Covenant Theology: Obedience, Disobedience, and National Judgment

The Marks of a True Christian

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Covenant Theology

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2006-05-28

Synopsis: Pastor John Weaver teaches that the defining mark of a true Christian is a teachable spirit and a love for God's Word. Using Deuteronomy 33:1-3, he shows that God's love is demonstrated by giving His law, and true saints sit at His feet to receive His words. This teachability is the fruit that distinguishes genuine believers from mere professors, as it reflects the new covenant promise of the law written on the heart.

[John Weaver] The message you are about to hear was produced by Dominion Ministry. If you would like to support this ministry by becoming a sermon partner or obtain additional high-resolution CDs, DVDs, or MP3s featuring the teaching of Pastor John Weaver, please visit the Dominion Ministry website at www.dominion.org. www.dominionministry.com. This ministry is completely supported by donations and it is through those donations that we are able to provide sermons for sermonaudio.com. Please visit our website at www.dominionministry.com to subscribe or make your donation today. Thank you.

[John Weaver] I want you to open your Bibles to Deuteronomy 33. We're going to read the first three verses. The message today is entitled, The Mark of a True Christian. The Mark of a True Christian. Deuteronomy 33, verse 1. And this is the blessing wherewith Moses, the man of God, blessed the children of Israel before his death. And he said, The Lord came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them, He shined forth from Mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints.

[John Weaver] From his right hand went a fiery law for them. Yea, he loved the people. All his saints are in thy hand, and they sat down at thy feet. Every one shall receive of his words." Let me begin today by asking a couple of questions. First, how would you describe a Christian? If I ask you to designate one mark, one characteristic that would be prevalent in every true Christian, what would be your answer? And then the second question would be this, once you gave me the answer, how could you be sure that you had the right answer?

[John Weaver] Well, I want you to hold Deuteronomy 33, but look in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 7, Because our Lord has certainly given us a principle that you and I can go by. Matthew 7, beginning there with verse 17. Most of you are familiar with this passage, but notice our Lord says this. Matthew 7, verse 17. Even so, every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that brings not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire.

[John Weaver] Wherefore, by their fruits you shall know them." Now, it's very important that you pay attention to verse 20. Wherefore, by their fruits you shall know them.

[John Weaver] Now, our Lord has just said that a good tree will inevitably produce good fruit. And a corrupt tree is inevitably going to produce corrupt fruit. A corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit, and a good tree cannot bring forth corrupt fruit. So the principle is, by their fruits you shall know them. And I want you to pay particular attention to verse 20, because our Lord did not say, by their profession you shall know them. He said, by their fruits you shall know them. It's critical at this point that you remember Titus 1 and verse 16. You remember that passage Paul wrote, they profess that they know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable and disobedient unto every good work reprobate. So here are people who profess that they know Him, but in their works they deny Him. Let me just put it very pointedly, a profession without commensurate fruit is absolutely worthless. So our Lord said, by their fruits you shall know them.

[John Weaver] I'm constantly amazed at the lack of discernment among Christians and their ability to be suckered by politicians and Hollywood movie stars. It appears that professing Christians will accept anyone as a Christian as long as he says he is a Christian. It doesn't matter about their lifestyle, doesn't matter about their actions, doesn't matter about their blasphemies. Just so a man says he's a Christian, then inevitably he must be a Christian.

[John Weaver] Well, if you take that position, may I tell you that such a position is not only naive, it is certainly unbiblical as well as blasphemous because it is a denial of the power of the gospel. What does the Bible say in 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 17? Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new what? Creation or creature. All things are passed away and all things become new. So, in other words, when Christ saves someone, He changes them. That is very obvious.

[John Weaver] Now, if you look in Deuteronomy 33, there is one trait, one characteristic One fruit that is given to us of a true Christian in this passage. And I'm going to tell you what it is and then I'm going to demonstrate it to you from the scripture in just a moment. But the one characteristic that will stand out for every true Christian. Is his teachableness. I'm going to go a little bit further.

[John Weaver] You might call this his teachability. Let me put it to you like this. When anyone is too busy to hear, read, study, and apply the Word of God, then something is vitally wrong with his or her life. In other words, their profession should be suspect. Why? Because for a true Christian, the Word of God is our food. It is our sustenance. It is our life.

[John Weaver] Now, you remember the Apostle John divided Christians into three categories. He referred to them as babes, young men and fathers. I want you to turn in your Bibles and look in first Peter, chapter two and verse one, and let me show you what the food and the nourishment for a baby is. Look in first Peter, chapter two and begin there, if you would please, at verse one.

[John Weaver] Hear the word of God says, wherefore laying aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and envies and evil speakings as newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby. Have you ever seen a living baby who did not want milk? Who did not want food? Who did not want to be fed? The very evidence that a child is alive is not only he cries, but he eats. So he says, as newborn babes, what are you to desire? The sincere milk of the Word. So if you're a babe in Christ, the most natural thing is for you to desire the Word of God. Let's suppose you're a young man.

[John Weaver] We'll look in your Bibles to Psalm 19. And notice if you would please, what? The psalmist said, beginning there with verse 9, Psalm 19, and look, if you would please, at verse 9. Here the word of God says, The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever. The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold.

[John Weaver] Sweeter also than honey in the honeycomb. Moreover, by them as thy servant warned, And in keeping with them, there is great reward.

[John Weaver] Now, David, as a young man, said, look, the fear of the Lord is clean. It's endures forever. And he says your word is is much more desired than gold, even than fine gold. And it's sweeter than honey and honeycomb. What did he want? He wanted the word of God. Do you remember the passage he wrote in Psalm 119? Let me just quote it from verses nine through 11. Listen, he said, wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. O let not my heart wander from thy commandments, when my whole heart have I sought thee." So where shall a young man clean his conscience? It's by keeping the Word of God. And so it doesn't matter if you're a babe, it doesn't matter if you're a young man, you desire the Word of God. Then if you will look in your Bibles to Jeremiah chapter 15, you will see Jeremiah as a father, as a mature man, I might say.

[John Weaver] Here is someone who understands not only the justice of God, but the mercy of God as well. Jeremiah 15 and verse 16. What does Jeremiah say? Thy words were found and I did eat them. And thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart. For I am called by my name, O Lord God of hosts." So he said, my words were found and I did eat them. And what? They were the joy and the rejoicing of my heart.

[John Weaver] So it doesn't matter where you are in your Christian life. If you're a babe, if you're a young man, or if you're a father. That which is the most important is the Word of God. Why? Because you must have the Word of God. Because it is your food, it is your nourishment, it is your life.

[John Weaver] Now, if you go back in your Bibles to Deuteronomy 33, I want you to understand that this passage, in fact, all of Deuteronomy, you could say, is a summation of when God gave his law to his people, especially Deuteronomy 33, verses 1 through 3. In fact, may I remind you that the word Deuteronomy is made up of two words, Deuteros, and nomos. Deuteros means two or second, and nomos is the Greek word for law. The word Deuteronomy means second law or the second giving of the law. The law was given the first time in the book of Exodus, and here it's repeated again in the book of Deuteronomy. Now, I want you to look in verse 1. Deuteronomy 33 verse 1, and this is the blessing wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death. Now the Bible specifically says that this is the blessing wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.

[John Weaver] Well, what did he do to bless them? He quoted, he gave them the law of God a second time. In other words, he gave them the word of God. Now, I want you to understand that God's law God's Word is given to us as a blessing and to be a blessing. It is only turned into a curse by sin, disobedience, and rebellion. God gave His law initially to be a blessing.

[John Weaver] Now I want you to look at verse 2 because I want to make something exceedingly clear. And he said, Moses said, the Lord came from Sinai and rose up from Seir unto them. He shined forth from Mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints. From his right hand went a fiery law for them." Now, please understand this. Verse 2 does not speak of God's origination.

[John Weaver] Everyone in here has heard the childish question, where did God come from? And I had someone come to me even recently and said, Preacher, I know where God came from. I said, Oh, where? And then they quoted this verse. Well, he came from Sinai. Well, come on, let's be honest. This verse has nothing to do with God's origination. Are you listening? God is eternal. God never began and therefore God never ends. He was never born, He never came from anywhere, why?

[John Weaver] Because He is everywhere at once in the totality of His person. He is the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, immutable, eternal God that always was, and therefore He says, I am, not I was. and not I once will be or I shall be. No, he said I am. He always has and he always will be God.

[John Weaver] Now, since verse 2 does not refer to God's origination, how do you explain it? Very simply and very easily, the movements or the places that are mentioned in verse 2, Sinai, Seir, and Mount Paran, or Paran, are movements of God in dealing with his redeemed people. The children of Israel had already been bought by the blood, and they came to Mount Sinai, and there God gave them an expression of His love. He gave them His law. In fact, look if you would please, the Bible says in verse 3, Yea, He loved the people. Remember, God is a jealous God.

[John Weaver] So what did He do? to express His love. He gave them His word.

[John Weaver] Secondly, the Bible says, He rose up from seer unto them. Now, you know, the interesting thing is, in fact, look back in your Bibles to Deuteronomy chapter 1, and I just want to show you something that's interesting. Before I show you this verse, let me ask you this question. How long did it take the children of Israel to get into the promised land? Forty years. Forty years. How long a trip was it to go from where they were to the promised land? How long? Not 40 days. How about this? Look in Deuteronomy 1 in verse 2. In fact, let's read verse 1. These be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel on this side, Jordan, in the wilderness, in the plain over against the Red Sea, between Paran, and Tophel, and Laban, and Ezeroth, and Disahab.

[John Weaver] There are eleven days' journey from Horeb by the way of Mount Seir to Kadesh Barnea. They could have been into the promised land in eleven days. That's all. Well, let me ask you a question. If they could have been there in 11 days, why did it take 40 years? Because of their sin and their disobedience.

[John Weaver] Now, God had told them to go up and they refused to go up. You remember how they lied against God, blasphemed God. And there was another instance that happened in Mount Seir. that you might remember, how the people murmured and complained and griped and belly ached. And God said, I'm so sick of this. And what did God do? He sent fiery serpents among them that bit them and they were dying. And that's when Moses raised up that brazen serpent, you remember? And our Lord said, whosoever looketh upon this serpent, serpent shall live. So when the Bible says he moved from Sinai to Seir, he is still showing how he is protecting and having mercy upon his people and still at the same time leading and guiding his people. Now, then the Bible says in Deuteronomy 33 in verse 3, not only Sinai and Seir, but the Bibles that he shined for from Mount Paran.

[John Weaver] What in the world does that mean? Well, if you look in your Bibles, to the book of Numbers chapter 10, and let's read verses 11 and 12. You'll see that this is where, you remember God led them how? By a pillar of fire by night and a cloud by day. And the Bible says in Numbers chapter 10 beginning there in verse 11, and it came to pass on the 20th day of the second month in the second year that the cloud was taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony And the children of Israel took their journey out of the wilderness of Sinai, and the cloud rested where? In the wilderness of Paran. What was God doing? God was still leading, guiding, and protecting his people. Now, remember, there was a brief period of time when God asked for love offerings. for materials to build a tabernacle, and the people supplied those materials abundantly. The tabernacle was set up, and God was leading them. God was directing them. This was before their real rebellion took place.

[John Weaver] So verse 2 actually demonstrates God's providential guidance and protection of His people especially in relationship to his divine purpose in their lives. Now, it's not verse one or verse two that I'm particularly interested in today. It is verse three. Look at verse three. Having worked our way down there, yea, he loved the people. All his saints are in my hand and they sat down at my feet.

[John Weaver] Everyone shall receive of thy words. Now, let's go back to my original question. If I were to ask you to express one real, genuine, identifying mark of a true Christian, what would your answer be? Baptism? Love? Obedience? Worship? Sacrificial? Humble? Suppose I could give you one mark. That would not only cover all of those things, but a multitude. Of other characteristics that you might come up with as well. What would be my answer? To the question. What is the mark of a true Christian? My answer would be this. A true Christian.

[John Weaver] will be a man of the book, a man of the Bible, a disciple of Christ. Look in verse 3. Watch this carefully. Yea, he loved the people. All his saints are in my hand, and they sat down at thy feet. Every one shall receive of thy words. Now let me show you how this verse is constructed. First, The Bible tells us that He, God, loved the people. How do we know that God loved the people?

[John Weaver] Well, let me just remind you that love is always demonstrable. Always. The Bible does not tell us. And we know that He loved us because He told us that He loved us. Look in your Bibles to 1 John 3, beginning there in verse 16. 1 John 3, verse 16. And notice what the Bible says, just showing you that love is always demonstrable. 1 John 3 and verse 16, the Bible says, herein or hereby perceive we the love of God. Now, remember what the word perceive means. It means to comprehend, to understand, to lay hold on. So he says, hereby comprehend we the love of God, not because he told us he loved us, but because he laid down his life for us. We ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. Now, look.

[John Weaver] But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother hath need, and shutteth up the bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth." So God says, look, if someone sees his brother have need, and he shuts up his bowels of compassion upon him, in other words, he just says to his brother, I love you, but he does not supply his need, God asks the question, how dwells the love of God in him? And then God says, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. He loved us. Yes. And how do we know that he loved us? The scripture says he gave his only begotten son.

[John Weaver] He laid down his life for us. So the Bible says that love is always demonstrable. So this verse in Deuteronomy 33 and verse 3 begins with stating that God loved us. Now, remember, love is always demonstrable. Second, the Bible says all his saints are in his hand.

[John Weaver] Now, when we hear that all of his saints are in his hands, our minds probably automatically go back to John 10, verses 28 through 30, and if your mind doesn't go there, it should go there. And let me just read to you John 10, beginning there of verse 28, down to verse 30. Look what our Lord said. John 10, verse 28. Our Lord talks about His people, His sheep, and He says, I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish.

[John Weaver] Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father who gave them me is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one." So when Jesus Christ says, we, his people, are in his hand, and he is in God the Father's hand, what is he talking about? Absolute protection, absolute security, no man, nothing can take us out of his hand. Certainly, you remember that.

[John Weaver] And that is a wonderful passage and that is a wonderful truth. But may I point something else out? If we are in his hand, it could also mean this, that we are at his disposal. He may use us or not use us. That would be totally up to him. But since we are in his hand, And he has us at his disposal and he loves us.

[John Weaver] Thirdly, you've got to ask this question. How will God manifest his love to us? And how will God dispose of us? Well, look at it. Verse three. Yet he loved the people. All his saints are in my hand. And they sat down at his feet. Everyone shall receive of thy words.

[John Weaver] Now, let me just ask in the context, I've already given you the answer, but in the context. How do we know? That God loved Israel. How did God in this instance demonstrate his love for his people, someone tell me. He gave them His law. He gave them His word.

[John Weaver] Now, look in your Bibles to the book of Romans chapter 3. I just want to point this out to you. I want you to see the significance of this. God did not give His word to the Assyrians, to the Egyptians, the Hivites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, or any of those other people. He only gave his law to his people, Israel. Look, if you would, in Romans 3, beginning there in verse 1. Look at the question.

[John Weaver] What advantage, then, hath the Jew, or the Judahite, or what profit is there of circumcision, much every way, chiefly, here's the main difference, chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God. Now, how did God express His love to His people? He gave them His word.

[John Weaver] Now that we're in His hands, what does He dispose us to do? He disposes us, according to verse 3, to sit down at His feet. What does that mean? He gives us a teachable spirit. He gives us an inclination to sit and to study and to hear his words.

[John Weaver] Now, it's interesting that the Bible says, And they sat down at thy feet. Do you remember when, in 2 Kings chapter 2, Elijah was going to be taken away from Elisha? And Elisha was a student of Elijah. And the sons of the prophets kept coming to Elisha and said, Knowest thou not that the Lord will take thy master away from thy head today? What? Knowest thou not that the Lord will take thy master away from thy head?

[John Weaver] What kind of a question is that? What does it mean? What does it imply? Do you realize that in the Old Testament? And in the New Testament? Students sat at the feet of their teacher. When the prophet said, knowest thou not that the Lord will take thy master away from thy head, that was a picture of Elijah sitting down and Elijah standing up and God removing his teacher. May I remind you in Acts 22 and verse three, The Apostle Paul said that he was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel. What was the Apostle Paul doing? Sitting and being taught.

[John Weaver] And every one of you remembers that great passage in Luke chapter 10, where Martha, the sister, complained of Mary, and he said, Lord, make her get up and help me serve. And you know what our Lord said? Martha, Martha, about an incumbent about with many things, but only one thing is needful. And the Bible says that Martha had that sister and that sister is called Mary. And what's the Bible say? She sat at Jesus feet and Jesus said that good thing shall not be taken away from her. What was she doing? She was sitting, listening to the Lord teach. So when the Bible says in Deuteronomy 33 verse 3, and they sat down at thy feet, he is teaching us that he gives to his people a teachable spirit. They want to learn. They want to hear. They want to know.

[John Weaver] Now, if you were to ask me, what is the mark of a true disciple of Jesus Christ? Or what is the one mark that would distinguish every true Christian from the multitude of professing Christians? My answer would be this. They're students of the book. They're disciples. They have a teachable spirit. Look what the Bible says. I'm not making this up. I'm not exaggerating. Look in Deuteronomy 33 in verse 3. Here it is. Now look what the Bible says.

[John Weaver] Yea, he loved the people. All his saints were in by hand and they sat down at his feet. Are you looking now? Everyone shall receive of his words. Not that everyone might receive. Or not that everyone possibly may. Or not that everyone might look into. No. It says they shall receive of His words. Isn't that interesting? Everyone shall receive of His words. Are you listening? It is impossible to be a real Christian and not receive the words of the Word of God. It's impossible. It's impossible.

[John Weaver] Now, here's an instance of God's special kindness. Now, the Bible says in verse 3, now look, that He loved the people. But go back to verse 2. And He said, The Lord came from Sinai and rose up from Seir unto them. He shined forth from Mount Paran. And He came with ten thousands of His saints from His right hand with a fiery law. What are the last two words?

[John Weaver] for them, or literally it is said to go to them or to be a favor to them. So even the law that was written in stone was meant to be a blessing. It was not meant to be a curse. They were to learn it, they were to study it, they were to apply it. Look back in your Bibles to Deuteronomy 6, hole 33, but go back to Deuteronomy 6 and let's begin reading there in verse 1. Deuteronomy 6, verse 1, and I could multiply these passages, but I think this will evidence exactly what I'm trying to say. Deuteronomy 6, verse 1.

[John Weaver] Now, these are the commandments, the statutes and the judgments which the Lord your God commanded. What are those next words? To teach you. Why? That you might do them in the land where you go to possess it, that thou mightest fear the Lord by God. to keep all his statutes and all his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life, and that thy days may be prolonged.

[John Weaver] Hear, therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it." Why should we listen to God? Why should we obey His Word? Why should we be taught? Here's why. That it may be well with thee, and that you may increase mightily as the God of thy father's hath promised thee in the land that floweth with milk and honey."

[John Weaver] Now skip down, if you would please, to verse 24 and 25 of the same chapter. Deuteronomy 6, notice verse 24. The Bible says,"...and the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes to fear the Lord our God..." Why?"...for our good always, that it might preserve us alive as it is at this day, and it shall be for our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God as he commanded us.

[John Weaver] Now, did God, did God give us his word just to be a curse for us and because he was a mean, hateful God, didn't want us to do a bunch of things? No. He gave us his law for our good. Do you realize it's for our good that we're not adulterers? It's for our good that we're not whoremongers. It's for our good that we're not thieves. It's for our good that we're not murderers. It's for our good that we're not covetous, hateful gossipers. It's for our good that we're to hear God's Word, honor Him, obey Him, and worship Him.

[John Weaver] Now, what was the evidence of God's special love for His people? He gave them His law.

[John Weaver] Now, let me ask you. Get ready. What is the gospel promise? Has God changed? Is God any different in the New Testament than He was in the Old Testament? What did God do in the Old Testament to demonstrate His love for His people? He gave them His law.

[John Weaver] Now look in your Bibles. First of all, to the book of Jeremiah, chapter 31, and let's begin reading there in verse 31. Let me show you the gospel promise, what will happen in the new covenant. Jeremiah 31, beginning there in verse 31. just so that we can see the special love of God for His people. Okay? You there? Jeremiah 31, verse 31. Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, which my covenant they break. That is that covenant written in stone. Although I was a husband unto them, saith the Lord, But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the House of Israel. After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law on their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God.

[John Weaver] And they shall be my people. Watch, and they shall teach no more every man his neighbor and every man his brother, saying, Know ye the Lord, for they shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord. And I will forgive their iniquity. And I will remember their sin no more.

[John Weaver] Now, what did our Lord say I'm going to do in my new covenant? I'm going to write my law in their hearts. It won't be on stone. It'll be in their hearts. If you look in your Bibles to the book of Ezekiel, chapter 36. Ezekiel 36. And notice, if you would please, beginning there in verse 25. Ezekiel 36, verse 25, this is still the gospel promise in the Old Testament. Ezekiel 36, notice if you would, verse 25.

[John Weaver] God says, then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean from all your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you. Now, look, a new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you. And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh, and I will put My Spirit within you, look, and cause you to walk in My statues.

[John Weaver] And you shall keep My judgments and do them." Now, wait a minute. What did God say? God said, in the new covenant, I'm going to give you a new heart. I'm going to put a new spirit within you. And I'm going to put My laws in your heart. And I'm going to cause you to walk in them. That's in the New Covenant.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to 2 Corinthians 3. I want you to see how the Apostle Paul explains the difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. Look in 2 Corinthians 3, if you would, please. The Apostle Paul asked in verse one, and I preached on this passage several years back in detail, but notice in verse one, do we begin again to commend ourselves or need we as some others?

[John Weaver] Epistles, that is, letters of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you. Now, do we need to carry letters around saying that we're all right, that we're true preachers? No, said Paul. We don't. Why? Look in verse 2, you are our epistle. You are our letter written in the hearts, known and read of all men.

[John Weaver] Now look, for as much as you were manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ, ministered by us, here it is, written not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God, not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart. And then if you go down through this passage, the Apostle Paul contrasts the Old Covenant with the New Covenant, and he shows the New Covenant is so much better because now we have the law written in our hearts. If you will turn over your Bibles to the book of Hebrews chapter 8, Hebrews chapter 8, and look, if you would please, at verse 10, just showing you the gospel promise and that God has not changed. Notice in Hebrews chapter 8 in verse 10, here's a repetition of what we read in Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Hebrews 8 verse 10, For this is a covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord. I will put my laws into their mind and write them in their hearts.

[John Weaver] And I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people, and they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord, for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." Isn't that amazing? But that's not all.

[John Weaver] Look in Hebrews chapter 10, if you would please, and verse 16. Hebrews 10 verse 16, here it is again. This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord. I'll put my laws into their hearts and in their minds and I will write them and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

[John Weaver] Now, let me ask you a question. What is the gospel promise? The gospel promise is that God's going to write his law in our hearts, in our minds. He's going to cause us to understand. He's going to cause us to know him. He's going to cause us to obey him. Well, what did God do in the Old Testament to express His love? He gave them His law. What did He do in the New Testament to express His love? He gave us the law. Not now in stone, but in our hearts. You know, an interesting thing is this.

[John Weaver] Look in your Bibles, John 6 and verse 44. You're talking about a gospel call. Here is a passage that shows the effectual call of God upon His people. The Bible says in John 6 and verse 44, no man can come unto me, except the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him at the last day. Now, man in himself does not have the ability to come to Christ. He says, no man can come unto me. Well, if no man has the ability to come to Christ, how does he get to Christ? Well, the answer is, the Father draws him. Well, how do we know whether or not we've been effectually drawn by the Father to Christ? Look in verse 45. It is written in the Prophets, that is Jeremiah and Ezekiel, and they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father, what cometh unto me? How do we know that we've been drawn? Because God writes His law in our hearts. And we come to Christ in faith, believing that is indeed the word of God.

[John Weaver] Now, listen, the law of God written in our hearts is certain evidence of the love of God shed abroad in our hearts. We have to reckon God's law. And by the way, all of God's word is law. Because it's the word of a king, a king's word is law. We have to reckon all of the Word of God to be one of the gifts of His grace.

[John Weaver] The Bible says in Deuteronomy 33 that He loved the people. Actually, it means He embraced the people. He laid them in His bosom. In other words, the Word signifies His dearest love. So what does He do? to express his love. He lays us in his bosom. He gives us his law. He gives us a teachable spirit. And ensures that we shall receive his word.

[John Weaver] Now, let me show you something that hit my mind this past week. And, you know, I've read this passage hundreds of times. But it never clicked like this until this past week. If you look in your Bibles, to the book of Romans chapter 5 and verse 5, Romans 5 and verse 5, here's a passage that everyone probably can quote. At least you're very familiar with it. Romans 5 and verse 5. Watch this.

[John Weaver] The Bible says, and hope maketh not ashamed. because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us. Now the Bible says that the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost that is given to us. Here's my question. What exactly is it that the Holy Ghost is shedding abroad in our hearts? You say, Brother Weaver, Scripture says it's the love of God. Well, wonderful. What is the love of God?

[John Weaver] Is it a warm, fluffy feeling? Is that what he does? He sheds this warm, fluffy feeling abroad in our heart? Does he shed gushing sentimentality? Does he just shed something, make us want to say, I love you, I love you? What is the love of God? Now, the Bible says that he sheds the love of God abroad in our hearts. I want you to turn in your Bibles to 1 John 5. You know this passage.

[John Weaver] I've quoted it hundreds of times. But as you turn to 1 John 5, I want to quote Romans 13 in verse 10. And you're going to remember it when I quote it.

[John Weaver] Now, remember, the Bible says it's the Holy Ghost that sheds the love of God abroad in our hearts. What is the love of God? The Bible in Romans 13 verse 10 tells us this. Are you listening? Love is the fulfilling of the law. Love is the fulfilling of the law. So love is not feelings. It's not gushy sentimentality. It's not a warm, fluffy feeling. It's not just something that will make you say, I love you, I love you, I love you. No. Love is the fulfilling of the law. And if you look in 1 John chapter 5 and verse 3, the Bible tells us explicitly what the love of God is. Look at it. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments and His commandments are not grievous. Now, if the love of God is the keeping of His commandments, are you listening? And the Holy Ghost is shedding love of God abroad in our hearts. What is He shedding abroad in our hearts? The knowledge of God and his word.

[John Weaver] Wow. How do I know that for sure? Well, look at the negative in 1 John 2 and verse 4. 1 John 2 and verse 4. That was the positive. Now you have the negative. 1 John 2 and verse 4. He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a liar and the truth is not eating. Did you hear that? He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

[John Weaver] Where does that put all the disobedient, rebellious, sinful, ignorant, unlearned, professing Christians that fills our churches today? Where does that put them? Lost. Lost. That's what he said. Those are not my words. He that saith I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

[John Weaver] Now, I know you know this passage, but I'm just trying to show you something. Look in your Bibles to John 14. You know this passage as well as I. But now the Bible says the Holy Ghost sheds the love of God abroad in our heart. What exactly is he shedding abroad? Not warm, fluffy feelings. He's shedding the word of God. He's writing the law of God in our hearts, teaching us his truth, enabling us to bring our lives in conformity to his word. Look what he says in John 14 in verse 21.

[John Weaver] Our Lord makes it very plain. He that hath my commandments and keepeth them He it is that loveth me, and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him and will manifest myself to him." Now note, he that hath my commandments and keepeth them, what? He it is that loveth me. How do I know that I love Christ? I keep his commandments. I obey him. And the Bible says if I love him, I will be loved of the Father. And he says, I will love him and will manifest myself to him. How will he manifest himself?

[John Weaver] Through his word, by his spirit, as that word is continually being shed abroad in our hearts. Now, look in verse 24, the opposite. Here's the negative. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings.

[John Weaver] Now, what did our Lord just say? He said, if you love me, you'll keep my commandments. If you don't keep my commandments and evidence that you don't love me.

[John Weaver] Now, let me ask you. How can a truth that is so simple be misunderstood when our Lord puts it both positively and negatively? He says positively, if you love me, you'll keep my commandments. Negatively, if you don't keep them, that means you don't love me. How can that be misunderstood? How can it be misunderstood when he said, and this is the love of God that we keep his commandments? And his commandments are not grievous unto us. And how can it be misunderstood when he said, he that saith, I know him in thee, but not his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him.

[John Weaver] Positive and negative, positive and negative. It cannot be misunderstood. A true Christian, the mark of a true Christian is he's going to be a disciple of Christ. He's going to be a student of the book. Doesn't mean that he's going to be A preacher doesn't mean he's going to be a theologian in depth, doesn't mean that he's going to know everything. But I'm going to tell you what, he's not going to be an ignorant individual either. He's going to know something about that book and he's going to know something about Christ and about the Father. And there's going to be a desire to learn and he's going to have a teachable attitude. And he's going to be willing to listen to the word of God. He's going to be willing to be taught.

[John Weaver] Look in your Bible to John 8. I find this so amazing. Look in John 8 at verse 30. As he spake these words, many believed on him.

[John Weaver] Now, you will remember what I told you at the opening of this message. Our Lord said, by their fruits you shall know them. not by their profession, but by the manifestation of their lives. Now watch. As he spake these words, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those Jews who believed on him. If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed. Now. Then he goes on to say in verse 32, and you shall know the truth. And the truth shall make you free.

[John Weaver] Now, look what he said. If you continue in my words, then are you my disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. Now, let's look at the word indeed. The word indeed is the Greek word alethos, which means. Of a truth. Truly. Surely. Indeed, most certainly.

[John Weaver] Now what did he say? If you continue in my word, then are you certainly my disciples. Surely my disciples. Truly my disciples. What is the mark of the true disciple? Continuing in the word of God. That's why I said, and you shall know the truth, because the word of God is truth, and the truth will make you free. What was our Lord telling these people? They said, oh, we believe, we believe, we believe. Our Lord said, it's not just in your profession. It's whether or not you really continue in my word. Whether you really listen, whether you really learn, whether you really apply the truth. If you're my true disciples, the mark of it is you will continue in my word. It's not that you will go to Bible school for one year.

[John Weaver] Or you'll go to college for four years. No, no, no, no. You will be a student of the Word regardless. You'll read that Word. You'll study that Word. You'll listen to that Word being taught. You'll want to understand it and comprehend it. You'll want to have your questions resolved. You'll want to understand things that most people aren't even interested in.

[John Weaver] Now, if that's not plain enough, turn over in your Bible to John 17. Let me just show it to you again. In John 17, we have the high priestly prayer of Jesus Christ. In this passage, Jesus Christ is praying for his own. And look what he says, first of all, in verse six. And he's talking about his disciples now, those who have been saved, those whom the Father has given him, he says in verse Six, I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world. Thine they were, and thou gavest them me, and they have what? What have they done? Kept thy word. Now watch. Verse seven, Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. Now watch verse eight. For I have given unto them what? The words which thou gavest me, and they have what? Received them, and they have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me." Now, what did our Lord say to the father in his prayer?

[John Weaver] Those that you have given me, I gave them your words. What did they do? Oh, they received them. They believed. What does the Bible say in Deuteronomy 33? Everyone shall receive of thy words. And to show you the distinction, look what our Lord said in verse 9. I pray for them. I pray not for the world. But for them which thou hast given me, for they are thine.

[John Weaver] Which ones are he praying for? The ones who received his words and the ones who kept his words. He said the rest are worldly. Isn't that amazing? Jesus Christ is saying that his true disciples are those who kept his word, receive his word. What is the mark of a true Christian? He's one that's willing to be taught. and willing to listen. And if you can show him anything in the Word of God, he is willing to receive it as it is indeed in truth, the Word of God, which effectually worketh in you who believe.

[John Weaver] Now, let me make a couple of applications this morning. The first one is this. The clearest mark and the clearest characteristic of a Christian is that he is a man of the He reads it. He studies it. He applies it. He lives by it. Scriptures are everything to him. The true Christian understands that if he pleases his Heavenly Father, he must be obedient to what his Heavenly Father has commanded him. Isn't that simple?

[John Weaver] Now, let me show you. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Second Timothy, chapter two. And before I tell you the verse. I'm just showing you the fact that the real genuine mark of a true Christian is he's a man of the book. Doesn't mean he's going to understand everything, doesn't mean he's going to know everything, but he's going to be in that book, he's going to be reading it, he's going to be applying it to the ability that God gave him.

[John Weaver] Let me point this out. I teach all over this country. I have taught classes that have had hundreds of students. I've taught classes that had seven or eight students. I've even taught classes that had one student. I want to show you what God says in light of this. In 2 Timothy chapter 2, let's read verse 1. Thou therefore, my son, Paul writes to Timothy, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Let's look at verse 2. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou.

[John Weaver] What are those next words? Commit thou to whom? To faithful men who shall be able to teach others also. Let me tell you something, friends. As much as I love you. And as much as I love to teach. I'm not going to chase any man down to try to teach you. I'm not. What was Paul telling Timothy? The same commit thou to what? If you want to be taught, I don't have to beg you to come. You follow me? You'll be faithful to the word of God. This is why I'm trying to tell you that God's people, the true Christian, the mark of a true Christian is he wants the truth and he's willing to be faithful to get the truth.

[John Weaver] It's not a hit and a miss. It's not, well, Once a year, I'll go somewhere to a Bible conference and forget it. The rest of you, no, no, no. You want the truth consistently. And you will want to be taught, you will want to be where the word of God is. So the clearest and the most concise mark of a true Christian is he loves the book and he wants to be taught.

[John Weaver] Secondly, Like the disciples of old, we need to learn to sit at our Lord's feet. Sitting implies time. Patience. You are not going to learn in one year what it's taken me 40 years to learn. And I'm not going to learn in one year what it's taken you 40 years to learn. So we've got to learn to sit. And what did our Lord say of Mary? She's chosen that good part and it's not going to be taken away from her. So if we learn to sit on a daily basis and read our Bibles and say, Lord, speak to me.

[John Weaver] And when you see something you don't understand, look it up. If you don't have the ability to look it up, call me. Learn! That's the impact of this message. Learn! Everyone shall receive of thy word. Which means, thirdly, we must count it a privilege and an honor to sit at our Lord's feet. And we must count it a privilege and an honor to have the Holy Ghost to shed the love of God, which is obedience to his word. And the knowledge of his word are brought in our hearts.

[John Weaver] You cannot obey that which you do not know. You can only obey that which you do know. And so the evidence of God's love in the Old Testament was he gave his word to his people. The evidence of God's love in the New Testament is he gives that same word, but now he writes it upon our hearts and he ensures that we know it and we know him. And we'll continue in that word if we're true disciples. Let's pray.

[John Weaver] Father, we ask in the name of Jesus Christ today that you would help us. Build us up in the most holy faith and make us students of Thy Word. Enable us, Lord, to honor Thee and to bring our lives in conformity to Thee, to be all that we can be by Thy grace. In the name of Jesus Christ we ask and pray, Amen.

The Marks of a True Christian

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	8150674952
Subject	Covenant Theology
Course	Covenant Theology: Obedience, Disobedience, and National Judgment
Genre	Sermon
Date	2006-05-28
Dictation Name
Book	Book 044: Covenant Theology: Obedience, Disobedience, and National Judgment — Chapter 4
Source Timed Segments	99

Formatted Transcript

Opening

The message you are about to hear was produced by Dominion Ministry. If you would like to support this ministry by becoming a sermon partner or obtain additional high-resolution CDs, DVDs, or MP3s featuring the teaching of Pastor John Weaver, please visit the Dominion Ministry website at www.dominion.org. www.dominionministry.com. This ministry is completely supported by donations and it is through those donations that we are able to provide sermons for sermonaudio.com. Please visit our website at www.dominionministry.com to subscribe or make your donation today. Thank you. I want you to open your Bibles to Deuteronomy 33. We're going to read the first three verses. The message today is entitled, "The Mark of a True Christian." The Mark of a True Christian. Deuteronomy 33, verse 1:

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 33:1-3

"And this is the blessing wherewith Moses, the man of God, blessed the children of Israel before his death. And he said, The Lord came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them, He shined forth from Mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints."

Introduction: The Question of a Christian's Mark

Weaver poses the question of what single characteristic identifies every true Christian and emphasizes the need for a biblical answer.

"From his right hand went a fiery law for them. Yea, he loved the people. All his saints are in thy hand, and they sat down at thy feet. Every one shall receive of his words." Let me begin today by asking a couple of questions. First, how would you describe a Christian? If I ask you to designate one mark, one characteristic that would be prevalent in every true Christian, what would be your answer? And then the second question would be this: once you gave me the answer, how could you be sure that you had the right answer?

Well, I want you to hold Deuteronomy 33, but look in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 7, because our Lord has certainly given us a principle that you and I can go by. Matthew 7, beginning there with verse 17. Most of you are familiar with this passage, but notice our Lord says this. Matthew 7, verse 17:

Scripture Reading — Matthew 7:17-20

"Even so, every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that brings not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire."

The Principle of Fruit as Evidence

Using Matthew 7:17-20, Weaver explains that good trees produce good fruit, and by their fruits, not mere profession, true believers are known.

Scripture Reading — Matthew 7:17-20

"Even so, every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that brings not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire." "Wherefore, by their fruits you shall know them."

Now, it's very important that you pay attention to verse 20.

Scripture Reading — Matthew 7:17-20

"Wherefore, by their fruits you shall know them."

Now, our Lord has just said that a good tree will inevitably produce good fruit. And a corrupt tree is inevitably going to produce corrupt fruit. A corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit, and a good tree cannot bring forth corrupt fruit. So the principle is, by their fruits you shall know them. And I want you to pay particular attention to verse 20, because our Lord did not say, "by their profession you shall know them." He said, "by their fruits you shall know them." It's critical at this point that you remember Titus 1 and verse 16. You remember that passage Paul wrote,

Scripture Reading — Titus 1:16

"They profess that they know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable and disobedient unto every good work reprobate."

So here are people who profess that they know Him, but in their works they deny Him. Let me just put it very pointedly: a profession without commensurate fruit is absolutely worthless. So our Lord said, "by their fruits you shall know them."

The Danger of Undiscerning Profession

Weaver warns against accepting anyone as a Christian based solely on their claim, citing Titus 1:16 and 2 Corinthians 5:17 to show that salvation produces change.

I'm constantly amazed at the lack of discernment among Christians and their ability to be suckered by politicians and Hollywood movie stars. It appears that professing Christians will accept anyone as a Christian as long as he says he is a Christian. It doesn't matter about their lifestyle, doesn't matter about their actions, doesn't matter about their blasphemies. Just so a man says he's a Christian, then inevitably he must be a Christian. Well, if you take that position, may I tell you that such a position is not only naive, it is certainly unbiblical as well as blasphemous because it is a denial of the power of the gospel. What does the Bible say in 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 17?

Scripture Reading — 2 Corinthians 5:17

"Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new what? Creation or creature. All things are passed away and all things become new."

So, in other words, when Christ saves someone, He changes them. That is very obvious.

Now, if you look in Deuteronomy 33, there is one trait, one characteristic, one fruit that is given to us of a true Christian in this passage. And I'm going to tell you what it is and then I'm going to demonstrate it to you from the scripture in just a moment. But the one characteristic that will stand out for every true Christian is his teachableness. I'm going to go a little bit further.

The Mark Defined: Teachableness and Love for the Word

The one mark of a true Christian is teachability—a hunger for God's Word as spiritual food, illustrated by the categories of babes, young men, and fathers.

You might call this his teachability. Let me put it to you like this. When anyone is too busy to hear, read, study, and apply the Word of God, then something is vitally wrong with his or her life. In other words, their profession should be suspect. Why? Because for a true Christian, the Word of God is our food. It is our sustenance. It is our life.

Now, you remember the Apostle John divided Christians into three categories. He referred to them as babes, young men, and fathers. I want you to turn in your Bibles and look in 1 Peter, chapter 2 and verse 1, and let me show you what the food and the nourishment for a baby is. Look in 1 Peter, chapter 2 and begin there, if you would please, at verse 1. Here the word of God says,

Scripture Reading — 1 Peter 2:1-2

"Wherefore laying aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and envies and evil speakings as newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby."

Have you ever seen a living baby who did not want milk? Who did not want food? Who did not want to be fed? The very evidence that a child is alive is not only he cries, but he eats. So he says, as newborn babes, what are you to desire? The sincere milk of the Word. So if you're a babe in Christ, the most natural thing is for you to desire the Word of God. Let's suppose you're a young man.

We'll look in your Bibles to Psalm 19. And notice if you would please, what the psalmist said, beginning there with verse 9. Psalm 19, and look, if you would please, at verse 9. Here the word of God says,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 19:9-11

"The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever. The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold." "Sweeter also than honey in the honeycomb. Moreover, by them as thy servant warned, and in keeping with them, there is great reward."

Now, David, as a young man, said, look, the fear of the Lord is clean. It endures forever. And he says your word is much more desired than gold, even than fine gold. And it's sweeter than honey and honeycomb. What did he want? He wanted the word of God. Do you remember the passage he wrote in Psalm 119? Let me just quote it from verses 9 through 11. Listen, he said, "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. O let not my heart wander from thy commandments, when my whole heart have I sought thee." So where shall a young man clean his conscience? It's by keeping the Word of God. And so it doesn't matter if you're a babe, it doesn't matter if you're a young man, you desire the Word of God. Then if you will look in your Bibles to Jeremiah chapter 15, you will see Jeremiah as a father, as a mature man, I might say.

Here is someone who understands not only the justice of God, but the mercy of God as well. Jeremiah 15 and verse 16. What does Jeremiah say?

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 15:16

"Thy words were found and I did eat them. And thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart. For I am called by my name, O Lord God of hosts."

So he said,

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 15:16

"my words were found and I did eat them."

And what? They were the joy and the rejoicing of my heart.

So it doesn't matter where you are in your Christian life. If you're a babe, if you're a young man, or if you're a father, that which is the most important is the Word of God. Why? Because you must have the Word of God. Because it is your food, it is your nourishment, it is your life.

Exposition of Deuteronomy 33:1-3

Weaver expounds the passage, showing that God's movements (Sinai, Seir, Paran) demonstrate His providential guidance, and verse 3 reveals that His love is expressed by giving His word and making His people teachable.

Now, if you go back in your Bibles to Deuteronomy 33, I want you to understand that this passage, in fact, all of Deuteronomy, you could say, is a summation of when God gave his law to his people, especially Deuteronomy 33, verses 1 through 3. In fact, may I remind you that the word Deuteronomy is made up of two words, Deuteros, and nomos. Deuteros means two or second, and nomos is the Greek word for law. The word Deuteronomy means second law or the second giving of the law. The law was given the first time in the book of Exodus, and here it's repeated again in the book of Deuteronomy. Now, I want you to look in verse 1. Deuteronomy 33 verse 1, "And this is the blessing wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death." Now the Bible specifically says that this is the blessing wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.

Well, what did he do to bless them? He quoted, he gave them the law of God a second time. In other words, he gave them the word of God. Now, I want you to understand that God's law, God's Word is given to us as a blessing and to be a blessing. It is only turned into a curse by sin, disobedience, and rebellion. God gave His law initially to be a blessing.

Now I want you to look at verse 2 because I want to make something exceedingly clear. "And he said," Moses said, "the Lord came from Sinai and rose up from Seir unto them. He shined forth from Mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints. From his right hand went a fiery law for them." Now, please understand this. Verse 2 does not speak of God's origination. Everyone in here has heard the childish question, "Where did God come from?" And I had someone come to me even recently and said, "Preacher, I know where God came from." I said, "Oh, where?" And then they quoted this verse. "Well, he came from Sinai." Well, come on, let's be honest. This verse has nothing to do with God's origination. Are you listening? God is eternal. God never began and therefore God never ends. He was never born, He never came from anywhere, why?

Because He is everywhere at once in the totality of His person. He is the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, immutable, eternal God that always was, and therefore He says, "I am," not "I was," and not "I once will be" or "I shall be." No, he said "I am." He always has and he always will be God. Now, since verse 2 does not refer to God's origination, how do you explain it? Very simply and very easily, the movements or the places that are mentioned in verse 2—Sinai, Seir, and Mount Paran, or Paran—are movements of God in dealing with his redeemed people. The children of Israel had already been bought by the blood, and they came to Mount Sinai, and there God gave them an expression of His love. He gave them His law. In fact, look if you would please, the Bible says in verse 3, "Yea, He loved the people." Remember, God is a jealous God.

So what did He do to express His love? He gave them His word. Secondly, the Bible says, "He rose up from Seir unto them." Now, you know, the interesting thing is, in fact, look back in your Bibles to Deuteronomy chapter 1, and I just want to show you something that's interesting. Before I show you this verse, let me ask you this question. How long did it take the children of Israel to get into the promised land? Forty years. Forty years. How long a trip was it to go from where they were to the promised land? How long? Not 40 days. How about this? Look in Deuteronomy 1 in verse 2. In fact, let's read verse 1. "These be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel on this side, Jordan, in the wilderness, in the plain over against the Red Sea, between Paran, and Tophel, and Laban, and Ezeroth, and Disahab."

"There are eleven days' journey from Horeb by the way of Mount Seir to Kadesh Barnea." They could have been into the promised land in eleven days. That's all. Well, let me ask you a question. If they could have been there in 11 days, why did it take 40 years? Because of their sin and their disobedience.

Now, God had told them to go up and they refused to go up. You remember how they lied against God, blasphemed God. And there was another instance that happened in Mount Seir that you might remember, how the people murmured and complained and griped and belly ached. And God said, "I'm so sick of this." And what did God do? He sent fiery serpents among them that bit them and they were dying. And that's when Moses raised up that brazen serpent, you remember? And our Lord said, "Whosoever looketh upon this serpent shall live." So when the Bible says he moved from Sinai to Seir, he is still showing how he is protecting and having mercy upon his people and still at the same time leading and guiding his people. Now, then the Bible says in Deuteronomy 33 in verse 3, not only Sinai and Seir, but the Bible says that he shined forth from Mount Paran.

What in the world does that mean? Well, if you look in your Bibles to the book of Numbers chapter 10, and let's read verses 11 and 12. You'll see that this is where, you remember God led them how? By a pillar of fire by night and a cloud by day. And the Bible says in Numbers chapter 10 beginning there in verse 11,

Scripture Reading — Numbers 10:11-12

"And it came to pass on the 20th day of the second month in the second year that the cloud was taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony. And the children of Israel took their journey out of the wilderness of Sinai, and the cloud rested where? In the wilderness of Paran."

What was God doing? God was still leading, guiding, and protecting his people. Now, remember, there was a brief period of time when God asked for love offerings for materials to build a tabernacle, and the people supplied those materials abundantly. The tabernacle was set up, and God was leading them. God was directing them. This was before their real rebellion took place.

So verse 2 actually demonstrates God's providential guidance and protection of His people especially in relationship to his divine purpose in their lives. Now, it's not verse 1 or verse 2 that I'm particularly interested in today. It is verse 3. Look at verse 3. Having worked our way down there, "Yea, he loved the people. All his saints are in my hand and they sat down at my feet."

The Construction of Verse 3: Love, Security, and Reception of the Word

God's love is demonstrable (1 John 3:16-18), His saints are secure in His hand (John 10:28-30), and they sit at His feet to receive His words—a mark of true discipleship.

"Everyone shall receive of thy words." Now, let's go back to my original question. If I were to ask you to express one real, genuine, identifying mark of a true Christian, what would your answer be? Baptism? Love? Obedience? Worship? Sacrificial? Humble? Suppose I could give you one mark that would not only cover all of those things, but a multitude of other characteristics that you might come up with as well. What would be my answer to the question, "What is the mark of a true Christian?" My answer would be this: A true Christian

will be a man of the book, a man of the Bible, a disciple of Christ. Look in verse 3. Watch this carefully. "Yea, he loved the people. All his saints are in my hand, and they sat down at thy feet. Every one shall receive of thy words." Now let me show you how this verse is constructed. First, the Bible tells us that He, God, loved the people. How do we know that God loved the people?

Well, let me just remind you that love is always demonstrable. Always. The Bible does not tell us, "And we know that He loved us because He told us that He loved us." Look in your Bibles to 1 John 3, beginning there in verse 16. 1 John 3, verse 16. And notice what the Bible says, just showing you that love is always demonstrable. 1 John 3 and verse 16, the Bible says, "Herein" or

Scripture Reading — 1 John 3:16-18

"Hereby perceive we the love of God."

Now, remember what the word perceive means. It means to comprehend, to understand, to lay hold on. So he says,

Scripture Reading — 1 John 3:16-18

"Hereby comprehend we the love of God, not because he told us he loved us, but because he laid down his life for us. We ought to lay down our lives for the brethren."

Now, look.

"But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother hath need, and shutteth up the bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth." So God says, look, if someone sees his brother have need, and he shuts up his bowels of compassion upon him, in other words, he just says to his brother, "I love you," but he does not supply his need, God asks the question, "How dwells the love of God in him?" And then God says, "Let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth." He loved us. Yes. And how do we know that he loved us? The scripture says he gave his only begotten son.

He laid down his life for us. So the Bible says that love is always demonstrable. So this verse in Deuteronomy 33 and verse 3 begins with stating that God loved us. Now, remember, love is always demonstrable. Second, the Bible says all his saints are in his hand.

Now, when we hear that all of his saints are in his hands, our minds probably automatically go back to John 10, verses 28 through 30, and if your mind doesn't go there, it should go there. And let me just read to you John 10, beginning there of verse 28, down to verse 30. Look what our Lord said. John 10, verse 28. Our Lord talks about His people, His sheep, and He says,

Scripture Reading — John 10:28-30

"I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish." "Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father who gave them me is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one."

So when Jesus Christ says, we, his people, are in his hand, and he is in God the Father's hand, what is he talking about? Absolute protection, absolute security, no man, nothing can take us out of his hand. Certainly, you remember that.

And that is a wonderful passage and that is a wonderful truth. But may I point something else out? If we are in his hand, it could also mean this, that we are at his disposal. He may use us or not use us. That would be totally up to him. But since we are in his hand, and he has us at his disposal and he loves us. Thirdly, you've got to ask this question. How will God manifest his love to us? And how will God dispose of us? Well, look at it. Verse 3. "Yea, he loved the people. All his saints are in my hand. And they sat down at his feet. Everyone shall receive of thy words."

Now, let me just ask in the context, I've already given you the answer, but in the context. How do we know that God loved Israel? How did God in this instance demonstrate his love for his people? Someone tell me. He gave them His law. He gave them His word.

Now, look in your Bibles to the book of Romans chapter 3. I just want to point this out to you. I want you to see the significance of this. God did not give His word to the Assyrians, to the Egyptians, the Hivites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, or any of those other people. He only gave his law to his people, Israel. Look, if you would, in Romans 3, beginning there in verse 1. Look at the question.

"What advantage, then, hath the Jew, or the Judahite, or what profit is there of circumcision, much every way, chiefly," here's the main difference, "chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God." Now, how did God express His love to His people? He gave them His word. Now that we're in His hands, what does He dispose us to do? He disposes us, according to verse 3, to sit down at His feet. What does that mean? He gives us a teachable spirit. He gives us an inclination to sit and to study and to hear his words.

Now, it's interesting that the Bible says, "And they sat down at thy feet." Do you remember when, in 2 Kings chapter 2, Elijah was going to be taken away from Elisha? And Elisha was a student of Elijah. And the sons of the prophets kept coming to Elisha and said, "Knowest thou not that the Lord will take thy master away from thy head today?" What? "Knowest thou not that the Lord will take thy master away from thy head?"

Old and New Covenant: The Law Written on the Heart

Weaver contrasts the old covenant law on stone with the new covenant promise (Jeremiah 31, Ezekiel 36, Hebrews 8, 10) of the law written on the heart, showing that God's love is still expressed through His word.

Now, let me ask you. Get ready. What is the gospel promise? Has God changed? Is God any different in the New Testament than He was in the Old Testament? What did God do in the Old Testament to demonstrate His love for His people? He gave them His law.

Now look in your Bibles. First of all, to the book of Jeremiah, chapter 31, and let's begin reading there in verse 31. Let me show you the gospel promise, what will happen in the new covenant. Jeremiah 31, beginning there in verse 31, just so that we can see the special love of God for His people. Okay? You there? Jeremiah 31, verse 31.

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 31:31-34

"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, which my covenant they break."

That is that covenant written in stone.

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 31:31-34

"Although I was a husband unto them, saith the Lord, but this shall be the covenant that I will make with the House of Israel. After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law on their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God."

"And they shall be my people. Watch, and they shall teach no more every man his neighbor and every man his brother, saying, Know ye the Lord, for they shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord. And I will forgive their iniquity. And I will remember their sin no more."

Now, what did our Lord say I'm going to do in my new covenant? I'm going to write my law in their hearts. It won't be on stone. It'll be in their hearts. If you look in your Bibles to the book of Ezekiel, chapter 36. Ezekiel 36. And notice, if you would please, beginning there in verse 25. Ezekiel 36, verse 25, this is still the gospel promise in the Old Testament. Ezekiel 36, notice if you would, verse 25.

God says, "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean from all your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you." Now, look, "A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you. And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh, and I will put My Spirit within you," look, "and cause you to walk in My statutes." "And you shall keep My judgments and do them." Now, wait a minute. What did God say? God said, in the new covenant, I'm going to give you a new heart. I'm going to put a new spirit within you. And I'm going to put My laws in your heart. And I'm going to cause you to walk in them. That's in the New Covenant.

Scripture Reading — 2 Corinthians 3:2-3

Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to 2 Corinthians 3. I want you to see how the Apostle Paul explains the difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. Look in 2 Corinthians 3, if you would, please. The Apostle Paul asked in verse 1, and I preached on this passage several years back in detail, but notice in verse 1, "Do we begin again to commend ourselves or need we as some others?" "Epistles," that is, letters of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you. Now, do we need to carry letters around saying that we're all right, that we're true preachers? No, said Paul. We don't. Why? Look in verse 2, "You are our epistle. You are our letter written in the hearts, known and read of all men."

Now look, "For as much as you were manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ, ministered by us," here it is, "written not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God, not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart." And then if you go down through this passage, the Apostle Paul contrasts the Old Covenant with the New Covenant, and he shows the New Covenant is so much better because now we have the law written in our hearts. If you will turn over your Bibles to the book of Hebrews chapter 8, Hebrews chapter 8, and look, if you would please, at verse 10, just showing you the gospel promise and that God has not changed. Notice in Hebrews chapter 8 in verse 10, here's a repetition of what we read in Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Hebrews 8 verse 10, "For this is a covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord. I will put my laws into their mind and write them in their hearts."

"And I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people, and they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord, for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." Isn't that amazing? But that's not all. Look in Hebrews chapter 10, if you would please, and verse 16. Hebrews 10 verse 16, here it is again.

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 10:16

"This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord. I'll put my laws into their hearts and in their minds and I will write them and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more."

Now, let me ask you a question. What is the gospel promise? The gospel promise is that God's going to write his law in our hearts, in our minds. He's going to cause us to understand. He's going to cause us to know him. He's going to cause us to obey him. Well, what did God do in the Old Testament to express His love? He gave them His law. What did He do in the New Testament to express His love? He gave us the law. Not now in stone, but in our hearts. You know, an interesting thing is this.

Look in your Bibles, John 6 and verse 44. You're talking about a gospel call. Here is a passage that shows the effectual call of God upon His people. The Bible says in John 6 and verse 44,

Scripture Reading — John 6:44-45

"No man can come unto me, except the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him at the last day."

Now, man in himself does not have the ability to come to Christ. He says,

Scripture Reading — John 6:44-45

"No man can come unto me."

Well, if no man has the ability to come to Christ, how does he get to Christ? Well, the answer is, the Father draws him. Well, how do we know whether or not we've been effectually drawn by the Father to Christ? Look in verse 45.

Scripture Reading — John 6:44-45

"It is written in the Prophets,"

that is Jeremiah and Ezekiel,

Scripture Reading — John 6:44-45

"and they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father, what cometh unto me?"

How do we know that we've been drawn? Because God writes His law in our hearts. And we come to Christ in faith, believing that is indeed the word of God.

The Love of God Shed Abroad as Obedience to the Word

The Holy Spirit sheds the love of God in our hearts (Romans 5:5), which is defined as keeping His commandments (1 John 5:3, John 14:21), not mere sentimentality.

The Bible says, "And hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us." Now the Bible says that the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost that is given to us. Here's my question. What exactly is it that the Holy Ghost is shedding abroad in our hearts? You say, "Brother Weaver, Scripture says it's the love of God." Well, wonderful. What is the love of God? Is it a warm, fluffy feeling? Is that what he does? He sheds this warm, fluffy feeling abroad in our heart? Does he shed gushing sentimentality? Does he just shed something, make us want to say, "I love you, I love you"? What is the love of God? Now, the Bible says that he sheds the love of God abroad in our hearts. I want you to turn in your Bibles to 1 John 5. You know this passage.

I've quoted it hundreds of times. But as you turn to 1 John 5, I want to quote Romans 13 in verse 10. And you're going to remember it when I quote it. Now, remember, the Bible says it's the Holy Ghost that sheds the love of God abroad in our hearts. What is the love of God? The Bible in Romans 13 verse 10 tells us this. Are you listening? "Love is the fulfilling of the law." Love is the fulfilling of the law. So love is not feelings. It's not gushy sentimentality. It's not a warm, fluffy feeling. It's not just something that will make you say, "I love you, I love you, I love you." No. Love is the fulfilling of the law. And if you look in 1 John chapter 5 and verse 3, the Bible tells us explicitly what the love of God is. Look at it. "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments and His commandments are not grievous." Now, if the love of God is the keeping of His commandments, are you listening? And the Holy Ghost is shedding love of God abroad in our hearts. What is He shedding abroad in our hearts? The knowledge of God and his word.

Wow. How do I know that for sure? Well, look at the negative in 1 John 2 and verse 4. 1 John 2 and verse 4. That was the positive. Now you have the negative. 1 John 2 and verse 4. "He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him." Did you hear that? He that saith, "I know him," and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

Where does that put all the disobedient, rebellious, sinful, ignorant, unlearned, professing Christians that fills our churches today? Where does that put them? Lost. Lost. That's what he said. Those are not my words. He that saith I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

Now, I know you know this passage, but I'm just trying to show you something. Look in your Bibles to John 14. You know this passage as well as I. But now the Bible says the Holy Ghost sheds the love of God abroad in our heart. What exactly is he shedding abroad? Not warm, fluffy feelings. He's shedding the word of God. He's writing the law of God in our hearts, teaching us his truth, enabling us to bring our lives in conformity to his word. Look what he says in John 14 in verse 21.

Our Lord makes it very plain. "He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, He it is that loveth me, and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him and will manifest myself to him." Now note, he that hath my commandments and keepeth them, what? He it is that loveth me. How do I know that I love Christ? I keep his commandments. I obey him. And the Bible says if I love him, I will be loved of the Father. And he says, "I will love him and will manifest myself to him." How will he manifest himself?

Through his word, by his spirit, as that word is continually being shed abroad in our hearts. Now, look in verse 24, the opposite. Here's the negative. "He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings."

Now, what did our Lord just say? He said, if you love me, you'll keep my commandments. If you don't keep my commandments, it's evidence that you don't love me. Now, let me ask you. How can a truth that is so simple be misunderstood when our Lord puts it both positively and negatively? He says positively, if you love me, you'll keep my commandments. Negatively, if you don't keep them, that means you don't love me. How can that be misunderstood? How can it be misunderstood when he said, "And this is the love of God that we keep his commandments"? And his commandments are not grievous unto us. And how can it be misunderstood when he said, "He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him."

Continuing in the Word as the Mark of True Discipleship

Jesus taught that true disciples continue in His word (John 8:31-32) and that those given to Him by the Father receive and keep His words (John 17:6-8).

Look in your Bible to John 8. I find this so amazing. Look in John 8 at verse 30. "As he spake these words, many believed on him."

Now, you will remember what I told you at the opening of this message. Our Lord said, "by their fruits you shall know them," not by their profession, but by the manifestation of their lives. Now watch. "As he spake these words, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those Jews who believed on him. If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed." Now. Then he goes on to say in verse 32, "And you shall know the truth. And the truth shall make you free."

Now, look what he said. "If you continue in my words, then are you my disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." Now, let's look at the word indeed. The word indeed is the Greek word alethos, which means "of a truth," "truly," "surely," "indeed," "most certainly."

Now what did he say? "If you continue in my word, then are you certainly my disciples. Surely my disciples. Truly my disciples." What is the mark of the true disciple? Continuing in the word of God. That's why I said, "and you shall know the truth," because the word of God is truth, and the truth will make you free. What was our Lord telling these people? They said, "Oh, we believe, we believe, we believe." Our Lord said, "It's not just in your profession. It's whether or not you really continue in my word. Whether you really listen, whether you really learn, whether you really apply the truth. If you're my true disciples, the mark of it is you will continue in my word." It's not that you will go to Bible school for one year.

Or you'll go to college for four years. No, no, no, no. You will be a student of the Word regardless. You'll read that Word. You'll study that Word. You'll listen to that Word being taught. You'll want to understand it and comprehend it. You'll want to have your questions resolved. You'll want to understand things that most people aren't even interested in.

Now, if that's not plain enough, turn over in your Bible to John 17. Let me just show it to you again. In John 17, we have the high priestly prayer of Jesus Christ. In this passage, Jesus Christ is praying for his own. And look what he says, first of all, in verse 6. And he's talking about his disciples now, those who have been saved, those whom the Father has given him, he says in verse 6, "I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world. Thine they were, and thou gavest them me, and they have what? What have they done? Kept thy word." Now watch. Verse 7, "Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee." Now watch verse 8. "For I have given unto them what? The words which thou gavest me, and they have what? Received them, and they have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me." Now, what did our Lord say to the father in his prayer?

Those that you have given me, I gave them your words. What did they do? Oh, they received them. They believed. What does the Bible say in Deuteronomy 33? "Everyone shall receive of thy words." And to show you the distinction, look what our Lord said in verse 9. "I pray for them. I pray not for the world. But for them which thou hast given me, for they are thine."

Which ones are he praying for? The ones who received his words and the ones who kept his words. He said the rest are worldly. Isn't that amazing? Jesus Christ is saying that his true disciples are those who kept his word, receive his word. What is the mark of a true Christian? He's one that's willing to be taught and willing to listen. And if you can show him anything in the Word of God, he is willing to receive it as it is indeed in truth, the Word of God, which effectually worketh in you who believe.

Applications: Being a Man of the Book

Weaver applies the message by urging believers to be people of the Book, to sit at Jesus' feet daily, and to count it a privilege to learn and obey God's Word.

Now, let me make a couple of applications this morning. The first one is this. The clearest mark and the clearest characteristic of a Christian is that he is a man of the book. He reads it. He studies it. He applies it. He lives by it. Scriptures are everything to him. The true Christian understands that if he pleases his Heavenly Father, he must be obedient to what his Heavenly Father has commanded him. Isn't that simple?

Now, let me show you. I want you to turn in your Bibles to 2 Timothy, chapter 2. And before I tell you the verse, I'm just showing you the fact that the real genuine mark of a true Christian is he's a man of the book. Doesn't mean he's going to understand everything, doesn't mean he's going to know everything, but he's going to be in that book, he's going to be reading it, he's going to be applying it to the ability that God gave him. Let me point this out. I teach all over this country. I have taught classes that have had hundreds of students. I've taught classes that had seven or eight students. I've even taught classes that had one student. I want to show you what God says in light of this. In 2 Timothy chapter 2, let's read verse 1. "Thou therefore, my son," Paul writes to Timothy, "be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." Let's look at verse 2. "And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou."

What are those next words? "Commit thou to whom? To faithful men who shall be able to teach others also." Let me tell you something, friends. As much as I love you, and as much as I love to teach, I'm not going to chase any man down to try to teach you. I'm not. What was Paul telling Timothy? "The same commit thou to what?" If you want to be taught, I don't have to beg you to come. You follow me? You'll be faithful to the word of God. This is why I'm trying to tell you that God's people, the true Christian, the mark of a true Christian is he wants the truth and he's willing to be faithful to get the truth.

It's not a hit and a miss. It's not, well, once a year, I'll go somewhere to a Bible conference and forget it. The rest of you, no, no, no. You want the truth consistently. And you will want to be taught, you will want to be where the word of God is. So the clearest and the most concise mark of a true Christian is he loves the book and he wants to be taught. Secondly, like the disciples of old, we need to learn to sit at our Lord's feet. Sitting implies time. Patience. You are not going to learn in one year what it's taken me 40 years to learn. And I'm not going to learn in one year what it's taken you 40 years to learn. So we've got to learn to sit. And what did our Lord say of Mary? She's chosen that good part and it's not going to be taken away from her. So if we learn to sit on a daily basis and read our Bibles and say, "Lord, speak to me."

And when you see something you don't understand, look it up. If you don't have the ability to look it up, call me. Learn! That's the impact of this message. Learn! Everyone shall receive of thy word. Which means, thirdly, we must count it a privilege and an honor to sit at our Lord's feet. And we must count it a privilege and an honor to have the Holy Ghost to shed the love of God, which is obedience to his word, and the knowledge of his word abroad in our hearts.

You cannot obey that which you do not know. You can only obey that which you do know. And so the evidence of God's love in the Old Testament was he gave his word to his people. The evidence of God's love in the New Testament is he gives that same word, but now he writes it upon our hearts and he ensures that we know it and we know him. And we'll continue in that word if we're true disciples. Let's pray.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Teachability as the Mark of a True Christian

Summary: The defining characteristic of a genuine believer is a teachable spirit—a desire to hear, read, study, and apply God's Word.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'the one characteristic that will stand out for every true Christian is his teachableness' and 'they sat down at thy feet. Every one shall receive of thy words.'

Fruit as Evidence of Genuine Faith

Summary: True Christians are known by their fruits, not by their profession; a good tree produces good fruit, and a corrupt tree cannot produce good fruit.

Evidence: Weaver cites Matthew 7:17-20 and Titus 1:16, emphasizing 'by their fruits you shall know them,' not by their profession.

The Word of God as an Expression of God's Love

Summary: God demonstrates His love by giving His law/Word to His people, both in the Old and New Covenants.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'How did God express His love to His people? He gave them His word' and points to Deuteronomy 33:3 and Romans 3:1-2.

The New Covenant: Law Written on the Heart

Summary: Under the new covenant, God writes His law on the hearts of believers, causing them to know and obey Him.

Evidence: Weaver references Jeremiah 31:31-34, Ezekiel 36:25-27, and Hebrews 8:10 to show the gospel promise of internalized law.

Love Defined as Obedience to God's Commandments

Summary: Biblical love is not a feeling but the keeping of God's commandments; the Holy Spirit sheds this love abroad in our hearts.

Evidence: Weaver quotes 1 John 5:3, 'this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments,' and Romans 5:5.

The Necessity of Continuing in the Word

Summary: True disciples are those who continue in Christ's word, not merely profess faith; this is the mark of genuine belief.

Evidence: Weaver expounds John 8:31-32, 'If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed,' and John 17:6-8.

Key Arguments

Profession without commensurate fruit is worthless

Summary: A mere claim to know God is invalid if not accompanied by a changed life and good works; true faith produces fruit.

Evidence: Weaver cites Titus 1:16, 'They profess that they know God, but in works they deny Him,' and Matthew 7:20.

A true Christian inevitably desires the Word of God

Summary: Just as a living baby craves milk, every believer—whether babe, young man, or father—craves the Word as spiritual food.

Evidence: Weaver references 1 Peter 2:1-2, Psalm 19:9-11, and Jeremiah 15:16 to show the universal hunger for Scripture.

God's giving of His law is a demonstration of His special love

Summary: In Deuteronomy 33:3, God's love is shown by giving His word; this is a privilege not given to all nations.

Evidence: Weaver points to Romans 3:1-2, 'unto them were committed the oracles of God,' and Deuteronomy 33:3.

The new covenant promise is the internalization of God's law

Summary: God's love in the New Testament is expressed by writing His law on believers' hearts, ensuring they know and obey Him.

Evidence: Weaver cites Jeremiah 31:33, Ezekiel 36:26-27, and Hebrews 8:10 to show the continuity of God's love through His word.

The Holy Spirit sheds the love of God as obedience to the Word

Summary: The love of God shed abroad in our hearts (Romans 5:5) is not a feeling but the knowledge and keeping of God's commandments.

Evidence: Weaver connects Romans 5:5 with 1 John 5:3 and John 14:21 to define love as obedience.

Continuing in Christ's word is the proof of true discipleship

Summary: Jesus Himself taught that only those who continue in His word are truly His disciples; this is the mark of authenticity.

Evidence: Weaver expounds John 8:31, 'If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed,' and John 17:6-8.

Scripture References

Deuteronomy 33:1-3

Context: The primary text; Moses blesses Israel, and verse 3 shows that God's love is expressed by giving His word and making His people teachable.

Matthew 7:17-20

Context: Jesus teaches that good trees produce good fruit and by their fruits true believers are known, not by profession.

Titus 1:16

Context: Paul warns that some profess to know God but deny Him by their works, showing that profession without fruit is worthless.

2 Corinthians 5:17

Context: If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; salvation produces a changed life.

1 Peter 2:1-2

Context: Newborn babes in Christ desire the sincere milk of the Word to grow, illustrating the natural hunger for Scripture.

Psalm 19:9-11

Context: David as a young man desired God's Word more than gold and sweeter than honey.

Jeremiah 15:16

Context: Jeremiah as a mature man ate God's words and they were his joy and rejoicing.

Deuteronomy 1:2

Context: The journey from Horeb to Kadesh Barnea was eleven days, but Israel's disobedience made it forty years.

Numbers 10:11-12

Context: The cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran, showing God's guidance of Israel.

1 John 3:16-18

Context: Love is demonstrable; we know God's love because He laid down His life, and we should love in deed and truth.

John 10:28-30

Context: Jesus' sheep are secure in His hand and the Father's hand; no one can pluck them out.

Romans 3:1-2

Context: The chief advantage of the Jews was that they were entrusted with the oracles of God, showing God's special love.

Deuteronomy 6:1-3, 24-25

Context: God commanded His statutes to be taught for Israel's good and preservation.

Jeremiah 31:31-34

Context: The new covenant promise: God will write His law on hearts and all will know Him.

Ezekiel 36:25-27

Context: God will give a new heart and spirit, causing His people to walk in His statutes.

2 Corinthians 3:2-3

Context: Believers are an epistle of Christ written not on stone but on hearts by the Spirit.

Hebrews 8:10

Context: The new covenant: God puts His laws in minds and writes them on hearts.

Hebrews 10:16

Context: Reiteration of the new covenant promise of internalized law.

John 6:44-45

Context: Those drawn by the Father are taught of God and come to Christ; this is the effectual call.

Romans 5:5

Context: The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.

Historical References

Moses blessing Israel before his death

Context: Deuteronomy 33 records Moses' final blessing on the children of Israel, giving them the law a second time.

Israel's journey from Sinai to Paran

Context: God led Israel by cloud and fire; the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran (Numbers 10:11-12).

The fiery serpents incident at Mount Seir

Context: When Israel murmured, God sent fiery serpents; Moses raised a brazen serpent for healing.

Elisha as a student of Elijah

Context: The sons of the prophets asked Elisha if he knew his master would be taken away, illustrating the student-teacher relationship of sitting at feet.

Paul brought up at the feet of Gamaliel

Context: Acts 22:3 shows Paul was educated at the feet of Gamaliel, a traditional posture for learning.

Mary sitting at Jesus' feet

Context: In Luke 10, Mary sat at Jesus' feet to listen, and Jesus said she chose the good part.

Important Quotes

by their fruits you shall know them

Significance: Jesus' principle that genuine faith is evidenced by fruit, not mere profession.

They profess that they know God, but in works they deny Him

Significance: Paul's warning that verbal profession without corresponding works is worthless.

the one characteristic that will stand out for every true Christian is his teachableness

Significance: Weaver's central thesis that a teachable spirit is the mark of a true believer.

as newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby

Significance: Peter's analogy that spiritual life craves the Word just as a baby craves milk.

Thy words were found and I did eat them. And thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart.

Significance: Jeremiah's expression of delight in God's Word as spiritual food.

Yea, he loved the people. All his saints are in thy hand, and they sat down at thy feet. Every one shall receive of his words.

Significance: The key verse showing that God's love is expressed by giving His word and making His people teachable.

If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed

Significance: Jesus' definition of a true disciple as one who perseveres in His teaching.

this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments

Significance: John's definition of love for God as obedience, not sentiment.

Discussion Questions

Why is a teachable spirit considered the primary mark of a true Christian, and how does it relate to the fruit mentioned in Matthew 7?

Context: Weaver argues that teachability is the root characteristic that produces all other fruits of obedience and love.

How does the distinction between profession and fruit challenge the way we assess our own faith and the faith of others?

Context: Weaver warns against accepting anyone as a Christian based solely on their claim, citing Titus 1:16.

In what ways does the new covenant promise of the law written on the heart (Jeremiah 31, Ezekiel 36) change our motivation for studying Scripture?

Context: Weaver explains that under the new covenant, God internalizes His law, causing believers to know and obey Him.

How does defining love as obedience to God's commandments (1 John 5:3) reshape common cultural or emotional understandings of love?

Context: Weaver contrasts sentimental love with biblical love, which is the fulfilling of the law.

What practical steps can we take to 'sit at Jesus' feet' daily, and what obstacles might hinder this discipline?

Context: Weaver applies the message by urging believers to prioritize time in the Word and to be faithful students.

According to John 8:31-32, what does it mean to 'continue' in Christ's word, and how does this relate to assurance of salvation?

Context: Weaver emphasizes that true disciples are those who persevere in the Word, not just those who make a one-time profession.

Applications

Be a man of the Book

Summary: The clearest mark of a Christian is a consistent, teachable engagement with Scripture—reading, studying, and applying it.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'The clearest mark and the clearest characteristic of a Christian is that he is a man of the book.'

Sit at the Lord's feet daily

Summary: Believers must prioritize daily time in the Word, patiently learning and asking God to speak, as Mary did.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'we need to learn to sit at our Lord's feet. Sitting implies time. Patience.'

Count it a privilege to learn and obey

Summary: We should view the opportunity to study Scripture and have the Holy Spirit teach us as an honor, not a burden.

Evidence: Weaver exhorts, 'we must count it a privilege and an honor to sit at our Lord's feet.'

Be faithful to seek truth consistently

Summary: True Christians will be faithful in pursuing the Word, not sporadic; they will want to be where the Word is taught.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'You want the truth consistently. And you will want to be taught, you will want to be where the word of God is.'

Obey what you know from Scripture

Summary: Obedience is only possible based on knowledge; therefore, learning the Word is essential to living it out.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'You cannot obey that which you do not know. You can only obey that which you do know.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T00:22:22Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T14:55:21Z

Clean Transcript

The Marks of a True Christian

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

The message you are about to hear was produced by Dominion Ministry. If you would like to support this ministry by becoming a sermon partner or obtain additional high-resolution CDs, DVDs, or MP3s featuring the teaching of Pastor John Weaver, please visit the Dominion Ministry website at www.dominion.org. www.dominionministry.com. This ministry is completely supported by donations and it is through those donations that we are able to provide sermons for sermonaudio.com. Please visit our website at www.dominionministry.com to subscribe or make your donation today. Thank you.
#1 | 0:04 to 0:54 | cleaned
I want you to open your Bibles to Deuteronomy 33. We're going to read the first three verses. The message today is entitled, "The Mark of a True Christian." The Mark of a True Christian. Deuteronomy 33, verse 1: "And this is the blessing wherewith Moses, the man of God, blessed the children of Israel before his death. And he said, The Lord came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them, He shined forth from Mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints."
#2 | 1:01 to 1:36 | cleaned
"From his right hand went a fiery law for them. Yea, he loved the people. All his saints are in thy hand, and they sat down at thy feet. Every one shall receive of his words." Let me begin today by asking a couple of questions. First, how would you describe a Christian? If I ask you to designate one mark, one characteristic that would be prevalent in every true Christian, what would be your answer? And then the second question would be this: once you gave me the answer, how could you be sure that you had the right answer?
#3 | 1:36 to 2:25 | cleaned
Well, I want you to hold Deuteronomy 33, but look in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 7, because our Lord has certainly given us a principle that you and I can go by. Matthew 7, beginning there with verse 17. Most of you are familiar with this passage, but notice our Lord says this. Matthew 7, verse 17: "Even so, every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that brings not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire."
#4 | 2:27 to 3:08 | cleaned
"Wherefore, by their fruits you shall know them." Now, it's very important that you pay attention to verse 20. "Wherefore, by their fruits you shall know them."
#5 | 3:09 to 3:17 | cleaned
Now, our Lord has just said that a good tree will inevitably produce good fruit. And a corrupt tree is inevitably going to produce corrupt fruit. A corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit, and a good tree cannot bring forth corrupt fruit. So the principle is, by their fruits you shall know them. And I want you to pay particular attention to verse 20, because our Lord did not say, "by their profession you shall know them." He said, "by their fruits you shall know them." It's critical at this point that you remember Titus 1 and verse 16. You remember that passage Paul wrote, "They profess that they know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable and disobedient unto every good work reprobate." So here are people who profess that they know Him, but in their works they deny Him. Let me just put it very pointedly: a profession without commensurate fruit is absolutely worthless. So our Lord said, "by their fruits you shall know them."
#6 | 3:19 to 4:35 | cleaned
I'm constantly amazed at the lack of discernment among Christians and their ability to be suckered by politicians and Hollywood movie stars. It appears that professing Christians will accept anyone as a Christian as long as he says he is a Christian. It doesn't matter about their lifestyle, doesn't matter about their actions, doesn't matter about their blasphemies. Just so a man says he's a Christian, then inevitably he must be a Christian.
#7 | 4:35 to 5:08 | cleaned
Well, if you take that position, may I tell you that such a position is not only naive, it is certainly unbiblical as well as blasphemous because it is a denial of the power of the gospel. What does the Bible say in 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 17? "Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new what? Creation or creature. All things are passed away and all things become new." So, in other words, when Christ saves someone, He changes them. That is very obvious.
#8 | 5:08 to 5:41 | cleaned
Now, if you look in Deuteronomy 33, there is one trait, one characteristic, one fruit that is given to us of a true Christian in this passage. And I'm going to tell you what it is and then I'm going to demonstrate it to you from the scripture in just a moment. But the one characteristic that will stand out for every true Christian is his teachableness. I'm going to go a little bit further.
#9 | 5:42 to 6:12 | cleaned
You might call this his teachability. Let me put it to you like this. When anyone is too busy to hear, read, study, and apply the Word of God, then something is vitally wrong with his or her life. In other words, their profession should be suspect. Why? Because for a true Christian, the Word of God is our food. It is our sustenance. It is our life.
#10 | 6:12 to 6:45 | cleaned
Now, you remember the Apostle John divided Christians into three categories. He referred to them as babes, young men, and fathers. I want you to turn in your Bibles and look in 1 Peter, chapter 2 and verse 1, and let me show you what the food and the nourishment for a baby is. Look in 1 Peter, chapter 2 and begin there, if you would please, at verse 1.
#11 | 6:46 to 7:13 | cleaned
Here the word of God says, "Wherefore laying aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and envies and evil speakings as newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby." Have you ever seen a living baby who did not want milk? Who did not want food? Who did not want to be fed? The very evidence that a child is alive is not only he cries, but he eats. So he says, as newborn babes, what are you to desire? The sincere milk of the Word. So if you're a babe in Christ, the most natural thing is for you to desire the Word of God. Let's suppose you're a young man.
#12 | 7:15 to 8:03 | cleaned
We'll look in your Bibles to Psalm 19. And notice if you would please, what the psalmist said, beginning there with verse 9. Psalm 19, and look, if you would please, at verse 9. Here the word of God says, "The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever. The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold."
#13 | 8:04 to 8:31 | cleaned
"Sweeter also than honey in the honeycomb. Moreover, by them as thy servant warned, and in keeping with them, there is great reward."
#14 | 8:31 to 8:39 | cleaned
Now, David, as a young man, said, look, the fear of the Lord is clean. It endures forever. And he says your word is much more desired than gold, even than fine gold. And it's sweeter than honey and honeycomb. What did he want? He wanted the word of God. Do you remember the passage he wrote in Psalm 119? Let me just quote it from verses 9 through 11. Listen, he said, "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. O let not my heart wander from thy commandments, when my whole heart have I sought thee." So where shall a young man clean his conscience? It's by keeping the Word of God. And so it doesn't matter if you're a babe, it doesn't matter if you're a young man, you desire the Word of God. Then if you will look in your Bibles to Jeremiah chapter 15, you will see Jeremiah as a father, as a mature man, I might say.
#15 | 8:39 to 9:36 | cleaned
Here is someone who understands not only the justice of God, but the mercy of God as well. Jeremiah 15 and verse 16. What does Jeremiah say? "Thy words were found and I did eat them. And thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart. For I am called by my name, O Lord God of hosts." So he said, "my words were found and I did eat them." And what? They were the joy and the rejoicing of my heart.
#16 | 9:37 to 10:04 | cleaned
So it doesn't matter where you are in your Christian life. If you're a babe, if you're a young man, or if you're a father, that which is the most important is the Word of God. Why? Because you must have the Word of God. Because it is your food, it is your nourishment, it is your life.
#17 | 10:05 to 10:25 | cleaned
Now, if you go back in your Bibles to Deuteronomy 33, I want you to understand that this passage, in fact, all of Deuteronomy, you could say, is a summation of when God gave his law to his people, especially Deuteronomy 33, verses 1 through 3. In fact, may I remind you that the word Deuteronomy is made up of two words, Deuteros, and nomos. Deuteros means two or second, and nomos is the Greek word for law. The word Deuteronomy means second law or the second giving of the law. The law was given the first time in the book of Exodus, and here it's repeated again in the book of Deuteronomy. Now, I want you to look in verse 1. Deuteronomy 33 verse 1, "And this is the blessing wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death." Now the Bible specifically says that this is the blessing wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.
#18 | 10:26 to 11:38 | cleaned
Well, what did he do to bless them? He quoted, he gave them the law of God a second time. In other words, he gave them the word of God. Now, I want you to understand that God's law, God's Word is given to us as a blessing and to be a blessing. It is only turned into a curse by sin, disobedience, and rebellion. God gave His law initially to be a blessing.
#19 | 11:38 to 12:09 | cleaned
Now I want you to look at verse 2 because I want to make something exceedingly clear. "And he said," Moses said, "the Lord came from Sinai and rose up from Seir unto them. He shined forth from Mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints. From his right hand went a fiery law for them." Now, please understand this. Verse 2 does not speak of God's origination.
#20 | 12:10 to 12:42 | cleaned
Everyone in here has heard the childish question, "Where did God come from?" And I had someone come to me even recently and said, "Preacher, I know where God came from." I said, "Oh, where?" And then they quoted this verse. "Well, he came from Sinai." Well, come on, let's be honest. This verse has nothing to do with God's origination. Are you listening? God is eternal. God never began and therefore God never ends. He was never born, He never came from anywhere, why?
#21 | 12:44 to 13:26 | cleaned
Because He is everywhere at once in the totality of His person. He is the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, immutable, eternal God that always was, and therefore He says, "I am," not "I was," and not "I once will be" or "I shall be." No, he said "I am." He always has and he always will be God.
#22 | 13:26 to 13:52 | cleaned
Now, since verse 2 does not refer to God's origination, how do you explain it? Very simply and very easily, the movements or the places that are mentioned in verse 2—Sinai, Seir, and Mount Paran, or Paran—are movements of God in dealing with his redeemed people. The children of Israel had already been bought by the blood, and they came to Mount Sinai, and there God gave them an expression of His love. He gave them His law. In fact, look if you would please, the Bible says in verse 3, "Yea, He loved the people." Remember, God is a jealous God.
#23 | 13:52 to 14:41 | cleaned
So what did He do to express His love? He gave them His word.
#24 | 14:42 to 14:48 | cleaned
Secondly, the Bible says, "He rose up from Seir unto them." Now, you know, the interesting thing is, in fact, look back in your Bibles to Deuteronomy chapter 1, and I just want to show you something that's interesting. Before I show you this verse, let me ask you this question. How long did it take the children of Israel to get into the promised land? Forty years. Forty years. How long a trip was it to go from where they were to the promised land? How long? Not 40 days. How about this? Look in Deuteronomy 1 in verse 2. In fact, let's read verse 1. "These be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel on this side, Jordan, in the wilderness, in the plain over against the Red Sea, between Paran, and Tophel, and Laban, and Ezeroth, and Disahab."
#25 | 14:50 to 15:55 | cleaned
"There are eleven days' journey from Horeb by the way of Mount Seir to Kadesh Barnea." They could have been into the promised land in eleven days. That's all. Well, let me ask you a question. If they could have been there in 11 days, why did it take 40 years? Because of their sin and their disobedience.
#26 | 15:55 to 16:24 | cleaned
Now, God had told them to go up and they refused to go up. You remember how they lied against God, blasphemed God. And there was another instance that happened in Mount Seir that you might remember, how the people murmured and complained and griped and belly ached. And God said, "I'm so sick of this." And what did God do? He sent fiery serpents among them that bit them and they were dying. And that's when Moses raised up that brazen serpent, you remember? And our Lord said, "Whosoever looketh upon this serpent shall live." So when the Bible says he moved from Sinai to Seir, he is still showing how he is protecting and having mercy upon his people and still at the same time leading and guiding his people. Now, then the Bible says in Deuteronomy 33 in verse 3, not only Sinai and Seir, but the Bible says that he shined forth from Mount Paran.
#27 | 16:25 to 17:26 | cleaned
What in the world does that mean? Well, if you look in your Bibles to the book of Numbers chapter 10, and let's read verses 11 and 12. You'll see that this is where, you remember God led them how? By a pillar of fire by night and a cloud by day. And the Bible says in Numbers chapter 10 beginning there in verse 11, "And it came to pass on the 20th day of the second month in the second year that the cloud was taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony. And the children of Israel took their journey out of the wilderness of Sinai, and the cloud rested where? In the wilderness of Paran." What was God doing? God was still leading, guiding, and protecting his people. Now, remember, there was a brief period of time when God asked for love offerings for materials to build a tabernacle, and the people supplied those materials abundantly. The tabernacle was set up, and God was leading them. God was directing them. This was before their real rebellion took place.
#28 | 17:27 to 18:46 | cleaned
So verse 2 actually demonstrates God's providential guidance and protection of His people especially in relationship to his divine purpose in their lives. Now, it's not verse 1 or verse 2 that I'm particularly interested in today. It is verse 3. Look at verse 3. Having worked our way down there, "Yea, he loved the people. All his saints are in my hand and they sat down at my feet."
#29 | 18:47 to 19:16 | cleaned
"Everyone shall receive of thy words." Now, let's go back to my original question. If I were to ask you to express one real, genuine, identifying mark of a true Christian, what would your answer be? Baptism? Love? Obedience? Worship? Sacrificial? Humble? Suppose I could give you one mark that would not only cover all of those things, but a multitude of other characteristics that you might come up with as well. What would be my answer to the question, "What is the mark of a true Christian?" My answer would be this: A true Christian
#30 | 19:16 to 20:22 | cleaned
will be a man of the book, a man of the Bible, a disciple of Christ. Look in verse 3. Watch this carefully. "Yea, he loved the people. All his saints are in my hand, and they sat down at thy feet. Every one shall receive of thy words." Now let me show you how this verse is constructed. First, the Bible tells us that He, God, loved the people. How do we know that God loved the people?
#31 | 20:23 to 20:58 | cleaned
Well, let me just remind you that love is always demonstrable. Always. The Bible does not tell us, "And we know that He loved us because He told us that He loved us." Look in your Bibles to 1 John 3, beginning there in verse 16. 1 John 3, verse 16. And notice what the Bible says, just showing you that love is always demonstrable. 1 John 3 and verse 16, the Bible says, "Herein" or "Hereby perceive we the love of God." Now, remember what the word perceive means. It means to comprehend, to understand, to lay hold on. So he says, "Hereby comprehend we the love of God, not because he told us he loved us, but because he laid down his life for us. We ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." Now, look.
#32 | 20:59 to 21:54 | cleaned
"But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother hath need, and shutteth up the bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth." So God says, look, if someone sees his brother have need, and he shuts up his bowels of compassion upon him, in other words, he just says to his brother, "I love you," but he does not supply his need, God asks the question, "How dwells the love of God in him?" And then God says, "Let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth." He loved us. Yes. And how do we know that he loved us? The scripture says he gave his only begotten son.
#33 | 21:54 to 22:40 | cleaned
He laid down his life for us. So the Bible says that love is always demonstrable. So this verse in Deuteronomy 33 and verse 3 begins with stating that God loved us. Now, remember, love is always demonstrable. Second, the Bible says all his saints are in his hand.
#34 | 22:41 to 22:58 | cleaned
Now, when we hear that all of his saints are in his hands, our minds probably automatically go back to John 10, verses 28 through 30, and if your mind doesn't go there, it should go there. And let me just read to you John 10, beginning there of verse 28, down to verse 30. Look what our Lord said. John 10, verse 28. Our Lord talks about His people, His sheep, and He says, "I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish."
#35 | 22:59 to 23:27 | cleaned
"Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father who gave them me is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one." So when Jesus Christ says, we, his people, are in his hand, and he is in God the Father's hand, what is he talking about? Absolute protection, absolute security, no man, nothing can take us out of his hand. Certainly, you remember that.
#36 | 23:29 to 23:55 | cleaned
And that is a wonderful passage and that is a wonderful truth. But may I point something else out? If we are in his hand, it could also mean this, that we are at his disposal. He may use us or not use us. That would be totally up to him. But since we are in his hand, and he has us at his disposal and he loves us.
#37 | 23:56 to 24:32 | cleaned
Thirdly, you've got to ask this question. How will God manifest his love to us? And how will God dispose of us? Well, look at it. Verse 3. "Yea, he loved the people. All his saints are in my hand. And they sat down at his feet. Everyone shall receive of thy words."
#38 | 24:34 to 25:04 | cleaned
Now, let me just ask in the context, I've already given you the answer, but in the context. How do we know that God loved Israel? How did God in this instance demonstrate his love for his people? Someone tell me. He gave them His law. He gave them His word.
#39 | 25:05 to 25:29 | cleaned
Now, look in your Bibles to the book of Romans chapter 3. I just want to point this out to you. I want you to see the significance of this. God did not give His word to the Assyrians, to the Egyptians, the Hivites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, or any of those other people. He only gave his law to his people, Israel. Look, if you would, in Romans 3, beginning there in verse 1. Look at the question.
#40 | 25:30 to 25:58 | cleaned
"What advantage, then, hath the Jew, or the Judahite, or what profit is there of circumcision, much every way, chiefly," here's the main difference, "chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God." Now, how did God express His love to His people? He gave them His word.
#41 | 25:59 to 26:22 | cleaned
Now that we're in His hands, what does He dispose us to do? He disposes us, according to verse 3, to sit down at His feet. What does that mean? He gives us a teachable spirit. He gives us an inclination to sit and to study and to hear his words.
#42 | 26:23 to 26:46 | cleaned
Now, it's interesting that the Bible says, "And they sat down at thy feet." Do you remember when, in 2 Kings chapter 2, Elijah was going to be taken away from Elisha? And Elisha was a student of Elijah. And the sons of the prophets kept coming to Elisha and said, "Knowest thou not that the Lord will take thy master away from thy head today?" What? "Knowest thou not that the Lord will take thy master away from thy head?"
#43 | 26:47 to 27:22 | cleaned
What kind of a question is that? What does it mean? What does it imply? Do you realize that in the Old Testament and in the New Testament, students sat at the feet of their teacher. When the prophet said, "Knowest thou not that the Lord will take thy master away from thy head," that was a picture of Elijah sitting down and Elijah standing up and God removing his teacher. May I remind you in Acts 22 and verse 3, the Apostle Paul said that he was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel. What was the Apostle Paul doing? Sitting and being taught.
#44 | 27:23 to 28:16 | cleaned
And every one of you remembers that great passage in Luke chapter 10, where Martha, the sister, complained of Mary, and he said, "Lord, make her get up and help me serve." And you know what our Lord said? "Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things, but only one thing is needful." And the Bible says that Martha had that sister and that sister is called Mary. And what's the Bible say? She sat at Jesus' feet and Jesus said that good thing shall not be taken away from her. What was she doing? She was sitting, listening to the Lord teach. So when the Bible says in Deuteronomy 33 verse 3, "and they sat down at thy feet," he is teaching us that he gives to his people a teachable spirit. They want to learn. They want to hear. They want to know.
#45 | 28:19 to 29:24 | cleaned
Now, if you were to ask me, what is the mark of a true disciple of Jesus Christ? Or what is the one mark that would distinguish every true Christian from the multitude of professing Christians? My answer would be this. They're students of the book. They're disciples. They have a teachable spirit. Look what the Bible says. I'm not making this up. I'm not exaggerating. Look in Deuteronomy 33 in verse 3. Here it is. Now look what the Bible says.
#46 | 29:24 to 30:04 | cleaned
"Yea, he loved the people. All his saints were in thy hand and they sat down at his feet." Are you looking now? "Everyone shall receive of his words." Not that everyone might receive. Or not that everyone possibly may. Or not that everyone might look into. No. It says they shall receive of His words. Isn't that interesting? Everyone shall receive of His words. Are you listening? It is impossible to be a real Christian and not receive the words of the Word of God. It's impossible. It's impossible.
#47 | 30:04 to 30:57 | cleaned
Now, here's an instance of God's special kindness. Now, the Bible says in verse 3, now look, that He loved the people. But go back to verse 2. "And He said, The Lord came from Sinai and rose up from Seir unto them. He shined forth from Mount Paran. And He came with ten thousands of His saints from His right hand with a fiery law." What are the last two words?
#48 | 30:57 to 31:21 | cleaned
"for them," or literally it is said to go to them or to be a favor to them. So even the law that was written in stone was meant to be a blessing. It was not meant to be a curse. They were to learn it, they were to study it, they were to apply it. Look back in your Bibles to Deuteronomy 6, hold 33, but go back to Deuteronomy 6 and let's begin reading there in verse 1. Deuteronomy 6, verse 1, and I could multiply these passages, but I think this will evidence exactly what I'm trying to say. Deuteronomy 6, verse 1.
#49 | 31:22 to 32:01 | cleaned
"Now, these are the commandments, the statutes and the judgments which the Lord your God commanded." What are those next words? "To teach you." Why? "That you might do them in the land where you go to possess it, that thou mightest fear the Lord thy God, to keep all his statutes and all his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life, and that thy days may be prolonged."
#50 | 32:01 to 32:30 | cleaned
"Hear, therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it." Why should we listen to God? Why should we obey His Word? Why should we be taught? Here's why. "That it may be well with thee, and that you may increase mightily as the God of thy fathers hath promised thee in the land that floweth with milk and honey."
#51 | 32:30 to 32:49 | cleaned
Now skip down, if you would please, to verse 24 and 25 of the same chapter. Deuteronomy 6, notice verse 24. The Bible says, "...and the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes to fear the Lord our God..." Why? "...for our good always, that it might preserve us alive as it is at this day, and it shall be for our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God as he commanded us."
#52 | 32:49 to 33:18 | cleaned
Now, did God give us his word just to be a curse for us and because he was a mean, hateful God, didn't want us to do a bunch of things? No. He gave us his law for our good. Do you realize it's for our good that we're not adulterers? It's for our good that we're not whoremongers. It's for our good that we're not thieves. It's for our good that we're not murderers. It's for our good that we're not covetous, hateful gossipers. It's for our good that we're to hear God's Word, honor Him, obey Him, and worship Him.
#53 | 33:19 to 33:58 | cleaned
Now, what was the evidence of God's special love for His people? He gave them His law.
#54 | 33:59 to 34:08 | cleaned
Now, let me ask you. Get ready. What is the gospel promise? Has God changed? Is God any different in the New Testament than He was in the Old Testament? What did God do in the Old Testament to demonstrate His love for His people? He gave them His law.
#55 | 34:10 to 34:40 | cleaned
Now look in your Bibles. First of all, to the book of Jeremiah, chapter 31, and let's begin reading there in verse 31. Let me show you the gospel promise, what will happen in the new covenant. Jeremiah 31, beginning there in verse 31, just so that we can see the special love of God for His people. Okay? You there? Jeremiah 31, verse 31. "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, which my covenant they break." That is that covenant written in stone. "Although I was a husband unto them, saith the Lord, but this shall be the covenant that I will make with the House of Israel. After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law on their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God."
#56 | 34:41 to 35:44 | cleaned
"And they shall be my people. Watch, and they shall teach no more every man his neighbor and every man his brother, saying, Know ye the Lord, for they shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord. And I will forgive their iniquity. And I will remember their sin no more."
#57 | 35:44 to 36:01 | cleaned
Now, what did our Lord say I'm going to do in my new covenant? I'm going to write my law in their hearts. It won't be on stone. It'll be in their hearts. If you look in your Bibles to the book of Ezekiel, chapter 36. Ezekiel 36. And notice, if you would please, beginning there in verse 25. Ezekiel 36, verse 25, this is still the gospel promise in the Old Testament. Ezekiel 36, notice if you would, verse 25.
#58 | 36:02 to 36:37 | cleaned
God says, "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean from all your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you." Now, look, "A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you. And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh, and I will put My Spirit within you," look, "and cause you to walk in My statutes."
#59 | 36:37 to 37:03 | cleaned
"And you shall keep My judgments and do them." Now, wait a minute. What did God say? God said, in the new covenant, I'm going to give you a new heart. I'm going to put a new spirit within you. And I'm going to put My laws in your heart. And I'm going to cause you to walk in them. That's in the New Covenant.
#60 | 37:05 to 37:27 | cleaned
Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to 2 Corinthians 3. I want you to see how the Apostle Paul explains the difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. Look in 2 Corinthians 3, if you would, please. The Apostle Paul asked in verse 1, and I preached on this passage several years back in detail, but notice in verse 1, "Do we begin again to commend ourselves or need we as some others?"
#61 | 37:28 to 38:02 | cleaned
"Epistles," that is, letters of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you. Now, do we need to carry letters around saying that we're all right, that we're true preachers? No, said Paul. We don't. Why? Look in verse 2, "You are our epistle. You are our letter written in the hearts, known and read of all men."
#62 | 38:02 to 38:24 | cleaned
Now look, "For as much as you were manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ, ministered by us," here it is, "written not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God, not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart." And then if you go down through this passage, the Apostle Paul contrasts the Old Covenant with the New Covenant, and he shows the New Covenant is so much better because now we have the law written in our hearts. If you will turn over your Bibles to the book of Hebrews chapter 8, Hebrews chapter 8, and look, if you would please, at verse 10, just showing you the gospel promise and that God has not changed. Notice in Hebrews chapter 8 in verse 10, here's a repetition of what we read in Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Hebrews 8 verse 10, "For this is a covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord. I will put my laws into their mind and write them in their hearts."
#63 | 38:24 to 39:33 | cleaned
"And I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people, and they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord, for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." Isn't that amazing? But that's not all.
#64 | 39:34 to 39:52 | cleaned
Look in Hebrews chapter 10, if you would please, and verse 16. Hebrews 10 verse 16, here it is again. "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord. I'll put my laws into their hearts and in their minds and I will write them and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more."
#65 | 39:52 to 40:12 | cleaned
Now, let me ask you a question. What is the gospel promise? The gospel promise is that God's going to write his law in our hearts, in our minds. He's going to cause us to understand. He's going to cause us to know him. He's going to cause us to obey him. Well, what did God do in the Old Testament to express His love? He gave them His law. What did He do in the New Testament to express His love? He gave us the law. Not now in stone, but in our hearts. You know, an interesting thing is this.
#66 | 40:13 to 40:45 | cleaned
Look in your Bibles, John 6 and verse 44. You're talking about a gospel call. Here is a passage that shows the effectual call of God upon His people. The Bible says in John 6 and verse 44, "No man can come unto me, except the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him at the last day." Now, man in himself does not have the ability to come to Christ. He says, "No man can come unto me." Well, if no man has the ability to come to Christ, how does he get to Christ? Well, the answer is, the Father draws him. Well, how do we know whether or not we've been effectually drawn by the Father to Christ? Look in verse 45. "It is written in the Prophets," that is Jeremiah and Ezekiel, "and they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father, what cometh unto me?" How do we know that we've been drawn? Because God writes His law in our hearts. And we come to Christ in faith, believing that is indeed the word of God.
#67 | 40:49 to 42:02 | cleaned
Now, listen, the law of God written in our hearts is certain evidence of the love of God shed abroad in our hearts. We have to reckon God's law. And by the way, all of God's word is law. Because it's the word of a king, a king's word is law. We have to reckon all of the Word of God to be one of the gifts of His grace.
#68 | 42:03 to 42:32 | cleaned
The Bible says in Deuteronomy 33 that He loved the people. Actually, it means He embraced the people. He laid them in His bosom. In other words, the Word signifies His dearest love. So what does He do to express his love? He lays us in his bosom. He gives us his law. He gives us a teachable spirit. And ensures that we shall receive his word.
#69 | 42:32 to 43:06 | cleaned
Now, let me show you something that hit my mind this past week. And, you know, I've read this passage hundreds of times. But it never clicked like this until this past week. If you look in your Bibles to the book of Romans chapter 5 and verse 5, Romans 5 and verse 5, here's a passage that everyone probably can quote. At least you're very familiar with it. Romans 5 and verse 5. Watch this.
#70 | 43:06 to 43:41 | cleaned
The Bible says, "And hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us." Now the Bible says that the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost that is given to us. Here's my question. What exactly is it that the Holy Ghost is shedding abroad in our hearts? You say, "Brother Weaver, Scripture says it's the love of God." Well, wonderful. What is the love of God?
#71 | 43:43 to 44:25 | cleaned
Is it a warm, fluffy feeling? Is that what he does? He sheds this warm, fluffy feeling abroad in our heart? Does he shed gushing sentimentality? Does he just shed something, make us want to say, "I love you, I love you"? What is the love of God? Now, the Bible says that he sheds the love of God abroad in our hearts. I want you to turn in your Bibles to 1 John 5. You know this passage.
#72 | 44:26 to 44:56 | cleaned
I've quoted it hundreds of times. But as you turn to 1 John 5, I want to quote Romans 13 in verse 10. And you're going to remember it when I quote it.
#73 | 44:56 to 45:08 | cleaned
Now, remember, the Bible says it's the Holy Ghost that sheds the love of God abroad in our hearts. What is the love of God? The Bible in Romans 13 verse 10 tells us this. Are you listening? "Love is the fulfilling of the law." Love is the fulfilling of the law. So love is not feelings. It's not gushy sentimentality. It's not a warm, fluffy feeling. It's not just something that will make you say, "I love you, I love you, I love you." No. Love is the fulfilling of the law. And if you look in 1 John chapter 5 and verse 3, the Bible tells us explicitly what the love of God is. Look at it. "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments and His commandments are not grievous." Now, if the love of God is the keeping of His commandments, are you listening? And the Holy Ghost is shedding love of God abroad in our hearts. What is He shedding abroad in our hearts? The knowledge of God and his word.
#74 | 45:09 to 46:10 | cleaned
Wow. How do I know that for sure? Well, look at the negative in 1 John 2 and verse 4. 1 John 2 and verse 4. That was the positive. Now you have the negative. 1 John 2 and verse 4. "He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him." Did you hear that? He that saith, "I know him," and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
#75 | 46:13 to 46:49 | cleaned
Where does that put all the disobedient, rebellious, sinful, ignorant, unlearned, professing Christians that fills our churches today? Where does that put them? Lost. Lost. That's what he said. Those are not my words. He that saith I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
#76 | 46:50 to 47:23 | cleaned
Now, I know you know this passage, but I'm just trying to show you something. Look in your Bibles to John 14. You know this passage as well as I. But now the Bible says the Holy Ghost sheds the love of God abroad in our heart. What exactly is he shedding abroad? Not warm, fluffy feelings. He's shedding the word of God. He's writing the law of God in our hearts, teaching us his truth, enabling us to bring our lives in conformity to his word. Look what he says in John 14 in verse 21.
#77 | 47:24 to 48:00 | cleaned
Our Lord makes it very plain. "He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, He it is that loveth me, and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him and will manifest myself to him." Now note, he that hath my commandments and keepeth them, what? He it is that loveth me. How do I know that I love Christ? I keep his commandments. I obey him. And the Bible says if I love him, I will be loved of the Father. And he says, "I will love him and will manifest myself to him." How will he manifest himself?
#78 | 48:00 to 48:37 | cleaned
Through his word, by his spirit, as that word is continually being shed abroad in our hearts. Now, look in verse 24, the opposite. Here's the negative. "He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings."
#79 | 48:38 to 48:51 | cleaned
Now, what did our Lord just say? He said, if you love me, you'll keep my commandments. If you don't keep my commandments, it's evidence that you don't love me.
#80 | 48:52 to 49:00 | cleaned
Now, let me ask you. How can a truth that is so simple be misunderstood when our Lord puts it both positively and negatively? He says positively, if you love me, you'll keep my commandments. Negatively, if you don't keep them, that means you don't love me. How can that be misunderstood? How can it be misunderstood when he said, "And this is the love of God that we keep his commandments"? And his commandments are not grievous unto us. And how can it be misunderstood when he said, "He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him."
#81 | 49:00 to 49:35 | cleaned
Positive and negative, positive and negative. It cannot be misunderstood. A true Christian, the mark of a true Christian is he's going to be a disciple of Christ. He's going to be a student of the book. Doesn't mean that he's going to be a preacher, doesn't mean he's going to be a theologian in depth, doesn't mean that he's going to know everything. But I'm going to tell you what, he's not going to be an ignorant individual either. He's going to know something about that book and he's going to know something about Christ and about the Father. And there's going to be a desire to learn and he's going to have a teachable attitude. And he's going to be willing to listen to the word of God. He's going to be willing to be taught.
#82 | 49:35 to 50:27 | cleaned
Look in your Bible to John 8. I find this so amazing. Look in John 8 at verse 30. "As he spake these words, many believed on him."
#83 | 50:27 to 50:48 | cleaned
Now, you will remember what I told you at the opening of this message. Our Lord said, "by their fruits you shall know them," not by their profession, but by the manifestation of their lives. Now watch. "As he spake these words, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those Jews who believed on him. If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed." Now. Then he goes on to say in verse 32, "And you shall know the truth. And the truth shall make you free."
#84 | 50:49 to 51:27 | cleaned
Now, look what he said. "If you continue in my words, then are you my disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." Now, let's look at the word indeed. The word indeed is the Greek word alethos, which means "of a truth," "truly," "surely," "indeed," "most certainly."
#85 | 51:28 to 51:58 | cleaned
Now what did he say? "If you continue in my word, then are you certainly my disciples. Surely my disciples. Truly my disciples." What is the mark of the true disciple? Continuing in the word of God. That's why I said, "and you shall know the truth," because the word of God is truth, and the truth will make you free. What was our Lord telling these people? They said, "Oh, we believe, we believe, we believe." Our Lord said, "It's not just in your profession. It's whether or not you really continue in my word. Whether you really listen, whether you really learn, whether you really apply the truth. If you're my true disciples, the mark of it is you will continue in my word." It's not that you will go to Bible school for one year.
#86 | 51:58 to 52:54 | cleaned
Or you'll go to college for four years. No, no, no, no. You will be a student of the Word regardless. You'll read that Word. You'll study that Word. You'll listen to that Word being taught. You'll want to understand it and comprehend it. You'll want to have your questions resolved. You'll want to understand things that most people aren't even interested in.
#87 | 52:55 to 53:17 | cleaned
Now, if that's not plain enough, turn over in your Bible to John 17. Let me just show it to you again. In John 17, we have the high priestly prayer of Jesus Christ. In this passage, Jesus Christ is praying for his own. And look what he says, first of all, in verse 6. And he's talking about his disciples now, those who have been saved, those whom the Father has given him, he says in verse 6, "I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world. Thine they were, and thou gavest them me, and they have what? What have they done? Kept thy word." Now watch. Verse 7, "Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee." Now watch verse 8. "For I have given unto them what? The words which thou gavest me, and they have what? Received them, and they have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me." Now, what did our Lord say to the father in his prayer?
#88 | 53:19 to 54:41 | cleaned
Those that you have given me, I gave them your words. What did they do? Oh, they received them. They believed. What does the Bible say in Deuteronomy 33? "Everyone shall receive of thy words." And to show you the distinction, look what our Lord said in verse 9. "I pray for them. I pray not for the world. But for them which thou hast given me, for they are thine."
#89 | 54:42 to 55:20 | cleaned
Which ones are he praying for? The ones who received his words and the ones who kept his words. He said the rest are worldly. Isn't that amazing? Jesus Christ is saying that his true disciples are those who kept his word, receive his word. What is the mark of a true Christian? He's one that's willing to be taught and willing to listen. And if you can show him anything in the Word of God, he is willing to receive it as it is indeed in truth, the Word of God, which effectually worketh in you who believe.
#90 | 55:21 to 56:10 | cleaned
Now, let me make a couple of applications this morning. The first one is this. The clearest mark and the clearest characteristic of a Christian is that he is a man of the book. He reads it. He studies it. He applies it. He lives by it. Scriptures are everything to him. The true Christian understands that if he pleases his Heavenly Father, he must be obedient to what his Heavenly Father has commanded him. Isn't that simple?
#91 | 56:11 to 56:49 | cleaned
Now, let me show you. I want you to turn in your Bibles to 2 Timothy, chapter 2. And before I tell you the verse, I'm just showing you the fact that the real genuine mark of a true Christian is he's a man of the book. Doesn't mean he's going to understand everything, doesn't mean he's going to know everything, but he's going to be in that book, he's going to be reading it, he's going to be applying it to the ability that God gave him.
#92 | 56:52 to 57:19 | cleaned
Let me point this out. I teach all over this country. I have taught classes that have had hundreds of students. I've taught classes that had seven or eight students. I've even taught classes that had one student. I want to show you what God says in light of this. In 2 Timothy chapter 2, let's read verse 1. "Thou therefore, my son," Paul writes to Timothy, "be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." Let's look at verse 2. "And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou."
#93 | 57:22 to 58:17 | cleaned
What are those next words? "Commit thou to whom? To faithful men who shall be able to teach others also." Let me tell you something, friends. As much as I love you, and as much as I love to teach, I'm not going to chase any man down to try to teach you. I'm not. What was Paul telling Timothy? "The same commit thou to what?" If you want to be taught, I don't have to beg you to come. You follow me? You'll be faithful to the word of God. This is why I'm trying to tell you that God's people, the true Christian, the mark of a true Christian is he wants the truth and he's willing to be faithful to get the truth.
#94 | 58:18 to 59:11 | cleaned
It's not a hit and a miss. It's not, well, once a year, I'll go somewhere to a Bible conference and forget it. The rest of you, no, no, no. You want the truth consistently. And you will want to be taught, you will want to be where the word of God is. So the clearest and the most concise mark of a true Christian is he loves the book and he wants to be taught.
#95 | 59:12 to 59:45 | cleaned
Secondly, like the disciples of old, we need to learn to sit at our Lord's feet. Sitting implies time. Patience. You are not going to learn in one year what it's taken me 40 years to learn. And I'm not going to learn in one year what it's taken you 40 years to learn. So we've got to learn to sit. And what did our Lord say of Mary? She's chosen that good part and it's not going to be taken away from her. So if we learn to sit on a daily basis and read our Bibles and say, "Lord, speak to me."
#96 | 59:45 to 1:00:35 | cleaned
And when you see something you don't understand, look it up. If you don't have the ability to look it up, call me. Learn! That's the impact of this message. Learn! Everyone shall receive of thy word. Which means, thirdly, we must count it a privilege and an honor to sit at our Lord's feet. And we must count it a privilege and an honor to have the Holy Ghost to shed the love of God, which is obedience to his word, and the knowledge of his word abroad in our hearts.
#97 | 1:00:35 to 1:01:25 | cleaned
You cannot obey that which you do not know. You can only obey that which you do know. And so the evidence of God's love in the Old Testament was he gave his word to his people. The evidence of God's love in the New Testament is he gives that same word, but now he writes it upon our hearts and he ensures that we know it and we know him. And we'll continue in that word if we're true disciples. Let's pray.
#98 | 1:01:27 to 1:02:03 | cleaned
Father, we ask in the name of Jesus Christ today that you would help us. Build us up in the most holy faith and make us students of Thy Word. Enable us, Lord, to honor Thee and to bring our lives in conformity to Thee, to be all that we can be by Thy grace. In the name of Jesus Christ we ask and pray, Amen.
#99 | 1:02:04 to 1:02:27 | cleaned

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T00:22:22Z

The Marks of a True Christian

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

Pastor John Weaver teaches that the defining mark of a true Christian is a teachable spirit and a love for God's Word. Using Deuteronomy 33:1-3, he shows that God's love is demonstrated by giving His law, and true saints sit at His feet to receive His words. This teachability is the fruit that distinguishes genuine believers from mere professors, as it reflects the new covenant promise of the law written on the heart.

Opening

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 33:1-3

"And this is the blessing wherewith Moses, the man of God, blessed the children of Israel before his death. And he said, The Lord came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them, He shined forth from Mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints."

Introduction: The Question of a Christian's Mark

Weaver poses the question of what single characteristic identifies every true Christian and emphasizes the need for a biblical answer.

Scripture Reading — Matthew 7:17-20

"Even so, every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that brings not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire."

The Principle of Fruit as Evidence

Using Matthew 7:17-20, Weaver explains that good trees produce good fruit, and by their fruits, not mere profession, true believers are known.

Scripture Reading — Matthew 7:17-20

"Even so, every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that brings not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire." "Wherefore, by their fruits you shall know them."

Now, it's very important that you pay attention to verse 20.

Scripture Reading — Matthew 7:17-20

"Wherefore, by their fruits you shall know them."

Scripture Reading — Titus 1:16

"They profess that they know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable and disobedient unto every good work reprobate."

The Danger of Undiscerning Profession

Weaver warns against accepting anyone as a Christian based solely on their claim, citing Titus 1:16 and 2 Corinthians 5:17 to show that salvation produces change.

Scripture Reading — 2 Corinthians 5:17

"Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new what? Creation or creature. All things are passed away and all things become new."

So, in other words, when Christ saves someone, He changes them. That is very obvious.

The Mark Defined: Teachableness and Love for the Word

The one mark of a true Christian is teachability—a hunger for God's Word as spiritual food, illustrated by the categories of babes, young men, and fathers.

Scripture Reading — 1 Peter 2:1-2

"Wherefore laying aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and envies and evil speakings as newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby."

Scripture Reading — Psalm 19:9-11

"The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever. The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold." "Sweeter also than honey in the honeycomb. Moreover, by them as thy servant warned, and in keeping with them, there is great reward."

Here is someone who understands not only the justice of God, but the mercy of God as well. Jeremiah 15 and verse 16. What does Jeremiah say?

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 15:16

"Thy words were found and I did eat them. And thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart. For I am called by my name, O Lord God of hosts."

So he said,

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 15:16

"my words were found and I did eat them."

And what? They were the joy and the rejoicing of my heart.

Exposition of Deuteronomy 33:1-3

Scripture Reading — Numbers 10:11-12

"And it came to pass on the 20th day of the second month in the second year that the cloud was taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony. And the children of Israel took their journey out of the wilderness of Sinai, and the cloud rested where? In the wilderness of Paran."

The Construction of Verse 3: Love, Security, and Reception of the Word

God's love is demonstrable (1 John 3:16-18), His saints are secure in His hand (John 10:28-30), and they sit at His feet to receive His words—a mark of true discipleship.

Scripture Reading — 1 John 3:16-18

"Hereby perceive we the love of God."

Now, remember what the word perceive means. It means to comprehend, to understand, to lay hold on. So he says,

Scripture Reading — 1 John 3:16-18

"Hereby comprehend we the love of God, not because he told us he loved us, but because he laid down his life for us. We ought to lay down our lives for the brethren."

Now, look.

Scripture Reading — John 10:28-30

"I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish." "Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father who gave them me is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one."

Old and New Covenant: The Law Written on the Heart

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 31:31-34

"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, which my covenant they break."

That is that covenant written in stone.

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 31:31-34

"Although I was a husband unto them, saith the Lord, but this shall be the covenant that I will make with the House of Israel. After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law on their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God."

Scripture Reading — 2 Corinthians 3:2-3

Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to 2 Corinthians 3. I want you to see how the Apostle Paul explains the difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. Look in 2 Corinthians 3, if you would, please. The Apostle Paul asked in verse 1, and I preached on this passage several years back in detail, but notice in verse 1, "Do we begin again to commend ourselves or need we as some others?" "Epistles," that is, letters of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you. Now, do we need to carry letters around saying that we're all right, that we're true preachers? No, said Paul. We don't. Why? Look in verse 2, "You are our epistle. You are our letter written in the hearts, known and read of all men."

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 10:16

"This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord. I'll put my laws into their hearts and in their minds and I will write them and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more."

Look in your Bibles, John 6 and verse 44. You're talking about a gospel call. Here is a passage that shows the effectual call of God upon His people. The Bible says in John 6 and verse 44,

Scripture Reading — John 6:44-45

"No man can come unto me, except the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him at the last day."

Now, man in himself does not have the ability to come to Christ. He says,

Scripture Reading — John 6:44-45

"No man can come unto me."

Scripture Reading — John 6:44-45

"It is written in the Prophets,"

that is Jeremiah and Ezekiel,

Scripture Reading — John 6:44-45

"and they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father, what cometh unto me?"

How do we know that we've been drawn? Because God writes His law in our hearts. And we come to Christ in faith, believing that is indeed the word of God.

The Love of God Shed Abroad as Obedience to the Word

The Holy Spirit sheds the love of God in our hearts (Romans 5:5), which is defined as keeping His commandments (1 John 5:3, John 14:21), not mere sentimentality.

Through his word, by his spirit, as that word is continually being shed abroad in our hearts. Now, look in verse 24, the opposite. Here's the negative. "He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings."

Continuing in the Word as the Mark of True Discipleship

Jesus taught that true disciples continue in His word (John 8:31-32) and that those given to Him by the Father receive and keep His words (John 17:6-8).

Look in your Bible to John 8. I find this so amazing. Look in John 8 at verse 30. "As he spake these words, many believed on him."

Applications: Being a Man of the Book

Weaver applies the message by urging believers to be people of the Book, to sit at Jesus' feet daily, and to count it a privilege to learn and obey God's Word.

The Marks of a True Christian

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	8150674952
Subject	Covenant Theology
Course	Covenant Theology: Obedience, Disobedience, and National Judgment
Genre	Sermon
Date	2006-05-28
Dictation Name
Book	Book 044: Covenant Theology: Obedience, Disobedience, and National Judgment — Chapter 4
Source Timed Segments	99

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction: The Question of a Christian's Mark: Weaver poses the question of what single characteristic identifies every true Christian and emphasizes the need for a biblical answer.
The Principle of Fruit as Evidence: Using Matthew 7:17-20, Weaver explains that good trees produce good fruit, and by their fruits, not mere profession, true believers are known.
The Danger of Undiscerning Profession: Weaver warns against accepting anyone as a Christian based solely on their claim, citing Titus 1:16 and 2 Corinthians 5:17 to show that salvation produces change.
The Mark Defined: Teachableness and Love for the Word: The one mark of a true Christian is teachability—a hunger for God's Word as spiritual food, illustrated by the categories of babes, young men, and fathers.
Exposition of Deuteronomy 33:1-3: Weaver expounds the passage, showing that God's movements (Sinai, Seir, Paran) demonstrate His providential guidance, and verse 3 reveals that His love is expressed by giving His word and making His people teachable.
The Construction of Verse 3: Love, Security, and Reception of the Word: God's love is demonstrable (1 John 3:16-18), His saints are secure in His hand (John 10:28-30), and they sit at His feet to receive His words—a mark of true discipleship.
Old and New Covenant: The Law Written on the Heart: Weaver contrasts the old covenant law on stone with the new covenant promise (Jeremiah 31, Ezekiel 36, Hebrews 8, 10) of the law written on the heart, showing that God's love is still expressed through His word.
The Love of God Shed Abroad as Obedience to the Word: The Holy Spirit sheds the love of God in our hearts (Romans 5:5), which is defined as keeping His commandments (1 John 5:3, John 14:21), not mere sentimentality.
Continuing in the Word as the Mark of True Discipleship: Jesus taught that true disciples continue in His word (John 8:31-32) and that those given to Him by the Father receive and keep His words (John 17:6-8).
Applications: Being a Man of the Book: Weaver applies the message by urging believers to be people of the Book, to sit at Jesus' feet daily, and to count it a privilege to learn and obey God's Word.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Profession without commensurate fruit is worthless

A mere claim to know God is invalid if not accompanied by a changed life and good works; true faith produces fruit.

Weaver cites Titus 1:16, 'They profess that they know God, but in works they deny Him,' and Matthew 7:20.

A true Christian inevitably desires the Word of God

Just as a living baby craves milk, every believer—whether babe, young man, or father—craves the Word as spiritual food.

Weaver references 1 Peter 2:1-2, Psalm 19:9-11, and Jeremiah 15:16 to show the universal hunger for Scripture.

God's giving of His law is a demonstration of His special love

In Deuteronomy 33:3, God's love is shown by giving His word; this is a privilege not given to all nations.

Weaver points to Romans 3:1-2, 'unto them were committed the oracles of God,' and Deuteronomy 33:3.

The new covenant promise is the internalization of God's law

God's love in the New Testament is expressed by writing His law on believers' hearts, ensuring they know and obey Him.

Weaver cites Jeremiah 31:33, Ezekiel 36:26-27, and Hebrews 8:10 to show the continuity of God's love through His word.

The Holy Spirit sheds the love of God as obedience to the Word

The love of God shed abroad in our hearts (Romans 5:5) is not a feeling but the knowledge and keeping of God's commandments.

Weaver connects Romans 5:5 with 1 John 5:3 and John 14:21 to define love as obedience.

Continuing in Christ's word is the proof of true discipleship

Jesus Himself taught that only those who continue in His word are truly His disciples; this is the mark of authenticity.

Weaver expounds John 8:31, 'If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed,' and John 17:6-8.

Scripture References

Deuteronomy 33:1-3: The primary text; Moses blesses Israel, and verse 3 shows that God's love is expressed by giving His word and making His people teachable.
Matthew 7:17-20: Jesus teaches that good trees produce good fruit and by their fruits true believers are known, not by profession.
Titus 1:16: Paul warns that some profess to know God but deny Him by their works, showing that profession without fruit is worthless.
2 Corinthians 5:17: If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; salvation produces a changed life.
1 Peter 2:1-2: Newborn babes in Christ desire the sincere milk of the Word to grow, illustrating the natural hunger for Scripture.
Psalm 19:9-11: David as a young man desired God's Word more than gold and sweeter than honey.
Jeremiah 15:16: Jeremiah as a mature man ate God's words and they were his joy and rejoicing.
Deuteronomy 1:2: The journey from Horeb to Kadesh Barnea was eleven days, but Israel's disobedience made it forty years.
Numbers 10:11-12: The cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran, showing God's guidance of Israel.
1 John 3:16-18: Love is demonstrable; we know God's love because He laid down His life, and we should love in deed and truth.
John 10:28-30: Jesus' sheep are secure in His hand and the Father's hand; no one can pluck them out.
Romans 3:1-2: The chief advantage of the Jews was that they were entrusted with the oracles of God, showing God's special love.
Deuteronomy 6:1-3, 24-25: God commanded His statutes to be taught for Israel's good and preservation.
Jeremiah 31:31-34: The new covenant promise: God will write His law on hearts and all will know Him.
Ezekiel 36:25-27: God will give a new heart and spirit, causing His people to walk in His statutes.
2 Corinthians 3:2-3: Believers are an epistle of Christ written not on stone but on hearts by the Spirit.
Hebrews 8:10: The new covenant: God puts His laws in minds and writes them on hearts.
Hebrews 10:16: Reiteration of the new covenant promise of internalized law.
John 6:44-45: Those drawn by the Father are taught of God and come to Christ; this is the effectual call.
Romans 5:5: The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.

Historical References

Moses blessing Israel before his death: Deuteronomy 33 records Moses' final blessing on the children of Israel, giving them the law a second time.
Israel's journey from Sinai to Paran: God led Israel by cloud and fire; the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran (Numbers 10:11-12).
The fiery serpents incident at Mount Seir: When Israel murmured, God sent fiery serpents; Moses raised a brazen serpent for healing.
Elisha as a student of Elijah: The sons of the prophets asked Elisha if he knew his master would be taken away, illustrating the student-teacher relationship of sitting at feet.
Paul brought up at the feet of Gamaliel: Acts 22:3 shows Paul was educated at the feet of Gamaliel, a traditional posture for learning.
Mary sitting at Jesus' feet: In Luke 10, Mary sat at Jesus' feet to listen, and Jesus said she chose the good part.

Important Quotes

by their fruits you shall know them

Jesus' principle that genuine faith is evidenced by fruit, not mere profession.

They profess that they know God, but in works they deny Him

Paul's warning that verbal profession without corresponding works is worthless.

the one characteristic that will stand out for every true Christian is his teachableness

Weaver's central thesis that a teachable spirit is the mark of a true believer.

as newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby

Peter's analogy that spiritual life craves the Word just as a baby craves milk.

Thy words were found and I did eat them. And thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart.

Jeremiah's expression of delight in God's Word as spiritual food.

Yea, he loved the people. All his saints are in thy hand, and they sat down at thy feet. Every one shall receive of his words.

The key verse showing that God's love is expressed by giving His word and making His people teachable.

If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed

Jesus' definition of a true disciple as one who perseveres in His teaching.

this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments

John's definition of love for God as obedience, not sentiment.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

Why is a teachable spirit considered the primary mark of a true Christian, and how does it relate to the fruit mentioned in Matthew 7?

[Context]

Weaver argues that teachability is the root characteristic that produces all other fruits of obedience and love.

[Question]

How does the distinction between profession and fruit challenge the way we assess our own faith and the faith of others?

[Context]

Weaver warns against accepting anyone as a Christian based solely on their claim, citing Titus 1:16.

[Question]

In what ways does the new covenant promise of the law written on the heart (Jeremiah 31, Ezekiel 36) change our motivation for studying Scripture?

[Context]

Weaver explains that under the new covenant, God internalizes His law, causing believers to know and obey Him.

[Question]

How does defining love as obedience to God's commandments (1 John 5:3) reshape common cultural or emotional understandings of love?

[Context]

Weaver contrasts sentimental love with biblical love, which is the fulfilling of the law.

[Question]

What practical steps can we take to 'sit at Jesus' feet' daily, and what obstacles might hinder this discipline?

[Context]

Weaver applies the message by urging believers to prioritize time in the Word and to be faithful students.

[Question]

According to John 8:31-32, what does it mean to 'continue' in Christ's word, and how does this relate to assurance of salvation?

[Context]

Weaver emphasizes that true disciples are those who persevere in the Word, not just those who make a one-time profession.

Applications

Format deepseek deepseek-v4-pro structured study JSON | Source Commentary.net transcript enrichment

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T14:55:21Z