verse 1. Now I'm going to show you again how to apply biblical understanding. Because the whole point that I'm making is very simple. Biblical understanding must be diligently exercised and daily applied. So look in Hebrews chapter 11 and notice if you would please there with verse 1. Hebrews 11 verse 1, the Bible says this.

[John Weaver] Now, faith is a substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen, for by it the elders obtained a good report. Now watch. Through faith, we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. Now notice what he said in verse 3, through faith we understand. Well now, if faith enables me to understand that God is the creator of this world, And if faith enables me to understand that God spoke this world and every other world into existence, in which the Bible says he did, in Psalm 33 and verse 9, for he spake and it was done, he

[John Weaver] commanded and it stood fast, then he's talking about creation there. So if I understand that God is the creator of this world, and I understand that God spoke this world into existence, How do I apply that in my daily life? How do I apply that truth over and over? Well, first of all, we apply this truth by believing that this world is God's creation. God created the world.

[John Weaver] It did not just happen. It did not come into being by evolution. It did not come into being by a gigantic explosion somewhere. where nothing created something. No, it was God who created the world, and we understand that when God created the world, He created it for a special purpose. What was that purpose? Let me just quote it. Revelation 4 and verse 11, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive honor and glory and power, for Thou hast created all things and for Thy pleasure. They were and are created. So why did God create the world? Here's why. Because it pleased God to create the world. Why did God create you? Because it pleased God to create you. Why did God save you? Because it pleased God to save you. So I'm just trying to show you if we apply this verse through faith, we understand Then the very first thing we do is we believe that this world is God's creation and it was created for a purpose. Secondly, we apply this truth by worshipping the Lord as our sovereign creator.

[John Weaver] Listen, I don't look around and see all the stars in the universe and the sun and the moon and say, Aren't we lucky all this just happened? No. What I do is I worship the God who created all of this. How can you look at the Grand Canyon? How can you look at the ocean? How can you look at the mountains? How can you look at this great and vast world and even the universe and not give God honor and glory for his creation?

[John Weaver] So we apply this truth in Hebrews 11 verse 3. Through faith we understand that the worlds were created by God or framed by the word of God. So the things which are seen were not made out of things which do appear. So we apply that by worshiping the Lord as a sovereign creator. Thirdly, we apply that truth by trusting the Lord's omnipotence. Remember the word omnipotence means all power.

[John Weaver] He is the all-powerful One. Now, let me just pose something to you and think about this. If God can merely speak and the world comes into existence, if He speaks and there's water, He speaks and there's land, He speaks and there's sun, moon, stars, He speaks And there are vast and great numbers of stars that we cannot even see and do not even know. If God has the absolute power to speak this world into existence, does not He have the power to protect us and provide for us?

[John Weaver] That's an application of this verse. because it shows God's omnipotence.

[John Weaver] Fourth, we apply this verse in glorying and enjoying the wonderful creation that God has made. You know, the Bible says that God has given us richly all things to enjoy. What does that mean? That means if I go to the mountains and I get a hunting trip, Wonderful. I enjoy the scenery. I enjoy the trip. And I give God the praise and the honor and the glory for creating not just the mountains, but the game and then for allowing me to enjoy it. If I get to go to.

[John Weaver] Grand Canyon, it's the same thing. I'm enjoying God's creation. I'm applying. Hebrews 11, verse three, and I might also add fifthly, We apply Hebrews 11 verse 3 by what the Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 7 verse 31. Listen carefully. We should use this world as not abusing it. We should use this world as not abusing it. We have to understand this is God's creation. May I have a garden? Sure, I may have a garden. May I plant crops? Sure, I may plant crops. I can use this world. Do I have the right to destroy this world? No. Do I have a right to destroy the atmosphere? No. Do I have the right to destroy anything that God's created? No. I can use it, but I cannot abuse it. I might build a box. And it may not be the best box in the world, but it's my box. I built it. And if you come to my house, you do not have the right to kick my box and to take a hammer and tear it to pieces.

[John Weaver] Because it's my box. And this is God's world. We have the right and the blessing of God to use it, but we do not have the right to abuse it. So you see, biblical understanding always has to be applied. Let me show you another one. Look in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 12. 1 Corinthians chapter 12. And look at verse 3. 1 Corinthians 12, verse 3.

[John Weaver] The Apostle Paul writes, Wherefore, I give you to understand that no man speaking by the Spirit of God called Jesus accursed, and that no man can say that Jesus is Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. Now, wait a minute. Did you hear what Paul said? Wherefore, I give you to understand. Here is something you need to understand. Understand it. That no man, speaking by the Spirit of God, calleth Jesus accursed. And that no man can say that Jesus is Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

[John Weaver] How do you apply this verse? Well, first of all, you would apply this truth by recognizing the Godhead. There is that which is known as the ontological trinity. The word ontos is the Greek word which simply means being. When you talk about the ontological trinity, it's just simply the logical order being Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. There is no confusion of the persons. Each person is a separate person, but we understand there is only one God who has revealed Himself in Father, Son, and Spirit. He's revealed Himself in three persons. Now watch, if you would, verse 3. He says, wherefore I give you to understand that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed. Why would no man speaking by the Spirit of God call Jesus Christ accursed? You have to remember, God the Father is God, God the Son is God, God the Spirit is God. And since God the Spirit is God, if He prompted someone to curse Jesus Christ, who is God, He would be prompting someone to curse Himself, which would be blasphemous.

[John Weaver] So obviously, no man who is speaking by the Spirit of God is going to call Jesus Christ a curse. Secondly, you would apply this truth by acknowledging that the only way that anyone can be saved is through Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit working salvation in that individual. Look at verse 3 again. Wherefore I give you to understand that no man speaking by the Spirit calleth Jesus a curse, and that no man can say that Jesus is Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. Now, when the Bible says that no man can say that Jesus Christ is Lord, but by the Holy Ghost, It does not mean that men do not have the power in their tongue to say, or the ability in their tongue to say, Jesus is Lord. If you have the ability to speak, if you have a tongue, anyone could say Jesus is Lord.

[John Weaver] Let me put it like this. Men may imitate, but only God the Holy Spirit can authenticate. So while men may imitate and mouth the words Jesus Christ is Lord, it's only the Holy Ghost that can make you say and enable you to say Jesus Christ is Lord savingly. So you are applying this verse now. Let me just try to show you. By the way, if you apply this verse, you will come to the same conclusion that Jonah came to. And Jonah 2 and verse 9, when he said, salvation is of the Lord. And that's what this verse is actually teaching us. Salvation is of the Lord. Only God, the Holy Spirit, can enable us to say, Jesus Christ is Lord, savingly.

[John Weaver] Now, I want to show you several other verses I believe are self-explanatory as to how understanding is to be applied in our lives. And I think you're going to readily agree with me, based upon these verses, that we need understanding daily and hourly. So, look in your Bibles to Proverbs 14 and verse 29. Proverbs 14, verse 29. Proverbs 14, verse 29.

[John Weaver] Now, watch what this verse says. Here's an excellent example of having understanding applied consistently, constantly in our lives. Proverbs 14, verse 29, God says he that is slow to wrath is a great understanding. But he that is hasty of spirit exalted folly, he that is slow to wrath is a great understanding. Hmm. Now what in the world is God teaching us here? He's teaching us that if we understand things, it will enable us to be slow to wrath. We also understand, according to Proverbs 14, verse 29, the man that is hasting his spirit exalts folly. You remember what Proverbs chapter 15 in verse one says. Proverbs 15 in verse one. The Bible says a soft answer turneth away wrath, but grievous words stirreth up anger. A soft answer turneth away wrath, but grievous words stirreth up anger. Look in Proverbs chapter 19 and verse eight. Proverbs 19 in verse eight.

[John Weaver] He that getteth wisdom loveth his own soul. He that keepeth understanding shall find good. I don't know about you, but I'd like to find good all the time. So God says he that keepeth understanding shall find good. Without understanding, you're not going to find good. Look in Proverbs 19 in verse 25. He says smite a scorner and the simple will beware. Reprove one that hath understanding and he will He will understand knowledge. Reprove one that has understanding and he will understand knowledge. So that means a man that has understanding, if he happens to be doing something wrong, if you reprove him and show him where he's wrong, what is he going to do? He's going to increase in understanding. He's not going to get mad and angry and upset. He's going to be learning.

[John Weaver] Now, let me answer a question. But I want to ask it before I answer it. Before I go to the next point, here is my question. Why are there so few Christians that really understand doctrine? I probably need to rephrase that question. Why are those so many? Why are there so many Christians that do not know doctrine and do not know how to apply doctrine? Well, the Bible has the answer. I want you to turn to Isaiah 28. Isaiah 28. And I want you to look at verse 9. Isaiah 28 and verse 9. Isaiah 28 and verse 9. Look what the question is asked.

[John Weaver] Whom shall he teach knowledge? In other words, whom shall the Lord teach knowledge? Watch. And whom shall he make to understand doctrine? Here's the answer. Them that are weaned from the milk and drawn from the breasts. God said if you want to understand doctrine. If you want knowledge, you have to be weaned from the milk and drawn from the breasts. So here is why most Christians, most professing Christians, do not know doctrine and do not know how to apply doctrine. It is because they are too childish, too immature and too ignorant to understand doctrine, and therefore they are incapable of being taught.

[John Weaver] You remember what the apostle said in Hebrews chapter five, we read it last week, let me just read it this week. He's talking about Christ, he said, of whom we have many things to say and hard to be uttered, seeing you are dull of hearing. For when for the time you ought to be teachers, you have need that one teach you again, which be the first principles of the oracles of God and become such as need of milk and not strong meat for everyone that uses milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But strong meat belongs to them that are full age, even those who, by reason of use, have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. So the question is, why are so many professing Christians ignorant? And the answer is because so many professing Christians are immature and childish.

[John Weaver] And they're not capable of being taught. Here's the fourth point I want to bring to you today. Understanding is absolutely necessary. For salvation. And repentance. Understanding is absolutely necessary for salvation. And repentance.

[John Weaver] Now, I do not want to spend much time on this point, but I am going to Take the time for the sake of clarity to explain the principle. Let me just quote Romans 10 and verse 10. Listen, Romans 10 verse 10, for with the heart man believeth under righteousness and with the mouth confession is made in salvation. Now, I want you to understand, first and foremost, that faith or belief precedes confession.

[John Weaver] You can't confess or profess something that you do not already believe. Okay? So faith precedes confession.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to Acts 28. Acts 28. And let's begin reading there with verse 25. Acts 28, verse 25. And I want you to look and see what was spoken here by Luke, Dr. Luke, who wrote the book of Acts. Paul is speaking, I think, in Acts chapter 28, beginning there of verse 25. Acts 28, verse 25. And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed. After that, Paul had spoken one word. And here's what Paul is speaking.

[John Weaver] Well, spake the Holy Ghost by Isaiah the prophet unto our father, saying, Go unto this people and say, Hearing you shall hear, and shall not understand, and seeing you shall see, and shall not perceive. For the heart of this people is waxed, gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles and that they will hear it. Now, remember, if you would please, Paul designates himself as the apostle of the Gentiles.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to look, since you're in right next to the book of Romans, turn to Romans chapter 15 and look at verse 21. Romans 15 and verse 21. And here's what Paul says concerning those to whom he preaches. But as it is written, to whom he was not spoken of, they shall see, and they that have not heard shall understand. So Paul said, here are you bunch of redneck Pharisees and Jews. You don't see. You don't hear. You don't understand. Therefore, he said, Lo, I go to the Gentiles and they will see and they will hear and they will understand. Now, I want you to listen while I quote this one verse in Second Timothy, chapter three and verse 15. Actually, I think it's. Chapter one, I probably jotted it down wrong, but Second Timothy, chapter one, I believe, verse 15, where Paul said concerning Timothy, and from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. From a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation.

[John Weaver] So let me put it like this. It is impossible to be saved Without understanding that one is a sinner. It's impossible to be saved without understanding that Jesus Christ is Lord. It is impossible to be saved without understanding that Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone is salvation. One does not have to be a theologian or a Bible scholar to be saved, but it's impossible to be saved without some understanding. You must understand that you're a sinner and that Jesus Christ is Lord and that salvation is only in Him. Second, let me put this together for you. There can be no repentance without understanding. The Greek word for repentance is metanoia. And metanoia literally means, listen to this, it means a change of mind. A change of mind which inevitably results in a change of conduct.

[John Weaver] So, if I'm walking straight toward Ed and Henry is behind me, if I'm walking straight toward Ed and I repent, that means I turn around and I'm now walking toward Henry. If I change my mind, there is a change of course. You cannot change your course. You cannot change your conduct unless you change your mind. And you cannot change your mind unless you understand truth. In other words, when someone repents, he not only understands what he is doing is wrong, he must understand why it is wrong.

[John Weaver] for him to do that which he is doing. You see, repentance is not just saying I'm sorry. Repentance is not being ashamed that you were caught in your sins. There's a difference between a worldly sorrow and a godly sorrow. The apostle made this distinction in 2 Corinthians 7, verse 10, he said, For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation, not to be repented of. But the sorrow of this world worketh death. In other words, here's the difference between a worldly repentance or a worldly sorrow and a godly repentance and a godly sorrow. If you only have a worldly sorrow or a worldly repentance, You're ashamed. Of your sin. Or you're ashamed you got caught in your sin.

[John Weaver] And you don't want to face anybody. And you're ashamed for people know what you've done. And that's it, and you'll run and hide. But someone who has a godly sorrow and a godly repentance now listen. He may be ashamed that he is sinned. But he is more than willing to acknowledge that sin and confess that sin and say, God has delivered me from that sin. I've turned from that sin.

[John Weaver] I'm no longer what I once was. I no longer do that which I once did. So biblical sorrow. and biblical repentance leads in to recognition of sin and confession of sin and returning from sin. And while we may be ashamed of our sin, yet we understand. That we can no longer do what we once did. Because of our understanding and the man who has a godly sorrow is not ashamed for anyone else to know that yes, he was a great sinner and yes, he sinned, but God has forgiven him and God has saved him. He may be ashamed of what he's done, but he's not ashamed of what God has done for him.

[John Weaver] Now, I want to show you the two sides of the one coin, OK? I could call it the two sides of repentance, or I could call it the two sides of salvation, either one. On the one side, there is indeed an understanding and a turning from sin. And on the other side, there is indeed an understanding and a turning to God and His law. I want you to look at three verses right now. I want you to turn to Job 28, and then we're going to Proverbs 9, and then we're going to 1 Thessalonians chapter 1. So go to Proverbs 28, if you would please. Proverbs, I'm sorry, Job 28. Job 28 is where we're going first, and then to Proverbs 9. So look in Job 28 and verse 28. Job 28, verse 28. And then we're going to Proverbs 9. Okay? So notice if you would, Job 28, verse 28.

[John Weaver] And the man, he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding. What? To depart from evil is understanding. That's why I told you there can be no repentance without understanding. To depart from evil is understanding. Look in your Bibles to Proverbs chapter 9 and verse 10. Proverbs 9 and verse 10. Now, he says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy is understanding. Now, wait a minute, he just said in Job 28 in verse 28 that to depart from evil is understanding. Now, in Proverbs 9 in verse 10, he says the knowledge of the Holy is understanding. Well, which is it? It's both. It's the two sides of one coin, just like you have heads and tails on a coin. On the one side, understanding is the knowledge of our sin. On the other side of that coin, our understanding is turning to God and His Word. Look in your Bibles to 1 Thessalonians 1 and verse 9.

[John Weaver] 1 Thessalonians 1 and verse 9. And I've got to hurry. Look in 1 Thessalonians 1 and verse 9. In this passage, We have these two things together. 1 Thessalonians 1 verse 9, the Apostle Paul says this, For they themselves show of us what manner of entering in, we hand them to you, how you turn to God from idols to serve the living and true God. What did they do? They turned to God. That's the positive side. From idols, that's the negative side.

[John Weaver] They had an understanding of their sin. They had an understanding of God. So they left their sin and they turned to God and served Him. Now, genuine repentance involves understanding. It involves understanding our sin. It involves understanding truth and righteousness and holiness. And we understand when we repent that God has the absolute right to dictate to us and command us of how we should live. Very quickly, here's my fifth and final point, and that is this. Understanding is distinctive and discriminating. Understanding is distinctive and discriminating.

[John Weaver] Now, I began this brief series and I asked this question. Why is it that there are so many that do not understand and that will never understand? Well, one of the answers is because of the distinctiveness and the discriminating grace and mercy of God. Let me just quote Proverbs, not Proverbs, but Psalm 25 and verse 14. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will show them his covenant. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him. In Proverbs 3 and verse 32, he says this, For the froward is an abomination to the Lord, but his secret is with the righteous. Now, The wicked will never come to an understanding of God unless God gives them grace and repentance. Understand that. But do you realize even among Christians, even among Christian pastors, there is a distinctive and discriminating understanding. Some have understanding that others never have and never will have. Look back in Matthew 13 and verse 17. Look at what our Lord said. Look at Matthew 13 and verse 17.

[John Weaver] Look what he said to his disciples. He says, For verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which you see and have not seen them, and to hear those things which you have heard and have not heard them. Well, let me ask you a question. Why did God not allow these righteous men to see and hear what the apostles saw and heard? That's the distinctive and discriminating grace of God. They just did not. You see, understanding is distinctive and discriminating, not just among Christians, but among pastors as well. Do you realize many pastors do not understand doctrine? Some see truths that others will never see. I've often been asked, why is there such a division among Christians and even among Christian pastors? One of the answers is this, that God does not give the same understanding to all men, neither does He give the same understanding to all men at the same time, nor do all men use the means that God has ordained, nor do they use it consistently and constantly.

[John Weaver] Consequently, Their understanding is lacking. You remember, I told you. In First Peter, chapter one, verses 10 through 12, many of the Old Testament prophets did not even understand their own writings. Let me just read it. Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you, searching what or what manner of time the spirit of Christ which was in them did signify when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow. In other words, these Old Testament prophets wrote something they didn't understand. Why? Because of the discriminating and distinctive grace of God to certain individuals.

[John Weaver] And let me give you another answer, and I gave you this last week. But God only gives truth to men as they were able to hear it. If you will look in your Bibles to Mark 4. Mark 4 and look at verses 33 and 34. Mark 4 verses 33 and 34.

[John Weaver] Mark 4, look at verse 33. And when many such parables spake he the word unto them as they were able to hear it. But without a parable spaking it not unto them, and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples. God only gives us truth as we're able to hear it. As long as you're a babe, you're not able to hear some truth. That's what the Apostle said in Hebrews chapter 5. That's what he said in 1 Corinthians chapter 3.

[John Weaver] And the same thing is true among Christian pastors. As long as you're a babe, you're just not able to hear the truth. Or at least untruth. Just like I pointed out last week, a little baby cannot eat a T-bone steak. Nor can he understand the implications of the priesthood of Christ. Because he's a child, he's a baby in Christ. The Bible asks this question in Job 36 and verse 22. Behold, God, exalted by his power, who teacheth like him. We must be taught of God and you must remember that understanding is not only a gift from God, it's a duty and responsibilities as well. So we must seek understanding from our great teacher, the Lord himself, and we must use The means that he is ordained consistently and constantly. Now, let me make just a couple of applications.

[John Weaver] The first one is this. If we have any understanding of biblical truth. If we understand any Bible doctrines. The first thing we should do. Is to thank God for his gracious and generous gift. For if God had not given us understanding, our eyes would be just as closed, our minds would be just as closed, our ears would be just as deaf as everybody else's. It's God who enabled us to understand. Everything that we understand, we receive from Him. He taught us. He showed us. He alone is infinite in understanding. The Bible says in Psalm 147, verse 5, great is our Lord and great in power. His understanding is infinite.

[John Weaver] That means it is endless. And if we want understanding, we must seek him, but we must thank him for that which he's already given us. The second thing is this. If you are saved by the grace of God, That you must glory in that fact. And worship and praise him alone. I want you to turn to Jeremiah chapter 9. I want you to see verse 24, Jeremiah 9 verse 24. Here it is. Jeremiah 9 verse 24.

[John Weaver] Jeremiah 9, verse 24. But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me. I am the Lord which exercised lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For these things I delight, saith the Lord. Did you hear that? But let him that glorieth. If you're going to glory, God says glory in this, that you understand and know me. That I and the Lord, which exercise loving kindness and judgment and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight." Yes, we should glory in the Lord that we understand Him. We may not understand everything about Him, but we know that He is God.

[John Weaver] The third application is this. I ask this question, why is it important to exercise and apply understanding. Why is it important? I'm going to show you one verse. Look in your Bibles to Proverbs 21. Proverbs 21. If you think that these last three messages have just been filling time and are worthless. Well, look at this. Proverbs 21, verse 16. Here's why applying understanding is absolutely needful, necessary, and why it's extremely important. Proverbs 21, look in verse 16. Proverbs 21, verse 16. The man that wanders out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead. You leave understanding, you leave life. Understanding is the gift of God, but we must seek Him. And when He gives us understanding on any truth, we have to apply it to our lives consistently and constantly and continually. He gives us truth that we may obey it. Truth applied is valuable. Truth, unapplied, is worthless.

[John Weaver] Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee. We thank You for Your Word. We thank You for Your truth. We ask for understanding. We ask for wisdom. And we ask that we may apply Thy Word to our lives. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen. This program was produced by Dominion Ministry. For more information about Pastor Weaver's sermons, you may contact Dominion Ministry by mail at 7400 Abracorn, that's A-B-E-R-C-O-R-N Street, Suite 705, P-M-B 175, Savannah, Georgia, 31406.

[John Weaver] Or give us a call at 912 You can also visit our website at www.dominionministry.com

Seeing and Hearing Part 3

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	68151413262
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Proverbs: The Fear of the Lord and Wisdom: The Doctrine of Election
Genre	Sermon
Date	2015-02-01
Dictation Name
Book	Book 116: Seeing and Hearing — Chapter 3
Source Timed Segments	65

Formatted Transcript

Opening

Well, let's open our Bibles today to Matthew chapter 13. Matthew chapter 13. And we're reading verses 10 through 17. Matthew chapter 13, verses 10 through 17. This is part three of "Seeing and Hearing, but Not Understanding." So look in Matthew chapter 13, beginning there with verse 10.

Scripture Reading — Matthew 13:10-17

"And the disciples came and said to him, 'Why speakest thou unto them in parables?' He answered and said unto them, 'Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance; but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: for this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.'

Review of Previous Messages

Weaver reviews the first two messages: the necessity of understanding and that understanding is both a gift and a duty.

Scripture Reading — Matthew 13:10-17

"But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them."

Let me just very quickly review the first two messages because I want to tie everything together today. But in the first message, we looked at the importance and the necessity of understanding. And over and over in the Scripture, we have been commanded to understand. And I also pointed out from the Scripture that when one is without understanding, he is likened unto a beast or a dumb animal. In fact, sometimes the animals are more understanding than we who claim to be men.

For instance, in Psalm 32 and verse 9, he said, "Be not as the horse or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee." Then in Psalm 49, verse 20, he said, "Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish." But what when I said that some beasts have a little more understanding than men? He said in Isaiah 1, verse 3,

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 1:3

"The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib." "But my people doth not know, my people doth not consider."

So I pointed out in the first message that understanding spiritual truth is very unnatural for a fallen man. In fact, according to the Bible, he is incapable of understanding spiritual truth except by the grace and mercy of God when God opens his eyes. Moreover, I also endeavored to point out that it is equally true that believers are unable to understand truth unless our Lord opens our mind and our understanding as well. But the first message centered even around the twelve apostles. Because over and over in the Bible, the Bible said neither did they understand, and they would all the time ask our Lord to explain his teaching or to explain a parable unto them. And the point I made is this: we do not need to consider ourselves dumb or stupid just because we don't understand something in the Bible. Even the apostles didn't understand. They had to ask, and it had to be taught them again and again so that they could understand.

In the second message, I pointed out that understanding is a duty as well as a gift. So true understanding actually is the gift from God. Proverbs 2 and verse 6 said,

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 2:6

"For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding."

And then in Matthew chapter 13, verse 11, he said this: "Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given." So while understanding is indeed the gift of God, it is likewise our duty, our responsibility, and our obligation to seek that gift. Do you remember that the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 12 and verse 31 said this: "But covet earnestly the best gifts." In other words, we should desire the gift of understanding. And by the way, when Paul said "covet earnestly the best gifts," that is not a suggestion. It is a command because it is a present active imperative in the Greek, which means he is commanding us to covet earnestly the best gifts. Likewise, the apostle Paul said in 2 Timothy 2 and verse 7 to Timothy, "Consider what I say."

"And the Lord give thee understanding in all things." And the word "consider" there is also a present active imperative. An imperative means it's a command. When it's present active, it means that you are to be continually and constantly considering. So he's commanding us to consider what he says, and the Lord will give him understanding.

Understanding Must Be Diligently Sought and Daily Applied

Understanding is not a hit-or-miss proposition; it must be constantly applied. Without application, there is no true understanding.

Now today I want to begin with the third point, and that is this: understanding must be diligently sought and daily exercised and applied. Understanding must not only be diligently sought, it must be daily exercised and applied. Have you considered the fact that you need understanding, not just weekly or daily, but even hourly? And the truth of the matter is, we must be applying it constantly and consistently in every area and every avenue of our lives. If you and I try to view understanding as a hit-and-miss proposition, such as sometimes we have it and sometimes we don't, then we're never ever going to be living a godly, biblically oriented life. Now listen carefully to what I'm about to say. When God graciously opens our eyes, when he enlightens our minds to understand a specific truth, it is for the purpose that we might exercise and apply that truth in our lives. And it's not that we just simply say, "Oh, I see that today. I understand that today. Well, today I'll do it. But then tomorrow I won't, or I'll do it for this week, but the next week I'll no longer do it." No. If God opens our minds and enables us to understand the truth, it is so that we may constantly and consistently apply that truth the rest of our lives. Let me say this, and I believe I can have biblical warrant for saying this. Here it is: if there is no application of the truth, there is really and truly no understanding of the truth.

Illustration of Applying Understanding: Creation

Using Hebrews 11:3, Weaver shows how understanding that God created the world leads to worship, trust in His power, enjoyment of creation, and responsible use without abuse.

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report." Now watch. "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." Now notice what he said in verse 3: "through faith we understand." Well now, if faith enables me to understand that God is the creator of this world, and if faith enables me to understand that God spoke this world and every other world into existence, in which the Bible says he did, in Psalm 33 and verse 9, "For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast," then he's talking about creation there. So if I understand that God is the creator of this world, and I understand that God spoke this world into existence, how do I apply that in my daily life? How do I apply that truth over and over? Well, first of all, we apply this truth by believing that this world is God's creation. God created the world.

It did not just happen. It did not come into being by evolution. It did not come into being by a gigantic explosion somewhere, where nothing created something. No, it was God who created the world, and we understand that when God created the world, He created it for a special purpose. What was that purpose? Let me just quote it. Revelation 4 and verse 11:

Scripture Reading — Revelation 4:11

"Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created."

So why did God create the world? Here's why: because it pleased God to create the world. Why did God create you? Because it pleased God to create you. Why did God save you? Because it pleased God to save you. So I'm just trying to show you, if we apply this verse, "through faith we understand," then the very first thing we do is we believe that this world is God's creation and it was created for a purpose. Secondly, we apply this truth by worshipping the Lord as our sovereign creator.

Listen, I don't look around and see all the stars in the universe and the sun and the moon and say, "Aren't we lucky all this just happened?" No. What I do is I worship the God who created all of this. How can you look at the Grand Canyon? How can you look at the ocean? How can you look at the mountains? How can you look at this great and vast world and even the universe and not give God honor and glory for his creation?

So we apply this truth in Hebrews 11, verse 3: "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." So we apply that by worshiping the Lord as our sovereign creator. Thirdly, we apply that truth by trusting the Lord's omnipotence. Remember the word omnipotence means all power. He is the all-powerful One. Now, let me just pose something to you and think about this. If God can merely speak and the world comes into existence, if He speaks and there's water, He speaks and there's land, He speaks and there's sun, moon, stars, He speaks and there are vast and great numbers of stars that we cannot even see and do not even know—if God has the absolute power to speak this world into existence, does not He have the power to protect us and provide for us?

That's an application of this verse, because it shows God's omnipotence. Fourth, we apply this verse in glorying and enjoying the wonderful creation that God has made. You know, the Bible says that God has given us richly all things to enjoy. What does that mean? That means if I go to the mountains and I get a hunting trip, wonderful. I enjoy the scenery. I enjoy the trip. And I give God the praise and the honor and the glory for creating not just the mountains, but the game and then for allowing me to enjoy it. If I get to go to the

Grand Canyon, it's the same thing. I'm enjoying God's creation. I'm applying Hebrews 11, verse 3. And I might also add fifthly, we apply Hebrews 11, verse 3 by what the apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 7, verse 31. Listen carefully:

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 7:31

"We should use this world as not abusing it."

We should use this world as not abusing it. We have to understand this is God's creation. May I have a garden? Sure, I may have a garden. May I plant crops? Sure, I may plant crops. I can use this world. Do I have the right to destroy this world? No. Do I have a right to destroy the atmosphere? No. Do I have the right to destroy anything that God's created? No. I can use it, but I cannot abuse it. I might build a box. And it may not be the best box in the world, but it's my box. I built it. And if you come to my house, you do not have the right to kick my box and to take a hammer and tear it to pieces.

Because it's my box. And this is God's world. We have the right and the blessing of God to use it, but we do not have the right to abuse it. So you see, biblical understanding always has to be applied. Let me show you another one. Look in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 12. 1 Corinthians chapter 12. And look at verse 3. 1 Corinthians 12, verse 3.

Illustration of Applying Understanding: Lordship of Christ

From 1 Corinthians 12:3, understanding that no one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit leads to recognizing the Trinity and acknowledging salvation is of the Lord.

The apostle Paul writes, "Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." Now, wait a minute. Did you hear what Paul said? "Wherefore I give you to understand." Here is something you need to understand. Understand it: that no man, speaking by the Spirit of God, calleth Jesus accursed. And that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. How do you apply this verse? Well, first of all, you would apply this truth by recognizing the Godhead. There is that which is known as the ontological trinity. The word ontos is the Greek word which simply means being. When you talk about the ontological trinity, it's just simply the logical order being Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. There is no confusion of the persons. Each person is a separate person, but we understand there is only one God who has revealed Himself in Father, Son, and Spirit. He's revealed Himself in three persons. Now watch, if you would, verse 3. He says, "Wherefore I give you to understand that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed." Why would no man speaking by the Spirit of God call Jesus Christ accursed? You have to remember, God the Father is God, God the Son is God, God the Spirit is God. And since God the Spirit is God, if He prompted someone to curse Jesus Christ, who is God, He would be prompting someone to curse Himself, which would be blasphemous.

So obviously, no man who is speaking by the Spirit of God is going to call Jesus Christ accursed. Secondly, you would apply this truth by acknowledging that the only way that anyone can be saved is through Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit working salvation in that individual. Look at verse 3 again: "Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." Now, when the Bible says that no man can say that Jesus Christ is Lord but by the Holy Ghost, it does not mean that men do not have the power in their tongue to say, or the ability in their tongue to say, "Jesus is Lord." If you have the ability to speak, if you have a tongue, anyone could say "Jesus is Lord."

Let me put it like this: men may imitate, but only God the Holy Spirit can authenticate. So while men may imitate and mouth the words "Jesus Christ is Lord," it's only the Holy Ghost that can make you say and enable you to say "Jesus Christ is Lord" savingly. So you are applying this verse now. Let me just try to show you. By the way, if you apply this verse, you will come to the same conclusion that Jonah came to in Jonah 2 and verse 9, when he said,

Scripture Reading — Jonah 2:9

"Salvation is of the Lord."

And that's what this verse is actually teaching us. Salvation is of the Lord. Only God the Holy Spirit can enable us to say "Jesus Christ is Lord" savingly.

Now, I want to show you several other verses I believe are self-explanatory as to how understanding is to be applied in our lives. And I think you're going to readily agree with me, based upon these verses, that we need understanding daily and hourly. So, look in your Bibles to Proverbs 14 and verse 29. Proverbs 14, verse 29.

Why Many Christians Lack Doctrinal Understanding

Many are too immature and childish, still needing milk rather than solid food, and thus incapable of being taught doctrine.

"Whom shall he teach knowledge?" In other words, whom shall the Lord teach knowledge? Watch. "And whom shall he make to understand doctrine?" Here's the answer: "Them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts." God said if you want to understand doctrine, if you want knowledge, you have to be weaned from the milk and drawn from the breasts. So here is why most Christians, most professing Christians, do not know doctrine and do not know how to apply doctrine. It is because they are too childish, too immature, and too ignorant to understand doctrine, and therefore they are incapable of being taught. You remember what the apostle said in Hebrews chapter 5, we read it last week, let me just read it this week. He's talking about Christ, he said, "Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." So the question is, why are so many professing Christians ignorant? And the answer is because so many professing Christians are immature and childish.

And they're not capable of being taught. Here's the fourth point I want to bring to you today: understanding is absolutely necessary for salvation and repentance. Understanding is absolutely necessary for salvation and repentance.

Understanding Is Necessary for Salvation and Repentance

One cannot be saved without understanding sin and Christ's lordship. Repentance involves a change of mind that requires understanding.

Now, I do not want to spend much time on this point, but I am going to take the time for the sake of clarity to explain the principle. Let me just quote Romans 10, verse 10. Listen: "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Now, I want you to understand, first and foremost, that faith or belief precedes confession. You can't confess or profess something that you do not already believe. Okay? So faith precedes confession.

Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to Acts 28. Acts 28. And let's begin reading there with verse 25. Acts 28, verse 25. And I want you to look and see what was spoken here by Luke, Dr. Luke, who wrote the book of Acts. Paul is speaking, I think, in Acts chapter 28, beginning there of verse 25. Acts 28, verse 25: "And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word." And here's what Paul is speaking.

"Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers, saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: for the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it." Now, remember, if you would please, Paul designates himself as the apostle of the Gentiles. Now, I want you to look, since you're in right next to the book of Romans, turn to Romans chapter 15 and look at verse 21. Romans 15, verse 21. And here's what Paul says concerning those to whom he preaches: "But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand." So Paul said, here are you bunch of redneck Pharisees and Jews. You don't see. You don't hear. You don't understand. Therefore, he said, "Lo, I go to the Gentiles and they will see and they will hear and they will understand." Now, I want you to listen while I quote this one verse in 2 Timothy, chapter 3 and verse 15. Actually, I think it's chapter 1, I probably jotted it down wrong, but 2 Timothy, chapter 1, I believe, verse 15, where Paul said concerning Timothy, "And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." From a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation.

So let me put it like this: it is impossible to be saved without understanding that one is a sinner. It's impossible to be saved without understanding that Jesus Christ is Lord. It is impossible to be saved without understanding that Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone is salvation. One does not have to be a theologian or a Bible scholar to be saved, but it's impossible to be saved without some understanding. You must understand that you're a sinner and that Jesus Christ is Lord and that salvation is only in Him. Second, let me put this together for you. There can be no repentance without understanding. The Greek word for repentance is metanoia. And metanoia literally means, listen to this, it means a change of mind. A change of mind which inevitably results in a change of conduct.

So, if I'm walking straight toward Ed and Henry is behind me, if I'm walking straight toward Ed and I repent, that means I turn around and I'm now walking toward Henry. If I change my mind, there is a change of course. You cannot change your course. You cannot change your conduct unless you change your mind. And you cannot change your mind unless you understand truth. In other words, when someone repents, he not only understands what he is doing is wrong, he must understand why it is wrong. For him to do that which he is doing. You see, repentance is not just saying "I'm sorry." Repentance is not being ashamed that you were caught in your sins. There's a difference between a worldly sorrow and a godly sorrow. The apostle made this distinction in 2 Corinthians 7, verse 10: "For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death." In other words, here's the difference between a worldly repentance or a worldly sorrow and a godly repentance and a godly sorrow. If you only have a worldly sorrow or a worldly repentance, you're ashamed of your sin. Or you're ashamed you got caught in your sin.

And you don't want to face anybody. And you're ashamed for people know what you've done. And that's it, and you'll run and hide. But someone who has a godly sorrow and a godly repentance, now listen: he may be ashamed that he has sinned. But he is more than willing to acknowledge that sin and confess that sin and say, "God has delivered me from that sin. I've turned from that sin." "I'm no longer what I once was. I no longer do that which I once did." So biblical sorrow and biblical repentance leads into recognition of sin and confession of sin and returning from sin. And while we may be ashamed of our sin, yet we understand that we can no longer do what we once did because of our understanding. And the man who has a godly sorrow is not ashamed for anyone else to know that yes, he was a great sinner and yes, he sinned, but God has forgiven him and God has saved him. He may be ashamed of what he's done, but he's not ashamed of what God has done for him.

The Two Sides of Repentance

Repentance involves turning from sin (Job 28:28) and turning to God (Proverbs 9:10), both requiring understanding.

"And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding." What? To depart from evil is understanding. That's why I told you there can be no repentance without understanding. To depart from evil is understanding. Look in your Bibles to Proverbs chapter 9 and verse 10. Proverbs 9, verse 10. Now, he says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding." Now, wait a minute, he just said in Job 28, verse 28 that to depart from evil is understanding. Now, in Proverbs 9, verse 10, he says the knowledge of the holy is understanding. Well, which is it? It's both. It's the two sides of one coin, just like you have heads and tails on a coin. On the one side, understanding is the knowledge of our sin. On the other side of that coin, our understanding is turning to God and His Word. Look in your Bibles to 1 Thessalonians 1 and verse 9.

1 Thessalonians 1, verse 9. And I've got to hurry. Look in 1 Thessalonians 1, verse 9. In this passage, we have these two things together. 1 Thessalonians 1, verse 9, the apostle Paul says this: "For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God." What did they do? They turned to God—that's the positive side—from idols—that's the negative side. They had an understanding of their sin. They had an understanding of God. So they left their sin and they turned to God and served Him. Now, genuine repentance involves understanding. It involves understanding our sin. It involves understanding truth and righteousness and holiness. And we understand when we repent that God has the absolute right to dictate to us and command us of how we should live. Very quickly, here's my fifth and final point, and that is this: understanding is distinctive and discriminating. Understanding is distinctive and discriminating.

Understanding Is Distinctive and Discriminating

God does not give the same understanding to all; even among believers and pastors, some see truths others never will. God gives truth as people are able to hear it.

Now, I began this brief series and I asked this question: Why is it that there are so many that do not understand and that will never understand? Well, one of the answers is because of the distinctiveness and the discriminating grace and mercy of God. Let me just quote Psalm 25, verse 14: "The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant." The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him. In Proverbs 3, verse 32, he says this: "For the froward is abomination to the Lord: but his secret is with the righteous." Now, the wicked will never come to an understanding of God unless God gives them grace and repentance. Understand that. But do you realize even among Christians, even among Christian pastors, there is a distinctive and discriminating understanding? Some have understanding that others never have and never will have. Look back in Matthew 13 and verse 17. Look at what our Lord said. Look at Matthew 13, verse 17.

Look what he said to his disciples. He says, "For verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them." Well, let me ask you a question. Why did God not allow these righteous men to see and hear what the apostles saw and heard? That's the distinctive and discriminating grace of God. They just did not. You see, understanding is distinctive and discriminating, not just among Christians, but among pastors as well. Do you realize many pastors do not understand doctrine? Some see truths that others will never see. I've often been asked, why is there such a division among Christians and even among Christian pastors? One of the answers is this: that God does not give the same understanding to all men, neither does He give the same understanding to all men at the same time, nor do all men use the means that God has ordained, nor do they use it consistently and constantly.

Consequently, their understanding is lacking. You remember, I told you in 1 Peter, chapter 1, verses 10 through 12, many of the Old Testament prophets did not even understand their own writings. Let me just read it: "Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow." In other words, these Old Testament prophets wrote something they didn't understand. Why? Because of the discriminating and distinctive grace of God to certain individuals. And let me give you another answer, and I gave you this last week. But God only gives truth to men as they were able to hear it. If you will look in your Bibles to Mark 4, Mark 4, and look at verses 33 and 34. Mark 4, verses 33 and 34.

Mark 4, look at verse 33: "And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it. But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples." God only gives us truth as we're able to hear it. As long as you're a babe, you're not able to hear some truth. That's what the apostle said in Hebrews chapter 5. That's what he said in 1 Corinthians chapter 3. And the same thing is true among Christian pastors. As long as you're a babe, you're just not able to hear the truth. Or at least untruth. Just like I pointed out last week, a little baby cannot eat a T-bone steak. Nor can he understand the implications of the priesthood of Christ. Because he's a child, he's a baby in Christ. The Bible asks this question in Job 36, verse 22: "Behold, God exalteth by his power: who teacheth like him?" We must be taught of God, and you must remember that understanding is not only a gift from God, it's a duty and responsibility as well. So we must seek understanding from our great teacher, the Lord himself, and we must use the means that he has ordained consistently and constantly. Now, let me make just a couple of applications.

The first one is this: if we have any understanding of biblical truth, if we understand any Bible doctrines, the first thing we should do is to thank God for his gracious and generous gift. For if God had not given us understanding, our eyes would be just as closed, our minds would be just as closed, our ears would be just as deaf as everybody else's. It's God who enabled us to understand. Everything that we understand, we receive from Him. He taught us. He showed us. He alone is infinite in understanding. The Bible says in Psalm 147, verse 5, "Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite."

Applications: Thank God, Glory in Knowing Him, Remain in Understanding

Thank God for the gift of understanding, glory in knowing Him, and do not wander from the way of understanding lest you remain in the congregation of the dead.

And the same thing is true among Christian pastors. As long as you're a babe, you're just not able to hear the truth. Or at least untruth. Just like I pointed out last week, a little baby cannot eat a T-bone steak. Nor can he understand the implications of the priesthood of Christ. Because he's a child, he's a baby in Christ. The Bible asks this question in Job 36, verse 22: "Behold, God exalteth by his power: who teacheth like him?" We must be taught of God, and you must remember that understanding is not only a gift from God, it's a duty and responsibility as well. So we must seek understanding from our great teacher, the Lord himself, and we must use the means that he has ordained consistently and constantly. Now, let me make just a couple of applications.

That means it is endless. And if we want understanding, we must seek him, but we must thank him for that which he's already given us. The second thing is this: if you are saved by the grace of God, then you must glory in that fact and worship and praise him alone. I want you to turn to Jeremiah chapter 9. I want you to see verse 24. Jeremiah 9, verse 24. Here it is. Jeremiah 9, verse 24.

Jeremiah 9, verse 24: "But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord." Did you hear that? "But let him that glorieth..." If you're going to glory, God says glory in this: that you understand and know me. That I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight. Yes, we should glory in the Lord that we understand Him. We may not understand everything about Him, but we know that He is God. The third application is this: I ask this question, why is it important to exercise and apply understanding? Why is it important? I'm going to show you one verse. Look in your Bibles to Proverbs 21. Proverbs 21. If you think that these last three messages have just been filling time and are worthless, well, look at this. Proverbs 21, verse 16. Here's why applying understanding is absolutely needful, necessary, and why it's extremely important. Proverbs 21, look in verse 16. Proverbs 21, verse 16: "The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead." You leave understanding, you leave life. Understanding is the gift of God, but we must seek Him. And when He gives us understanding on any truth, we have to apply it to our lives consistently and constantly and continually. He gives us truth that we may obey it. Truth applied is valuable. Truth unapplied is worthless.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Understanding must be applied

Summary: True understanding inevitably results in application; without application, there is no real understanding.

Evidence: If there is no application of the truth, there is really and truly no understanding of the truth.

Understanding is a gift and a duty

Summary: Understanding is given by God, but believers are commanded to diligently seek it.

Evidence: Understanding is the gift of God. But it is also our duty to seek that gift.

Spiritual immaturity hinders understanding

Summary: Many Christians remain ignorant of doctrine because they are childish and unable to receive solid food.

Evidence: Whom shall he make to understand doctrine? Them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.

Understanding is necessary for salvation and repentance

Summary: Salvation requires understanding of sin and Christ's lordship; repentance is a change of mind based on understanding.

Evidence: It is impossible to be saved without understanding that one is a sinner.

Understanding is discriminating

Summary: God does not grant the same level of understanding to all people; it is a distinctive grace.

Evidence: Many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them.

Key Arguments

Application proves understanding

Summary: If God gives understanding, it is for the purpose of application; truth held in the mind but never applied is worthless.

Evidence: When God graciously opens our eyes... it is for the purpose that we might exercise and apply that truth in our lives.

Understanding creation leads to worship and stewardship

Summary: Understanding that God created the world leads to worshiping Him as Creator, trusting His power, enjoying creation, and using it without abuse.

Evidence: Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God... we apply this truth by worshipping the Lord as our sovereign creator.

Understanding Christ's lordship affirms salvation by grace

Summary: No one can truly confess Jesus as Lord except by the Holy Spirit, showing salvation is entirely of God.

Evidence: No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

Immaturity prevents doctrinal understanding

Summary: Those who are still on milk cannot understand doctrine; they must grow to maturity.

Evidence: For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.

Repentance requires understanding of sin and God

Summary: Repentance involves turning from evil (understanding sin) and turning to God (understanding holiness).

Evidence: To depart from evil is understanding... the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Understanding is not given equally

Summary: God distributes understanding according to His discriminating grace; not all believers or pastors receive the same insights.

Evidence: God does not give the same understanding to all men, neither does He give the same understanding to all men at the same time.

Scripture References

Matthew 13:10-17

Context: The primary text of the sermon, where Jesus explains why He speaks in parables and quotes Isaiah about seeing and not perceiving.

Psalm 32:9

Context: Cited to show that those without understanding are like beasts that must be controlled with bit and bridle.

Psalm 49:20

Context: Man without understanding is like the beasts that perish.

Isaiah 1:3

Context: The ox and donkey know their master, but God's people do not know or consider.

Proverbs 2:6

Context: The Lord gives wisdom, knowledge, and understanding.

1 Corinthians 12:31

Context: Command to covet earnestly the best gifts, including understanding.

2 Timothy 2:7

Context: Command to consider what Paul says, and the Lord will give understanding.

Colossians 1:9-12

Context: Paul prays for the Colossians to be filled with knowledge and spiritual understanding so they may walk worthy of the Lord.

Hebrews 11:1-3

Context: Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by God's word; used to illustrate applying understanding of creation.

Psalm 33:9

Context: He spoke and it was done; He commanded and it stood fast, referring to creation.

Revelation 4:11

Context: God created all things for His pleasure.

1 Corinthians 7:31

Context: Use this world as not abusing it, applied to stewardship of creation.

1 Corinthians 12:3

Context: No one speaking by the Spirit calls Jesus accursed; no one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

Jonah 2:9

Context: Salvation is of the Lord, illustrating the point of 1 Corinthians 12:3.

Proverbs 14:29

Context: He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding.

Proverbs 15:1

Context: A soft answer turns away wrath.

Proverbs 19:8

Context: He that keeps understanding shall find good.

Proverbs 19:25

Context: Reprove one with understanding and he will understand knowledge.

Isaiah 28:9

Context: Whom shall he teach knowledge? Those weaned from milk, explaining why many lack doctrinal understanding.

Hebrews 5:11-14

Context: Those who need milk are unskillful in the word; solid food belongs to the mature.

Historical References

Old Testament prophets

Context: Many prophets and righteous men desired to see what the apostles saw but did not; some did not understand their own writings.

Apostle Paul as apostle to the Gentiles

Context: Paul turned to the Gentiles because the Jews did not understand, fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy.

Important Quotes

If there is no application of the truth, there is really and truly no understanding of the truth.

Significance: This is the central thesis of the sermon: understanding must result in application.

Understanding is the gift of God. But it is also our duty to seek that gift.

Significance: Summarizes the dual nature of understanding as both divine gift and human responsibility.

Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

Significance: Key verse used to illustrate how understanding leads to application in daily life.

No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

Significance: Demonstrates that saving confession requires the work of the Holy Spirit, an application of understanding.

To depart from evil is understanding.

Significance: Shows that repentance requires understanding of sin.

The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.

Significance: A sober warning about the consequences of neglecting understanding.

Discussion Questions

What does it mean that understanding must be 'daily exercised and applied'? Can you give an example from your own life?

Context: Weaver emphasizes that understanding is not a one-time event but must be consistently applied.

How does understanding that God created the world affect the way you live?

Context: Weaver lists several applications of Hebrews 11:3, including worship, trust, enjoyment, and stewardship.

Why is it impossible to be saved without some understanding? What must a person understand to be saved?

Context: Weaver argues that salvation requires understanding of sin and Christ's lordship.

What is the difference between worldly sorrow and godly sorrow in repentance?

Context: Weaver distinguishes between being ashamed of getting caught and true repentance that leads to change.

Why do you think God gives different levels of understanding to different people? How should we respond to that?

Context: Weaver discusses the discriminating nature of understanding, even among believers and pastors.

What are some practical ways to 'covet earnestly the best gifts' like understanding?

Context: Weaver references 1 Corinthians 12:31 as a command to desire spiritual gifts.

Applications

Thank God for understanding

Summary: If we have any understanding of biblical truth, we should thank God for His gracious gift, recognizing that without Him we would be blind.

Evidence: If we have any understanding of biblical truth... the first thing we should do is to thank God for his gracious and generous gift.

Glory in knowing God

Summary: We should glory in the fact that we understand and know the Lord, as Jeremiah 9:24 commands.

Evidence: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me.

Remain in the way of understanding

Summary: We must not wander from the way of understanding, lest we end up in spiritual death.

Evidence: The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.

Apply understanding consistently

Summary: When God gives understanding on any truth, we must apply it to our lives consistently and continually.

Evidence: When He gives us understanding on any truth, we have to apply it to our lives consistently and constantly and continually.

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T13:30:10Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T00:34:21Z

Clean Transcript

Seeing and Hearing Part 3

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

Well, let's open our Bibles today to Matthew chapter 13. Matthew chapter 13. And we're reading verses 10 through 17. Matthew chapter 13, verses 10 through 17. This is part three of "Seeing and Hearing, but Not Understanding." So look in Matthew chapter 13, beginning there with verse 10. "And the disciples came and said to him, 'Why speakest thou unto them in parables?' He answered and said unto them, 'Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance; but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: for this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.'
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"But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them." Let me just very quickly review the first two messages because I want to tie everything together today. But in the first message, we looked at the importance and the necessity of understanding. And over and over in the Scripture, we have been commanded to understand. And I also pointed out from the Scripture that when one is without understanding, he is likened unto a beast or a dumb animal. In fact, sometimes the animals are more understanding than we who claim to be men.
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For instance, in Psalm 32 and verse 9, he said, "Be not as the horse or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee." Then in Psalm 49, verse 20, he said, "Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish." But what when I said that some beasts have a little more understanding than men? He said in Isaiah 1, verse 3, "The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib."
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"But my people doth not know, my people doth not consider." So I pointed out in the first message that understanding spiritual truth is very unnatural for a fallen man. In fact, according to the Bible, he is incapable of understanding spiritual truth except by the grace and mercy of God when God opens his eyes. Moreover, I also endeavored to point out that it is equally true that believers are unable to understand truth unless our Lord opens our mind and our understanding as well. But the first message centered even around the twelve apostles. Because over and over in the Bible, the Bible said neither did they understand, and they would all the time ask our Lord to explain his teaching or to explain a parable unto them. And the point I made is this: we do not need to consider ourselves dumb or stupid just because we don't understand something in the Bible. Even the apostles didn't understand. They had to ask, and it had to be taught them again and again so that they could understand.
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In the second message, I pointed out that understanding is a duty as well as a gift. So true understanding actually is the gift from God. Proverbs 2 and verse 6 said, "For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding." And then in Matthew chapter 13, verse 11, he said this: "Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given." So while understanding is indeed the gift of God, it is likewise our duty, our responsibility, and our obligation to seek that gift. Do you remember that the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 12 and verse 31 said this: "But covet earnestly the best gifts." In other words, we should desire the gift of understanding. And by the way, when Paul said "covet earnestly the best gifts," that is not a suggestion. It is a command because it is a present active imperative in the Greek, which means he is commanding us to covet earnestly the best gifts. Likewise, the apostle Paul said in 2 Timothy 2 and verse 7 to Timothy, "Consider what I say."
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"And the Lord give thee understanding in all things." And the word "consider" there is also a present active imperative. An imperative means it's a command. When it's present active, it means that you are to be continually and constantly considering. So he's commanding us to consider what he says, and the Lord will give him understanding.
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Now, I want you to understand that understanding is the gift of God. But it is also our duty to seek that gift. But God does not give the gift of understanding willy-nilly. He does not just simply drop understanding into the minds of the lazy, the ignorant, and the slothful. I've said this before: no one goes to bed ignorant and wakes up smart. No one goes to bed dumb in spiritual things and wakes up brilliant in spiritual truth.
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It doesn't work like that, no. As we study, as we consider what he says, we're prayerfully seeking his gift that God would open our minds and give us understanding. So understanding is not just only a gift; it is also a duty and a responsibility and an obligation.
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Now today I want to begin with the third point, and that is this: understanding must be diligently sought and daily exercised and applied. Understanding must not only be diligently sought, it must be daily exercised and applied. Have you considered the fact that you need understanding, not just weekly or daily, but even hourly? And the truth of the matter is, we must be applying it constantly and consistently in every area and every avenue of our lives.
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If you and I try to view understanding as a hit-and-miss proposition, such as sometimes we have it and sometimes we don't, then we're never ever going to be living a godly, biblically oriented life. Now listen carefully to what I'm about to say. When God graciously opens our eyes, when he enlightens our minds to understand a specific truth, it is for the purpose that we might exercise and apply that truth in our lives. And it's not that we just simply say, "Oh, I see that today. I understand that today. Well, today I'll do it. But then tomorrow I won't, or I'll do it for this week, but the next week I'll no longer do it." No. If God opens our minds and enables us to understand the truth, it is so that we may constantly and consistently apply that truth the rest of our lives. Let me say this, and I believe I can have biblical warrant for saying this. Here it is: if there is no application of the truth, there is really and truly no understanding of the truth.
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Because when God gives us understanding, it's so that we might apply it. Now, look in Matthew 13 and verse 15, let me show you. Look what he said concerning these people. He said, "For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them."
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Now, let me ask this question. What would happen if this people really and truly heard, really and truly saw, and really and truly understood? What would happen? The answer is, they would repent and believe. In other words, this verse, verse 15, implies that truth has to be applied. If you hear truth, if you see truth, if you understand truth, then you apply truth. Truth held in the mind but never applied is worthless.
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I want you to look in your Bibles, hold Matthew 13, but turn to the book of Colossians chapter 1. Colossians chapter 1. Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians. Look in Colossians chapter 1 and let's begin reading there with verse 9. Colossians 1, verse 9. Paul writes to these Colossian Christians and he says this: "For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will."
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Now watch: "in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light."
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Now, go back to verse 9 and look at this. He says, "For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding." So here's my question. What is going to be the result, or what will be the consequences, if you are filled with the knowledge of his will and all wisdom and spiritual understanding? If God gives you spiritual understanding, what will be the result? Well, look in verse 10: "that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might." In other words, if God gives you understanding, there cannot help but be an application of that understanding in your life. You will walk pleasing unto the Lord. You will be fruitful in every good work. So understanding must be applied.
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It is to govern our lives. Paul spoke in Colossians 2 and verse 2 about "the riches of the full assurance of understanding." Do you realize it is understanding that enriches our lives? Because it enables us to walk pleasing to the Lord and be fruitful in every good work. So let me ask you a question. How does one exercise and apply biblical understanding? How does one exercise and apply biblical understanding? Well, the answer is you apply and exercise biblical understanding the way that you apply and exercise any understanding. So let me give you a couple of illustrations, one just made up and the other is biblical. Okay, here's a good illustration of applying understanding.
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Let's suppose that you need a certain thing, a certain object. In fact, you may need several of them. And so you go into a store that carries those objects that you desire, and you find the object. And you look at it, and you look around there, and there's another package that has multiple of the same objects in it. And let's say that you really truly need 50 of what you're looking for. You look at the price of the one. You look at the price of the package that has 25. You look at the price of the package that has 50 in it. And then you look and see how much money you have in your pocket. Now you may need 50 of them. But if you only have enough money to buy 25 of them, what you're now doing is applying and exercising not only your understanding of the object that you want, but you're also applying and understanding the money that you have in your pocket to the object there.
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So you're going to apply biblical understanding the same way basically you apply any other understanding. So let me show you. Look in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews chapter 11. Hebrews chapter 11. And let's look at verse 1. Now I'm going to show you again how to apply biblical understanding. Because the whole point that I'm making is very simple: biblical understanding must be diligently exercised and daily applied. So look in Hebrews chapter 11 and notice if you would please there with verse 1. Hebrews 11, verse 1, the Bible says this.
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"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report." Now watch. "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." Now notice what he said in verse 3: "through faith we understand." Well now, if faith enables me to understand that God is the creator of this world, and if faith enables me to understand that God spoke this world and every other world into existence, in which the Bible says he did, in Psalm 33 and verse 9, "For he spake, and it was done; he
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commanded, and it stood fast," then he's talking about creation there. So if I understand that God is the creator of this world, and I understand that God spoke this world into existence, how do I apply that in my daily life? How do I apply that truth over and over? Well, first of all, we apply this truth by believing that this world is God's creation. God created the world.
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It did not just happen. It did not come into being by evolution. It did not come into being by a gigantic explosion somewhere, where nothing created something. No, it was God who created the world, and we understand that when God created the world, He created it for a special purpose. What was that purpose? Let me just quote it. Revelation 4 and verse 11: "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." So why did God create the world? Here's why: because it pleased God to create the world. Why did God create you? Because it pleased God to create you. Why did God save you? Because it pleased God to save you. So I'm just trying to show you, if we apply this verse, "through faith we understand," then the very first thing we do is we believe that this world is God's creation and it was created for a purpose. Secondly, we apply this truth by worshipping the Lord as our sovereign creator.
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Listen, I don't look around and see all the stars in the universe and the sun and the moon and say, "Aren't we lucky all this just happened?" No. What I do is I worship the God who created all of this. How can you look at the Grand Canyon? How can you look at the ocean? How can you look at the mountains? How can you look at this great and vast world and even the universe and not give God honor and glory for his creation?
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So we apply this truth in Hebrews 11, verse 3: "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." So we apply that by worshiping the Lord as our sovereign creator. Thirdly, we apply that truth by trusting the Lord's omnipotence. Remember the word omnipotence means all power.
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He is the all-powerful One. Now, let me just pose something to you and think about this. If God can merely speak and the world comes into existence, if He speaks and there's water, He speaks and there's land, He speaks and there's sun, moon, stars, He speaks and there are vast and great numbers of stars that we cannot even see and do not even know—if God has the absolute power to speak this world into existence, does not He have the power to protect us and provide for us?
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That's an application of this verse, because it shows God's omnipotence.
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Fourth, we apply this verse in glorying and enjoying the wonderful creation that God has made. You know, the Bible says that God has given us richly all things to enjoy. What does that mean? That means if I go to the mountains and I get a hunting trip, wonderful. I enjoy the scenery. I enjoy the trip. And I give God the praise and the honor and the glory for creating not just the mountains, but the game and then for allowing me to enjoy it. If I get to go to the
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Grand Canyon, it's the same thing. I'm enjoying God's creation. I'm applying Hebrews 11, verse 3. And I might also add fifthly, we apply Hebrews 11, verse 3 by what the apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 7, verse 31. Listen carefully: "We should use this world as not abusing it." We should use this world as not abusing it. We have to understand this is God's creation. May I have a garden? Sure, I may have a garden. May I plant crops? Sure, I may plant crops. I can use this world. Do I have the right to destroy this world? No. Do I have a right to destroy the atmosphere? No. Do I have the right to destroy anything that God's created? No. I can use it, but I cannot abuse it. I might build a box. And it may not be the best box in the world, but it's my box. I built it. And if you come to my house, you do not have the right to kick my box and to take a hammer and tear it to pieces.
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Because it's my box. And this is God's world. We have the right and the blessing of God to use it, but we do not have the right to abuse it. So you see, biblical understanding always has to be applied. Let me show you another one. Look in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 12. 1 Corinthians chapter 12. And look at verse 3. 1 Corinthians 12, verse 3.
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The apostle Paul writes, "Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." Now, wait a minute. Did you hear what Paul said? "Wherefore I give you to understand." Here is something you need to understand. Understand it: that no man, speaking by the Spirit of God, calleth Jesus accursed. And that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
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How do you apply this verse? Well, first of all, you would apply this truth by recognizing the Godhead. There is that which is known as the ontological trinity. The word ontos is the Greek word which simply means being. When you talk about the ontological trinity, it's just simply the logical order being Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. There is no confusion of the persons. Each person is a separate person, but we understand there is only one God who has revealed Himself in Father, Son, and Spirit. He's revealed Himself in three persons. Now watch, if you would, verse 3. He says, "Wherefore I give you to understand that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed." Why would no man speaking by the Spirit of God call Jesus Christ accursed? You have to remember, God the Father is God, God the Son is God, God the Spirit is God. And since God the Spirit is God, if He prompted someone to curse Jesus Christ, who is God, He would be prompting someone to curse Himself, which would be blasphemous.
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So obviously, no man who is speaking by the Spirit of God is going to call Jesus Christ accursed. Secondly, you would apply this truth by acknowledging that the only way that anyone can be saved is through Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit working salvation in that individual. Look at verse 3 again: "Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." Now, when the Bible says that no man can say that Jesus Christ is Lord but by the Holy Ghost, it does not mean that men do not have the power in their tongue to say, or the ability in their tongue to say, "Jesus is Lord." If you have the ability to speak, if you have a tongue, anyone could say "Jesus is Lord."
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Let me put it like this: men may imitate, but only God the Holy Spirit can authenticate. So while men may imitate and mouth the words "Jesus Christ is Lord," it's only the Holy Ghost that can make you say and enable you to say "Jesus Christ is Lord" savingly. So you are applying this verse now. Let me just try to show you. By the way, if you apply this verse, you will come to the same conclusion that Jonah came to in Jonah 2 and verse 9, when he said, "Salvation is of the Lord." And that's what this verse is actually teaching us. Salvation is of the Lord. Only God the Holy Spirit can enable us to say "Jesus Christ is Lord" savingly.
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Now, I want to show you several other verses I believe are self-explanatory as to how understanding is to be applied in our lives. And I think you're going to readily agree with me, based upon these verses, that we need understanding daily and hourly. So, look in your Bibles to Proverbs 14 and verse 29. Proverbs 14, verse 29.
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Now, watch what this verse says. Here's an excellent example of having understanding applied consistently, constantly in our lives. Proverbs 14, verse 29: "He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly." He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding. Hmm. Now what in the world is God teaching us here? He's teaching us that if we understand things, it will enable us to be slow to wrath. We also understand, according to Proverbs 14, verse 29, the man that is hasty of spirit exalts folly. You remember what Proverbs chapter 15, verse 1 says: "A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger." A soft answer turneth away wrath, but grievous words stir up anger. Look in Proverbs chapter 19 and verse 8. Proverbs 19, verse 8.
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"He that getteth wisdom loveth his own soul: he that keepeth understanding shall find good." I don't know about you, but I'd like to find good all the time. So God says he that keepeth understanding shall find good. Without understanding, you're not going to find good. Look in Proverbs 19, verse 25: "Smite a scorner, and the simple will beware: and reprove one that hath understanding, and he will understand knowledge." Reprove one that has understanding, and he will understand knowledge. So that means a man that has understanding, if he happens to be doing something wrong, if you reprove him and show him where he's wrong, what is he going to do? He's going to increase in understanding. He's not going to get mad and angry and upset. He's going to be learning.
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Now, let me answer a question. But I want to ask it before I answer it. Before I go to the next point, here is my question: Why are there so few Christians that really understand doctrine? I probably need to rephrase that question. Why are there so many Christians that do not know doctrine and do not know how to apply doctrine? Well, the Bible has the answer. I want you to turn to Isaiah 28. Isaiah 28. And I want you to look at verse 9. Isaiah 28, verse 9. Look what the question is asked.
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"Whom shall he teach knowledge?" In other words, whom shall the Lord teach knowledge? Watch. "And whom shall he make to understand doctrine?" Here's the answer: "Them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts." God said if you want to understand doctrine, if you want knowledge, you have to be weaned from the milk and drawn from the breasts. So here is why most Christians, most professing Christians, do not know doctrine and do not know how to apply doctrine. It is because they are too childish, too immature, and too ignorant to understand doctrine, and therefore they are incapable of being taught.
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You remember what the apostle said in Hebrews chapter 5, we read it last week, let me just read it this week. He's talking about Christ, he said, "Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." So the question is, why are so many professing Christians ignorant? And the answer is because so many professing Christians are immature and childish.
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And they're not capable of being taught. Here's the fourth point I want to bring to you today: understanding is absolutely necessary for salvation and repentance. Understanding is absolutely necessary for salvation and repentance.
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Now, I do not want to spend much time on this point, but I am going to take the time for the sake of clarity to explain the principle. Let me just quote Romans 10, verse 10. Listen: "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Now, I want you to understand, first and foremost, that faith or belief precedes confession.
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You can't confess or profess something that you do not already believe. Okay? So faith precedes confession.
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Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to Acts 28. Acts 28. And let's begin reading there with verse 25. Acts 28, verse 25. And I want you to look and see what was spoken here by Luke, Dr. Luke, who wrote the book of Acts. Paul is speaking, I think, in Acts chapter 28, beginning there of verse 25. Acts 28, verse 25: "And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word." And here's what Paul is speaking.
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"Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers, saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: for the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it." Now, remember, if you would please, Paul designates himself as the apostle of the Gentiles.
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Now, I want you to look, since you're in right next to the book of Romans, turn to Romans chapter 15 and look at verse 21. Romans 15, verse 21. And here's what Paul says concerning those to whom he preaches: "But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand." So Paul said, here are you bunch of redneck Pharisees and Jews. You don't see. You don't hear. You don't understand. Therefore, he said, "Lo, I go to the Gentiles and they will see and they will hear and they will understand." Now, I want you to listen while I quote this one verse in 2 Timothy, chapter 3 and verse 15. Actually, I think it's chapter 1, I probably jotted it down wrong, but 2 Timothy, chapter 1, I believe, verse 15, where Paul said concerning Timothy, "And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." From a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation.
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So let me put it like this: it is impossible to be saved without understanding that one is a sinner. It's impossible to be saved without understanding that Jesus Christ is Lord. It is impossible to be saved without understanding that Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone is salvation. One does not have to be a theologian or a Bible scholar to be saved, but it's impossible to be saved without some understanding. You must understand that you're a sinner and that Jesus Christ is Lord and that salvation is only in Him. Second, let me put this together for you. There can be no repentance without understanding. The Greek word for repentance is metanoia. And metanoia literally means, listen to this, it means a change of mind. A change of mind which inevitably results in a change of conduct.
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So, if I'm walking straight toward Ed and Henry is behind me, if I'm walking straight toward Ed and I repent, that means I turn around and I'm now walking toward Henry. If I change my mind, there is a change of course. You cannot change your course. You cannot change your conduct unless you change your mind. And you cannot change your mind unless you understand truth. In other words, when someone repents, he not only understands what he is doing is wrong, he must understand why it is wrong.
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For him to do that which he is doing. You see, repentance is not just saying "I'm sorry." Repentance is not being ashamed that you were caught in your sins. There's a difference between a worldly sorrow and a godly sorrow. The apostle made this distinction in 2 Corinthians 7, verse 10: "For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death." In other words, here's the difference between a worldly repentance or a worldly sorrow and a godly repentance and a godly sorrow. If you only have a worldly sorrow or a worldly repentance, you're ashamed of your sin. Or you're ashamed you got caught in your sin.
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And you don't want to face anybody. And you're ashamed for people know what you've done. And that's it, and you'll run and hide. But someone who has a godly sorrow and a godly repentance, now listen: he may be ashamed that he has sinned. But he is more than willing to acknowledge that sin and confess that sin and say, "God has delivered me from that sin. I've turned from that sin."
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"I'm no longer what I once was. I no longer do that which I once did." So biblical sorrow and biblical repentance leads into recognition of sin and confession of sin and returning from sin. And while we may be ashamed of our sin, yet we understand that we can no longer do what we once did because of our understanding. And the man who has a godly sorrow is not ashamed for anyone else to know that yes, he was a great sinner and yes, he sinned, but God has forgiven him and God has saved him. He may be ashamed of what he's done, but he's not ashamed of what God has done for him.
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Now, I want to show you the two sides of the one coin, okay? I could call it the two sides of repentance, or I could call it the two sides of salvation, either one. On the one side, there is indeed an understanding and a turning from sin. And on the other side, there is indeed an understanding and a turning to God and His law. I want you to look at three verses right now. I want you to turn to Job 28, and then we're going to Proverbs 9, and then we're going to 1 Thessalonians chapter 1. So go to Job 28, if you would please. Job 28 is where we're going first, and then to Proverbs 9. So look in Job 28 and verse 28. Job 28, verse 28. And then we're going to Proverbs 9. Okay? So notice if you would, Job 28, verse 28.
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"And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding." What? To depart from evil is understanding. That's why I told you there can be no repentance without understanding. To depart from evil is understanding. Look in your Bibles to Proverbs chapter 9 and verse 10. Proverbs 9, verse 10. Now, he says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding." Now, wait a minute, he just said in Job 28, verse 28 that to depart from evil is understanding. Now, in Proverbs 9, verse 10, he says the knowledge of the holy is understanding. Well, which is it? It's both. It's the two sides of one coin, just like you have heads and tails on a coin. On the one side, understanding is the knowledge of our sin. On the other side of that coin, our understanding is turning to God and His Word. Look in your Bibles to 1 Thessalonians 1 and verse 9.
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1 Thessalonians 1, verse 9. And I've got to hurry. Look in 1 Thessalonians 1, verse 9. In this passage, we have these two things together. 1 Thessalonians 1, verse 9, the apostle Paul says this: "For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God." What did they do? They turned to God—that's the positive side—from idols—that's the negative side.
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They had an understanding of their sin. They had an understanding of God. So they left their sin and they turned to God and served Him. Now, genuine repentance involves understanding. It involves understanding our sin. It involves understanding truth and righteousness and holiness. And we understand when we repent that God has the absolute right to dictate to us and command us of how we should live. Very quickly, here's my fifth and final point, and that is this: understanding is distinctive and discriminating. Understanding is distinctive and discriminating.
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Now, I began this brief series and I asked this question: Why is it that there are so many that do not understand and that will never understand? Well, one of the answers is because of the distinctiveness and the discriminating grace and mercy of God. Let me just quote Psalm 25, verse 14: "The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant." The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him. In Proverbs 3, verse 32, he says this: "For the froward is abomination to the Lord: but his secret is with the righteous." Now, the wicked will never come to an understanding of God unless God gives them grace and repentance. Understand that. But do you realize even among Christians, even among Christian pastors, there is a distinctive and discriminating understanding? Some have understanding that others never have and never will have. Look back in Matthew 13 and verse 17. Look at what our Lord said. Look at Matthew 13, verse 17.
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Look what he said to his disciples. He says, "For verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them." Well, let me ask you a question. Why did God not allow these righteous men to see and hear what the apostles saw and heard? That's the distinctive and discriminating grace of God. They just did not. You see, understanding is distinctive and discriminating, not just among Christians, but among pastors as well. Do you realize many pastors do not understand doctrine? Some see truths that others will never see. I've often been asked, why is there such a division among Christians and even among Christian pastors? One of the answers is this: that God does not give the same understanding to all men, neither does He give the same understanding to all men at the same time, nor do all men use the means that God has ordained, nor do they use it consistently and constantly.
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Consequently, their understanding is lacking. You remember, I told you in 1 Peter, chapter 1, verses 10 through 12, many of the Old Testament prophets did not even understand their own writings. Let me just read it: "Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow." In other words, these Old Testament prophets wrote something they didn't understand. Why? Because of the discriminating and distinctive grace of God to certain individuals.
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And let me give you another answer, and I gave you this last week. But God only gives truth to men as they were able to hear it. If you will look in your Bibles to Mark 4, Mark 4, and look at verses 33 and 34. Mark 4, verses 33 and 34.
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Mark 4, look at verse 33: "And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it. But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples." God only gives us truth as we're able to hear it. As long as you're a babe, you're not able to hear some truth. That's what the apostle said in Hebrews chapter 5. That's what he said in 1 Corinthians chapter 3.
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And the same thing is true among Christian pastors. As long as you're a babe, you're just not able to hear the truth. Or at least untruth. Just like I pointed out last week, a little baby cannot eat a T-bone steak. Nor can he understand the implications of the priesthood of Christ. Because he's a child, he's a baby in Christ. The Bible asks this question in Job 36, verse 22: "Behold, God exalteth by his power: who teacheth like him?" We must be taught of God, and you must remember that understanding is not only a gift from God, it's a duty and responsibility as well. So we must seek understanding from our great teacher, the Lord himself, and we must use the means that he has ordained consistently and constantly. Now, let me make just a couple of applications.
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The first one is this: if we have any understanding of biblical truth, if we understand any Bible doctrines, the first thing we should do is to thank God for his gracious and generous gift. For if God had not given us understanding, our eyes would be just as closed, our minds would be just as closed, our ears would be just as deaf as everybody else's. It's God who enabled us to understand. Everything that we understand, we receive from Him. He taught us. He showed us. He alone is infinite in understanding. The Bible says in Psalm 147, verse 5, "Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite."
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That means it is endless. And if we want understanding, we must seek him, but we must thank him for that which he's already given us. The second thing is this: if you are saved by the grace of God, then you must glory in that fact and worship and praise him alone. I want you to turn to Jeremiah chapter 9. I want you to see verse 24. Jeremiah 9, verse 24. Here it is. Jeremiah 9, verse 24.
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Jeremiah 9, verse 24: "But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord." Did you hear that? "But let him that glorieth..." If you're going to glory, God says glory in this: that you understand and know me. That I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight. Yes, we should glory in the Lord that we understand Him. We may not understand everything about Him, but we know that He is God.
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The third application is this: I ask this question, why is it important to exercise and apply understanding? Why is it important? I'm going to show you one verse. Look in your Bibles to Proverbs 21. Proverbs 21. If you think that these last three messages have just been filling time and are worthless, well, look at this. Proverbs 21, verse 16. Here's why applying understanding is absolutely needful, necessary, and why it's extremely important. Proverbs 21, look in verse 16. Proverbs 21, verse 16: "The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead." You leave understanding, you leave life. Understanding is the gift of God, but we must seek Him. And when He gives us understanding on any truth, we have to apply it to our lives consistently and constantly and continually. He gives us truth that we may obey it. Truth applied is valuable. Truth unapplied is worthless.
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Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee. We thank You for Your Word. We thank You for Your truth. We ask for understanding. We ask for wisdom. And we ask that we may apply Thy Word to our lives. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen. This program was produced by Dominion Ministry. For more information about Pastor Weaver's sermons, you may contact Dominion Ministry by mail at 7400 Abercorn, that's A-B-E-R-C-O-R-N Street, Suite 705, PMB 175, Savannah, Georgia, 31406.
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Or give us a call at 912-... You can also visit our website at www.dominionministry.com.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T13:30:10Z

Seeing and Hearing Part 3

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

In this sermon, John Weaver continues his series on spiritual understanding, emphasizing that understanding must be diligently sought, daily exercised, and applied. He argues that true understanding inevitably leads to application in life, and without application, there is no real understanding. He illustrates this with examples from Scripture, showing how understanding creation leads to worship and responsible stewardship, and how understanding the lordship of Christ leads to acknowledging salvation by grace. Weaver also stresses that understanding is necessary for salvation and repentance, and that it is a distinctive and discriminating gift from God, not given equally to all. He concludes with applications to thank God for understanding, glory in knowing Him, and remain in the way of understanding to avoid spiritual death.

Opening

Scripture Reading — Matthew 13:10-17

"And the disciples came and said to him, 'Why speakest thou unto them in parables?' He answered and said unto them, 'Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance; but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: for this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.'

Review of Previous Messages

Weaver reviews the first two messages: the necessity of understanding and that understanding is both a gift and a duty.

Scripture Reading — Matthew 13:10-17

"But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them."

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 1:3

"The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib." "But my people doth not know, my people doth not consider."

In the second message, I pointed out that understanding is a duty as well as a gift. So true understanding actually is the gift from God. Proverbs 2 and verse 6 said,

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 2:6

"For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding."

Understanding Must Be Diligently Sought and Daily Applied

Understanding is not a hit-or-miss proposition; it must be constantly applied. Without application, there is no true understanding.

Illustration of Applying Understanding: Creation

Using Hebrews 11:3, Weaver shows how understanding that God created the world leads to worship, trust in His power, enjoyment of creation, and responsible use without abuse.

Scripture Reading — Revelation 4:11

"Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created."

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 7:31

"We should use this world as not abusing it."

Illustration of Applying Understanding: Lordship of Christ

From 1 Corinthians 12:3, understanding that no one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit leads to recognizing the Trinity and acknowledging salvation is of the Lord.

Scripture Reading — Jonah 2:9

"Salvation is of the Lord."

And that's what this verse is actually teaching us. Salvation is of the Lord. Only God the Holy Spirit can enable us to say "Jesus Christ is Lord" savingly.

Why Many Christians Lack Doctrinal Understanding

Many are too immature and childish, still needing milk rather than solid food, and thus incapable of being taught doctrine.

Understanding Is Necessary for Salvation and Repentance

One cannot be saved without understanding sin and Christ's lordship. Repentance involves a change of mind that requires understanding.

The Two Sides of Repentance

Repentance involves turning from sin (Job 28:28) and turning to God (Proverbs 9:10), both requiring understanding.

Understanding Is Distinctive and Discriminating

God does not give the same understanding to all; even among believers and pastors, some see truths others never will. God gives truth as people are able to hear it.

Applications: Thank God, Glory in Knowing Him, Remain in Understanding

Thank God for the gift of understanding, glory in knowing Him, and do not wander from the way of understanding lest you remain in the congregation of the dead.

Seeing and Hearing Part 3

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	68151413262
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Proverbs: The Fear of the Lord and Wisdom: The Doctrine of Election
Genre	Sermon
Date	2015-02-01
Dictation Name
Book	Book 116: Seeing and Hearing — Chapter 3
Source Timed Segments	65

Lecture Guide

Outline

Review of Previous Messages: Weaver reviews the first two messages: the necessity of understanding and that understanding is both a gift and a duty.
Understanding Must Be Diligently Sought and Daily Applied: Understanding is not a hit-or-miss proposition; it must be constantly applied. Without application, there is no true understanding.
Illustration of Applying Understanding: Creation: Using Hebrews 11:3, Weaver shows how understanding that God created the world leads to worship, trust in His power, enjoyment of creation, and responsible use without abuse.
Illustration of Applying Understanding: Lordship of Christ: From 1 Corinthians 12:3, understanding that no one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit leads to recognizing the Trinity and acknowledging salvation is of the Lord.
Why Many Christians Lack Doctrinal Understanding: Many are too immature and childish, still needing milk rather than solid food, and thus incapable of being taught doctrine.
Understanding Is Necessary for Salvation and Repentance: One cannot be saved without understanding sin and Christ's lordship. Repentance involves a change of mind that requires understanding.
The Two Sides of Repentance: Repentance involves turning from sin (Job 28:28) and turning to God (Proverbs 9:10), both requiring understanding.
Understanding Is Distinctive and Discriminating: God does not give the same understanding to all; even among believers and pastors, some see truths others never will. God gives truth as people are able to hear it.
Applications: Thank God, Glory in Knowing Him, Remain in Understanding: Thank God for the gift of understanding, glory in knowing Him, and do not wander from the way of understanding lest you remain in the congregation of the dead.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Application proves understanding

If God gives understanding, it is for the purpose of application; truth held in the mind but never applied is worthless.

When God graciously opens our eyes... it is for the purpose that we might exercise and apply that truth in our lives.

Understanding creation leads to worship and stewardship

Understanding that God created the world leads to worshiping Him as Creator, trusting His power, enjoying creation, and using it without abuse.

Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God... we apply this truth by worshipping the Lord as our sovereign creator.

Understanding Christ's lordship affirms salvation by grace

No one can truly confess Jesus as Lord except by the Holy Spirit, showing salvation is entirely of God.

No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

Immaturity prevents doctrinal understanding

Those who are still on milk cannot understand doctrine; they must grow to maturity.

For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.

Repentance requires understanding of sin and God

Repentance involves turning from evil (understanding sin) and turning to God (understanding holiness).

To depart from evil is understanding... the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Understanding is not given equally

God distributes understanding according to His discriminating grace; not all believers or pastors receive the same insights.

God does not give the same understanding to all men, neither does He give the same understanding to all men at the same time.

Scripture References

Matthew 13:10-17: The primary text of the sermon, where Jesus explains why He speaks in parables and quotes Isaiah about seeing and not perceiving.
Psalm 32:9: Cited to show that those without understanding are like beasts that must be controlled with bit and bridle.
Psalm 49:20: Man without understanding is like the beasts that perish.
Isaiah 1:3: The ox and donkey know their master, but God's people do not know or consider.
Proverbs 2:6: The Lord gives wisdom, knowledge, and understanding.
1 Corinthians 12:31: Command to covet earnestly the best gifts, including understanding.
2 Timothy 2:7: Command to consider what Paul says, and the Lord will give understanding.
Colossians 1:9-12: Paul prays for the Colossians to be filled with knowledge and spiritual understanding so they may walk worthy of the Lord.
Hebrews 11:1-3: Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by God's word; used to illustrate applying understanding of creation.
Psalm 33:9: He spoke and it was done; He commanded and it stood fast, referring to creation.
Revelation 4:11: God created all things for His pleasure.
1 Corinthians 7:31: Use this world as not abusing it, applied to stewardship of creation.
1 Corinthians 12:3: No one speaking by the Spirit calls Jesus accursed; no one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.
Jonah 2:9: Salvation is of the Lord, illustrating the point of 1 Corinthians 12:3.
Proverbs 14:29: He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding.
Proverbs 15:1: A soft answer turns away wrath.
Proverbs 19:8: He that keeps understanding shall find good.
Proverbs 19:25: Reprove one with understanding and he will understand knowledge.
Isaiah 28:9: Whom shall he teach knowledge? Those weaned from milk, explaining why many lack doctrinal understanding.
Hebrews 5:11-14: Those who need milk are unskillful in the word; solid food belongs to the mature.

Historical References

Old Testament prophets: Many prophets and righteous men desired to see what the apostles saw but did not; some did not understand their own writings.
Apostle Paul as apostle to the Gentiles: Paul turned to the Gentiles because the Jews did not understand, fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy.

Important Quotes

If there is no application of the truth, there is really and truly no understanding of the truth.

This is the central thesis of the sermon: understanding must result in application.

Understanding is the gift of God. But it is also our duty to seek that gift.

Summarizes the dual nature of understanding as both divine gift and human responsibility.

Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

Key verse used to illustrate how understanding leads to application in daily life.

No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

Demonstrates that saving confession requires the work of the Holy Spirit, an application of understanding.

To depart from evil is understanding.

Shows that repentance requires understanding of sin.

The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.

A sober warning about the consequences of neglecting understanding.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

What does it mean that understanding must be 'daily exercised and applied'? Can you give an example from your own life?

[Context]

Weaver emphasizes that understanding is not a one-time event but must be consistently applied.

[Question]

How does understanding that God created the world affect the way you live?

[Context]

Weaver lists several applications of Hebrews 11:3, including worship, trust, enjoyment, and stewardship.

[Question]

Why is it impossible to be saved without some understanding? What must a person understand to be saved?

[Context]

Weaver argues that salvation requires understanding of sin and Christ's lordship.

[Question]

What is the difference between worldly sorrow and godly sorrow in repentance?

[Context]

Weaver distinguishes between being ashamed of getting caught and true repentance that leads to change.

[Question]

Why do you think God gives different levels of understanding to different people? How should we respond to that?

[Context]

Weaver discusses the discriminating nature of understanding, even among believers and pastors.

[Question]

What are some practical ways to 'covet earnestly the best gifts' like understanding?

[Context]

Weaver references 1 Corinthians 12:31 as a command to desire spiritual gifts.

Applications

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T00:34:21Z