Proverbs: Kingship, Household Wisdom, and Warning

What Manner of People Should We Be?

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Old Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2004-06-13

Synopsis: John Weaver examines 2 Peter 3:11, asking what kind of people Christians—especially Southern Christians—should be in light of coming judgment and their heritage. He argues that truth must be applied, not merely believed, and that Southern forefathers exemplified conviction, courage, character, and applied Christianity. Using historical examples from the War Between the States, he contrasts their principled stand with modern fear, compromise, and lack of character, calling believers to recover these virtues by returning to biblical obedience.

[John Weaver] 2 Peter 3, verse 11, and the title of the message is, What manner of people should we be? What manner of people should we be? So look in 2 Peter 3, verse 11, the Word of God says, Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in all holy conversation and godliness?

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to think with me just for a moment of all the principles that I have taught you over these years. I want you to also think of all the historical truths that I have taught you. At the same time, I want you to also think of the ancestors from whom you are descended and the heritage that has been bequeathed to us. In light of those truths, here's this question.

[John Weaver] What manner of people should we be? Many years ago there was a a preacher by the name of Francis Schaeffer, and he wrote a book entitled, How Should We Then Live? The title of that book and the truth of that book is just as applicable today as it was back then. I hope you understand that truth should make a genuine change in our lives. Truth is absolutely useless to us unless we apply it to our lives. It is not enough to believe the truth. We must obey the truth. That is, we must actually bring our lives in conformity to the Word of God.

[John Weaver] Our Lord asked the question in Luke 6 and verse 46. He said, And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say unto you? Remember, the word Lord means boss, owner, master, sovereign. So our Lord is saying, why are you calling me your boss? your master, your sovereign, if you're not going to obey me. Now, Peter asks basically the same question in 2 Peter 3 and verse 11.

[John Weaver] What manner of persons ought you to be in all holy conversation and godliness? Now, southern people have long been erroneously characterized as a lazy, slothful, ignorant, and shiftless people. Yankee caricatures have stuck with us down through the years. It was William Tecumseh Sherman, General Sherman, who said this, the young bloods of the South, sons of the planners, lawyers of outtowns, good billiard players and sportsmen, men who never did any work and never will. So that was his caricature of the South, men who were lazy and shiftless and worthless. By the way, I hope you remember it was also General Sherman who coined the phrase, The only good Indian is a dead Indian because he killed so many of them. Maybe it was also General Sherman who came up with the first redneck joke. I don't know. But one thing for sure, General Sherman and many of the Northerners castigated and despised the South. Certainly not all Northerners did so. But General Sherman and his ilk did. And I hope you've noticed that all the redneck jokes are always pointed at the South.

[John Weaver] Do you realize that it was Europe that recognized the greatness of the South in many ways, even during the War of Northern Aggression? The London Times wrote an article in 1862 concerning the South, and let me just read to you a paragraph. Listen carefully. This is from the London Times in 1862. The European author wrote, the people of the Confederate States have made themselves famous. If renown of brilliant courage, stern devotion to a cause, and military achievements, almost without parallel, can compensate men for the toil and privations of the hour, then the countrymen of Lee and Jackson may be consoled amid their sufferings. From all parts of Europe, from their enemies as well as their friends, from those who condemn their acts as well as those who sympathize with them, comes the tribute of admiration. When the history of this war is written, the admiration will doubtless become deeper and stronger, for the veil which has covered the South will be drawn away and disclose a picture of patriotism, of unanimous sacrifice, of wise and firm administration, which we can now only see indistinctly.

[John Weaver] The details of extraordinary national effort which has led to the repulse and almost to the destruction of invading force of more than a half million men will become known to the world. And whatever may be the fate of the new nationality or its subsequent claims to the respect of mankind, it will assuredly begin its career with a reputation for genius and valor which the most famous nations may envy." So here the London Times was certainly giving an accurate assessment of the condition of the men and the women of the South.

[John Weaver] Now the question is asked in 2 Peter 3.11, what manner of people should we be? Now I want you to look at the word manner, it's very important. He says, seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be? The word manner is the Greek word parmas And the word is used by way of admiration or singular excellency. It refers to singular excellency not only in persons, but in things. In fact, this same identical Greek word is used in reference to our Lord in Matthew 8 and verse 27 when His disciples exclaimed when He stilled the waves of the wind, when they said, what manner of man is this? There's the word manner.

[John Weaver] Here is an excellent attribute. Here's an excellent person displaying a majestic power. And so the word then refers to some singular excellency or some way of admiration, of admiration. And so the word then conveys the idea of how prudent, how accurate, how diligent, how zealous, how in every way we should be excellent persons.

[John Weaver] Now, as Southerners, and especially as Christian Southerners, we should live our lives in a manner so as to remove all doubt as to our character and our stand. We should always be men, but we should always be men of our word. As our forefathers, our word must be our bond. So let me ask the question and try to answer it. What manner of people should we be? First of all, our manner must be one of conviction. Our manner must be one of conviction. Like our forefathers, we must learn to be men and women of principle. We must hold tenaciously to that which we know is right. We cannot and we must not sell our birthright. We must always learn to place morality over money. principle over prosperity, virtue over vice, and conviction over compromise. Over and over in the Word of God, we are admonished to stand fast. 1 Corinthians 16 and verse 13 admonishes us thusly, Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit ye like men, be strong. Notice, stand fast in the faith.

[John Weaver] Quit ye like men. Be strong. Philippians 4 and verse 1 simply tells us to stand fast in the Lord.

[John Weaver] Now, it's impossible to stand fast and hold to your convictions if you're wavering, if you're double-minded, if you're unsure, and if you're uncertain of truth. I remember when I was a boy, one of my favorite programs was Davy Crockett. Fess Parker played that role. You remember what old Davy Crockett used to say, be sure you're right and then go ahead. Lubricant didn't matter about the circumstances. Doesn't matter about anything else. Just make sure you're right and go ahead. Well, the Bible says it like this in James one in verse eight. The Bible says a double minded man is unstable in all of his ways.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to stop and think about our forefathers. You see, our forefathers did not hesitate. They did not back down. They did not waver. They did not quake. They did not falter. They faced sin and wickedness and our enemies and their enemies head on, knowing that they were right. Let me give you a couple of historical illustrations. When the war of northern aggression was breaking out, Governor Brown was the governor of Georgia. And I want you to listen to what the governor of Georgia said in 1862. Listen carefully.

[John Weaver] He said, if it is ascertained that the black Republicans have triumphed over us, I recommend the call of a convention of the people of the state at an early date, and I will cordially unite with the General Assembly in any action which in their judgment may be necessary to the protection of the rights and the preservation of the liberties of the people of Georgia against the further aggressions of an enemy which, when flushed with victory, will be insolent in the hour of triumph. For the purpose of putting this state in a defensive condition as fast as possible and preparing for an emergency which must be met sooner or later, I recommend that the sum of one million dollars be immediately appropriated as a military fund. for the ensuing year.

[John Weaver] Millions for defense, but not a cent for tribute should be the future motto of the Southern states. To every demand for further concession or compromise to our rights, the reply ought to be, the argument is exhausted and we now stand by our arms.

[John Weaver] Now, did you hear what the governor of Georgia said? The governor of Georgia said, I'm going to reunite with the General Assembly. for the preservation of our rights and the protection of our liberties. He said we should be willing to give millions for defense, but want one cent for tribute. Let me ask you, when's the last time you've heard a politician talk about preserving our rights, our liberties, our freedoms? And Governor Brown said, if there's any argument, any further argument, you just simply say the argument is exhausted, we stand by our arms. That is, we'll defend our rights, our liberties, our freedom, our heritage. Francis S. Bartow, a congressman from Savannah, replied to a man's arguments in favor of a compromise that would favor Georgia And here's what Francis Barto said concerning the commerce of Savannah. He said that, let desolation come, if it must upon Savannah.

[John Weaver] Let every ship line poured in rot. Let commerce go to ruin for a season. That he, Francis Barto, would never give a vote that compromised the dignity or the fair fame and the honor of Georgia. You can tell he wasn't a member of the Chamber of Commerce. He said, I'm willing for everything to rot before I'll compromise. You see, these men understood the truth of Proverbs 23 and verse 23. When the Bible says, buy the truth and sell it not. Now, how could men like Francis Barto and Governor Brown and other men of that period stand so staunchly? I'll tell you how. because they were men of conviction and situations and circumstances did not matter.

[John Weaver] They simply stood for what they knew was right. One of my favorite stories is about General Leonidas Polk. Now, General Leonidas Polk is known as the Fighting Parson. He was an Episcopalian pastor, and back in those days, Episcopalians believed the Bible. And he was at Stone's River, the Battle of Stone's River, with General Cheatham. And the battle was about to ensue, and General Cheatham, encouraging his men to fight, gave a rousing oration to the soldiers.

[John Weaver] And he ended with these words, give them hell, boys. Then it came General Polk's time to say something to the men. And he was so convicted that he should not use anything that might be construed as profanity in any way whatsoever or slain. He merely looked at his men and said, boys, give them what General Cheatham says. But you know, where are the men like that? Let me tell you another one.

[John Weaver] Let me just show you. Let me show you the difference between the culture of the 1860s and the culture of today. In fact, General Richard Taylor tells us on himself. He was sent to Stonewall Jackson to help Jackson in a battle. And the Yankees had their cannon up on the mountain pointing down and the Confederates were being slaughtered, basically. Stonewall Jackson told General Taylor, he said, General Taylor, get your men up there and silence those guns. Well, General Taylor took his men and pushed to the base of that mountain so they could climb up it and silence the guns. And General Taylor, of course, was not a Christian, kind of a pagan man, and when, of course, they saw his men there, they moved the cannon down and tried to shoot on them, but the angle was such that not only the cannon, but also the rifle fire was actually going over Taylor's men, but the fire was so profuse, his men started dodging behind rocks and taking cover. And General Taylor, out of anger, shouted to his men, said, get up and get up that mountain.

[John Weaver] He said, if you don't obey me this instance, he said, I'll make you stay a whole hour under this damn withering fire. And General Taylor said about that time, he just sensed someone by him. And he turned and looked, and there sat General Jackson on his horse right by him. Said General Jackson reached over, put his hand on his shoulder and said, General Taylor, I'm afraid you're a very wicked man. And turned around and rode off. The point I'm trying to make is people use that type of language today and think nothing about it. But General Jackson looked at General Taylor and said, I'm afraid you're a very wicked man. Why would Jackson say something like that? Because he had convictions.

[John Weaver] Let me ask you a question. Where in the world are men and women who live by convictions? You see, the trouble with us today is this. We are such a feeling-oriented people that we live by our feelings. We don't live by convictions. We don't live by principles. And to demonstrate that, the average person will change his mind a hundred times a day. Let me tell you something, folks. If you're not governed by convictions, if you're not governed by principles, you're governed by circumstances.

[John Weaver] No wonder everyone's up and down, up and down, up and down. Principles do not change. Circumstances do. How in the world can you stand for that which is right if you don't even recognize that which is right? But if you recognize that which is right, you have an obligation to stand and fight for that which is right. You know something? Our forefathers understood that there are some things, there are some truths, not only worth fighting for, but also worth dying for.

[John Weaver] And they were willing to die. President Jefferson Davis said this, listen carefully, the principle for which we contend is bound to reassert itself, though it may be at another time in another form. And what was Jeff Davis saying? He said, we fought this war over principle. And that principle is going to reassert itself in a different time, in a different form. The principles for which the South fought in 1861 to 1865 have been reasserting themselves over and over.

[John Weaver] The question is, where are our convictions to fight for them? Do you realize the same exact problems that we're having today were the same exact problems the South was having before 1860 and through 1865? Our political, our economic, our governmental, our theological problems are exactly the same. And the problems that we're having in our society today are stemming from the fact that these very principles that South fought over in 1861 or 1865 are reasserting themselves today.

[John Weaver] Might does not make right. And an issue settled by force of arms is still an unsettled issue. If you and I were men of conviction, We would recognize that we now have an opportunity to stand for the same principles that our forefathers stood for. The difference is they were willing to fight and they were willing to die. You know why? They were a people of conviction. And may God help us to have those kind of convictions. May we buy the truth. and sell it not. Secondly, what manner of people should we be? Our manner must be one of courage.

[John Weaver] Now let me ask you, why are so many people so fainthearted and so cowardly? Have you noticed in Christianity, everyone is so afraid they're going to offend someone. Do you realize the Scripture tells us there is indeed an offense to the truth? Let me show you how our Lord handled this. Look in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 15, and let's begin reading there with verse 12. Matthew 15, verse 12. Let me show you how our Lord handled this, because there were some people offended at what He said.

[John Weaver] Of course, what He said was true. Notice Matthew chapter 15, and let's begin reading there with verse 12. Look carefully now, Matthew 15, verse 12, Then came his disciples and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended after they heard this saying? Well, Lord, these Pharisees, they're upset. They're mad. They're hurt. They're offended. What did our Lord say? But he answered and said, Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up. Let them alone.

[John Weaver] They be blind, leaders of the blind. And the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. Let me translate that in good Southern English. When our Lord's disciples came and said, knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended? Our Lord's attitude was tough stuff. They ought to be willing to submit to the truth. If they're unwilling to listen to the truth, they're going to fall into the ditch. They're blind leading the blind. I'm not going to change the truth because somebody didn't like the truth. That's what I'm already saying. Let me tell you, I am not saying that we should be purposely insulting. I'm not saying that at all. But let me tell you what I am saying. If people are offended over truth, that's their problem, not the one who's giving the truth.

[John Weaver] Why is it We have no courage. We have no courage to stand and speak for the truth. We live today in a day of political correctness. And have you ever noticed? Have you ever noticed that it's only Christianity and truth that is offensive to everybody else? I mean, they can tolerate the sodomites. They can tolerate the communists. They can tolerate the liberals. They can tolerate anybody but a Christian.

[John Weaver] And you say, oh, don't say that. That might have been them. Let me tell you something, folks. We need to learn to have courage like our forefathers. They stood for the truth even in front of their enemies and regardless of their enemies. The multitude and the magnitude did not matter. If we just simply had a smattering of the courage of our forefathers, we could change this situation in America. General Nathan Bedford Forrest.

[John Weaver] Did you know that he had 29 horses shot out from under him during the war? Twenty-nine! One of them with a cannonball. He was on the horse. He was so far ahead of his men chasing the enemies, they were fleeing left and right. But some had gotten far enough ahead, they were able to set up a cannon. And when the enemies that he was chasing saw the cannon, they parted so the cannon could shoot, and there was General Nathan Bedford Forrest head on into this cannon very quickly. He turned his horse just as the cannon fired, and the cannonball came right behind the saddle, literally cut his horse in two. He disentangled himself from the saddle, from the fallen horse, and fought on the ground until some of his men came and rescued him.

[John Weaver] On another time in the Battle of Chattanooga, he was leading a charge on another horse, and a bullet came and hit the horse in the neck and severed the artery. And when it did, blood, of course, began spurting everywhere, even in the face of General Forrest. General Forrest took his hand, wiped the blood out of his eyes, saw what happened, took his finger, reached over, plugged up the hole, and finished the charge. And when he finished the charge, he got off the horse, took his finger out of the hole, and the horse laid down and died.

[John Weaver] I mean, we're talking about somebody that knew how to fight and somebody who had a little bit of courage. General Stonewall Jackson. of the Battle of Malvern Hill. There's a book written by Henry Kyd Douglas entitled, I Rode With Stonewall, and he tells about this incident in that book. Henry Kyd Douglas was the youngest staff officer on General Jackson's staff, and Jackson took a liking to him, and oftentimes he rode with Henry Kyd Douglas, and they were out during the battle.

[John Weaver] kind of record ordering the situation. And Jackson had a love for fresh fruits. And during the battle, as he was record ordering, he found a large blackberry patch full of luscious blackberries. And so they stopped, tied the horse, and got down and started eating these blackberries. And the bullets were whizzing by as thick as hornets, you know. And Kid Douglas says that Jackson's just standing there very calmly eating these blackberries. He said, finally, he took a large blackberry and had it poised between his finger and his thumb. And right before he put it in his mouth, he said to Douglas, he said, well, if you were to be shot, what part of your body do you prefer to be shot in? And then he put the berry in his mouth. And Douglas responded, well, he said, if I have a choice, I'd rather be shot in my clothes. But he said, if it's any part of my body, he said, I'd rather be shot anywhere except my face or a joint. To which General Jackson replied, as he finished the bury, well, I have that old fashioned horror of being shot in the back.

[John Weaver] So great is my prejudice on the subject that I often find myself turning to face the enemy's fire. And about that time, a bullet came by and cut the limb in two, one of the horses was tied, and the horse kind of went in and danced around. And Jackson looked at Douglas and said, well, we probably better move on before one of the horses gets hit. And Douglas said, looking him out at his horse, he rode off gladly, and he did not give a loving or a glancing look back.

[John Weaver] He was just happy to be out of that blackberry patch. Now let me ask you a question. I want you to think about this. I'm going to answer it for you. How could General Stonewall Jackson, stand calmly and eat blackberries with bullets whizzing all around him. I'll answer that in just a minute. But I'm just showing you the courage these men had. You'd be amazed to find the poetry that's not only been written but is also available on the internet about some of these southern men and their courage.

[John Weaver] One of them was Jim O'Meara. who was a confederate and a private. In fact, there's a wonderful poem about Jim O'Meara. I'm not going to quote the poem, but it was May the 6th in 1864. It was the second day of fighting in the wilderness there at Squaxlvania, and it was General Jeb Stuart who was wondering if a line of earthworks in front of him, which had been previously occupied by the Federals, was still occupied.

[John Weaver] He hadn't heard anything from them and he didn't know if they'd retreated or not. So he asked Major Dangerfield to choose a brave man who would check out those earthworks. And so General Dangerfield selected Private Jim O'Meara. And Jim O'Meara reported to General Stewart. And he came up and he saluted him. And so General Stewart says to Jim O'Meara, you see that line of earthworks? He said, what I want to know is if that line is manned or not. He said, I want you to ride within 70 yards of it. Turn and ride along beside of it. He said, if it is manned, they will shoot at you. He said, if you ride fast, they will shoot behind you. But I want to know if that earthwork is manned. Jim O'Meara merely replied, all right, Jenner, know it.

[John Weaver] And he jumped on his horse. And he rode within 70 yards of the earthwork and turned and started riding parallel with it. And when he did, Yankee Guns went to blazing left and right. He was riding his horse very rapidly. And when he got about halfway through the earthworks, a bullet came and hit his horse right above the nose. and just kind of, you know, made a flesh wound. And Joe Mira liked that horse and he kind of got aggravated, so he just stopped his horse, unslung his carbine, and deliberately shot at the man who shot at his horse. Then slung his carbine back, finished his ride all the way by the earthworks, turned around, came back, to General Stewart and General Stewart was standing there watching the whole episode and all he said is he came up to General Stewart after he saluted and said, they're there yet, General? They're there yet?

[John Weaver] Can you imagine someone doing that today? These men had courage. I tried to find it. I read this so long ago. I read it in one of my books and I could not find the illustration. I'm going to tell you. There was a young boy from Georgia who wanted to join the war. And he joined, his father had a good friend who was a captain in the cavalry. And so his father gave the boy, the boy was only like 17, he gave him the best horse on the farm. And the boy's father also raised chickens. And Dominicker chickens are known for their cowardice. They won't fight. So when he gave the boy the horse, he looked at his captain and he said, Captain, I didn't want my boy to go, he said, young. But he said, Captain, he's determined to go and I'm going to let him go.

[John Weaver] And he says, if he ever shows the Dominicker, that is, if he ever acts as part of a coward, don't send him back home. The boy stayed with the captain. Captain taught him all he could take teaching, and came the time of the big cavalry charge. The captain was leading the charge. He was way ahead of his men. The enemy were coming head on, and the captain said all of a sudden, that young 17-year-old boy passed him like a flash of lightning on that fast speed that his father had given him as he passed his captain with a saber in his hand, he hollered at his captain, Tell Pa, I ain't no Dominicker. After the battle was over, the captain found the young boy shot, slashed through, dead. But he sent word to the father. He died a man. Tell Pa, I ain't no Dominicker.

[John Weaver] At first Manassas, when General Jackson received a painful wound in his hand, he still sat upon his horse, calm, cool, and collected, and deliberately commanded his men. A few days after the battle was over, Captain John Imbledon came to Jackson and asked him, he said, how is it, sir? that during the battle you appeared so calm and so cool and utterly insensitive to danger as those shells burst all around you and the bullets whizzed by you when you were in so much pain. Jackson replied to the captain, here's what he said, Captain, my religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed.

[John Weaver] God has ordained the time of my death. I do not concern myself about it, but to always be ready whenever it may overtake me. He then paused and he added, Captain. That is the way all men should live. And then all would be equally brave. Did you hear what he said? My religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has ordained the time of my death.

[John Weaver] I'm not concerned about that. What I'm concerned about is to always be ready whenever that day overtakes me. It was courage like this that made these men admired by their countrymen and feared by their enemies. But where is our courage? Why do we not stand? Why do we compromise and capitulate? Why are we so fearful? Why do we tremble and quake? Can I tell you why? One reason.

[John Weaver] Because we have no convictions. Are you listening? Because our material possessions mean more to us than does the truth. The average American The average Southerner, the average Southern Christian is more afraid of the IRS than he is of God. We are more afraid of losing our subsidies, our government subsidies, than we are of losing our freedom. We're more afraid of missing a meal or missing a paycheck than we are of missing our rights and our liberties. When fear dominates people, there cannot be any convictions and there cannot be any courage.

[John Weaver] Now, I can quote this verse, but I want you to turn in your Bibles to 2 Timothy 1 and look at verse 7. 2 Timothy 1, verse 7. I want you to see the plain truth. 2 Timothy 1, look in verse 7. Here it is spelled out in black and white. 2 Timothy 1, verse 7. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

[John Weaver] Now let me ask you a question, folks. If God has not given us the spirit of fear, Where did it come from? Might have come from the world, might have come from the devil, might have come from flesh, but it sure didn't come from God. God does not give us a spirit of fear. God gives us a spirit of power and of love and of a sound mind.

[John Weaver] And the reason we have no courage is because we have no convictions. If we had some convictions, we'd have some courage.

[John Weaver] Thirdly, very quickly, our manner must be one of character. What men or people should we be? Not only men and women of conviction and courage, but men and women of character. Do you realize it was their character that gave our forefathers their convictions and their courage? If you've studied any history at all, especially the history of those people who lived in the mid-1800s, one of the most prominent aspects of their lives is their character.

[John Weaver] To me, it looks as if they had saw logs for backbones, nerves of steel, and stomachs of brass. Listen, those people had some real convictions about tyranny, despotism, and usurpation. They had some real conviction about the denial of their rights and the courage and the character to stand against those who were trying to enslave them and dominate them. These were people who would not sell their birthright for a mess of governmental pottage.

[John Weaver] You remember the message I brought on the death of Sam Davis. Here's a young man, 21 years old, who would rather be hanged than betray a friend. 21 years old, and he'd rather be hanged than betray a friend. She realized today the average church member would sell out his own pastor, not for money necessarily, but from an abnormal and servile fear of government and a peer pressure.

[John Weaver] You know, I would encourage you to read about the Scottish Covenanters. You remember when the king kicked them out of their churches They began to meet in the fields. And then those. Meetings were. Unlawful because they did not have a government license. And so the king sent his dragoons and many times. The pastor would always be murdered. But when those. Dragoons came there, oftentimes when they asked for the pastor, One of the men would step forward, who was not the pastor, and admit to being and confess to being the pastor, knowing that he was going to get shot. And he would do so to protect his pastor so his pastor could keep on preaching.

[John Weaver] Boy, today, let me tell you, children are being taught to betray their parents. Husbands and wives frequently violate their covenantal oath to each other. Men and women will not keep their word. They will not pay their bills. They will not honor their parents. Where in the world is the character to do that which is right regardless of the circumstances? Character is what a man is in the dark. You tell me what you would do if you knew that no one would ever find out about it, and I'll tell you exactly what you are. The test of your character is what it takes to stop you. Let me tell you something, folks. It just doesn't take much to stop the average person today. The average Christian.

[John Weaver] All we've got to do is talk about somebody and they'll get upset and say, well, that's the way you feel about it. I'll just quit. And you do. The test of your character is what it takes to stop you. Circumstances never make or break a man. They just reveal him. The battle does not make a man a hero. He was already a hero before he went into battle. The battle just revealed him. The battle doesn't make a man a coward. He was already a coward before he went into battle. The battle just revealed him.

[John Weaver] What about our women? Where are our Southern women? Let me ask a question. I'll explain my question. Where are the women of the homespun dress? And when I say the women of the homespun dress, I'm not talking about only women, but I'm talking about women of character. I remember one of the first times I heard that song The homespun dress. I wept. I remember where I was.

[John Weaver] I was riding down the road. I wept. Because I saw such a disparity between the women in the 1860s and the women of today. Let me just give you several stanzas of that song. Listen to this. Oh, yes, I am a Southern girl in glory in the name and boasted with far greater pride than glittering wealth of fame. We envy not the Northern girl, her robes of beauty rare, though diamonds grace her snowy neck and pearls bedeck her hair.

[John Weaver] Now, you've just got to remember what the South went through and what the South suffered, how they had to do without. And here's the Southern women said, we don't envy the Northern girl. Her robes of beauty rare, though diamonds grace her snowy neck and pearls bedeck her hair. Here's the chorus, hoorah, hoorah for the sunny south so dear. Three cheers for the homespun dress that southern ladies wear. Here's the second stanza. The homespun dress is plain, I know, my hat's palmetto too. But then it shows what southern girls for southern rites will do.

[John Weaver] We send the bravest of our land to battle with the foe, and we will lend a helping hand. We love the South, you know. Hoorah, hoorah for the sunny South, so dear. Three cheers for the homespun dress that Southern ladies wear." And then, here's the third stanza I want to quote to you. Listen to it very carefully. The Southern land's a glorious land and has a glorious cause. Then cheer, three cheers for Southern rights and for the Southern boys. We scorn to wear a bit of silk, a bit of Northern lace, but make our homespun dresses up and wear them with a grace."

[John Weaver] Did you hear what that song is saying? That song is saying, we women of the South had rather have a homespun dress and be plain and simple, then compromise and have the lace and the pearls that were available in the north. Women back then were gracious, loving, faithful, sacrificing, willing to do that which was right at all times. Have a pastor friend from Kentucky. And he always said Kentucky used to be known for its fast horses and beautiful women. Now it's known for its fast women and beautiful horses. You see what I'm saying about character? Where is the character of a Miriam Forrest? Miriam Forrest was the mother of General Nathan Bedford Forrest.

[John Weaver] She had several sons, and the youngest son was named Jeffrey. When he was 18, he was still at home. But at 18, he joined the Confederate States of America Army. He joined the Confederacy. So he came back home with his uniform, went upstairs to his room, and was in bed. Well, Miriam Forrest always rose around 4 a.m. By five, she had already had her devotions, had her coffee, and she sent one of the servants up to get Jeffrey out of bed and tell him that she wanted him to take some corn to the mill to add to the ground. When the servant went upstairs to awaken Jeffrey, Jeffrey said to the servant, you go back down and tell mother she might as well send one of the servants to the mill. I'm not going. I am now in the Confederate States Army. And she might as well send someone else. I am not going. When the servant came back downstairs and told Mrs. Forrest what young Jeffrey had said, she finished her coffee, went outside, broke a good stout limb, went upstairs and whipped the living daylights out of Jeffrey, who was 18.

[John Weaver] And she said, no son of mine will talk back to me or disobey me in my own house. Guess what? Guess who took the corn to the mill? Confederate soldier or no Confederate soldier? Jeffrey took it to the mill. You know something? We are so destitute of character today, we will not even discipline or teach our own children. Where in the world is the fatherly headship in the home? Do you realize our homes today are usually run by the women or by the children? Mostly by the children. It seems today that the average Christian cannot get anything right.

[John Weaver] We murmur, we complain, we whine, but nothing ever changes. You know why? Because of the lack of old-fashioned character. We just don't have it. When General Robert E. Lee's second daughter Annie died unexpectedly, now I want you to remember, Lee had been away. He had not seen his family. He had not seen his daughters in a long time. And he died unexpectedly. When he got word that Annie had died, he wrote a letter to his wife.

[John Weaver] And here's what he said. I cannot express the anguish I feel at the death of my sweet Annie. to know that I shall never see her again on earth and that her place in our circle, which I've always hoped one day to enjoy, is forever vacant, is agonizing in the extreme. But God in this, as in all things, has mingled mercy with the blow in selecting the one best prepared to leave us.

[John Weaver] May you be able to join me in saying, His will be done. There was no bitterness. There was no resentment that he could not get to his own daughter's funeral. That he wasn't there when she died. There was no complaining against divine providence. He just said, God has been merciful. He chose the one best prepared. May you be able to join with me in saying, His will be done. How could Lee have that kind of attitude?

[John Weaver] And the answer is because of a godly character that's made evidence in all of his words and his actions. Very quickly, fourthly, what manner of people ought we to be? Go back in your Bibles to 2 Peter 3 and verse 11. Our manner must be one of Christianity. Look at it. 2 Peter 3. and verse 11. Our manner must be one of Christianity. He says, seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved. What manner of people or persons ought you to be in all holy conversation and godliness? Now that phrase in all holy conversation and godliness is very informative. The word actually is plural in number, It's actually what manner of persons ought you to be in all holy conversations. What is meant is this, that every part of our conduct should be holy and that every part of godliness should be attended to. In every part a holy life and in every act of godliness. That is, we're not to be holy in part and pious in part, but attend to every branch of duty toward God and every branch of duty toward man.

[John Weaver] Why did Lee, Jackson, Stewart, Ewell and others shine so brightly? The answer is because of their Christianity. Christianity applied to every area, every sphere, every avenue of life. You know what we've lost in this country? We have lost the theology of applied Christianity. People come to church and go to church regularly and listen! But they never apply. They never make application. You know what our Lord said in John 13 in verse 17? He said, if you know these things, happy are you if you do them. Not happy are you if you remember them, but happy are you if you do them. You must apply them. It was the Christianity of our forefathers that gave them their conviction, their courage, and their character. Listen to me carefully. We will never recover our culture until we learn to apply biblical Christianity. We will never recover our heritage until we go back to the very foundation that our heritage was based upon. What was our heritage based upon? It was based upon Christianity. Now, some people may resent that statement, but I think it can be very easily proved.

[John Weaver] Do you know why we cannot help India, that is the country of India, on a permanent basis? Do you know why we cannot help Africa? Do you know why we cannot help Iraq? Well, let me tell you why. You cannot give those countries Christian values apart from Christianity. What we're trying to do is to give these countries a Western culture which is based upon Christianity. We're trying to give them that Christian culture. Without Christianity, it will not work. You look at all the millions and millions of dollars of food that we've sent to India.

[John Weaver] That has gone to absolute waste. You know why? Because they'll store that food and let the rats eat it. Let the cows walk in, eat what they want and defecate on the rest of it. Why? Because they believe that rat or that cow is their ancestor. They believe in reincarnation and they'll worship those rats and they'll worship those cows at their own expense, at their own health.

[John Weaver] You are never, ever going to change the culture of India until you change the theology of India. You will never change the culture of Iraq. Let me tell you something, folks. We pull out of there tomorrow, they'll still be killing each other. You cannot change their culture unless you change their theology. Likewise, you will never change the culture of pagan America until you change the theology of pagan America.

[John Weaver] We must go back to our foundation. If you desire a change in our culture, you must also have a corresponding change in theology. The reason our culture has changed is that we've left the theology of our father. If you want to bring back a Christian heritage, you must learn to be a godly, obedient Christian. If I were to ask you, how many changes have you seen in culture since you were a child? Unbelievable!

[John Weaver] Our society is falling apart before our very eyes. Our civilization is drowning in sin and rebellion, and we sit back and wonder why? And then we have the gall to piously sing and say, God bless America. May I ask you, in light of our open, blatant, ungodly, reprobate acts, individually, familially, ecclesiastically, and naturally. Why in the world should God ever bless America? If we desire the blessings of God, we must learn to be an obedient, God-honoring people. And we cannot be that while we're in rebellion to His Word. Robert E.

[John Weaver] Lee said, The Bible is the book of books. A book which supplies the place of all others and cannot be replaced. A little later on, he said, there are many things in that old book that I may never be able to explain, but I accept them as the infallible word of God and receive its teaching as inspired by the Holy Ghost. I prefer the Bible to any other book.

[John Weaver] There is enough in that to satisfy the most ardent thirst for knowledge, to open the way to true wisdom, and teach the only road to salvation and eternal happiness. He believed the Bible. You see, it was the faith of our fathers. It was their faith in Christ. It was their faith in His Word that gave them their convictions, their courage, and their character. Without Christianity, without the Word of God, we can never ever restore our heritage. You know the Bible says in Galatians 5 and verse 1, stand fast, therefore the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free. If we have liberty, we are to stand fast in it.

[John Weaver] Let me ask you to turn to one last passage. I want you to look in Psalm 44. Psalm 44. This is a tremendous psalm. I've preached from it before, I want to just read it and point out what the psalmist is saying. Look in Psalm 44, beginning there in verse 1. Psalm 44, verse 1. The psalmist says, We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us what work thou didst in their days and times of old. How thou didst drive out the heathen with thine hand, and pledged them how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out. For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arms save them, but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hast a favour unto them. Thou art my king, O God.

[John Weaver] Command deliverance is for Jacob. Through thee we will push down our enemies. Through thy name we will tread them under that rise up against us. For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me. But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us. In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name forever."

[John Weaver] Now, go back very quickly to verse 1. Look what the psalmist said. We have heard with our ears, O God. Our fathers have told us what work thou didst in their days and times of old. He was passed down how God parted the Red Sea. He was passed down how God destroyed the Egyptians. He was passed down how God drove out the Amorites and the Hittites and the Jebusites and the Perizzites and all the other ites. They had heard the mighty miracles and the mighty wonderings of God. Verse 2, How thou, that is how God did drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plentish them, that is Israel. How thou didst afflict the people, that is the wicked, and cast them out. Now look, For they, that is Israel, got not the land in possession by their own sword, and what of their mighty work? Neither did their own arms save them. Why did Israel possess that land, but thy right hand, God's hand, God's arm, and the light of thy countenance? Because thou hast a favor unto them.

[John Weaver] Now look at verse 4. Thou art my king, O God. Now look. Command deliverances. or Jacob. Now let me tell you what he is saying in verse 4. God, You've done it in time past. Do it again. Do it again. Do it again. Lord, You're the same God. You have the same power. We've heard of all Your mighty miracles and wonders and marvels. Lord, as You have done it for our fathers in time past, do it again for us. If we want God to do it again, we must come back to Him, His Word, in obedience and submission.

[John Weaver] What manner of people should we be? A people of conviction. A people of courage. A people of character. And a people that preeminently demonstrate applied Christianity. Let's pray. Father, we do ask for your help and your grace. Lord, as we think of our forefathers and what they went through, what they stood for, and we think, Lord, of how weak and sickly and anemic we are, all we can ask for is mercy. Give us grace, Lord, that we may stand fast in the faith and quit ourselves like me. May each of us determine here today that we're going to live by convictions. We're not going to give in to feelings. We're not going to give in to circumstances. We're going to live by conviction. We will have the courage to stand for those convictions. We'll have the character those convictions demand because we base each and every one of them upon the word of Jesus Give us grace to serve Thee acceptably with reverence and Godly fear. In Thy name we pray, Amen.

What Manner of People Should We Be?

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	6240414456
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Proverbs: Kingship, Household Wisdom, and Warning
Genre	Sermon
Date	2004-06-13
Dictation Name
Book	Book 084: Proverbs: Kingship, Household Wisdom, and Warning — Chapter 1
Source Timed Segments	79

Formatted Transcript

Introduction: The Question of Manner

Weaver introduces 2 Peter 3:11 and the question 'What manner of people should we be?' He emphasizes that truth must be obeyed and applied, not just believed, and notes that the Greek word for 'manner' implies singular excellency.

2 Peter 3, verse 11, and the title of the message is, "What Manner of People Should We Be?" What manner of people should we be? So look in 2 Peter 3, verse 11, the Word of God says, "Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in all holy conversation and godliness?" Now, I want you to think with me just for a moment of all the principles that I have taught you over these years. I want you to also think of all the historical truths that I have taught you. At the same time, I want you to also think of the ancestors from whom you are descended and the heritage that has been bequeathed to us. In light of those truths, here's this question. What manner of people should we be? Many years ago there was a preacher by the name of Francis Schaeffer, and he wrote a book entitled, "How Should We Then Live?" The title of that book and the truth of that book is just as applicable today as it was back then. I hope you understand that truth should make a genuine change in our lives. Truth is absolutely useless to us unless we apply it to our lives. It is not enough to believe the truth. We must obey the truth. That is, we must actually bring our lives in conformity to the Word of God.

Our Lord asked the question in Luke 6 and verse 46. He said, "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say unto you?" Remember, the word Lord means boss, owner, master, sovereign. So our Lord is saying, why are you calling me your boss, your master, your sovereign, if you're not going to obey me? Now, Peter asks basically the same question in 2 Peter 3 and verse 11. What manner of persons ought you to be in all holy conversation and godliness? Now, southern people have long been erroneously characterized as a lazy, slothful, ignorant, and shiftless people. Yankee caricatures have stuck with us down through the years. It was William Tecumseh Sherman, General Sherman, who said this, "The young bloods of the South, sons of the planters, lawyers of out towns, good billiard players and sportsmen, men who never did any work and never will." So that was his caricature of the South, men who were lazy and shiftless and worthless. By the way, I hope you remember it was also General Sherman who coined the phrase, "The only good Indian is a dead Indian," because he killed so many of them. Maybe it was also General Sherman who came up with the first redneck joke. I don't know. But one thing for sure, General Sherman and many of the Northerners castigated and despised the South. Certainly not all Northerners did so. But General Sherman and his ilk did. And I hope you've noticed that all the redneck jokes are always pointed at the South.

Do you realize that it was Europe that recognized the greatness of the South in many ways, even during the War of Northern Aggression? The London Times wrote an article in 1862 concerning the South, and let me just read to you a paragraph. Listen carefully. This is from the London Times in 1862. The European author wrote, "The people of the Confederate States have made themselves famous. If renown of brilliant courage, stern devotion to a cause, and military achievements, almost without parallel, can compensate men for the toil and privations of the hour, then the countrymen of Lee and Jackson may be consoled amid their sufferings. From all parts of Europe, from their enemies as well as their friends, from those who condemn their acts as well as those who sympathize with them, comes the tribute of admiration. When the history of this war is written, the admiration will doubtless become deeper and stronger, for the veil which has covered the South will be drawn away and disclose a picture of patriotism, of unanimous sacrifice, of wise and firm administration, which we can now only see indistinctly.

The details of extraordinary national effort which has led to the repulse and almost to the destruction of invading force of more than a half million men will become known to the world. And whatever may be the fate of the new nationality or its subsequent claims to the respect of mankind, it will assuredly begin its career with a reputation for genius and valor which the most famous nations may envy." So here the London Times was certainly giving an accurate assessment of the condition of the men and the women of the South. Now the question is asked in 2 Peter 3:11, what manner of people should we be? Now I want you to look at the word manner, it's very important. He says, "Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be?" The word manner is the Greek word potapos. And the word is used by way of admiration or singular excellency. It refers to singular excellency not only in persons, but in things. In fact, this same identical Greek word is used in reference to our Lord in Matthew 8 and verse 27 when His disciples exclaimed when He stilled the waves of the wind, when they said, "What manner of man is this?" There's the word manner.

Here is an excellent attribute. Here's an excellent person displaying a majestic power. And so the word then refers to some singular excellency or some way of admiration. And so the word then conveys the idea of how prudent, how accurate, how diligent, how zealous, how in every way we should be excellent persons.

Manner of Conviction

Believers must be people of principle, holding tenaciously to what is right, placing morality over money and conviction over compromise. Historical examples from Georgia's Governor Brown and Francis Bartow illustrate unwavering commitment to rights and honor.

Now, as Southerners, and especially as Christian Southerners, we should live our lives in a manner so as to remove all doubt as to our character and our stand. We should always be men, but we should always be men of our word. As our forefathers, our word must be our bond. So let me ask the question and try to answer it. What manner of people should we be? First of all, our manner must be one of conviction. Our manner must be one of conviction. Like our forefathers, we must learn to be men and women of principle. We must hold tenaciously to that which we know is right. We cannot and we must not sell our birthright. We must always learn to place morality over money, principle over prosperity, virtue over vice, and conviction over compromise. Over and over in the Word of God, we are admonished to stand fast. 1 Corinthians 16 and verse 13 admonishes us thusly, "Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit ye like men, be strong." Notice, stand fast in the faith.

Quit ye like men. Be strong. Philippians 4 and verse 1 simply tells us to stand fast in the Lord. Now, it's impossible to stand fast and hold to your convictions if you're wavering, if you're double-minded, if you're unsure, and if you're uncertain of truth. I remember when I was a boy, one of my favorite programs was Davy Crockett. Fess Parker played that role. You remember what old Davy Crockett used to say, "Be sure you're right and then go ahead." Now it didn't matter about the circumstances. Doesn't matter about anything else. Just make sure you're right and go ahead. Well, the Bible says it like this in James 1 and verse 8. The Bible says a double minded man is unstable in all of his ways.

Now, I want you to stop and think about our forefathers. You see, our forefathers did not hesitate. They did not back down. They did not waver. They did not quake. They did not falter. They faced sin and wickedness and our enemies and their enemies head on, knowing that they were right. Let me give you a couple of historical illustrations. When the war of northern aggression was breaking out, Governor Brown was the governor of Georgia. And I want you to listen to what the governor of Georgia said in 1862. Listen carefully.

He said, "If it is ascertained that the black Republicans have triumphed over us, I recommend the call of a convention of the people of the state at an early date, and I will cordially unite with the General Assembly in any action which in their judgment may be necessary to the protection of the rights and the preservation of the liberties of the people of Georgia against the further aggressions of an enemy which, when flushed with victory, will be insolent in the hour of triumph. For the purpose of putting this state in a defensive condition as fast as possible and preparing for an emergency which must be met sooner or later, I recommend that the sum of one million dollars be immediately appropriated as a military fund for the ensuing year." "Millions for defense, but not a cent for tribute should be the future motto of the Southern states. To every demand for further concession or compromise to our rights, the reply ought to be, the argument is exhausted and we now stand by our arms."

Now, did you hear what the governor of Georgia said? The governor of Georgia said, I'm going to reunite with the General Assembly for the preservation of our rights and the protection of our liberties. He said we should be willing to give millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute. Let me ask you, when's the last time you've heard a politician talk about preserving our rights, our liberties, our freedoms? And Governor Brown said, if there's any argument, any further argument, you just simply say the argument is exhausted, we stand by our arms. That is, we'll defend our rights, our liberties, our freedom, our heritage. Francis S. Bartow, a congressman from Savannah, replied to a man's arguments in favor of a compromise that would favor Georgia. And here's what Francis Bartow said concerning the commerce of Savannah. He said that, "Let desolation come, if it must upon Savannah.

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 23:23

Let every ship line poured in rot. Let commerce go to ruin for a season. That he, Francis Bartow, would never give a vote that compromised the dignity or the fair fame and the honor of Georgia." You can tell he wasn't a member of the Chamber of Commerce. He said, I'm willing for everything to rot before I'll compromise. You see, these men understood the truth of Proverbs 23 and verse 23, when the Bible says, "Buy the truth and sell it not." Now, how could men like Francis Bartow and Governor Brown and other men of that period stand so staunchly? I'll tell you how, because they were men of conviction and situations and circumstances did not matter. They simply stood for what they knew was right. One of my favorite stories is about General Leonidas Polk. Now, General Leonidas Polk is known as the Fighting Parson. He was an Episcopalian pastor, and back in those days, Episcopalians believed the Bible. And he was at Stone's River, the Battle of Stone's River, with General Cheatham. And the battle was about to ensue, and General Cheatham, encouraging his men to fight, gave a rousing oration to the soldiers.

Manner of Courage

Courage is needed to stand for truth without fear of offending. Jesus' response to offended Pharisees (Matthew 15) shows that truth must not be compromised. Stories of Nathan Bedford Forrest, Stonewall Jackson, and Jim O'Meara demonstrate the courage of Southern forefathers, rooted in trust in God's sovereignty.

Now let me ask you, why are so many people so fainthearted and so cowardly? Have you noticed in Christianity, everyone is so afraid they're going to offend someone. Do you realize the Scripture tells us there is indeed an offense to the truth? Let me show you how our Lord handled this. Look in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 15, and let's begin reading there with verse 12. Matthew 15, verse 12. Let me show you how our Lord handled this, because there were some people offended at what He said.

Of course, what He said was true. Notice Matthew chapter 15, and let's begin reading there with verse 12. Look carefully now, Matthew 15, verse 12,

Scripture Reading — Matthew 15:12-14

"Then came his disciples and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended after they heard this saying?"

Well, Lord, these Pharisees, they're upset. They're mad. They're hurt. They're offended. What did our Lord say?

Scripture Reading — Matthew 15:12-14

"But he answered and said, Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up. Let them alone.

They be blind, leaders of the blind. And the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch." Let me translate that in good Southern English. When our Lord's disciples came and said, "Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended?" Our Lord's attitude was tough stuff. They ought to be willing to submit to the truth. If they're unwilling to listen to the truth, they're going to fall into the ditch. They're blind leading the blind. I'm not going to change the truth because somebody didn't like the truth. That's what I'm already saying. Let me tell you, I am not saying that we should be purposely insulting. I'm not saying that at all. But let me tell you what I am saying. If people are offended over truth, that's their problem, not the one who's giving the truth.

Why is it we have no courage? We have no courage to stand and speak for the truth. We live today in a day of political correctness. And have you ever noticed? Have you ever noticed that it's only Christianity and truth that is offensive to everybody else? I mean, they can tolerate the sodomites. They can tolerate the communists. They can tolerate the liberals. They can tolerate anybody but a Christian.

And you say, oh, don't say that. That might have been them. Let me tell you something, folks. We need to learn to have courage like our forefathers. They stood for the truth even in front of their enemies and regardless of their enemies. The multitude and the magnitude did not matter. If we just simply had a smattering of the courage of our forefathers, we could change this situation in America. General Nathan Bedford Forrest.

Did you know that he had 29 horses shot out from under him during the war? Twenty-nine! One of them with a cannonball. He was on the horse. He was so far ahead of his men chasing the enemies, they were fleeing left and right. But some had gotten far enough ahead, they were able to set up a cannon. And when the enemies that he was chasing saw the cannon, they parted so the cannon could shoot, and there was General Nathan Bedford Forrest head on into this cannon very quickly. He turned his horse just as the cannon fired, and the cannonball came right behind the saddle, literally cut his horse in two. He disentangled himself from the saddle, from the fallen horse, and fought on the ground until some of his men came and rescued him.

On another time in the Battle of Chattanooga, he was leading a charge on another horse, and a bullet came and hit the horse in the neck and severed the artery. And when it did, blood, of course, began spurting everywhere, even in the face of General Forrest. General Forrest took his hand, wiped the blood out of his eyes, saw what happened, took his finger, reached over, plugged up the hole, and finished the charge. And when he finished the charge, he got off the horse, took his finger out of the hole, and the horse laid down and died. I mean, we're talking about somebody that knew how to fight and somebody who had a little bit of courage. General Stonewall Jackson, at the Battle of Malvern Hill. There's a book written by Henry Kyd Douglas entitled, "I Rode With Stonewall," and he tells about this incident in that book. Henry Kyd Douglas was the youngest staff officer on General Jackson's staff, and Jackson took a liking to him, and oftentimes he rode with Henry Kyd Douglas, and they were out during the battle.

kind of reconnoitering the situation. And Jackson had a love for fresh fruits. And during the battle, as he was reconnoitering, he found a large blackberry patch full of luscious blackberries. And so they stopped, tied the horse, and got down and started eating these blackberries. And the bullets were whizzing by as thick as hornets, you know. And Kid Douglas says that Jackson's just standing there very calmly eating these blackberries. He said, finally, he took a large blackberry and had it poised between his finger and his thumb. And right before he put it in his mouth, he said to Douglas, he said, "Well, if you were to be shot, what part of your body do you prefer to be shot in?" And then he put the berry in his mouth. And Douglas responded, "Well," he said, "if I have a choice, I'd rather be shot in my clothes." But he said, "if it's any part of my body," he said, "I'd rather be shot anywhere except my face or a joint." To which General Jackson replied, as he finished the berry, "Well, I have that old fashioned horror of being shot in the back.

So great is my prejudice on the subject that I often find myself turning to face the enemy's fire." And about that time, a bullet came by and cut the limb in two, one of the horses was tied, and the horse kind of went in and danced around. And Jackson looked at Douglas and said, "Well, we probably better move on before one of the horses gets hit." And Douglas said, looking him out at his horse, he rode off gladly, and he did not give a loving or a glancing look back. He was just happy to be out of that blackberry patch. Now let me ask you a question. I want you to think about this. I'm going to answer it for you. How could General Stonewall Jackson stand calmly and eat blackberries with bullets whizzing all around him? I'll answer that in just a minute. But I'm just showing you the courage these men had. You'd be amazed to find the poetry that's not only been written but is also available on the internet about some of these southern men and their courage.

One of them was Jim O'Meara, who was a confederate and a private. In fact, there's a wonderful poem about Jim O'Meara. I'm not going to quote the poem, but it was May the 6th in 1864. It was the second day of fighting in the wilderness there at Spotsylvania, and it was General Jeb Stuart who was wondering if a line of earthworks in front of him, which had been previously occupied by the Federals, was still occupied. He hadn't heard anything from them and he didn't know if they'd retreated or not. So he asked Major Dangerfield to choose a brave man who would check out those earthworks. And so General Dangerfield selected Private Jim O'Meara. And Jim O'Meara reported to General Stuart. And he came up and he saluted him. And so General Stuart says to Jim O'Meara, "You see that line of earthworks?" He said, "What I want to know is if that line is manned or not." He said, "I want you to ride within 70 yards of it. Turn and ride along beside of it." He said, "If it is manned, they will shoot at you." He said, "If you ride fast, they will shoot behind you. But I want to know if that earthwork is manned." Jim O'Meara merely replied, "All right, General, know it."

And he jumped on his horse. And he rode within 70 yards of the earthwork and turned and started riding parallel with it. And when he did, Yankee guns went to blazing left and right. He was riding his horse very rapidly. And when he got about halfway through the earthworks, a bullet came and hit his horse right above the nose, and just kind of, you know, made a flesh wound. And Jim O'Meara liked that horse and he kind of got aggravated, so he just stopped his horse, unslung his carbine, and deliberately shot at the man who shot at his horse. Then slung his carbine back, finished his ride all the way by the earthworks, turned around, came back to General Stuart. And General Stuart was standing there watching the whole episode and all he said is he came up to General Stuart after he saluted and said, "They're there yet, General. They're there yet."

Can you imagine someone doing that today? These men had courage. I tried to find it. I read this so long ago. I read it in one of my books and I could not find the illustration. I'm going to tell you. There was a young boy from Georgia who wanted to join the war. And he joined, his father had a good friend who was a captain in the cavalry. And so his father gave the boy, the boy was only like 17, he gave him the best horse on the farm. And the boy's father also raised chickens. And Dominicker chickens are known for their cowardice. They won't fight. So when he gave the boy the horse, he looked at his captain and he said, "Captain, I didn't want my boy to go," he said, "young. But he said, Captain, he's determined to go and I'm going to let him go."

And he says, "If he ever shows the Dominicker, that is, if he ever acts as part of a coward, don't send him back home." The boy stayed with the captain. Captain taught him all he could take teaching, and came the time of the big cavalry charge. The captain was leading the charge. He was way ahead of his men. The enemy were coming head on, and the captain said all of a sudden, that young 17-year-old boy passed him like a flash of lightning on that fast speed that his father had given him. As he passed his captain with a saber in his hand, he hollered at his captain, "Tell Pa, I ain't no Dominicker." After the battle was over, the captain found the young boy shot, slashed through, dead. But he sent word to the father. He died a man. "Tell Pa, I ain't no Dominicker."

At first Manassas, when General Jackson received a painful wound in his hand, he still sat upon his horse, calm, cool, and collected, and deliberately commanded his men. A few days after the battle was over, Captain John Imboden came to Jackson and asked him, he said, "How is it, sir, that during the battle you appeared so calm and so cool and utterly insensitive to danger as those shells burst all around you and the bullets whizzed by you when you were in so much pain?" Jackson replied to the captain, here's what he said, "Captain, my religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has ordained the time of my death. I do not concern myself about it, but to always be ready whenever it may overtake me." He then paused and he added, "Captain, that is the way all men should live. And then all would be equally brave." Did you hear what he said? "My religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has ordained the time of my death.

I'm not concerned about that. What I'm concerned about is to always be ready whenever that day overtakes me." It was courage like this that made these men admired by their countrymen and feared by their enemies. But where is our courage? Why do we not stand? Why do we compromise and capitulate? Why are we so fearful? Why do we tremble and quake? Can I tell you why? One reason.

Because we have no convictions. Are you listening? Because our material possessions mean more to us than does the truth. The average American, the average Southerner, the average Southern Christian is more afraid of the IRS than he is of God. We are more afraid of losing our subsidies, our government subsidies, than we are of losing our freedom. We're more afraid of missing a meal or missing a paycheck than we are of missing our rights and our liberties. When fear dominates people, there cannot be any convictions and there cannot be any courage.

Now, I can quote this verse, but I want you to turn in your Bibles to 2 Timothy 1 and look at verse 7. 2 Timothy 1, verse 7. I want you to see the plain truth. 2 Timothy 1, look in verse 7. Here it is spelled out in black and white. 2 Timothy 1, verse 7,

Scripture Reading — 2 Timothy 1:7

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."

Manner of Character

Character is what a man is in the dark; it gave forefathers their convictions and courage. Examples include Sam Davis's loyalty, Scottish Covenanters' sacrifice, and Miriam Forrest's discipline. Modern lack of character is seen in betrayal, broken vows, and failure to keep one's word.

Thirdly, very quickly, our manner must be one of character. What men or people should we be? Not only men and women of conviction and courage, but men and women of character. Do you realize it was their character that gave our forefathers their convictions and their courage? If you've studied any history at all, especially the history of those people who lived in the mid-1800s, one of the most prominent aspects of their lives is their character. To me, it looks as if they had saw logs for backbones, nerves of steel, and stomachs of brass. Listen, those people had some real convictions about tyranny, despotism, and usurpation. They had some real conviction about the denial of their rights and the courage and the character to stand against those who were trying to enslave them and dominate them. These were people who would not sell their birthright for a mess of governmental pottage.

You remember the message I brought on the death of Sam Davis. Here's a young man, 21 years old, who would rather be hanged than betray a friend. 21 years old, and he'd rather be hanged than betray a friend. You realize today the average church member would sell out his own pastor, not for money necessarily, but from an abnormal and servile fear of government and a peer pressure. You know, I would encourage you to read about the Scottish Covenanters. You remember when the king kicked them out of their churches, they began to meet in the fields. And then those meetings were unlawful because they did not have a government license. And so the king sent his dragoons and many times the pastor would always be murdered. But when those dragoons came there, oftentimes when they asked for the pastor, one of the men would step forward, who was not the pastor, and admit to being and confess to being the pastor, knowing that he was going to get shot. And he would do so to protect his pastor so his pastor could keep on preaching.

Boy, today, let me tell you, children are being taught to betray their parents. Husbands and wives frequently violate their covenantal oath to each other. Men and women will not keep their word. They will not pay their bills. They will not honor their parents. Where in the world is the character to do that which is right regardless of the circumstances? Character is what a man is in the dark. You tell me what you would do if you knew that no one would ever find out about it, and I'll tell you exactly what you are. The test of your character is what it takes to stop you. Let me tell you something, folks. It just doesn't take much to stop the average person today. The average Christian.

All we've got to do is talk about somebody and they'll get upset and say, "Well, that's the way you feel about it. I'll just quit." And you do. The test of your character is what it takes to stop you. Circumstances never make or break a man. They just reveal him. The battle does not make a man a hero. He was already a hero before he went into battle. The battle just revealed him. The battle doesn't make a man a coward. He was already a coward before he went into battle. The battle just revealed him.

What about our women? Where are our Southern women? Let me ask a question. I'll explain my question. Where are the women of the homespun dress? And when I say the women of the homespun dress, I'm not talking about only women, but I'm talking about women of character. I remember one of the first times I heard that song "The Homespun Dress." I wept. I remember where I was.

I was riding down the road. I wept. Because I saw such a disparity between the women in the 1860s and the women of today. Let me just give you several stanzas of that song. Listen to this. "Oh, yes, I am a Southern girl and glory in the name and boast it with far greater pride than glittering wealth or fame. We envy not the Northern girl, her robes of beauty rare, though diamonds grace her snowy neck and pearls bedeck her hair."

Now, you've just got to remember what the South went through and what the South suffered, how they had to do without. And here's the Southern women said, "We don't envy the Northern girl. Her robes of beauty rare, though diamonds grace her snowy neck and pearls bedeck her hair." Here's the chorus, "Hurrah, hurrah for the sunny South so dear. Three cheers for the homespun dress that Southern ladies wear." Here's the second stanza. "The homespun dress is plain, I know, my hat's palmetto too. But then it shows what Southern girls for Southern rights will do." "We send the bravest of our land to battle with the foe, and we will lend a helping hand. We love the South, you know. Hurrah, hurrah for the sunny South, so dear. Three cheers for the homespun dress that Southern ladies wear." And then, here's the third stanza I want to quote to you. Listen to it very carefully. "The Southern land's a glorious land and has a glorious cause. Then cheer, three cheers for Southern rights and for the Southern boys. We scorn to wear a bit of silk, a bit of Northern lace, but make our homespun dresses up and wear them with a grace."

Did you hear what that song is saying? That song is saying, we women of the South had rather have a homespun dress and be plain and simple, than compromise and have the lace and the pearls that were available in the North. Women back then were gracious, loving, faithful, sacrificing, willing to do that which was right at all times. I have a pastor friend from Kentucky. And he always said Kentucky used to be known for its fast horses and beautiful women. Now it's known for its fast women and beautiful horses. You see what I'm saying about character? Where is the character of a Miriam Forrest? Miriam Forrest was the mother of General Nathan Bedford Forrest.

She had several sons, and the youngest son was named Jeffrey. When he was 18, he was still at home. But at 18, he joined the Confederate States of America Army. He joined the Confederacy. So he came back home with his uniform, went upstairs to his room, and was in bed. Well, Miriam Forrest always rose around 4 a.m. By five, she had already had her devotions, had her coffee, and she sent one of the servants up to get Jeffrey out of bed and tell him that she wanted him to take some corn to the mill to have it ground. When the servant went upstairs to awaken Jeffrey, Jeffrey said to the servant, "You go back down and tell mother she might as well send one of the servants to the mill. I'm not going. I am now in the Confederate States Army. And she might as well send someone else. I am not going." When the servant came back downstairs and told Mrs. Forrest what young Jeffrey had said, she finished her coffee, went outside, broke a good stout limb, went upstairs and whipped the living daylights out of Jeffrey, who was 18.

And she said, "No son of mine will talk back to me or disobey me in my own house." Guess what? Guess who took the corn to the mill? Confederate soldier or no Confederate soldier? Jeffrey took it to the mill. You know something? We are so destitute of character today, we will not even discipline or teach our own children. Where in the world is the fatherly headship in the home? Do you realize our homes today are usually run by the women or by the children? Mostly by the children. It seems today that the average Christian cannot get anything right.

We murmur, we complain, we whine, but nothing ever changes. You know why? Because of the lack of old-fashioned character. We just don't have it. When General Robert E. Lee's second daughter Annie died unexpectedly, now I want you to remember, Lee had been away. He had not seen his family. He had not seen his daughters in a long time. And she died unexpectedly. When he got word that Annie had died, he wrote a letter to his wife.

And here's what he said. "I cannot express the anguish I feel at the death of my sweet Annie. To know that I shall never see her again on earth and that her place in our circle, which I've always hoped one day to enjoy, is forever vacant, is agonizing in the extreme. But God in this, as in all things, has mingled mercy with the blow in selecting the one best prepared to leave us." "May you be able to join me in saying, 'His will be done.'" There was no bitterness. There was no resentment that he could not get to his own daughter's funeral. That he wasn't there when she died. There was no complaining against divine providence. He just said, "God has been merciful. He chose the one best prepared. May you be able to join with me in saying, 'His will be done.'" How could Lee have that kind of attitude?

Manner of Christianity

The foundation of conviction, courage, and character is applied Christianity. 2 Peter 3:11 calls for holiness in every part of conduct. The South's greatness came from biblical faith; cultural decline stems from abandoning that theology. Restoration requires returning to God's Word and obedience.

And the answer is because of a godly character that's made evidence in all of his words and his actions. Very quickly, fourthly, what manner of people ought we to be? Go back in your Bibles to 2 Peter 3 and verse 11. Our manner must be one of Christianity. Look at it. 2 Peter 3 and verse 11. Our manner must be one of Christianity. He says, "Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in all holy conversation and godliness?" Now that phrase "in all holy conversation and godliness" is very informative. The word actually is plural in number. It's actually "what manner of persons ought you to be in all holy conversations." What is meant is this, that every part of our conduct should be holy and that every part of godliness should be attended to. In every part a holy life and in every act of godliness. That is, we're not to be holy in part and pious in part, but attend to every branch of duty toward God and every branch of duty toward man.

Why did Lee, Jackson, Stuart, Ewell and others shine so brightly? The answer is because of their Christianity. Christianity applied to every area, every sphere, every avenue of life. You know what we've lost in this country? We have lost the theology of applied Christianity. People come to church and go to church regularly and listen! But they never apply. They never make application. You know what our Lord said in John 13 and verse 17? He said,

Scripture Reading — John 13:17

"If you know these things, happy are you if you do them."

Not happy are you if you remember them, but happy are you if you do them. You must apply them. It was the Christianity of our forefathers that gave them their conviction, their courage, and their character. Listen to me carefully. We will never recover our culture until we learn to apply biblical Christianity. We will never recover our heritage until we go back to the very foundation that our heritage was based upon. What was our heritage based upon? It was based upon Christianity. Now, some people may resent that statement, but I think it can be very easily proved.

Do you know why we cannot help India, that is the country of India, on a permanent basis? Do you know why we cannot help Africa? Do you know why we cannot help Iraq? Well, let me tell you why. You cannot give those countries Christian values apart from Christianity. What we're trying to do is to give these countries a Western culture which is based upon Christianity. We're trying to give them that Christian culture. Without Christianity, it will not work. You look at all the millions and millions of dollars of food that we've sent to India.

That has gone to absolute waste. You know why? Because they'll store that food and let the rats eat it. Let the cows walk in, eat what they want and defecate on the rest of it. Why? Because they believe that rat or that cow is their ancestor. They believe in reincarnation and they'll worship those rats and they'll worship those cows at their own expense, at their own health.

You are never, ever going to change the culture of India until you change the theology of India. You will never change the culture of Iraq. Let me tell you something, folks. We pull out of there tomorrow, they'll still be killing each other. You cannot change their culture unless you change their theology. Likewise, you will never change the culture of pagan America until you change the theology of pagan America. We must go back to our foundation. If you desire a change in our culture, you must also have a corresponding change in theology. The reason our culture has changed is that we've left the theology of our father. If you want to bring back a Christian heritage, you must learn to be a godly, obedient Christian. If I were to ask you, how many changes have you seen in culture since you were a child? Unbelievable!

Our society is falling apart before our very eyes. Our civilization is drowning in sin and rebellion, and we sit back and wonder why? And then we have the gall to piously sing and say, "God bless America." May I ask you, in light of our open, blatant, ungodly, reprobate acts, individually, familially, ecclesiastically, and nationally, why in the world should God ever bless America? If we desire the blessings of God, we must learn to be an obedient, God-honoring people. And we cannot be that while we're in rebellion to His Word. Robert E. Lee said, "The Bible is the book of books. A book which supplies the place of all others and cannot be replaced." A little later on, he said, "There are many things in that old book that I may never be able to explain, but I accept them as the infallible word of God and receive its teaching as inspired by the Holy Ghost. I prefer the Bible to any other book.

There is enough in that to satisfy the most ardent thirst for knowledge, to open the way to true wisdom, and teach the only road to salvation and eternal happiness." He believed the Bible. You see, it was the faith of our fathers. It was their faith in Christ. It was their faith in His Word that gave them their convictions, their courage, and their character. Without Christianity, without the Word of God, we can never ever restore our heritage. You know the Bible says in Galatians 5 and verse 1, "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free." If we have liberty, we are to stand fast in it.

Conclusion: A Call to Return

Psalm 44 shows that Israel's victories came from God, not their own strength. The psalmist asks God to do again what He did for the fathers. Believers must return to God in obedience to see deliverance. The message closes with a prayer for grace to live by conviction, courage, character, and applied Christianity.

Let me ask you to turn to one last passage. I want you to look in Psalm 44. Psalm 44. This is a tremendous psalm. I've preached from it before, I want to just read it and point out what the psalmist is saying. Look in Psalm 44, beginning there in verse 1. Psalm 44, verse 1. The psalmist says,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 44:1-8

"We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us what work thou didst in their days and times of old. How thou didst drive out the heathen with thine hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out. For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arms save them, but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them. Thou art my king, O God.

Command deliverances for Jacob. Through thee we will push down our enemies. Through thy name we will tread them under that rise up against us. For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me. But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us. In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name forever."

Now, go back very quickly to verse 1. Look what the psalmist said. "We have heard with our ears, O God. Our fathers have told us what work thou didst in their days and times of old." He was passed down how God parted the Red Sea. He was passed down how God destroyed the Egyptians. He was passed down how God drove out the Amorites and the Hittites and the Jebusites and the Perizzites and all the other ites. They had heard the mighty miracles and the mighty wonderings of God. Verse 2, "How thou," that is how God, "didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them," that is Israel. "How thou didst afflict the people," that is the wicked, "and cast them out." Now look, "For they," that is Israel, "got not the land in possession by their own sword," and what of their mighty work? "Neither did their own arms save them." Why did Israel possess that land? "But thy right hand," God's hand, God's arm, "and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them."

Now look at verse 4. "Thou art my king, O God." Now look. "Command deliverances for Jacob." Now let me tell you what he is saying in verse 4. God, You've done it in time past. Do it again. Do it again. Do it again. Lord, You're the same God. You have the same power. We've heard of all Your mighty miracles and wonders and marvels. Lord, as You have done it for our fathers in time past, do it again for us. If we want God to do it again, we must come back to Him, His Word, in obedience and submission.

What manner of people should we be? A people of conviction. A people of courage. A people of character. And a people that preeminently demonstrate applied Christianity. Let's pray. Father, we do ask for your help and your grace. Lord, as we think of our forefathers and what they went through, what they stood for, and we think, Lord, of how weak and sickly and anemic we are, all we can ask for is mercy. Give us grace, Lord, that we may stand fast in the faith and quit ourselves like men. May each of us determine here today that we're going to live by convictions. We're not going to give in to feelings. We're not going to give in to circumstances. We're going to live by conviction. We will have the courage to stand for those convictions. We'll have the character those convictions demand because we base each and every one of them upon the word of Jesus. Give us grace to serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In Thy name we pray, Amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Applied Truth

Summary: Truth must be obeyed and applied to life, not merely believed; otherwise it is useless.

Evidence: Truth is absolutely useless to us unless we apply it to our lives. It is not enough to believe the truth. We must obey the truth.

Conviction Over Compromise

Summary: Believers must hold tenaciously to right principles, placing morality over money and conviction over compromise.

Evidence: We must always learn to place morality over money, principle over prosperity, virtue over vice, and conviction over compromise.

Courage Rooted in Faith

Summary: True courage comes from trust in God's sovereignty over life and death, enabling calmness in danger.

Evidence: Jackson replied to the captain, here's what he said, 'Captain, my religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has ordained the time of my death. I do not concern myself about it, but to always be ready whenever it may overtake me.'

Character as the Foundation

Summary: Character is the inner moral fiber that produces conviction and courage; it is revealed, not created, by circumstances.

Evidence: Character is what a man is in the dark. ... Circumstances never make or break a man. They just reveal him.

Christianity as Cultural Foundation

Summary: The South's heritage and greatness were built on biblical Christianity; cultural decline results from abandoning that foundation.

Evidence: We will never recover our culture until we learn to apply biblical Christianity. We will never recover our heritage until we go back to the very foundation that our heritage was based upon. What was our heritage based upon? It was based upon Christianity.

Fear vs. Faith

Summary: Fear dominates when material possessions and safety are valued above truth and freedom; God gives a spirit of power, not fear.

Evidence: The average American, the average Southerner, the average Southern Christian is more afraid of the IRS than he is of God. ... For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Key Arguments

Truth Demands Obedience

Summary: Believing truth is insufficient; we must bring our lives into conformity with God's Word, as Jesus questioned those who call Him Lord but do not obey.

Evidence: Our Lord asked the question in Luke 6 and verse 46. He said, 'And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say unto you?'

Conviction Requires Standing Fast

Summary: Scripture commands believers to stand fast in the faith; this is impossible without settled convictions, as a double-minded man is unstable.

Evidence: 1 Corinthians 16 and verse 13 admonishes us thusly, 'Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit ye like men, be strong.' ... James 1 and verse 8. The Bible says a double minded man is unstable in all of his ways.

Courage Does Not Fear Offense from Truth

Summary: Jesus did not soften truth to avoid offending the Pharisees; believers must not compromise truth for fear of offending others.

Evidence: When our Lord's disciples came and said, 'Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended?' Our Lord's attitude was tough stuff. ... I'm not going to change the truth because somebody didn't like the truth.

Fear Stems from Misplaced Priorities

Summary: Fear of losing material things or government favor reveals a lack of conviction; when fear dominates, courage and conviction vanish.

Evidence: Because our material possessions mean more to us than does the truth. ... When fear dominates people, there cannot be any convictions and there cannot be any courage.

Character Is Tested by What It Takes to Stop You

Summary: True character is revealed by what it takes to make a person quit; modern Christians give up too easily.

Evidence: The test of your character is what it takes to stop you. Let me tell you something, folks. It just doesn't take much to stop the average person today.

Cultural Change Requires Theological Change

Summary: You cannot give Christian values apart from Christianity; to change a culture, you must change its theology.

Evidence: You cannot give those countries Christian values apart from Christianity. ... You will never change the culture of pagan America until you change the theology of pagan America.

Scripture References

2 Peter 3:11

Context: The foundational text of the sermon, asking what manner of persons believers ought to be in holy conversation and godliness.

Luke 6:46

Context: Jesus questions why people call Him Lord but do not obey Him, illustrating the need to apply truth.

Matthew 8:27

Context: The disciples' exclamation 'What manner of man is this?' uses the same Greek word potapos, indicating singular excellency.

1 Corinthians 16:13

Context: Admonition to watch, stand fast in the faith, quit like men, and be strong.

Philippians 4:1

Context: Exhortation to stand fast in the Lord.

James 1:8

Context: A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways, showing the need for settled conviction.

Proverbs 23:23

Context: Buy the truth and sell it not, used to illustrate the forefathers' commitment to principle.

Matthew 15:12-14

Context: Jesus' response when told the Pharisees were offended, showing He did not compromise truth.

2 Timothy 1:7

Context: God has not given a spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind.

John 13:17

Context: If you know these things, happy are you if you do them, emphasizing application of truth.

Galatians 5:1

Context: Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free.

Psalm 44:1-8

Context: The psalmist recounts God's past deliverances and asks Him to do it again, illustrating the call to return to God.

Historical References

Francis Schaeffer, 'How Should We Then Live?'

Context: Mentioned as a book whose title and truth remain applicable, emphasizing that truth should change lives.

General William Tecumseh Sherman

Context: Quoted for his negative caricature of Southern men as lazy and shiftless; also noted for coining 'The only good Indian is a dead Indian.'

London Times article, 1862

Context: Praised the Confederate States for courage, devotion, and military achievements, countering Northern caricatures.

Governor Brown of Georgia, 1862

Context: His speech advocating millions for defense but not a cent for tribute, and standing by arms for rights and liberties.

Francis S. Bartow, Congressman from Savannah

Context: Declared he would let Savannah's commerce rot rather than compromise Georgia's dignity and honor.

General Leonidas Polk ('Fighting Parson')

Context: Episcopalian pastor and general who refused to use profanity, telling his men, 'Boys, give them what General Cheatham says.'

General Richard Taylor and Stonewall Jackson

Context: Jackson rebuked Taylor for swearing, saying 'I'm afraid you're a very wicked man,' illustrating Jackson's convictions.

President Jefferson Davis

Context: Stated that the principle for which the South contended would reassert itself in another time and form.

General Nathan Bedford Forrest

Context: Had 29 horses shot from under him; examples of his courage in battle, including plugging a horse's artery with his finger.

Henry Kyd Douglas, 'I Rode With Stonewall'

Context: Account of Jackson calmly eating blackberries under fire and discussing where he'd prefer to be shot.

Important Quotes

Truth is absolutely useless to us unless we apply it to our lives. It is not enough to believe the truth. We must obey the truth.

Significance: Establishes the sermon's central premise that truth must be lived out, not just intellectually affirmed.

We must always learn to place morality over money, principle over prosperity, virtue over vice, and conviction over compromise.

Significance: Defines the priority of conviction that should characterize believers.

We will never recover our culture until we learn to apply biblical Christianity. We will never recover our heritage until we go back to the very foundation that our heritage was based upon.

Significance: Argues that cultural restoration depends on returning to Christianity as the foundation.

The average American, the average Southerner, the average Southern Christian is more afraid of the IRS than he is of God.

Significance: Highlights misplaced fear as a root cause of cowardice and lack of conviction.

Discussion Questions

What does it mean to 'apply' biblical truth in daily life, and why is mere belief insufficient?

Context: Weaver emphasizes that truth must be obeyed, not just believed, citing Luke 6:46.

How can we develop and maintain convictions that are not swayed by circumstances or feelings?

Context: The sermon contrasts living by conviction with living by feelings, using James 1:8.

In what areas are Christians today tempted to compromise truth to avoid offending others, and how should we respond?

Context: Jesus' handling of offended Pharisees in Matthew 15 is presented as a model.

What fears (financial, social, governmental) hinder us from standing courageously for truth, and how can we overcome them?

Context: Weaver argues that fear of losing material things or facing government pressure undermines courage.

How does the concept that 'character is what a man is in the dark' challenge our private and public integrity?

Context: The definition of character is given as what you do when no one is watching.

What practical steps can families and churches take to restore fatherly headship and biblical discipline in the home?

Context: Weaver laments the lack of discipline and character, citing Miriam Forrest's example.

Why is it impossible to have Christian values without Christianity, and what does this imply for cultural engagement?

Context: The argument that culture flows from theology is applied to both foreign missions and America.

How does Psalm 44 model a prayer for God to act again as He did in the past, and what must precede such a prayer?

Context: The psalmist recounts God's past works and asks for deliverance, implying a need for repentance and faith.

Applications

Live by Conviction, Not Feelings

Summary: Determine to be governed by biblical principles rather than fluctuating emotions or circumstances.

Evidence: If you're not governed by convictions, if you're not governed by principles, you're governed by circumstances.

Stand Courageously for Truth

Summary: Refuse to compromise truth out of fear of offending others, following Christ's example.

Evidence: I'm not going to change the truth because somebody didn't like the truth.

Cultivate Godly Character

Summary: Develop integrity that remains consistent in private and under pressure, recognizing that circumstances reveal character.

Evidence: Character is what a man is in the dark. ... Circumstances never make or break a man. They just reveal him.

Apply Christianity to All of Life

Summary: Move beyond mere church attendance to actively obeying God's Word in every area of conduct.

Evidence: If you know these things, happy are you if you do them.

Return to Biblical Foundations

Summary: Seek cultural and personal renewal by returning to the theology and obedience of the faith once delivered.

Evidence: We will never recover our heritage until we go back to the very foundation that our heritage was based upon.

Trust God's Sovereignty Over Fear

Summary: Replace fear of man or circumstances with trust in God's ordained timing and care.

Evidence: God has ordained the time of my death. I do not concern myself about it, but to always be ready whenever it may overtake me.

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What Manner of People Should We Be?

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2 Peter 3, verse 11, and the title of the message is, "What Manner of People Should We Be?" What manner of people should we be? So look in 2 Peter 3, verse 11, the Word of God says, "Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in all holy conversation and godliness?"
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Now, I want you to think with me just for a moment of all the principles that I have taught you over these years. I want you to also think of all the historical truths that I have taught you. At the same time, I want you to also think of the ancestors from whom you are descended and the heritage that has been bequeathed to us. In light of those truths, here's this question.
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What manner of people should we be? Many years ago there was a preacher by the name of Francis Schaeffer, and he wrote a book entitled, "How Should We Then Live?" The title of that book and the truth of that book is just as applicable today as it was back then. I hope you understand that truth should make a genuine change in our lives. Truth is absolutely useless to us unless we apply it to our lives. It is not enough to believe the truth. We must obey the truth. That is, we must actually bring our lives in conformity to the Word of God.
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Our Lord asked the question in Luke 6 and verse 46. He said, "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say unto you?" Remember, the word Lord means boss, owner, master, sovereign. So our Lord is saying, why are you calling me your boss, your master, your sovereign, if you're not going to obey me? Now, Peter asks basically the same question in 2 Peter 3 and verse 11.
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What manner of persons ought you to be in all holy conversation and godliness? Now, southern people have long been erroneously characterized as a lazy, slothful, ignorant, and shiftless people. Yankee caricatures have stuck with us down through the years. It was William Tecumseh Sherman, General Sherman, who said this, "The young bloods of the South, sons of the planters, lawyers of out towns, good billiard players and sportsmen, men who never did any work and never will." So that was his caricature of the South, men who were lazy and shiftless and worthless. By the way, I hope you remember it was also General Sherman who coined the phrase, "The only good Indian is a dead Indian," because he killed so many of them. Maybe it was also General Sherman who came up with the first redneck joke. I don't know. But one thing for sure, General Sherman and many of the Northerners castigated and despised the South. Certainly not all Northerners did so. But General Sherman and his ilk did. And I hope you've noticed that all the redneck jokes are always pointed at the South.
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Do you realize that it was Europe that recognized the greatness of the South in many ways, even during the War of Northern Aggression? The London Times wrote an article in 1862 concerning the South, and let me just read to you a paragraph. Listen carefully. This is from the London Times in 1862. The European author wrote, "The people of the Confederate States have made themselves famous. If renown of brilliant courage, stern devotion to a cause, and military achievements, almost without parallel, can compensate men for the toil and privations of the hour, then the countrymen of Lee and Jackson may be consoled amid their sufferings. From all parts of Europe, from their enemies as well as their friends, from those who condemn their acts as well as those who sympathize with them, comes the tribute of admiration. When the history of this war is written, the admiration will doubtless become deeper and stronger, for the veil which has covered the South will be drawn away and disclose a picture of patriotism, of unanimous sacrifice, of wise and firm administration, which we can now only see indistinctly.
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The details of extraordinary national effort which has led to the repulse and almost to the destruction of invading force of more than a half million men will become known to the world. And whatever may be the fate of the new nationality or its subsequent claims to the respect of mankind, it will assuredly begin its career with a reputation for genius and valor which the most famous nations may envy." So here the London Times was certainly giving an accurate assessment of the condition of the men and the women of the South.
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Now the question is asked in 2 Peter 3:11, what manner of people should we be? Now I want you to look at the word manner, it's very important. He says, "Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be?" The word manner is the Greek word potapos. And the word is used by way of admiration or singular excellency. It refers to singular excellency not only in persons, but in things. In fact, this same identical Greek word is used in reference to our Lord in Matthew 8 and verse 27 when His disciples exclaimed when He stilled the waves of the wind, when they said, "What manner of man is this?" There's the word manner.
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Here is an excellent attribute. Here's an excellent person displaying a majestic power. And so the word then refers to some singular excellency or some way of admiration. And so the word then conveys the idea of how prudent, how accurate, how diligent, how zealous, how in every way we should be excellent persons.
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Now, as Southerners, and especially as Christian Southerners, we should live our lives in a manner so as to remove all doubt as to our character and our stand. We should always be men, but we should always be men of our word. As our forefathers, our word must be our bond. So let me ask the question and try to answer it. What manner of people should we be? First of all, our manner must be one of conviction. Our manner must be one of conviction. Like our forefathers, we must learn to be men and women of principle. We must hold tenaciously to that which we know is right. We cannot and we must not sell our birthright. We must always learn to place morality over money, principle over prosperity, virtue over vice, and conviction over compromise. Over and over in the Word of God, we are admonished to stand fast. 1 Corinthians 16 and verse 13 admonishes us thusly, "Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit ye like men, be strong." Notice, stand fast in the faith.
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Quit ye like men. Be strong. Philippians 4 and verse 1 simply tells us to stand fast in the Lord.
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Now, it's impossible to stand fast and hold to your convictions if you're wavering, if you're double-minded, if you're unsure, and if you're uncertain of truth. I remember when I was a boy, one of my favorite programs was Davy Crockett. Fess Parker played that role. You remember what old Davy Crockett used to say, "Be sure you're right and then go ahead." Now it didn't matter about the circumstances. Doesn't matter about anything else. Just make sure you're right and go ahead. Well, the Bible says it like this in James 1 and verse 8. The Bible says a double minded man is unstable in all of his ways.
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Now, I want you to stop and think about our forefathers. You see, our forefathers did not hesitate. They did not back down. They did not waver. They did not quake. They did not falter. They faced sin and wickedness and our enemies and their enemies head on, knowing that they were right. Let me give you a couple of historical illustrations. When the war of northern aggression was breaking out, Governor Brown was the governor of Georgia. And I want you to listen to what the governor of Georgia said in 1862. Listen carefully.
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He said, "If it is ascertained that the black Republicans have triumphed over us, I recommend the call of a convention of the people of the state at an early date, and I will cordially unite with the General Assembly in any action which in their judgment may be necessary to the protection of the rights and the preservation of the liberties of the people of Georgia against the further aggressions of an enemy which, when flushed with victory, will be insolent in the hour of triumph. For the purpose of putting this state in a defensive condition as fast as possible and preparing for an emergency which must be met sooner or later, I recommend that the sum of one million dollars be immediately appropriated as a military fund for the ensuing year."
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"Millions for defense, but not a cent for tribute should be the future motto of the Southern states. To every demand for further concession or compromise to our rights, the reply ought to be, the argument is exhausted and we now stand by our arms."
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Now, did you hear what the governor of Georgia said? The governor of Georgia said, I'm going to reunite with the General Assembly for the preservation of our rights and the protection of our liberties. He said we should be willing to give millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute. Let me ask you, when's the last time you've heard a politician talk about preserving our rights, our liberties, our freedoms? And Governor Brown said, if there's any argument, any further argument, you just simply say the argument is exhausted, we stand by our arms. That is, we'll defend our rights, our liberties, our freedom, our heritage. Francis S. Bartow, a congressman from Savannah, replied to a man's arguments in favor of a compromise that would favor Georgia. And here's what Francis Bartow said concerning the commerce of Savannah. He said that, "Let desolation come, if it must upon Savannah.
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Let every ship line poured in rot. Let commerce go to ruin for a season. That he, Francis Bartow, would never give a vote that compromised the dignity or the fair fame and the honor of Georgia." You can tell he wasn't a member of the Chamber of Commerce. He said, I'm willing for everything to rot before I'll compromise. You see, these men understood the truth of Proverbs 23 and verse 23, when the Bible says, "Buy the truth and sell it not." Now, how could men like Francis Bartow and Governor Brown and other men of that period stand so staunchly? I'll tell you how, because they were men of conviction and situations and circumstances did not matter.
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They simply stood for what they knew was right. One of my favorite stories is about General Leonidas Polk. Now, General Leonidas Polk is known as the Fighting Parson. He was an Episcopalian pastor, and back in those days, Episcopalians believed the Bible. And he was at Stone's River, the Battle of Stone's River, with General Cheatham. And the battle was about to ensue, and General Cheatham, encouraging his men to fight, gave a rousing oration to the soldiers.
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And he ended with these words, "Give them hell, boys." Then it came General Polk's time to say something to the men. And he was so convicted that he should not use anything that might be construed as profanity in any way whatsoever or slain. He merely looked at his men and said, "Boys, give them what General Cheatham says." But you know, where are the men like that? Let me tell you another one.
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Let me just show you. Let me show you the difference between the culture of the 1860s and the culture of today. In fact, General Richard Taylor tells us on himself. He was sent to Stonewall Jackson to help Jackson in a battle. And the Yankees had their cannon up on the mountain pointing down and the Confederates were being slaughtered, basically. Stonewall Jackson told General Taylor, he said, "General Taylor, get your men up there and silence those guns." Well, General Taylor took his men and pushed to the base of that mountain so they could climb up it and silence the guns. And General Taylor, of course, was not a Christian, kind of a pagan man, and when, of course, they saw his men there, they moved the cannon down and tried to shoot on them, but the angle was such that not only the cannon, but also the rifle fire was actually going over Taylor's men, but the fire was so profuse, his men started dodging behind rocks and taking cover. And General Taylor, out of anger, shouted to his men, said, "Get up and get up that mountain."
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He said, "If you don't obey me this instance," he said, "I'll make you stay a whole hour under this damn withering fire." And General Taylor said about that time, he just sensed someone by him. And he turned and looked, and there sat General Jackson on his horse right by him. Said General Jackson reached over, put his hand on his shoulder and said, "General Taylor, I'm afraid you're a very wicked man." And turned around and rode off. The point I'm trying to make is people use that type of language today and think nothing about it. But General Jackson looked at General Taylor and said, "I'm afraid you're a very wicked man." Why would Jackson say something like that? Because he had convictions.
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Let me ask you a question. Where in the world are men and women who live by convictions? You see, the trouble with us today is this. We are such a feeling-oriented people that we live by our feelings. We don't live by convictions. We don't live by principles. And to demonstrate that, the average person will change his mind a hundred times a day. Let me tell you something, folks. If you're not governed by convictions, if you're not governed by principles, you're governed by circumstances.
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No wonder everyone's up and down, up and down, up and down. Principles do not change. Circumstances do. How in the world can you stand for that which is right if you don't even recognize that which is right? But if you recognize that which is right, you have an obligation to stand and fight for that which is right. You know something? Our forefathers understood that there are some things, there are some truths, not only worth fighting for, but also worth dying for.
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And they were willing to die. President Jefferson Davis said this, listen carefully, "The principle for which we contend is bound to reassert itself, though it may be at another time in another form." And what was Jeff Davis saying? He said, we fought this war over principle. And that principle is going to reassert itself in a different time, in a different form. The principles for which the South fought in 1861 to 1865 have been reasserting themselves over and over.
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The question is, where are our convictions to fight for them? Do you realize the same exact problems that we're having today were the same exact problems the South was having before 1860 and through 1865? Our political, our economic, our governmental, our theological problems are exactly the same. And the problems that we're having in our society today are stemming from the fact that these very principles that South fought over in 1861 or 1865 are reasserting themselves today.
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Might does not make right. And an issue settled by force of arms is still an unsettled issue. If you and I were men of conviction, we would recognize that we now have an opportunity to stand for the same principles that our forefathers stood for. The difference is they were willing to fight and they were willing to die. You know why? They were a people of conviction. And may God help us to have those kind of convictions. May we buy the truth and sell it not. Secondly, what manner of people should we be? Our manner must be one of courage.
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Now let me ask you, why are so many people so fainthearted and so cowardly? Have you noticed in Christianity, everyone is so afraid they're going to offend someone. Do you realize the Scripture tells us there is indeed an offense to the truth? Let me show you how our Lord handled this. Look in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 15, and let's begin reading there with verse 12. Matthew 15, verse 12. Let me show you how our Lord handled this, because there were some people offended at what He said.
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Of course, what He said was true. Notice Matthew chapter 15, and let's begin reading there with verse 12. Look carefully now, Matthew 15, verse 12, "Then came his disciples and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended after they heard this saying?" Well, Lord, these Pharisees, they're upset. They're mad. They're hurt. They're offended. What did our Lord say? "But he answered and said, Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up. Let them alone.
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They be blind, leaders of the blind. And the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch." Let me translate that in good Southern English. When our Lord's disciples came and said, "Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended?" Our Lord's attitude was tough stuff. They ought to be willing to submit to the truth. If they're unwilling to listen to the truth, they're going to fall into the ditch. They're blind leading the blind. I'm not going to change the truth because somebody didn't like the truth. That's what I'm already saying. Let me tell you, I am not saying that we should be purposely insulting. I'm not saying that at all. But let me tell you what I am saying. If people are offended over truth, that's their problem, not the one who's giving the truth.
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Why is it we have no courage? We have no courage to stand and speak for the truth. We live today in a day of political correctness. And have you ever noticed? Have you ever noticed that it's only Christianity and truth that is offensive to everybody else? I mean, they can tolerate the sodomites. They can tolerate the communists. They can tolerate the liberals. They can tolerate anybody but a Christian.
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And you say, oh, don't say that. That might have been them. Let me tell you something, folks. We need to learn to have courage like our forefathers. They stood for the truth even in front of their enemies and regardless of their enemies. The multitude and the magnitude did not matter. If we just simply had a smattering of the courage of our forefathers, we could change this situation in America. General Nathan Bedford Forrest.
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Did you know that he had 29 horses shot out from under him during the war? Twenty-nine! One of them with a cannonball. He was on the horse. He was so far ahead of his men chasing the enemies, they were fleeing left and right. But some had gotten far enough ahead, they were able to set up a cannon. And when the enemies that he was chasing saw the cannon, they parted so the cannon could shoot, and there was General Nathan Bedford Forrest head on into this cannon very quickly. He turned his horse just as the cannon fired, and the cannonball came right behind the saddle, literally cut his horse in two. He disentangled himself from the saddle, from the fallen horse, and fought on the ground until some of his men came and rescued him.
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On another time in the Battle of Chattanooga, he was leading a charge on another horse, and a bullet came and hit the horse in the neck and severed the artery. And when it did, blood, of course, began spurting everywhere, even in the face of General Forrest. General Forrest took his hand, wiped the blood out of his eyes, saw what happened, took his finger, reached over, plugged up the hole, and finished the charge. And when he finished the charge, he got off the horse, took his finger out of the hole, and the horse laid down and died.
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I mean, we're talking about somebody that knew how to fight and somebody who had a little bit of courage. General Stonewall Jackson, at the Battle of Malvern Hill. There's a book written by Henry Kyd Douglas entitled, "I Rode With Stonewall," and he tells about this incident in that book. Henry Kyd Douglas was the youngest staff officer on General Jackson's staff, and Jackson took a liking to him, and oftentimes he rode with Henry Kyd Douglas, and they were out during the battle.
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kind of reconnoitering the situation. And Jackson had a love for fresh fruits. And during the battle, as he was reconnoitering, he found a large blackberry patch full of luscious blackberries. And so they stopped, tied the horse, and got down and started eating these blackberries. And the bullets were whizzing by as thick as hornets, you know. And Kid Douglas says that Jackson's just standing there very calmly eating these blackberries. He said, finally, he took a large blackberry and had it poised between his finger and his thumb. And right before he put it in his mouth, he said to Douglas, he said, "Well, if you were to be shot, what part of your body do you prefer to be shot in?" And then he put the berry in his mouth. And Douglas responded, "Well," he said, "if I have a choice, I'd rather be shot in my clothes." But he said, "if it's any part of my body," he said, "I'd rather be shot anywhere except my face or a joint." To which General Jackson replied, as he finished the berry, "Well, I have that old fashioned horror of being shot in the back.
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So great is my prejudice on the subject that I often find myself turning to face the enemy's fire." And about that time, a bullet came by and cut the limb in two, one of the horses was tied, and the horse kind of went in and danced around. And Jackson looked at Douglas and said, "Well, we probably better move on before one of the horses gets hit." And Douglas said, looking him out at his horse, he rode off gladly, and he did not give a loving or a glancing look back.
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He was just happy to be out of that blackberry patch. Now let me ask you a question. I want you to think about this. I'm going to answer it for you. How could General Stonewall Jackson stand calmly and eat blackberries with bullets whizzing all around him? I'll answer that in just a minute. But I'm just showing you the courage these men had. You'd be amazed to find the poetry that's not only been written but is also available on the internet about some of these southern men and their courage.
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One of them was Jim O'Meara, who was a confederate and a private. In fact, there's a wonderful poem about Jim O'Meara. I'm not going to quote the poem, but it was May the 6th in 1864. It was the second day of fighting in the wilderness there at Spotsylvania, and it was General Jeb Stuart who was wondering if a line of earthworks in front of him, which had been previously occupied by the Federals, was still occupied.
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He hadn't heard anything from them and he didn't know if they'd retreated or not. So he asked Major Dangerfield to choose a brave man who would check out those earthworks. And so General Dangerfield selected Private Jim O'Meara. And Jim O'Meara reported to General Stuart. And he came up and he saluted him. And so General Stuart says to Jim O'Meara, "You see that line of earthworks?" He said, "What I want to know is if that line is manned or not." He said, "I want you to ride within 70 yards of it. Turn and ride along beside of it." He said, "If it is manned, they will shoot at you." He said, "If you ride fast, they will shoot behind you. But I want to know if that earthwork is manned." Jim O'Meara merely replied, "All right, General, know it."
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And he jumped on his horse. And he rode within 70 yards of the earthwork and turned and started riding parallel with it. And when he did, Yankee guns went to blazing left and right. He was riding his horse very rapidly. And when he got about halfway through the earthworks, a bullet came and hit his horse right above the nose, and just kind of, you know, made a flesh wound. And Jim O'Meara liked that horse and he kind of got aggravated, so he just stopped his horse, unslung his carbine, and deliberately shot at the man who shot at his horse. Then slung his carbine back, finished his ride all the way by the earthworks, turned around, came back to General Stuart. And General Stuart was standing there watching the whole episode and all he said is he came up to General Stuart after he saluted and said, "They're there yet, General. They're there yet."
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Can you imagine someone doing that today? These men had courage. I tried to find it. I read this so long ago. I read it in one of my books and I could not find the illustration. I'm going to tell you. There was a young boy from Georgia who wanted to join the war. And he joined, his father had a good friend who was a captain in the cavalry. And so his father gave the boy, the boy was only like 17, he gave him the best horse on the farm. And the boy's father also raised chickens. And Dominicker chickens are known for their cowardice. They won't fight. So when he gave the boy the horse, he looked at his captain and he said, "Captain, I didn't want my boy to go," he said, "young. But he said, Captain, he's determined to go and I'm going to let him go."
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And he says, "If he ever shows the Dominicker, that is, if he ever acts as part of a coward, don't send him back home." The boy stayed with the captain. Captain taught him all he could take teaching, and came the time of the big cavalry charge. The captain was leading the charge. He was way ahead of his men. The enemy were coming head on, and the captain said all of a sudden, that young 17-year-old boy passed him like a flash of lightning on that fast speed that his father had given him. As he passed his captain with a saber in his hand, he hollered at his captain, "Tell Pa, I ain't no Dominicker." After the battle was over, the captain found the young boy shot, slashed through, dead. But he sent word to the father. He died a man. "Tell Pa, I ain't no Dominicker."
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At first Manassas, when General Jackson received a painful wound in his hand, he still sat upon his horse, calm, cool, and collected, and deliberately commanded his men. A few days after the battle was over, Captain John Imboden came to Jackson and asked him, he said, "How is it, sir, that during the battle you appeared so calm and so cool and utterly insensitive to danger as those shells burst all around you and the bullets whizzed by you when you were in so much pain?" Jackson replied to the captain, here's what he said, "Captain, my religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed.
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God has ordained the time of my death. I do not concern myself about it, but to always be ready whenever it may overtake me." He then paused and he added, "Captain, that is the way all men should live. And then all would be equally brave." Did you hear what he said? "My religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has ordained the time of my death.
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I'm not concerned about that. What I'm concerned about is to always be ready whenever that day overtakes me." It was courage like this that made these men admired by their countrymen and feared by their enemies. But where is our courage? Why do we not stand? Why do we compromise and capitulate? Why are we so fearful? Why do we tremble and quake? Can I tell you why? One reason.
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Because we have no convictions. Are you listening? Because our material possessions mean more to us than does the truth. The average American, the average Southerner, the average Southern Christian is more afraid of the IRS than he is of God. We are more afraid of losing our subsidies, our government subsidies, than we are of losing our freedom. We're more afraid of missing a meal or missing a paycheck than we are of missing our rights and our liberties. When fear dominates people, there cannot be any convictions and there cannot be any courage.
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Now, I can quote this verse, but I want you to turn in your Bibles to 2 Timothy 1 and look at verse 7. 2 Timothy 1, verse 7. I want you to see the plain truth. 2 Timothy 1, look in verse 7. Here it is spelled out in black and white. 2 Timothy 1, verse 7, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."
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Now let me ask you a question, folks. If God has not given us the spirit of fear, where did it come from? Might have come from the world, might have come from the devil, might have come from flesh, but it sure didn't come from God. God does not give us a spirit of fear. God gives us a spirit of power and of love and of a sound mind.
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And the reason we have no courage is because we have no convictions. If we had some convictions, we'd have some courage.
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Thirdly, very quickly, our manner must be one of character. What men or people should we be? Not only men and women of conviction and courage, but men and women of character. Do you realize it was their character that gave our forefathers their convictions and their courage? If you've studied any history at all, especially the history of those people who lived in the mid-1800s, one of the most prominent aspects of their lives is their character.
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To me, it looks as if they had saw logs for backbones, nerves of steel, and stomachs of brass. Listen, those people had some real convictions about tyranny, despotism, and usurpation. They had some real conviction about the denial of their rights and the courage and the character to stand against those who were trying to enslave them and dominate them. These were people who would not sell their birthright for a mess of governmental pottage.
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You remember the message I brought on the death of Sam Davis. Here's a young man, 21 years old, who would rather be hanged than betray a friend. 21 years old, and he'd rather be hanged than betray a friend. You realize today the average church member would sell out his own pastor, not for money necessarily, but from an abnormal and servile fear of government and a peer pressure.
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You know, I would encourage you to read about the Scottish Covenanters. You remember when the king kicked them out of their churches, they began to meet in the fields. And then those meetings were unlawful because they did not have a government license. And so the king sent his dragoons and many times the pastor would always be murdered. But when those dragoons came there, oftentimes when they asked for the pastor, one of the men would step forward, who was not the pastor, and admit to being and confess to being the pastor, knowing that he was going to get shot. And he would do so to protect his pastor so his pastor could keep on preaching.
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Boy, today, let me tell you, children are being taught to betray their parents. Husbands and wives frequently violate their covenantal oath to each other. Men and women will not keep their word. They will not pay their bills. They will not honor their parents. Where in the world is the character to do that which is right regardless of the circumstances? Character is what a man is in the dark. You tell me what you would do if you knew that no one would ever find out about it, and I'll tell you exactly what you are. The test of your character is what it takes to stop you. Let me tell you something, folks. It just doesn't take much to stop the average person today. The average Christian.
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All we've got to do is talk about somebody and they'll get upset and say, "Well, that's the way you feel about it. I'll just quit." And you do. The test of your character is what it takes to stop you. Circumstances never make or break a man. They just reveal him. The battle does not make a man a hero. He was already a hero before he went into battle. The battle just revealed him. The battle doesn't make a man a coward. He was already a coward before he went into battle. The battle just revealed him.
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What about our women? Where are our Southern women? Let me ask a question. I'll explain my question. Where are the women of the homespun dress? And when I say the women of the homespun dress, I'm not talking about only women, but I'm talking about women of character. I remember one of the first times I heard that song "The Homespun Dress." I wept. I remember where I was.
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I was riding down the road. I wept. Because I saw such a disparity between the women in the 1860s and the women of today. Let me just give you several stanzas of that song. Listen to this. "Oh, yes, I am a Southern girl and glory in the name and boast it with far greater pride than glittering wealth or fame. We envy not the Northern girl, her robes of beauty rare, though diamonds grace her snowy neck and pearls bedeck her hair."
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Now, you've just got to remember what the South went through and what the South suffered, how they had to do without. And here's the Southern women said, "We don't envy the Northern girl. Her robes of beauty rare, though diamonds grace her snowy neck and pearls bedeck her hair." Here's the chorus, "Hurrah, hurrah for the sunny South so dear. Three cheers for the homespun dress that Southern ladies wear." Here's the second stanza. "The homespun dress is plain, I know, my hat's palmetto too. But then it shows what Southern girls for Southern rights will do."
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"We send the bravest of our land to battle with the foe, and we will lend a helping hand. We love the South, you know. Hurrah, hurrah for the sunny South, so dear. Three cheers for the homespun dress that Southern ladies wear." And then, here's the third stanza I want to quote to you. Listen to it very carefully. "The Southern land's a glorious land and has a glorious cause. Then cheer, three cheers for Southern rights and for the Southern boys. We scorn to wear a bit of silk, a bit of Northern lace, but make our homespun dresses up and wear them with a grace."
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Did you hear what that song is saying? That song is saying, we women of the South had rather have a homespun dress and be plain and simple, than compromise and have the lace and the pearls that were available in the North. Women back then were gracious, loving, faithful, sacrificing, willing to do that which was right at all times. I have a pastor friend from Kentucky. And he always said Kentucky used to be known for its fast horses and beautiful women. Now it's known for its fast women and beautiful horses. You see what I'm saying about character? Where is the character of a Miriam Forrest? Miriam Forrest was the mother of General Nathan Bedford Forrest.
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She had several sons, and the youngest son was named Jeffrey. When he was 18, he was still at home. But at 18, he joined the Confederate States of America Army. He joined the Confederacy. So he came back home with his uniform, went upstairs to his room, and was in bed. Well, Miriam Forrest always rose around 4 a.m. By five, she had already had her devotions, had her coffee, and she sent one of the servants up to get Jeffrey out of bed and tell him that she wanted him to take some corn to the mill to have it ground. When the servant went upstairs to awaken Jeffrey, Jeffrey said to the servant, "You go back down and tell mother she might as well send one of the servants to the mill. I'm not going. I am now in the Confederate States Army. And she might as well send someone else. I am not going." When the servant came back downstairs and told Mrs. Forrest what young Jeffrey had said, she finished her coffee, went outside, broke a good stout limb, went upstairs and whipped the living daylights out of Jeffrey, who was 18.
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And she said, "No son of mine will talk back to me or disobey me in my own house." Guess what? Guess who took the corn to the mill? Confederate soldier or no Confederate soldier? Jeffrey took it to the mill. You know something? We are so destitute of character today, we will not even discipline or teach our own children. Where in the world is the fatherly headship in the home? Do you realize our homes today are usually run by the women or by the children? Mostly by the children. It seems today that the average Christian cannot get anything right.
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We murmur, we complain, we whine, but nothing ever changes. You know why? Because of the lack of old-fashioned character. We just don't have it. When General Robert E. Lee's second daughter Annie died unexpectedly, now I want you to remember, Lee had been away. He had not seen his family. He had not seen his daughters in a long time. And she died unexpectedly. When he got word that Annie had died, he wrote a letter to his wife.
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And here's what he said. "I cannot express the anguish I feel at the death of my sweet Annie. To know that I shall never see her again on earth and that her place in our circle, which I've always hoped one day to enjoy, is forever vacant, is agonizing in the extreme. But God in this, as in all things, has mingled mercy with the blow in selecting the one best prepared to leave us."
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"May you be able to join me in saying, 'His will be done.'" There was no bitterness. There was no resentment that he could not get to his own daughter's funeral. That he wasn't there when she died. There was no complaining against divine providence. He just said, "God has been merciful. He chose the one best prepared. May you be able to join with me in saying, 'His will be done.'" How could Lee have that kind of attitude?
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And the answer is because of a godly character that's made evidence in all of his words and his actions. Very quickly, fourthly, what manner of people ought we to be? Go back in your Bibles to 2 Peter 3 and verse 11. Our manner must be one of Christianity. Look at it. 2 Peter 3 and verse 11. Our manner must be one of Christianity. He says, "Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in all holy conversation and godliness?" Now that phrase "in all holy conversation and godliness" is very informative. The word actually is plural in number. It's actually "what manner of persons ought you to be in all holy conversations." What is meant is this, that every part of our conduct should be holy and that every part of godliness should be attended to. In every part a holy life and in every act of godliness. That is, we're not to be holy in part and pious in part, but attend to every branch of duty toward God and every branch of duty toward man.
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Why did Lee, Jackson, Stuart, Ewell and others shine so brightly? The answer is because of their Christianity. Christianity applied to every area, every sphere, every avenue of life. You know what we've lost in this country? We have lost the theology of applied Christianity. People come to church and go to church regularly and listen! But they never apply. They never make application. You know what our Lord said in John 13 and verse 17? He said, "If you know these things, happy are you if you do them." Not happy are you if you remember them, but happy are you if you do them. You must apply them. It was the Christianity of our forefathers that gave them their conviction, their courage, and their character. Listen to me carefully. We will never recover our culture until we learn to apply biblical Christianity. We will never recover our heritage until we go back to the very foundation that our heritage was based upon. What was our heritage based upon? It was based upon Christianity. Now, some people may resent that statement, but I think it can be very easily proved.
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Do you know why we cannot help India, that is the country of India, on a permanent basis? Do you know why we cannot help Africa? Do you know why we cannot help Iraq? Well, let me tell you why. You cannot give those countries Christian values apart from Christianity. What we're trying to do is to give these countries a Western culture which is based upon Christianity. We're trying to give them that Christian culture. Without Christianity, it will not work. You look at all the millions and millions of dollars of food that we've sent to India.
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That has gone to absolute waste. You know why? Because they'll store that food and let the rats eat it. Let the cows walk in, eat what they want and defecate on the rest of it. Why? Because they believe that rat or that cow is their ancestor. They believe in reincarnation and they'll worship those rats and they'll worship those cows at their own expense, at their own health.
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You are never, ever going to change the culture of India until you change the theology of India. You will never change the culture of Iraq. Let me tell you something, folks. We pull out of there tomorrow, they'll still be killing each other. You cannot change their culture unless you change their theology. Likewise, you will never change the culture of pagan America until you change the theology of pagan America.
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We must go back to our foundation. If you desire a change in our culture, you must also have a corresponding change in theology. The reason our culture has changed is that we've left the theology of our father. If you want to bring back a Christian heritage, you must learn to be a godly, obedient Christian. If I were to ask you, how many changes have you seen in culture since you were a child? Unbelievable!
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Our society is falling apart before our very eyes. Our civilization is drowning in sin and rebellion, and we sit back and wonder why? And then we have the gall to piously sing and say, "God bless America." May I ask you, in light of our open, blatant, ungodly, reprobate acts, individually, familially, ecclesiastically, and nationally, why in the world should God ever bless America? If we desire the blessings of God, we must learn to be an obedient, God-honoring people. And we cannot be that while we're in rebellion to His Word. Robert E.
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Lee said, "The Bible is the book of books. A book which supplies the place of all others and cannot be replaced." A little later on, he said, "There are many things in that old book that I may never be able to explain, but I accept them as the infallible word of God and receive its teaching as inspired by the Holy Ghost. I prefer the Bible to any other book.
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There is enough in that to satisfy the most ardent thirst for knowledge, to open the way to true wisdom, and teach the only road to salvation and eternal happiness." He believed the Bible. You see, it was the faith of our fathers. It was their faith in Christ. It was their faith in His Word that gave them their convictions, their courage, and their character. Without Christianity, without the Word of God, we can never ever restore our heritage. You know the Bible says in Galatians 5 and verse 1, "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free." If we have liberty, we are to stand fast in it.
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Let me ask you to turn to one last passage. I want you to look in Psalm 44. Psalm 44. This is a tremendous psalm. I've preached from it before, I want to just read it and point out what the psalmist is saying. Look in Psalm 44, beginning there in verse 1. Psalm 44, verse 1. The psalmist says, "We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us what work thou didst in their days and times of old. How thou didst drive out the heathen with thine hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out. For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arms save them, but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them. Thou art my king, O God.
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Command deliverances for Jacob. Through thee we will push down our enemies. Through thy name we will tread them under that rise up against us. For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me. But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us. In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name forever."
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Now, go back very quickly to verse 1. Look what the psalmist said. "We have heard with our ears, O God. Our fathers have told us what work thou didst in their days and times of old." He was passed down how God parted the Red Sea. He was passed down how God destroyed the Egyptians. He was passed down how God drove out the Amorites and the Hittites and the Jebusites and the Perizzites and all the other ites. They had heard the mighty miracles and the mighty wonderings of God. Verse 2, "How thou," that is how God, "didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them," that is Israel. "How thou didst afflict the people," that is the wicked, "and cast them out." Now look, "For they," that is Israel, "got not the land in possession by their own sword," and what of their mighty work? "Neither did their own arms save them." Why did Israel possess that land? "But thy right hand," God's hand, God's arm, "and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them."
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Now look at verse 4. "Thou art my king, O God." Now look. "Command deliverances for Jacob." Now let me tell you what he is saying in verse 4. God, You've done it in time past. Do it again. Do it again. Do it again. Lord, You're the same God. You have the same power. We've heard of all Your mighty miracles and wonders and marvels. Lord, as You have done it for our fathers in time past, do it again for us. If we want God to do it again, we must come back to Him, His Word, in obedience and submission.
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What manner of people should we be? A people of conviction. A people of courage. A people of character. And a people that preeminently demonstrate applied Christianity. Let's pray. Father, we do ask for your help and your grace. Lord, as we think of our forefathers and what they went through, what they stood for, and we think, Lord, of how weak and sickly and anemic we are, all we can ask for is mercy. Give us grace, Lord, that we may stand fast in the faith and quit ourselves like men. May each of us determine here today that we're going to live by convictions. We're not going to give in to feelings. We're not going to give in to circumstances. We're going to live by conviction. We will have the courage to stand for those convictions. We'll have the character those convictions demand because we base each and every one of them upon the word of Jesus. Give us grace to serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In Thy name we pray, Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T21:42:12Z

What Manner of People Should We Be?

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

John Weaver examines 2 Peter 3:11, asking what kind of people Christians—especially Southern Christians—should be in light of coming judgment and their heritage. He argues that truth must be applied, not merely believed, and that Southern forefathers exemplified conviction, courage, character, and applied Christianity. Using historical examples from the War Between the States, he contrasts their principled stand with modern fear, compromise, and lack of character, calling believers to recover these virtues by returning to biblical obedience.

Introduction: The Question of Manner

Manner of Conviction

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 23:23

Let every ship line poured in rot. Let commerce go to ruin for a season. That he, Francis Bartow, would never give a vote that compromised the dignity or the fair fame and the honor of Georgia." You can tell he wasn't a member of the Chamber of Commerce. He said, I'm willing for everything to rot before I'll compromise. You see, these men understood the truth of Proverbs 23 and verse 23, when the Bible says, "Buy the truth and sell it not." Now, how could men like Francis Bartow and Governor Brown and other men of that period stand so staunchly? I'll tell you how, because they were men of conviction and situations and circumstances did not matter. They simply stood for what they knew was right. One of my favorite stories is about General Leonidas Polk. Now, General Leonidas Polk is known as the Fighting Parson. He was an Episcopalian pastor, and back in those days, Episcopalians believed the Bible. And he was at Stone's River, the Battle of Stone's River, with General Cheatham. And the battle was about to ensue, and General Cheatham, encouraging his men to fight, gave a rousing oration to the soldiers.

Manner of Courage

Of course, what He said was true. Notice Matthew chapter 15, and let's begin reading there with verse 12. Look carefully now, Matthew 15, verse 12,

Scripture Reading — Matthew 15:12-14

"Then came his disciples and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended after they heard this saying?"

Well, Lord, these Pharisees, they're upset. They're mad. They're hurt. They're offended. What did our Lord say?

Scripture Reading — Matthew 15:12-14

"But he answered and said, Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up. Let them alone.

Scripture Reading — 2 Timothy 1:7

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."

Manner of Character

Manner of Christianity

Scripture Reading — John 13:17

"If you know these things, happy are you if you do them."

Conclusion: A Call to Return

Scripture Reading — Psalm 44:1-8

"We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us what work thou didst in their days and times of old. How thou didst drive out the heathen with thine hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out. For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arms save them, but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them. Thou art my king, O God.

What Manner of People Should We Be?

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	6240414456
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Proverbs: Kingship, Household Wisdom, and Warning
Genre	Sermon
Date	2004-06-13
Dictation Name
Book	Book 084: Proverbs: Kingship, Household Wisdom, and Warning — Chapter 1
Source Timed Segments	79

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction: The Question of Manner: Weaver introduces 2 Peter 3:11 and the question 'What manner of people should we be?' He emphasizes that truth must be obeyed and applied, not just believed, and notes that the Greek word for 'manner' implies singular excellency.
Manner of Conviction: Believers must be people of principle, holding tenaciously to what is right, placing morality over money and conviction over compromise. Historical examples from Georgia's Governor Brown and Francis Bartow illustrate unwavering commitment to rights and honor.
Manner of Courage: Courage is needed to stand for truth without fear of offending. Jesus' response to offended Pharisees (Matthew 15) shows that truth must not be compromised. Stories of Nathan Bedford Forrest, Stonewall Jackson, and Jim O'Meara demonstrate the courage of Southern forefathers, rooted in trust in God's sovereignty.
Manner of Character: Character is what a man is in the dark; it gave forefathers their convictions and courage. Examples include Sam Davis's loyalty, Scottish Covenanters' sacrifice, and Miriam Forrest's discipline. Modern lack of character is seen in betrayal, broken vows, and failure to keep one's word.
Manner of Christianity: The foundation of conviction, courage, and character is applied Christianity. 2 Peter 3:11 calls for holiness in every part of conduct. The South's greatness came from biblical faith; cultural decline stems from abandoning that theology. Restoration requires returning to God's Word and obedience.
Conclusion: A Call to Return: Psalm 44 shows that Israel's victories came from God, not their own strength. The psalmist asks God to do again what He did for the fathers. Believers must return to God in obedience to see deliverance. The message closes with a prayer for grace to live by conviction, courage, character, and applied Christianity.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Truth Demands Obedience

Believing truth is insufficient; we must bring our lives into conformity with God's Word, as Jesus questioned those who call Him Lord but do not obey.

Our Lord asked the question in Luke 6 and verse 46. He said, 'And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say unto you?'

Conviction Requires Standing Fast

Scripture commands believers to stand fast in the faith; this is impossible without settled convictions, as a double-minded man is unstable.

1 Corinthians 16 and verse 13 admonishes us thusly, 'Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit ye like men, be strong.' ... James 1 and verse 8. The Bible says a double minded man is unstable in all of his ways.

Courage Does Not Fear Offense from Truth

Jesus did not soften truth to avoid offending the Pharisees; believers must not compromise truth for fear of offending others.

When our Lord's disciples came and said, 'Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended?' Our Lord's attitude was tough stuff. ... I'm not going to change the truth because somebody didn't like the truth.

Fear Stems from Misplaced Priorities

Fear of losing material things or government favor reveals a lack of conviction; when fear dominates, courage and conviction vanish.

Because our material possessions mean more to us than does the truth. ... When fear dominates people, there cannot be any convictions and there cannot be any courage.

Character Is Tested by What It Takes to Stop You

True character is revealed by what it takes to make a person quit; modern Christians give up too easily.

The test of your character is what it takes to stop you. Let me tell you something, folks. It just doesn't take much to stop the average person today.

Cultural Change Requires Theological Change

You cannot give Christian values apart from Christianity; to change a culture, you must change its theology.

You cannot give those countries Christian values apart from Christianity. ... You will never change the culture of pagan America until you change the theology of pagan America.

Scripture References

2 Peter 3:11: The foundational text of the sermon, asking what manner of persons believers ought to be in holy conversation and godliness.
Luke 6:46: Jesus questions why people call Him Lord but do not obey Him, illustrating the need to apply truth.
Matthew 8:27: The disciples' exclamation 'What manner of man is this?' uses the same Greek word potapos, indicating singular excellency.
1 Corinthians 16:13: Admonition to watch, stand fast in the faith, quit like men, and be strong.
Philippians 4:1: Exhortation to stand fast in the Lord.
James 1:8: A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways, showing the need for settled conviction.
Proverbs 23:23: Buy the truth and sell it not, used to illustrate the forefathers' commitment to principle.
Matthew 15:12-14: Jesus' response when told the Pharisees were offended, showing He did not compromise truth.
2 Timothy 1:7: God has not given a spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind.
John 13:17: If you know these things, happy are you if you do them, emphasizing application of truth.
Galatians 5:1: Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free.
Psalm 44:1-8: The psalmist recounts God's past deliverances and asks Him to do it again, illustrating the call to return to God.

Historical References

Francis Schaeffer, 'How Should We Then Live?': Mentioned as a book whose title and truth remain applicable, emphasizing that truth should change lives.
General William Tecumseh Sherman: Quoted for his negative caricature of Southern men as lazy and shiftless; also noted for coining 'The only good Indian is a dead Indian.'
London Times article, 1862: Praised the Confederate States for courage, devotion, and military achievements, countering Northern caricatures.
Governor Brown of Georgia, 1862: His speech advocating millions for defense but not a cent for tribute, and standing by arms for rights and liberties.
Francis S. Bartow, Congressman from Savannah: Declared he would let Savannah's commerce rot rather than compromise Georgia's dignity and honor.
General Leonidas Polk ('Fighting Parson'): Episcopalian pastor and general who refused to use profanity, telling his men, 'Boys, give them what General Cheatham says.'
General Richard Taylor and Stonewall Jackson: Jackson rebuked Taylor for swearing, saying 'I'm afraid you're a very wicked man,' illustrating Jackson's convictions.
President Jefferson Davis: Stated that the principle for which the South contended would reassert itself in another time and form.
General Nathan Bedford Forrest: Had 29 horses shot from under him; examples of his courage in battle, including plugging a horse's artery with his finger.
Henry Kyd Douglas, 'I Rode With Stonewall': Account of Jackson calmly eating blackberries under fire and discussing where he'd prefer to be shot.

Important Quotes

Truth is absolutely useless to us unless we apply it to our lives. It is not enough to believe the truth. We must obey the truth.

Establishes the sermon's central premise that truth must be lived out, not just intellectually affirmed.

We must always learn to place morality over money, principle over prosperity, virtue over vice, and conviction over compromise.

Defines the priority of conviction that should characterize believers.

We will never recover our culture until we learn to apply biblical Christianity. We will never recover our heritage until we go back to the very foundation that our heritage was based upon.

Argues that cultural restoration depends on returning to Christianity as the foundation.

The average American, the average Southerner, the average Southern Christian is more afraid of the IRS than he is of God.

Highlights misplaced fear as a root cause of cowardice and lack of conviction.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

What does it mean to 'apply' biblical truth in daily life, and why is mere belief insufficient?

[Context]

Weaver emphasizes that truth must be obeyed, not just believed, citing Luke 6:46.

[Question]

How can we develop and maintain convictions that are not swayed by circumstances or feelings?

[Context]

The sermon contrasts living by conviction with living by feelings, using James 1:8.

[Question]

In what areas are Christians today tempted to compromise truth to avoid offending others, and how should we respond?

[Context]

Jesus' handling of offended Pharisees in Matthew 15 is presented as a model.

[Question]

What fears (financial, social, governmental) hinder us from standing courageously for truth, and how can we overcome them?

[Context]

Weaver argues that fear of losing material things or facing government pressure undermines courage.

[Question]

How does the concept that 'character is what a man is in the dark' challenge our private and public integrity?

[Context]

The definition of character is given as what you do when no one is watching.

[Question]

What practical steps can families and churches take to restore fatherly headship and biblical discipline in the home?

[Context]

Weaver laments the lack of discipline and character, citing Miriam Forrest's example.

[Question]

Why is it impossible to have Christian values without Christianity, and what does this imply for cultural engagement?

[Context]

The argument that culture flows from theology is applied to both foreign missions and America.

[Question]

How does Psalm 44 model a prayer for God to act again as He did in the past, and what must precede such a prayer?

[Context]

The psalmist recounts God's past works and asks for deliverance, implying a need for repentance and faith.

Applications

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