Church Order: Preaching and Pastoral Ministry

Ignorant Professors - Part 2 of 2

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Church Government

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2017-01-11

Synopsis: Pastor John Weaver continues his exposition of Hebrews 3:10, emphasizing that those who profess to know God but are ignorant of His ways are 'ignorant professors.' He argues that departing from God's ways is wickedness that brings inevitable judgment, while walking in His ways leads to obedience, holiness, blessing, and rejoicing. The sermon calls believers to search their ways, turn from sin, and prepare their ways before the Lord by growing in the knowledge of His will.

[John Weaver] Alright, let's open our Bibles again today to the book of Hebrews chapter 3. Hebrews chapter 3. Hebrews chapter 3. We're going to do the second part of the message, Ignorant Professors. And we're going to read verses 7 through 11, Hebrews chapter 3, beginning there with verse 7. Wherefore, as the Holy Ghost saith today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation in the day of temptation in the wilderness, when your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore, I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in their heart, and they have not known my ways.

[John Weaver] So I swear in my wrath they shall not enter into my rest." We're looking at verse 10 particularly where God says, Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in their heart, and they have not known my ways. Ignorant professors abound. They were not only prevalent in the Old Testament, but they were prevalent in the New Testament as well. And I might add that they really and truly abound greatly in our day and time. Ignorant professors are those who profess to know God, but in reality, they do not know Him or His ways. The Apostle Paul describes such individuals in Titus 1 and verse 16 when he said, they profess that they know God, But in works they deny him, being abominable and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate."

[John Weaver] Now notice what he said. They profess that they know God, but in their works they deny him. So the way they live, the way they act, the way they talk, their entire life was nothing more than a denial of God. And how in the world can it be otherwise when an individual is totally ignorant of God and ignorant of his ways? Now, I pointed out last week that when an individual is ignorant of his ways, he is also ignorant of God, for God is revealed by his ways. The only way that you can understand God is by his ways, and of course that is what reveals him. I also pointed out how vastly different God's ways and God's thoughts are from ours.

[John Weaver] You remember the passage in Isaiah 55, verses 8 and 9. Isaiah 55 verses 8 and 9, where God said, For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. So God's thoughts and God's ways are infinitely higher than ours. Which means, by the way, if we wish to please Him, if we wish to honor Him, then we have to turn from our ways to His ways.

[John Weaver] Now, last week, just recapping momentarily, we only looked at two major points. The very first one was this, we considered that God commands us to walk in His ways. And I took you through the scripture and showed you a number of passages that explained what it meant to walk in His ways. According to many of those passages, it meant fearing Him. It meant loving Him. It meant obeying Him. It meant cleaving unto Him. And it meant walking in His commandments. So that is what it means, basically, to walk in His ways. The second thing I pointed out was we had to consider that not walking in His ways was wickedness. It is sin not to walk in His ways. 1 John 3 and verse 4 describe sin for us. The Word of God says there, whosoever committed sin transgresseth also the law, for sin is the transgression of the law.

[John Weaver] So let me point this out and make it clear. Every time you sin, you violate God's law. Sin is nothing less than a violation of God's law. Many times I have people email me or write me or call me and they'll ask the question, well, there's such and such a sin. And my response is, is it contrary to God's law? No. Well, then it's not sin. It may not be wise, it may not be practical, but it would not be sin. Sin is a violation of God's laws. Sin is a refusal to walk in God's ways. It's a transgression of His commands. And essentially, When we leave God's ways, we turn to our own ways. When we turn to our own ways, we are leaving God's ways, and it is idolatry.

[John Weaver] So our text in verse 10 says this, Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in their heart, and they have not known my ways. So the reason we go astray, the reason we err, is because we do not know his ways. Thus our ways are ignorance and wickedness. You remember the passage I quoted last week in 2 Samuel 22 and verse 22, David said, For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God. So anytime we depart from God's ways, it is wickedness. So I ended the message last week with a number of applications. applications. And today I want to pick up where we left off and show you what you must consider if we're going to walk in God's ways. So we looked first, we had to consider that God commands us to walk in His ways. Secondly, we had to consider that departing from His ways is wickedness. And thirdly, today we must consider that to depart from the ways of the Lord brings judgment and destruction.

[John Weaver] Now, Let me point something out. It is true that men sin against God. It is true that men rebel against God. It is true that people are disobedient all of the time. But there are consequences for doing so. There is no individual, there is no family, there is no church, there is no society or nation that can escape the consequences of their actions. So, let me begin by showing you Jeremiah 23, whole Hebrews if you would, but turn to Jeremiah chapter 23, and let's begin looking there at verse 9, just to show you that no one can escape the consequences of their actions. In Jeremiah 23, beginning there with verse 9, I want you to note what God says. Jeremiah is writing and he says this My heart within me is broken because of the prophets all my bones shake I'm like a drunken man like a man with whom wine hath overcome Because of the Lord and because the words of his holiness For the land is full of adulterers Now go back if you would just look at verse 9 notice the word prophets now.

[John Weaver] He says in verse 10 For the land is full of adulterers, for because of swearing the land mourneth. The pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up, and their course is evil, and their force is not right. For both the prophet and priest are profane. Yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the Lord. Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness.

[John Weaver] They shall be driven on and fall therein. For I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith the Lord. And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria. They prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err. I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem a horrible thing. They commit adultery and walk in lies. They strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness.

[John Weaver] There are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah." Now, if you followed the passage, you will notice that God spoke about the prophets being sinful and evil. He spoke about the people of the land being adulterers and swearing. And then He talked about the priests. So now you have the prophets, the priests, and the people, each one of them absolutely, totally wicked. They are corrupt transgressors. They are violating the Law of God.

[John Weaver] Now, look if you would at verse 12. Look what God says, Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness, and they shall be driven on, and fall therein. For I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith the Lord. Now, when you look at verse 12, He says, wherefore their way. What is their way? It is the way that they have chosen. They're not walking in God's ways. They are now walking in their own way. So he says very clearly, wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness. Now, interestingly, God says their ways are going to end up being slippery ways.

[John Weaver] Each one of us has slid down. And you know, the funny thing is, almost the amazing thing is, if you fall down, slip down publicly, one of the first things you do is look around and see who watched you fall, you know, whether you're hurt or not. But notice, we can avoid slippery places if we see them, if we know them. I remember a long time ago, I was in Indiana preaching, and we were staying with a family, and our room was upstairs.

[John Weaver] And they had, I think it was oak boards on their stairway, and I made the bad mistake of coming downstairs in my socks. And the last thing I remember was seeing my feet at the ceiling as my lower back hit that stairwell, and I slid all the way down. And yeah, I had a hematoma about like the size of my fist that Alice had to drain for about two weeks.

[John Weaver] And I'm just simply saying it's one of those things that happen. But notice if you would, God says they're going to be in slippery places, but he adds something else. Here's a double judgment. He said in verse 12, wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery places in the darkness. So they're not going to be able to see danger. They're not going to be able to avoid or avert the danger. No, no. And then he says this in verse 12, wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery places in the darkness, and they shall be driven on. In other words, God will drive them because of their choice of their own particular ways. So he says in verse 12, it will be absolutely impossible to avoid this judgment.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Deuteronomy 32. I want you to see this. In light of that passage, Deuteronomy 32, and notice if you would, please, verse 35. Deuteronomy 32 and verse 35. Look what God says. Deuteronomy 32, verse 35.

[John Weaver] to me belongeth vengeance and recompense." Now he's talking about the wicked. Watch."...their foot shall slide in due time. For the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them may case." But notice he says,"...their foot shall slide in due time. Surely their own slippery places." In other words, they've chosen their way. It is not God's way. and their foot shall slide. I don't know if you remember the passage in Isaiah, not in Isaiah but in Psalm 73 where Asaph is writing and he is talking about the fact that he was envious at the wicked because he saw their prosperity. He went on to say that they were not in trouble like other men and he said their voice runs through the heaven, they do whatever they please. And then he says, surely I washed my hands in vain and in innocence. In other words, what good has it done me to be holy and right when the ungodly are prospering? And then he said, he didn't understand it until I went into the house of God.

[John Weaver] He said, then I understood their end. And then when he got to verse 18, he said, surely thou did set them in slippery places. In other words, their foot shall slide in due time. And then he began to thank God that God had indeed saved him.

[John Weaver] Now, the truth that I'm speaking about now, as I've already pointed out, is applicable to individuals, to families, churches, societies, and nations. I want to show you this. I want you to follow me in Scripture because God says, they have not known my ways. Because men choose their way. And that's what he was talking about in Jeremiah 23. But go to Jeremiah chapter 17 and look if you would please at verse 10. And I want to show you again how man's ways ultimately bring judgment. Notice in Jeremiah chapter 17 and verse 10 at what God says. He says, I the Lord search the heart. Try the reins even to give to every man according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings so God is going to judge us and Recompense us according to our ways whether of course it's going to be biblical ways or whether it's going to be man's ways We're going to be judged notice chapter 18 and verse 11 of Jeremiah Jeremiah 18 verse 11 Look what he says, Now therefore go to speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you.

[John Weaver] Return you now, everyone, from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good. So God says, Listen, I'm going to judge you. I'm going to destroy you. The best thing for you to do is turn from your evil way Make your ways good, how? By coming back to God's way. But he said, I'm going to judge you based upon your evil ways. So, turn right over to the book of Ezekiel chapter 7. It's amazing to me how often these prophets cried out against the people and yet, of course, they refused to listen. Look at Ezekiel chapter 7 and verse 4. Ezekiel 7 and verse 4. God says, and mine eye shall not spare thee, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense thy way upon thee, and thine abomination shall be in the midst of thee, and you shall know that I am the Lord. Wow. Skip down, if you would, to verse 9. And mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, I will recompense thee according to thy ways, and thine abominations that are in the midst of thee, You shall know that I am the Lord that smited the words when you judge when I judge you you gonna know it's me turn to

[John Weaver] chapter 14 and Look in verse 23 Ezekiel 14 verse 23 He says and they shall comfort you when you see their ways and their doings and you shall know that I have not done it without cause and All that I've done in it, saith the Lord." In other words, he tells Ezekiel, you'll understand when I do it, they had it coming. Look, if you would, in Ezekiel chapter 20 and verse 21. Chapter 20 and verse 21. Again, he says it like this.

[John Weaver] Notwithstanding the children rebelled against me, they walked not in my statutes, Neither kept my judgments to do them, which if a man do, he shall even live in them. They polluted my Sabbaths. Then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them to accomplish my anger against them in wickedness." But notice what he said in verse 21, they walked not in my statutes. In other words, they did not walk in his ways.

[John Weaver] They chose their own way. Look in Ezekiel 24 and verse 14. Ezekiel 24 and verse 14. He says, I the Lord have spoken it, it shall come to pass, and I will do it. I will not go back, neither will I spare, neither will I repent, according to thy ways, and according to thy doings shall they judge thee, saith the Lord God. So God says you're going to reap according to your It's just that simple.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to turn, I'm going to quote a verse as you turn there, but I want you to turn to the book of Zechariah, which is the last book before Malachi, Zechariah, Malachi, to chapter 1. As you turn there, listen to Hosea 12 in verse 2. The Lord hath a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways. according to his doings will I recompense him. So again God says I'm going to judge you according to your ways. This passage in Zechariah chapter 1 is a very interesting passage. I remember, Lord have mercy, I guess 35 years ago now at least I preached a message from this passage, it was on Father's Day, and look at verse 4, The very first thing God told these people, be ye not as your fathers. Isn't that amazing? In Father's Day we want to hold up fathers and say emulate your father, but not this one. He said, be not as your fathers unto whom the former prophets have cried saying, thus said the Lord of hosts, turn you now from your evil ways and from your evil doings.

[John Weaver] But they did not hear. Nor hearken unto me, saith the Lord."

[John Weaver] Now, just stop there just for a moment. So God says, I don't want you to be like your fathers. How were the fathers? They wouldn't heed, they wouldn't hear, they wouldn't listen, they wouldn't repent. God says, don't be like that.

[John Weaver] Now look at verse 5. Your fathers, where are they? Dead. And the prophets, do they live forever? No. Now look at verse 6. He says, but my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers? Lord, you can't outrun God. And they returned and said, that is those who were spared, they returned and said, like as the Lord of hosts thought to do unto us according to our ways and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us.

[John Weaver] So let me put it to you very plainly. Whatever God says is going to come to pass. And when God says he's going to judge us for living according to our ways instead of his ways, then obviously it's going to happen. No man, no church, no family, no society, and no nation can escape the consequences of their actions, or the consequences of their choices. One passage will clarify that, Jeremiah 11, verse 11. Listen to what God says, Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape.

[John Weaver] And though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them. God said, I will bring my judgment, and they shall not be able to escape. When God places our feet in slippery places, in darkness, and we're driven, as he said in Deuteronomy 32 verse 35, their feet shall slide in due time. It's just a matter of time. You think about the wicked of this world, it's just a matter of time. Their feet shall slide.

[John Weaver] So you need to consider To depart from God's ways is wickedness. And when you depart from God's ways, it brings judgment and devastation upon you. Here's the fourth thing today. You need to consider that the ways of the Lord are right and true ways and lead to obedience and holiness.

[John Weaver] Now, John the Baptist, of course, was the forerunner of Jesus Christ. And he was sent before Christ to prepare his ways. Zechariah the father of John the Baptist said this in Luke 1 verse 76, and thou child shalt be called the prophet of the highest for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways. So how then did John the Baptist prepare the ways of Jesus Christ? Well John prepared his ways by preparing a people to receive his ways. You remember John came preaching the baptism of repentance. He said, repent ye. And when he saw the Pharisees come to his baptism, he said, O generation of vipers, who have warned you to flee from the wrath to come? And so what John was doing was this. He was saying, you people have turned to your own ways. You've turned from God's ways. Now you need to repent and turn back to God and His ways. So what John was teaching then was basically conformity to God's Word and rejection of man's ways.

[John Weaver] That is how John was preparing the way of the Lord. David, a man after God's own heart, Psalm 25 and verse 4 prayed this, show me thy ways O Lord and teach me thy paths. Show me thy ways O Lord and teach me thy paths. Have you ever asked God to show you his ways? If you walk in his ways, obviously you will follow his paths. Wherever there is a desire for holiness and obedience, there will inevitably be a desire to know God's ways. Let me put it in a different way. It is impossible to be obedient and holy if you're ignorant, without knowing God's ways. Let me put it even more bluntly. An ignorant man can never be a holy man. Now, when I say that, I'm talking about someone who is ignorant of God's Word.

[John Weaver] You could have 40 PhDs behind your name, and they could all be earned PhDs. You could be the most brilliant man on earth, but if you're ignorant of God and His ways, you still cannot be holy. It's just that simple. So, let me show you. I want you to turn to 2 Peter chapter 3. And look, if you would please, at verse 18. The last verse in 2 Peter. 2 Peter 3 and verse 18. Look at this verse.

[John Weaver] But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen. But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Well, just a cursory reading of that verse ought to tell you that if you're growing in grace, it is because you're growing in knowledge. You really cannot separate grace and knowledge. But there is a very important word in verse 18. It's a small word. He said in verse 18, but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The little word and is from the little Greek word chi, K-A-I. And chi is translated in our Bibles and many times, but it is also translated another way many times. It is sometimes, and yes, many times, translated as even. And so if you look back at verse 18, but grow in grace even in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In other words, no one is growing in grace unless they're growing in knowledge.

[John Weaver] Knowledge and grace go together. This is why I'm saying that God's ways always lead to obedience and holiness now I want you to turn to the book of Hosea there is one verse here that you can already nearly quote Daniel Hosea Hosea chapter 4 I'm going to show you the verse that you're familiar with first look at Hosea chapter 4 and verse 6 We're talking about knowledge now, and grace, and holiness. In Hosea 4 and verse 6, he says, My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me. Seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. And let me just mention this, I'm not preaching on this, but since God's law is an expression of His will, and since children are an expression of our will, this is an example of the lex talionis, which is the law of retribution, where God makes the punishment fit the crime. So God says, you're not concerned with my will, I'm not concerned with your will.

[John Weaver] But notice if you would, my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. And because thou hast rejected knowledge, Will also reject thee that there'll be no priest to me in other words if you don't know how to serve me if you don't know How to obey me if you don't know what my ways are How can you? Live for me it's impossible now notice if you would Hosea 14 and verse 9 Hosea 14 and verse 9 the last verse in the book of Hosea Watch what he says, Isaiah, Hosea 14 verse 9, Who is wise, and he shall understand these things, prudent, and he shall know them. For the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them, but the transgressors shall fall therein. God says if you're wise, If you understand, if you're prudent, you walk in His ways. It is that simple. Now, I do want you to turn back to Isaiah chapter 2 because I still want you to see in this passage how knowledge is connected to obedience and holiness.

[John Weaver] Look at Isaiah 2 and verse 3. Isaiah 2 and verse 3, And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his ways. And we will walk in his paths. For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." Now note what they say. Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his ways. There will be instruction.

[John Weaver] There will be knowledge imparted. When you have the instruction, when you have the knowledge, we will walk in his paths. Where do we get the knowledge? Where do we get the instruction? For out of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. In other words, we get the knowledge and the instruction from His word. That is how we know how to live.

[John Weaver] So, turn over to Isaiah 35. Look, if you would, beginning there with verse 8. Isaiah 35 and verse 8. He says, and a highway shall be there and a way, and it shall be called the way of holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it shall be for those The wayfaring men though fools shall not err therein." In other words, if you're walking in obedience to God's ways, you're not going to err. You must remember Hebrews 3 and verse 10, they do always err in their heart. Why? Because they have not known my ways. Now he says, when you're on the highway of holiness, You're not going to err therein. Watch verse 9.

[John Weaver] No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go upon. It shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee away as we walk the highway of holiness. So you have to consider that God's ways are right and true, and they always lead to obedience and to holiness. Okay? Here's number five. You have to consider that the ways of the Lord are blessed and rejoicing ways.

[John Weaver] So I want you to go back to Deuteronomy chapter 30 to begin with. We're going to look at a number of passages. Deuteronomy but look in Deuteronomy 30 and verse 16 Deuteronomy 30 verse 16 in fact, let's read verse 15 so that you can see this you've got to consider that the ways of the Lord are blessed and rejoicing ways Look what he said in Deuteronomy 13 verse 15 see I've set before thee this day life and good and death and evil So you've got two choices. You've got life and good, and you have death and evil. Now, how did God set before this people life and good and death and evil? Watch the explanation in verse 16. In that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply And the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the land where thou goest to possess it. That is life, and that is good.

[John Weaver] Here's death and evil. But if thine heart turn away so that thou wilt not hear, but shall be drawn away and worship other gods and serve them, I denounce unto you this day that you shall surely perish, and that you shall not prolong your days upon the land, whether thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it. Note, I call heaven and earth to record This day against you that I've set before you life and death Blessing and cursing therefore choose life that both thou and thy seed May live now note if you would God said I've set before you life and good and death and evil Life and good is by obeying God's Word death and evil is by disobeying Let me say it another way. Life and good is walking in his ways. Death and evil is walking in your own ways.

[John Weaver] Now, many fail to grasp a simple fact. That simple fact is that God has designed his word and his law for our good. Notice if you would he says I want you to obey me that thou mayest live and multiply And the Lord thy God shall bless thee. So go back to Deuteronomy chapter 5 and Let's look at a few verses here to show you that obedience is basically for our good Deuteronomy chapter 5 notice if you would please verse 33 Deuteronomy 5 verse 33 You shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God hath commanded you That you may live and that it may be well with you And that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess Now God says you walk in my ways You're going to live that's life That it may be well with you. That's good and that you may prolong your days in the land which the Lord your God shall possess." Wow.

[John Weaver] You know, I know that as Christians, we understand and know to be absent from the bodies to be present with the Lord. That's no problem. But unless you're terribly sick, In an awful lot of pain, it is normal and natural to want to live. Anybody in this room want to die tonight? I don't. Even though I know to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. I enjoy life. I enjoy preaching. I enjoy teaching. I enjoy a lot of things.

[John Weaver] What did God just say? Look at it again, if you would, in verse 33. You shall walk in the ways which the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may live, and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days. I want to live long, and I want to live a healthy life. In fact, when I die, I want to be so healthy people say, hmm, I wonder what killed him, you know. I'm serious. And God says it is for our good. Look in Deuteronomy 6 verses 24 and 25. Deuteronomy 6 verses 24 and 25. Watch it now. He says, And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God for our good always, that he might preserve us alive as it is this day. And it shall be our righteousness, If we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God as He commanded us. But note if you would verse 24. He said, And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes to fear the Lord our God for our good always.

[John Weaver] Do you realize it is for our good that God said thou shalt not commit adultery. It is for our good that God said thou shalt not steal. It is for our good that God said thou shalt not take my name in vain. It is for our good that God said thou shalt not covet. All of this is for our good. It's not just for God's honor and glory, it is for our good as well.

[John Weaver] Look in Deuteronomy chapter 10 and verses 12 and 13. Deuteronomy 10 verses 12 and 13. And now Israel, what does the Lord by God require of thee but to fear the Lord by God, to walk in all his ways, there it is again, And to love him and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soul To keep the commandments of the Lord in his statutes, which I commend thee this day for thy good Wow So God says it is for our good that we obey look in Deuteronomy 12 and verse 28 Deuteronomy 12 verse 28 He says, Observe and hear all these words which I command thee, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee for ever, when thou doest that which is good and right in the sight of the Lord thy God. Now God says if we obey Him, it is not just for our good, but it's even for the good of our children. Wow.

[John Weaver] So, the point I'm trying to make is very simple. We have to consider that God's ways always lead to blessedness and rejoicing. Even David, the man after God's own heart, said in Psalm 128 in verse 1, blessed is everyone that feareth the Lord that walketh in his ways. And when you get to Psalm 135 or Psalm 138 in verse 5, he says, yea, they shall sing in the ways of the Lord, for great is the glory of the Lord. Wow. I don't know about you, but that sounds to me like rejoicing. That sounds to me like being blessed.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to turn to another passage. I want you to turn to the book of James, chapter 2, and let me show you an interesting passage. Hebrews, James. After the book of Hebrews you have James, James chapter 2. You know, whenever you begin to talk about the Word of God or the Law of God, so many people try to equate God's Law or God's Word with bondage, which is a complete fabrication. bondage. The flesh is bondage. The world is bondage. God's law is liberty. There is no liberty apart from the law of God. Look in James 2 beginning there in verse 8.

[John Weaver] Now he says, if you fulfill the royal law, according to the scripture, thou shalt love thy neighbors thyself, you do well. Now note it is called the royal law. But if you have respect to persons you commit sin and are convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all. For he that saith, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye, and so do as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty." Now, when you look at verse 8, God's law is called the royal law. Why?

[John Weaver] Because it proceeds from the king of kings. It is his law. But when you look at the latter part of verse 12, it is called the law of liberty. True liberty is found in obedience to God and His ways. All else is slavery, bondage, and tyranny. All you have to do is observe people, observe individuals. And you want to talk about bondage? Look how many people are in bondage to cigarettes, to alcohol, to dope, to pleasures, to self.

[John Weaver] Our Lord said, whosoever commits sin is the servant or the slave of sin. But stop and think about this. When this country was founded, it was founded upon God and His Word stop and think of the true liberty and freedom that our forefathers enjoyed and had. Think now how far we have transgressed from those principles and where we are now that now you need permission to from a competent authority to do that which is absolutely normal, natural, and right. I told you, I think it was probably 30 to 40 years ago now, I was in Virginia, Fairfax, Virginia, and I was horrified back then to find out that in order to cut down a tree on your own property, you had to have permission or license from the city to do so.

[John Weaver] In fact, I know one preacher's son who got arrested and thrown in jail for cutting down some dead trees on his own property because he didn't get the proper paperwork and permission. Where does things like that come from? Look at the countries, the nations that have gone far from God's Word. They may have religion, but it's a pagan religion. And they're all tyrannies. They're all tyrannies. Liberty is not the ability to do as you please. That is licentiousness. Liberty is the ability to do as you ought and as you should. When we have liberty to obey God, And when you study 2 Corinthians chapter 3, what does the scripture say? Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there's liberty. So if the Spirit of the Lord is not there, there is not liberty. And the Spirit of the Lord always leads us in agreement with His ways. So the blessed man is the man who walks in the ways of the Lord. There are ways of rejoicing and there are ways of obedience.

[John Weaver] Now, let me make some applications, so I want you to listen carefully. The first one is this. Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet. Everyone knows that Jeremiah preached to his people, but they would not listen, they would not hear, they would not heed, they would not repent. Jeremiah saw Jerusalem destroyed. He saw the people killed. He saw his people enslaved, taken bondage by Nebuchadnezzar. He saw the walls of Jerusalem broken down, the temple broken and ransacked.

[John Weaver] And he wrote in Lamentations 3 and verse 40, let us search and try our ways and turn again to the Lord." Now you know, stop and think about that. Let us search and try our ways and turn again to the Lord. The wise man is going to heed and notice what is happening. If I see David stick his hand in the fire And the next thing I see is flesh falling off his fingers. I don't think I'm going to try that. I'm going to just learn from what he did and say, I'm not doing that. If I see Gary fall into a hole, I'm going to do everything I can to go around that hole. I'll try to help him out, but I'm not going to step in it just because he stepped in it.

[John Weaver] This is what he's saying. Look at the people that are dying. Look at the people that are enslaved. And then he says, let us search and try our ways. We better learn something when we see people dying, enslaved, and being destroyed. God said in Jeremiah 26 and verse 13, therefore now amend your ways and your doings and obey the voice of the Lord your God and the Lord will repent him of the evil that he has pronounced against you. So what did God say? If you don't want to reap what you have sown, if you don't want my full judgment upon you, you amend your ways, you turn from your wicked ways and you come back to my ways. It's just that simple.

[John Weaver] The second application is this. If we wish to avoid heartache and disappointment and destruction, the wise course of action is to make sure that we do not leave or forsake the ways of the Lord.

[John Weaver] Now, how in the world do you accomplish that? Well, the answer we find in the life of Jotham. The Bible says in 2 Chronicles 27 and verse 6, so Jotham became mighty because he prepared his ways before the Lord his God.

[John Weaver] Now stop and think about that. Jotham became mighty because he prepared his ways before the Lord his God. What does that mean? It means this, what Jotham did was he found out what God's ways were and then he changed his ways to walk in God's ways. He became a mighty man. because he prepared his ways before the Lord. He made sure that whatever he did was biblical and right. So if we really want to be blessed, if we really want to rejoice in the Lord, if we really want to not dishonor our Heavenly Father, then we need to learn to prepare our ways and make sure that each of our ways are His ways.

[John Weaver] Here's the fourth one, or the third one. There is an additional blessing to obedience that we hardly ever think of. Years ago, I preached on this text. It's one of my favorite texts. But that additional blessing that we hardly ever think of is peace. Not just personal peace, but peace in a lot of the areas as well. For in Proverbs 16 in verse 7, the Bible says, when a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. Think about that. When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. So an added blessing to obedience is peace. When we walk in His ways, we please Him.

[John Weaver] One last passage, I want you to look in the book of Colossians chapter 1, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Colossians chapter 1, and look at verses 9 and 10 and put together everything that I've been saying for the last two Lord's days. Watch this, Colossians 1 verse 9, Paul is talking about his prayer for the Colossian Christians and he says this, for this cause we also since the day we heard it do not cease to pray for you. Now, I want you to note his particular request in prayer for these Christians.

[John Weaver] And to desire that you might be filled with the knowledge of his will all wisdom and spiritual understanding, that you might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God." Now, go back if you would to look at verse 9. He said, here's what we are praying, we do not cease to pray for you and to desire that you might be filled with the knowledge of His will.

[John Weaver] You remember I told you earlier it's impossible for an ignorant man to be a holy man. So he says, we're praying that you might be filled with the knowledge of his will and all wisdom spiritual understanding. What would be the result of that? Verse 10, that you might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing.

[John Weaver] Now watch, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. So if you obey the knowledge that God gives you, and you walk worthy of the Lord and all-pleasing, guess what? God gives you more knowledge. You continue to increase in knowledge. Then verse 11, strengthened with all might according to His glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness, giving thanks unto the Father, who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints and light, who delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son. All of this comes from walking in the knowledge of His will, or let me put it bluntly, walking in His ways. Remember, if you would, Hebrews 3 and verse 10, 40 years long was God grieved with that generation. And He said, it's a people that all ways err in their hearts, for they have not known my ways." It grieves the heart of God when we do not know His ways and we do not walk in His ways.

[John Weaver] So if we do not want to grieve our Heavenly Father, we must learn to be obedient and to walk in His ways. Let's pray. Father, help us, we pray, in the name of Jesus Christ. Give us grace that we may serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. Teach us Thy ways, O Lord, that we might walk in Thy paths. Give us, Lord, understanding and wisdom and discernment that we may do that which is right and holy. In Thy name we ask, Amen.

[John Weaver] so

Ignorant Professors - Part 2 of 2

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	lFnlPPJqGUY
Subject	Church Government
Course	Church Order: Preaching and Pastoral Ministry
Genre	Sermon
Date	2017-01-11
Dictation Name
Book	Book 032: Ignorant Professors — Chapter 2
Source Timed Segments	66

Formatted Transcript

Introduction and Review

Weaver recaps the previous message, noting that God commands us to walk in His ways and that departing from His ways is wickedness.

Alright, let's open our Bibles again today to the book of Hebrews chapter 3. Hebrews chapter 3. We're going to do the second part of the message, "Ignorant Professors." And we're going to read verses 7 through 11, Hebrews chapter 3, beginning there with verse 7:

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 3:7-11

"Wherefore, as the Holy Ghost saith, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: when your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways." "So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest."

We're looking at verse 10 particularly where God says,

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 3:7-11

"Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways."

Ignorant professors abound. They were not only prevalent in the Old Testament, but they were prevalent in the New Testament as well. And I might add that they really and truly abound greatly in our day and time. Ignorant professors are those who profess to know God, but in reality, they do not know Him or His ways. The Apostle Paul describes such individuals in Titus 1 and verse 16 when he said, "They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate."

Now notice what he said. They profess that they know God, but in their works they deny him. So the way they live, the way they act, the way they talk, their entire life was nothing more than a denial of God. And how in the world can it be otherwise when an individual is totally ignorant of God and ignorant of his ways? Now, I pointed out last week that when an individual is ignorant of his ways, he is also ignorant of God, for God is revealed by his ways. The only way that you can understand God is by his ways, and of course that is what reveals him. I also pointed out how vastly different God's ways and God's thoughts are from ours.

You remember the passage in Isaiah 55, verses 8 and 9. Isaiah 55 verses 8 and 9, where God said, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts." So God's thoughts and God's ways are infinitely higher than ours. Which means, by the way, if we wish to please Him, if we wish to honor Him, then we have to turn from our ways to His ways.

Now, last week, just recapping momentarily, we only looked at two major points. The very first one was this, we considered that God commands us to walk in His ways. And I took you through the scripture and showed you a number of passages that explained what it meant to walk in His ways. According to many of those passages, it meant fearing Him. It meant loving Him. It meant obeying Him. It meant cleaving unto Him. And it meant walking in His commandments. So that is what it means, basically, to walk in His ways. The second thing I pointed out was we had to consider that not walking in His ways was wickedness. It is sin not to walk in His ways. 1 John 3 and verse 4 describe sin for us. The Word of God says there, "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law."

So let me point this out and make it clear. Every time you sin, you violate God's law. Sin is nothing less than a violation of God's law. Many times I have people email me or write me or call me and they'll ask the question, "Well, there's such and such a sin." And my response is, "Is it contrary to God's law?" No. Well, then it's not sin. It may not be wise, it may not be practical, but it would not be sin. Sin is a violation of God's laws. Sin is a refusal to walk in God's ways. It's a transgression of His commands. And essentially, when we leave God's ways, we turn to our own ways. When we turn to our own ways, we are leaving God's ways, and it is idolatry.

Departing from God's Ways Brings Judgment

Weaver demonstrates from Jeremiah 23, Deuteronomy 32, and other passages that choosing our own ways leads to slippery places in darkness and inevitable judgment.

Now, let me point something out. It is true that men sin against God. It is true that men rebel against God. It is true that people are disobedient all of the time. But there are consequences for doing so. There is no individual, there is no family, there is no church, there is no society or nation that can escape the consequences of their actions. So, let me begin by showing you Jeremiah 23. Hold Hebrews if you would, but turn to Jeremiah chapter 23, and let's begin looking there at verse 9, just to show you that no one can escape the consequences of their actions. In Jeremiah 23, beginning there with verse 9, I want you to note what God says. Jeremiah is writing and he says this: "My heart within me is broken because of the prophets; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine hath overcome, because of the Lord, and because of the words of his holiness. For the land is full of adulterers." Now go back if you would just look at verse 9, notice the word "prophets" now.

He says in verse 10, "For the land is full of adulterers; for because of swearing the land mourneth; the pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up, and their course is evil, and their force is not right. For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the Lord. Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness." "They shall be driven on, and fall therein: for I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith the Lord. And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err. I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness."

"They are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah." Now, if you followed the passage, you will notice that God spoke about the prophets being sinful and evil. He spoke about the people of the land being adulterers and swearing. And then He talked about the priests. So now you have the prophets, the priests, and the people, each one of them absolutely, totally wicked. They are corrupt transgressors. They are violating the Law of God.

Now, look if you would at verse 12. Look what God says, "Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness, and they shall be driven on, and fall therein: for I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith the Lord." Now, when you look at verse 12, He says, "wherefore their way." What is their way? It is the way that they have chosen. They're not walking in God's ways. They are now walking in their own way. So he says very clearly, "wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness." Now, interestingly, God says their ways are going to end up being slippery ways. Each one of us has slid down. And you know, the funny thing is, almost the amazing thing is, if you fall down, slip down publicly, one of the first things you do is look around and see who watched you fall, you know, whether you're hurt or not. But notice, we can avoid slippery places if we see them, if we know them. I remember a long time ago, I was in Indiana preaching, and we were staying with a family, and our room was upstairs.

And they had, I think it was oak boards on their stairway, and I made the bad mistake of coming downstairs in my socks. And the last thing I remember was seeing my feet at the ceiling as my lower back hit that stairwell, and I slid all the way down. And yeah, I had a hematoma about like the size of my fist that Alice had to drain for about two weeks. And I'm just simply saying it's one of those things that happen. But notice if you would, God says they're going to be in slippery places, but he adds something else. Here's a double judgment. He said in verse 12, "wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery places in the darkness." So they're not going to be able to see danger. They're not going to be able to avoid or avert the danger. No, no. And then he says this in verse 12, "wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery places in the darkness, and they shall be driven on." In other words, God will drive them because of their choice of their own particular ways. So he says in verse 12, it will be absolutely impossible to avoid this judgment.

Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Deuteronomy 32. I want you to see this. In light of that passage, Deuteronomy 32, and notice if you would, please, verse 35. Deuteronomy 32 and verse 35. Look what God says. Deuteronomy 32, verse 35.

"To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence." Now he's talking about the wicked. Watch. "...their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste." But notice he says, "...their foot shall slide in due time." Surely their own slippery places. In other words, they've chosen their way. It is not God's way. And their foot shall slide. I don't know if you remember the passage in Psalm 73 where Asaph is writing and he is talking about the fact that he was envious at the wicked because he saw their prosperity. He went on to say that they were not in trouble like other men and he said their voice runs through the heaven, they do whatever they please. And then he says, "Surely I have washed my hands in vain, and in innocence." In other words, what good has it done me to be holy and right when the ungodly are prospering? And then he said, he didn't understand it until I went into the house of God.

He said, "Then I understood their end." And then when he got to verse 18, he said, "Surely thou didst set them in slippery places." In other words, their foot shall slide in due time. And then he began to thank God that God had indeed saved him. Now, the truth that I'm speaking about now, as I've already pointed out, is applicable to individuals, to families, churches, societies, and nations. I want to show you this. I want you to follow me in Scripture because God says, "they have not known my ways." Because men choose their way. And that's what he was talking about in Jeremiah 23. But go to Jeremiah chapter 17 and look if you would please at verse 10. And I want to show you again how man's ways ultimately bring judgment. Notice in Jeremiah chapter 17 and verse 10 at what God says. He says, "I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings." So God is going to judge us and recompense us according to our ways, whether of course it's going to be biblical ways or whether it's going to be man's ways. We're going to be judged. Notice chapter 18 and verse 11 of Jeremiah. Jeremiah 18 verse 11. Look what he says, "Now therefore go to, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you."

"Return ye now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good." So God says, "Listen, I'm going to judge you. I'm going to destroy you. The best thing for you to do is turn from your evil way. Make your ways good, how? By coming back to God's way." But he said, "I'm going to judge you based upon your evil ways." So, turn right over to the book of Ezekiel chapter 7. It's amazing to me how often these prophets cried out against the people and yet, of course, they refused to listen. Look at Ezekiel chapter 7 and verse 4. Ezekiel 7 and verse 4. God says, "And mine eye shall not spare thee, neither will I have pity: but I will recompense thy ways upon thee, and thine abominations shall be in the midst of thee: and ye shall know that I am the Lord." Wow. Skip down, if you would, to verse 9. "And mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: I will recompense thee according to thy ways and thine abominations that are in the midst of thee; and ye shall know that I am the Lord that smiteth." When I judge you, you're going to know it's me. Turn to

chapter 14 and look in verse 23. Ezekiel 14 verse 23. He says,

Scripture Reading — Ezekiel 7:4, 9

"And they shall comfort you, when ye see their ways and their doings: and ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, saith the Lord."

In other words, he tells Ezekiel, you'll understand when I do it, they had it coming. Look, if you would, in Ezekiel chapter 20 and verse 21. Chapter 20 and verse 21. Again, he says it like this. "Notwithstanding the children rebelled against me: they walked not in my statutes, neither kept my judgments to do them, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; they polluted my sabbaths: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness." But notice what he said in verse 21, "they walked not in my statutes." In other words, they did not walk in his ways.

They chose their own way. Look in Ezekiel 24 and verse 14. Ezekiel 24 and verse 14. He says,

Scripture Reading — Ezekiel 24:14

"I the Lord have spoken it: it shall come to pass, and I will do it; I will not go back, neither will I spare, neither will I repent; according to thy ways, and according to thy doings, shall they judge thee, saith the Lord God."

So God says you're going to reap according to your ways. It's just that simple.

Now, I want you to turn, I'm going to quote a verse as you turn there, but I want you to turn to the book of Zechariah, which is the last book before Malachi, Zechariah, Malachi, to chapter 1. As you turn there, listen to Hosea 12 in verse 2.

Scripture Reading — Hosea 12:2

"The Lord hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him."

So again God says I'm going to judge you according to your ways. This passage in Zechariah chapter 1 is a very interesting passage. I remember, Lord have mercy, I guess 35 years ago now at least I preached a message from this passage, it was on Father's Day, and look at verse 4, The very first thing God told these people, "Be ye not as your fathers." Isn't that amazing? On Father's Day we want to hold up fathers and say emulate your father, but not this one. He said, "Be not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets have cried, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Turn ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings."

"But they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, saith the Lord." Now, just stop there just for a moment. So God says, I don't want you to be like your fathers. How were the fathers? They wouldn't heed, they wouldn't hear, they wouldn't listen, they wouldn't repent. God says, don't be like that.

Now look at verse 5. "Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever?" No. Now look at verse 6. He says, "But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers?" Lord, you can't outrun God. "And they returned and said, Like as the Lord of hosts thought to do unto us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us."

So let me put it to you very plainly. Whatever God says is going to come to pass. And when God says he's going to judge us for living according to our ways instead of his ways, then obviously it's going to happen. No man, no church, no family, no society, and no nation can escape the consequences of their actions, or the consequences of their choices. One passage will clarify that, Jeremiah 11, verse 11. Listen to what God says,

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 11:11

"Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape." "And though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them."

God said, I will bring my judgment, and they shall not be able to escape. When God places our feet in slippery places, in darkness, and we're driven, as he said in Deuteronomy 32 verse 35, "their feet shall slide in due time." It's just a matter of time. You think about the wicked of this world, it's just a matter of time. Their feet shall slide.

So you need to consider: To depart from God's ways is wickedness. And when you depart from God's ways, it brings judgment and devastation upon you. Here's the fourth thing today. You need to consider that the ways of the Lord are right and true ways and lead to obedience and holiness.

God's Ways Lead to Obedience and Holiness

Using John the Baptist's ministry, David's prayer, and 2 Peter 3:18, Weaver shows that knowledge of God's ways is essential for holiness and obedience.

Now, John the Baptist, of course, was the forerunner of Jesus Christ. And he was sent before Christ to prepare his ways. Zechariah the father of John the Baptist said this in Luke 1 verse 76,

Scripture Reading — Luke 1:76

"And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways."

So how then did John the Baptist prepare the ways of Jesus Christ? Well John prepared his ways by preparing a people to receive his ways. You remember John came preaching the baptism of repentance. He said, "Repent ye." And when he saw the Pharisees come to his baptism, he said, "O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" And so what John was doing was this. He was saying, you people have turned to your own ways. You've turned from God's ways. Now you need to repent and turn back to God and His ways. So what John was teaching then was basically conformity to God's Word and rejection of man's ways.

That is how John was preparing the way of the Lord. David, a man after God's own heart, Psalm 25 and verse 4 prayed this,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 25:4

"Show me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths."

Show me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. Have you ever asked God to show you his ways? If you walk in his ways, obviously you will follow his paths. Wherever there is a desire for holiness and obedience, there will inevitably be a desire to know God's ways. Let me put it in a different way. It is impossible to be obedient and holy if you're ignorant, without knowing God's ways. Let me put it even more bluntly. An ignorant man can never be a holy man. Now, when I say that, I'm talking about someone who is ignorant of God's Word.

You could have 40 PhDs behind your name, and they could all be earned PhDs. You could be the most brilliant man on earth, but if you're ignorant of God and His ways, you still cannot be holy. It's just that simple. So, let me show you. I want you to turn to 2 Peter chapter 3. And look, if you would please, at verse 18. The last verse in 2 Peter. 2 Peter 3 and verse 18. Look at this verse.

"But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen." But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Well, just a cursory reading of that verse ought to tell you that if you're growing in grace, it is because you're growing in knowledge. You really cannot separate grace and knowledge. But there is a very important word in verse 18. It's a small word. He said in verse 18, "but grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." The little word "and" is from the little Greek word kai, K-A-I. And kai is translated in our Bibles many times, but it is also translated another way many times. It is sometimes, and yes, many times, translated as "even." And so if you look back at verse 18, "but grow in grace, even in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." In other words, no one is growing in grace unless they're growing in knowledge.

Knowledge and grace go together. This is why I'm saying that God's ways always lead to obedience and holiness. Now I want you to turn to the book of Hosea. There is one verse here that you can already nearly quote. Hosea chapter 4. I'm going to show you the verse that you're familiar with first. Look at Hosea chapter 4 and verse 6. We're talking about knowledge now, and grace, and holiness. In Hosea 4 and verse 6, he says, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children." And let me just mention this, I'm not preaching on this, but since God's law is an expression of His will, and since children are an expression of our will, this is an example of the lex talionis, which is the law of retribution, where God makes the punishment fit the crime. So God says, you're not concerned with my will, I'm not concerned with your will.

But notice if you would, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me." In other words, if you don't know how to serve me, if you don't know how to obey me, if you don't know what my ways are, how can you live for me? It's impossible. Now notice if you would Hosea 14 and verse 9. Hosea 14 and verse 9, the last verse in the book of Hosea. Watch what he says. Hosea 14 verse 9, "Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein." God says if you're wise, if you understand, if you're prudent, you walk in His ways. It is that simple. Now, I do want you to turn back to Isaiah chapter 2 because I still want you to see in this passage how knowledge is connected to obedience and holiness.

Look at Isaiah 2 and verse 3. Isaiah 2 and verse 3, "And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." Now note what they say. "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways." There will be instruction. There will be knowledge imparted. When you have the instruction, when you have the knowledge, "we will walk in his paths." Where do we get the knowledge? Where do we get the instruction? "For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." In other words, we get the knowledge and the instruction from His word. That is how we know how to live.

So, turn over to Isaiah 35. Look, if you would, beginning there with verse 8. Isaiah 35 and verse 8. He says, "And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein." In other words, if you're walking in obedience to God's ways, you're not going to err. You must remember Hebrews 3 and verse 10, "they do always err in their heart." Why? Because "they have not known my ways." Now he says, when you're on the highway of holiness, you're not going to err therein. Watch verse 9.

"No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: and the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." As we walk the highway of holiness. So you have to consider that God's ways are right and true, and they always lead to obedience and to holiness. Okay? Here's number five. You have to consider that the ways of the Lord are blessed and rejoicing ways.

God's Ways Are Blessed and Rejoicing Ways

From Deuteronomy 30 and other texts, Weaver argues that walking in God's ways brings life, good, blessing, and rejoicing, while disobedience brings death and evil.

So I want you to go back to Deuteronomy chapter 30 to begin with. We're going to look at a number of passages. Deuteronomy, but look in Deuteronomy 30 and verse 16. Deuteronomy 30 verse 16. In fact, let's read verse 15 so that you can see this. You've got to consider that the ways of the Lord are blessed and rejoicing ways. Look what he said in Deuteronomy 30 verse 15: "See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil." So you've got two choices. You've got life and good, and you have death and evil. Now, how did God set before this people life and good and death and evil? Watch the explanation in verse 16. "In that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it." That is life, and that is good.

Here's death and evil. "But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it. I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live." Now note if you would, God said I've set before you life and good and death and evil. Life and good is by obeying God's Word. Death and evil is by disobeying. Let me say it another way. Life and good is walking in his ways. Death and evil is walking in your own ways.

Now, many fail to grasp a simple fact. That simple fact is that God has designed his word and his law for our good. Notice if you would he says I want you to obey me "that thou mayest live and multiply: and the Lord thy God shall bless thee." So go back to Deuteronomy chapter 5 and let's look at a few verses here to show you that obedience is basically for our good. Deuteronomy chapter 5, notice if you would please verse 33. Deuteronomy 5 verse 33: "Ye shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess." Now God says you walk in my ways, you're going to live, that's life. That it may be well with you, that's good. And that you may prolong your days in the land which the Lord your God shall possess. Wow.

You know, I know that as Christians, we understand and know to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. That's no problem. But unless you're terribly sick, in an awful lot of pain, it is normal and natural to want to live. Anybody in this room want to die tonight? I don't. Even though I know to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. I enjoy life. I enjoy preaching. I enjoy teaching. I enjoy a lot of things.

What did God just say? Look at it again, if you would, in verse 33. "Ye shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days." I want to live long, and I want to live a healthy life. In fact, when I die, I want to be so healthy people say, "Hmm, I wonder what killed him," you know. I'm serious. And God says it is for our good. Look in Deuteronomy 6 verses 24 and 25. Deuteronomy 6 verses 24 and 25. Watch it now. He says, "And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day. And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God, as he hath commanded us." But note if you would verse 24. He said, "And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always."

Do you realize it is for our good that God said thou shalt not commit adultery. It is for our good that God said thou shalt not steal. It is for our good that God said thou shalt not take my name in vain. It is for our good that God said thou shalt not covet. All of this is for our good. It's not just for God's honor and glory, it is for our good as well. Look in Deuteronomy chapter 10 and verses 12 and 13. Deuteronomy 10 verses 12 and 13. "And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways," there it is again, "and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, to keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?" Wow. So God says it is for our good that we obey. Look in Deuteronomy 12 and verse 28. Deuteronomy 12 verse 28. He says, "Observe and hear all these words which I command thee, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee for ever, when thou doest that which is good and right in the sight of the Lord thy God." Now God says if we obey Him, it is not just for our good, but it's even for the good of our children. Wow.

So, the point I'm trying to make is very simple. We have to consider that God's ways always lead to blessedness and rejoicing. Even David, the man after God's own heart, said in Psalm 128 in verse 1, "Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways." And when you get to Psalm 138 in verse 5, he says, "Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the Lord: for great is the glory of the Lord." Wow. I don't know about you, but that sounds to me like rejoicing. That sounds to me like being blessed.

Now, I want you to turn to another passage. I want you to turn to the book of James, chapter 2, and let me show you an interesting passage. Hebrews, James. After the book of Hebrews you have James, James chapter 2. You know, whenever you begin to talk about the Word of God or the Law of God, so many people try to equate God's Law or God's Word with bondage, which is a complete fabrication. The flesh is bondage. The world is bondage. God's law is liberty. There is no liberty apart from the law of God. Look in James 2 beginning there in verse 8.

Now he says, "If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well." Now note it is called the royal law. "But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty." Now, when you look at verse 8, God's law is called the royal law. Why?

Because it proceeds from the king of kings. It is his law. But when you look at the latter part of verse 12, it is called the law of liberty. True liberty is found in obedience to God and His ways. All else is slavery, bondage, and tyranny. All you have to do is observe people, observe individuals. And you want to talk about bondage? Look how many people are in bondage to cigarettes, to alcohol, to dope, to pleasures, to self.

Our Lord said, "Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin." But stop and think about this. When this country was founded, it was founded upon God and His Word. Stop and think of the true liberty and freedom that our forefathers enjoyed and had. Think now how far we have transgressed from those principles and where we are now, that now you need permission from a competent authority to do that which is absolutely normal, natural, and right. I told you, I think it was probably 30 to 40 years ago now, I was in Virginia, Fairfax, Virginia, and I was horrified back then to find out that in order to cut down a tree on your own property, you had to have permission or license from the city to do so. In fact, I know one preacher's son who got arrested and thrown in jail for cutting down some dead trees on his own property because he didn't get the proper paperwork and permission. Where does things like that come from? Look at the countries, the nations that have gone far from God's Word. They may have religion, but it's a pagan religion. And they're all tyrannies. They're all tyrannies. Liberty is not the ability to do as you please. That is licentiousness. Liberty is the ability to do as you ought and as you should. When we have liberty to obey God, and when you study 2 Corinthians chapter 3, what does the scripture say? "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." So if the Spirit of the Lord is not there, there is not liberty. And the Spirit of the Lord always leads us in agreement with His ways. So the blessed man is the man who walks in the ways of the Lord. There are ways of rejoicing and there are ways of obedience.

Now, let me make some applications, so I want you to listen carefully. The first one is this. Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet. Everyone knows that Jeremiah preached to his people, but they would not listen, they would not hear, they would not heed, they would not repent. Jeremiah saw Jerusalem destroyed. He saw the people killed. He saw his people enslaved, taken bondage by Nebuchadnezzar. He saw the walls of Jerusalem broken down, the temple broken and ransacked.

Application: Search and Try Our Ways

Weaver applies Jeremiah's call to self-examination, urging believers to learn from the destruction of others and amend their ways to avoid judgment.

And he wrote in Lamentations 3 and verse 40, "Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord." Now you know, stop and think about that. "Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord." The wise man is going to heed and notice what is happening. If I see David stick his hand in the fire, and the next thing I see is flesh falling off his fingers, I don't think I'm going to try that. I'm going to just learn from what he did and say, I'm not doing that. If I see Gary fall into a hole, I'm going to do everything I can to go around that hole. I'll try to help him out, but I'm not going to step in it just because he stepped in it.

This is what he's saying. Look at the people that are dying. Look at the people that are enslaved. And then he says, "Let us search and try our ways." We better learn something when we see people dying, enslaved, and being destroyed. God said in Jeremiah 26 and verse 13, "Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the Lord your God; and the Lord will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you." So what did God say? If you don't want to reap what you have sown, if you don't want my full judgment upon you, you amend your ways, you turn from your wicked ways and you come back to my ways. It's just that simple.

The second application is this. If we wish to avoid heartache and disappointment and destruction, the wise course of action is to make sure that we do not leave or forsake the ways of the Lord.

Application: Prepare Our Ways Before the Lord

Using Jotham's example, Weaver exhorts believers to prepare their ways by aligning them with God's Word, leading to might and blessing.

Now, how in the world do you accomplish that? Well, the answer we find in the life of Jotham. The Bible says in 2 Chronicles 27 and verse 6, "So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the Lord his God." Now stop and think about that. Jotham became mighty because he prepared his ways before the Lord his God. What does that mean? It means this, what Jotham did was he found out what God's ways were and then he changed his ways to walk in God's ways. He became a mighty man because he prepared his ways before the Lord. He made sure that whatever he did was biblical and right. So if we really want to be blessed, if we really want to rejoice in the Lord, if we really want to not dishonor our Heavenly Father, then we need to learn to prepare our ways and make sure that each of our ways are His ways.

Application: Obedience Brings Peace

Weaver highlights Proverbs 16:7, noting that when a man's ways please the Lord, even his enemies are at peace with him.

Here's the fourth one, or the third one. There is an additional blessing to obedience that we hardly ever think of. Years ago, I preached on this text. It's one of my favorite texts. But that additional blessing that we hardly ever think of is peace. Not just personal peace, but peace in a lot of the areas as well. For in Proverbs 16 in verse 7, the Bible says, "When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him." Think about that. When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. So an added blessing to obedience is peace. When we walk in His ways, we please Him.

One last passage, I want you to look in the book of Colossians chapter 1, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Colossians chapter 1, and look at verses 9 and 10 and put together everything that I've been saying for the last two Lord's days. Watch this, Colossians 1 verse 9, Paul is talking about his prayer for the Colossian Christians and he says this, "For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you." Now, I want you to note his particular request in prayer for these Christians.

Conclusion: Praying for Knowledge and a Worthy Walk

Weaver closes with Colossians 1:9-10, praying that believers be filled with the knowledge of God's will to walk worthy and please Him, avoiding the grief of Hebrews 3:10.

"And to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God." Now, go back if you would to look at verse 9. He said, here's what we are praying, "we do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will." You remember I told you earlier it's impossible for an ignorant man to be a holy man. So he says, we're praying that you might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. What would be the result of that? Verse 10, "that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing."

Now watch, "being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God." So if you obey the knowledge that God gives you, and you walk worthy of the Lord and all-pleasing, guess what? God gives you more knowledge. You continue to increase in knowledge. Then verse 11, "strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son." All of this comes from walking in the knowledge of His will, or let me put it bluntly, walking in His ways. Remember, if you would, Hebrews 3 and verse 10, "Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways." It grieves the heart of God when we do not know His ways and we do not walk in His ways.

So if we do not want to grieve our Heavenly Father, we must learn to be obedient and to walk in His ways. Let's pray. Father, help us, we pray, in the name of Jesus Christ. Give us grace that we may serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. Teach us Thy ways, O Lord, that we might walk in Thy paths. Give us, Lord, understanding and wisdom and discernment that we may do that which is right and holy. In Thy name we ask, Amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Ignorance of God's ways leads to error and wickedness

Summary: Those who do not know God's ways always err in their hearts and live in sin, as seen in the generation that grieved God in the wilderness.

Evidence: Hebrews 3:10: 'They do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.'

Judgment follows departure from God's ways

Summary: God recompenses individuals and nations according to their ways, bringing slippery places, darkness, and inevitable destruction.

Evidence: Jeremiah 23:12: 'Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness...' and Deuteronomy 32:35: 'their foot shall slide in due time.'

Knowledge and grace are inseparable for holiness

Summary: Growing in grace is equated with growing in knowledge; an ignorant man cannot be holy, and God's ways lead to obedience and holiness.

Evidence: 2 Peter 3:18: 'grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ' and Hosea 4:6: 'My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.'

Walking in God's ways brings blessing and rejoicing

Summary: Obedience to God's commands is for our good, leading to life, multiplication, blessing, and singing in the ways of the Lord.

Evidence: Deuteronomy 30:16: 'to walk in his ways... that thou mayest live and multiply: and the Lord thy God shall bless thee' and Psalm 138:5: 'they shall sing in the ways of the Lord.'

Self-examination and amendment of ways

Summary: Believers must search and try their ways, learning from the judgment of others, and turn from evil ways to avoid destruction.

Evidence: Lamentations 3:40: 'Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord' and Jeremiah 26:13: 'amend your ways and your doings.'

Preparing our ways before the Lord

Summary: Like Jotham, believers become mighty by preparing their ways—aligning their conduct with God's Word—to ensure they walk in His ways.

Evidence: 2 Chronicles 27:6: 'Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the Lord his God.'

Obedience produces peace with enemies

Summary: When a man's ways please the Lord, God makes even his enemies to be at peace with him, an added blessing of walking in His ways.

Evidence: Proverbs 16:7: 'When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.'

Prayer for knowledge leads to a worthy walk

Summary: Paul's prayer for the Colossians to be filled with the knowledge of God's will results in walking worthy, fruitfulness, and increasing knowledge.

Evidence: Colossians 1:9-10: 'that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will... that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing.'

Key Arguments

Sin is a violation of God's law and a departure from His ways

Summary: Every sin transgresses God's law; turning to our own ways is idolatry and wickedness.

Evidence: 1 John 3:4: 'sin is the transgression of the law' and 2 Samuel 22:22: 'I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God.'

No one can escape the consequences of their actions

Summary: Individuals, families, churches, and nations will reap judgment according to their ways; God's recompense is inescapable.

Evidence: Jeremiah 11:11: 'I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape' and Ezekiel 7:4: 'I will recompense thy ways upon thee.'

God's law is for our good, not bondage

Summary: God's commands are designed for our welfare, preservation, and blessing; true liberty is found in obedience.

Evidence: Deuteronomy 6:24: 'for our good always, that he might preserve us alive' and James 2:12: 'the law of liberty.'

Ignorance of God's Word prevents holiness

Summary: Without knowledge of God's ways, one cannot be obedient or holy; knowledge and grace grow together.

Evidence: Hosea 4:6: 'My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge' and 2 Peter 3:18: 'grow in grace, even in the knowledge.'

Walking in God's ways leads to life and good, not death and evil

Summary: God sets before us life and good through obedience, and death and evil through disobedience; we must choose life.

Evidence: Deuteronomy 30:15-16: 'I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil... to walk in his ways... that thou mayest live.'

Preparing our ways before God brings strength and blessing

Summary: Jotham became mighty by preparing his ways before the Lord; believers must align their conduct with Scripture.

Evidence: 2 Chronicles 27:6: 'Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the Lord his God.'

Pleasing God in our ways results in peace with enemies

Summary: Obedience to God's ways can lead to peace even with adversaries, as God intervenes on behalf of the righteous.

Evidence: Proverbs 16:7: 'When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.'

Increasing in knowledge of God's will leads to a fruitful, worthy walk

Summary: Paul's prayer for knowledge results in a walk that pleases God, fruitfulness, and further increase in knowledge.

Evidence: Colossians 1:9-10: 'filled with the knowledge of his will... that ye might walk worthy of the Lord... increasing in the knowledge of God.'

Scripture References

Hebrews 3:7-11

Context: The primary text of the sermon, warning against hardening hearts and erring through ignorance of God's ways.

Titus 1:16

Context: Describes those who profess to know God but deny Him by their works, illustrating ignorant professors.

Isaiah 55:8-9

Context: God's thoughts and ways are infinitely higher than man's, necessitating turning from our ways to His.

1 John 3:4

Context: Defines sin as transgression of the law, equating sin with departing from God's ways.

2 Samuel 22:22

Context: David's testimony that keeping God's ways prevents wicked departure from God.

Jeremiah 23:9-12

Context: Prophets, priests, and people are wicked; their own ways become slippery places in darkness, bringing judgment.

Deuteronomy 32:35

Context: God's vengeance: the foot of the wicked shall slide in due time, illustrating inevitable judgment.

Psalm 73:18

Context: Asaph realized God sets the wicked in slippery places, leading to their destruction.

Jeremiah 17:10

Context: God searches the heart and recompenses every man according to his ways.

Jeremiah 18:11

Context: God calls Judah to turn from evil ways to avoid devised judgment.

Ezekiel 7:4, 9

Context: God will recompense their ways upon them without pity, so they know He is the Lord.

Ezekiel 14:23

Context: God's judgment is not without cause; they will understand when they see the ways and doings of the wicked.

Ezekiel 20:21

Context: Israel rebelled by not walking in God's statutes, provoking His fury.

Ezekiel 24:14

Context: God will judge according to their ways and doings, without relenting.

Hosea 12:2

Context: The Lord will punish Jacob according to his ways and recompense his doings.

Zechariah 1:4-6

Context: God warns not to be like the fathers who refused to turn from evil ways; His words took hold of them.

Jeremiah 11:11

Context: God brings evil that cannot be escaped; they will cry but He will not hear.

Luke 1:76

Context: John the Baptist was sent to prepare the ways of the Lord by calling people to repentance.

Psalm 25:4

Context: David's prayer for God to show him His ways and teach him His paths.

2 Peter 3:18

Context: Believers are to grow in grace and knowledge; the 'and' can mean 'even,' linking grace and knowledge inseparably.

Historical References

Israel in the wilderness (Exodus/Numbers generation)

Context: The generation that tempted God, saw His works forty years, and grieved Him by erring in heart and not knowing His ways.

John the Baptist's ministry

Context: John prepared the way of the Lord by preaching repentance and calling people to turn from their own ways to God's ways.

Jotham, king of Judah

Context: Jotham became mighty because he prepared his ways before the Lord, serving as an example of aligning conduct with God's Word.

Jeremiah's prophetic ministry and the fall of Jerusalem

Context: Jeremiah witnessed Jerusalem's destruction and the people's enslavement by Nebuchadnezzar because they refused to heed God's call to amend their ways.

Founding principles of the United States

Context: Weaver contrasts the liberty enjoyed by the nation's forefathers, founded on God and His Word, with modern tyranny resulting from departure from those principles.

Personal anecdote: slipping on stairs in Indiana

Context: Weaver recounts falling down a stairway in socks to illustrate the danger of slippery places, analogous to the judgment of walking in one's own ways.

Personal anecdote: tree-cutting permit in Fairfax, Virginia

Context: Weaver shares an example of a preacher's son arrested for cutting dead trees without a permit, illustrating loss of liberty when society departs from God's ways.

Important Quotes

Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.

Significance: The central text of the sermon, highlighting the grief of God over those who are ignorant of His ways and thus err continually.

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

Significance: Defines 'ignorant professors' as those whose lives contradict their profession of knowing God.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.

Significance: Establishes the vast difference between God's ways and man's, necessitating a turn from our ways to His.

Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness, and they shall be driven on, and fall therein: for I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith the Lord.

Significance: Vivid imagery of judgment: those who choose their own ways will find them slippery and dark, with no escape.

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee.

Significance: Underscores the fatal consequence of ignorance and rejection of God's revealed ways.

Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.

Significance: Contrasts the outcome of the just who walk in God's right ways with the transgressors who stumble.

When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

Significance: Highlights an often-overlooked blessing of obedience: peace with adversaries.

Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the Lord his God.

Significance: Provides a practical example of how aligning one's conduct with God's Word leads to strength and blessing.

Discussion Questions

What does it mean to be an 'ignorant professor' according to Hebrews 3:10 and Titus 1:16? How can we examine our own lives for this tendency?

Context: Weaver defines ignorant professors as those who profess to know God but deny Him by their works, erring because they do not know His ways.

How does the imagery of 'slippery ways in the darkness' from Jeremiah 23:12 illustrate the consequences of walking in our own ways? Can you think of modern examples?

Context: Weaver explains that choosing our own ways leads to inevitable judgment, depicted as slippery, dark paths from which there is no escape.

Why does Weaver insist that an ignorant man cannot be a holy man? How does 2 Peter 3:18 connect grace and knowledge?

Context: Weaver argues that knowledge of God's ways is essential for holiness, and that growing in grace is inseparable from growing in knowledge.

In what ways does God's law function as a 'law of liberty' rather than bondage, as described in James 2? How does this contrast with worldly ideas of freedom?

Context: Weaver teaches that true liberty is found in obedience to God's commands, while sin and self-will lead to slavery.

What does it practically mean to 'prepare our ways before the Lord' as Jotham did? How can we apply this in daily decision-making?

Context: Weaver uses Jotham's example to urge believers to align their conduct with Scripture, ensuring their ways are God's ways.

How does the promise of Proverbs 16:7 ('he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him') encourage us to pursue obedience even in difficult relationships?

Context: Weaver presents peace with enemies as an added blessing of pleasing God in our ways.

According to Colossians 1:9-10, what is the relationship between being filled with the knowledge of God's will and walking worthy of the Lord? How can we pursue this in our prayer lives?

Context: Weaver concludes that knowledge of God's will leads to a worthy walk, fruitfulness, and increasing knowledge, forming a cycle of growth.

Weaver says, 'It grieves the heart of God when we do not know His ways and we do not walk in His ways.' How should this truth affect our daily choices and priorities?

Context: The sermon ends with a call to avoid grieving God by learning obedience and walking in His ways, based on Hebrews 3:10.

Applications

Search and try our ways

Summary: Believers should examine their conduct in light of God's Word, learning from the judgment of others, and turn from any way that is not His.

Evidence: Lamentations 3:40: 'Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord.'

Amend our ways to avoid judgment

Summary: To escape the recompense of our own ways, we must amend our doings and obey God's voice, as Jeremiah urged.

Evidence: Jeremiah 26:13: 'amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the Lord your God.'

Prepare our ways before the Lord

Summary: Like Jotham, we should align our plans and actions with Scripture, ensuring they are biblical and right, to become mighty in God's service.

Evidence: 2 Chronicles 27:6: 'Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the Lord his God.'

Pursue peace through pleasing God

Summary: By walking in ways that please the Lord, we can experience peace even with adversaries, as God intervenes on our behalf.

Evidence: Proverbs 16:7: 'When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.'

Pray for knowledge to walk worthy

Summary: We should pray to be filled with the knowledge of God's will, leading to a walk that pleases Him, fruitfulness, and increasing knowledge.

Evidence: Colossians 1:9-10: 'that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will... that ye might walk worthy of the Lord.'

Choose life by walking in God's ways

Summary: God sets before us life and good through obedience; we must actively choose to walk in His ways to receive blessing and avoid death and evil.

Evidence: Deuteronomy 30:15-16: 'I have set before thee this day life and good... to walk in his ways... that thou mayest live.'

Grow in grace through growing in knowledge

Summary: Since grace and knowledge are linked, we must diligently study Scripture to grow in both, avoiding the destruction that comes from lack of knowledge.

Evidence: 2 Peter 3:18: 'grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ' and Hosea 4:6.

Avoid grieving God by knowing His ways

Summary: The sermon's central application: to not grieve our Heavenly Father as the wilderness generation did, we must learn and walk in His ways.

Evidence: Hebrews 3:10: 'Forty years long was I grieved with this generation... they have not known my ways.'

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T05:03:51Z

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Ignorant Professors - Part 2 of 2

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Alright, let's open our Bibles again today to the book of Hebrews chapter 3. Hebrews chapter 3. We're going to do the second part of the message, "Ignorant Professors." And we're going to read verses 7 through 11, Hebrews chapter 3, beginning there with verse 7: "Wherefore, as the Holy Ghost saith, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: when your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways."
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"So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest." We're looking at verse 10 particularly where God says, "Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways." Ignorant professors abound. They were not only prevalent in the Old Testament, but they were prevalent in the New Testament as well. And I might add that they really and truly abound greatly in our day and time. Ignorant professors are those who profess to know God, but in reality, they do not know Him or His ways. The Apostle Paul describes such individuals in Titus 1 and verse 16 when he said, "They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate."
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Now notice what he said. They profess that they know God, but in their works they deny him. So the way they live, the way they act, the way they talk, their entire life was nothing more than a denial of God. And how in the world can it be otherwise when an individual is totally ignorant of God and ignorant of his ways? Now, I pointed out last week that when an individual is ignorant of his ways, he is also ignorant of God, for God is revealed by his ways. The only way that you can understand God is by his ways, and of course that is what reveals him. I also pointed out how vastly different God's ways and God's thoughts are from ours.
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You remember the passage in Isaiah 55, verses 8 and 9. Isaiah 55 verses 8 and 9, where God said, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts." So God's thoughts and God's ways are infinitely higher than ours. Which means, by the way, if we wish to please Him, if we wish to honor Him, then we have to turn from our ways to His ways.
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Now, last week, just recapping momentarily, we only looked at two major points. The very first one was this, we considered that God commands us to walk in His ways. And I took you through the scripture and showed you a number of passages that explained what it meant to walk in His ways. According to many of those passages, it meant fearing Him. It meant loving Him. It meant obeying Him. It meant cleaving unto Him. And it meant walking in His commandments. So that is what it means, basically, to walk in His ways. The second thing I pointed out was we had to consider that not walking in His ways was wickedness. It is sin not to walk in His ways. 1 John 3 and verse 4 describe sin for us. The Word of God says there, "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law."
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So let me point this out and make it clear. Every time you sin, you violate God's law. Sin is nothing less than a violation of God's law. Many times I have people email me or write me or call me and they'll ask the question, "Well, there's such and such a sin." And my response is, "Is it contrary to God's law?" No. Well, then it's not sin. It may not be wise, it may not be practical, but it would not be sin. Sin is a violation of God's laws. Sin is a refusal to walk in God's ways. It's a transgression of His commands. And essentially, when we leave God's ways, we turn to our own ways. When we turn to our own ways, we are leaving God's ways, and it is idolatry.
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So our text in verse 10 says this, "Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways." So the reason we go astray, the reason we err, is because we do not know his ways. Thus our ways are ignorance and wickedness. You remember the passage I quoted last week in 2 Samuel 22 and verse 22, David said, "For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God." So anytime we depart from God's ways, it is wickedness. So I ended the message last week with a number of applications. And today I want to pick up where we left off and show you what you must consider if we're going to walk in God's ways. So we looked first, we had to consider that God commands us to walk in His ways. Secondly, we had to consider that departing from His ways is wickedness. And thirdly, today we must consider that to depart from the ways of the Lord brings judgment and destruction.
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Now, let me point something out. It is true that men sin against God. It is true that men rebel against God. It is true that people are disobedient all of the time. But there are consequences for doing so. There is no individual, there is no family, there is no church, there is no society or nation that can escape the consequences of their actions. So, let me begin by showing you Jeremiah 23. Hold Hebrews if you would, but turn to Jeremiah chapter 23, and let's begin looking there at verse 9, just to show you that no one can escape the consequences of their actions. In Jeremiah 23, beginning there with verse 9, I want you to note what God says. Jeremiah is writing and he says this: "My heart within me is broken because of the prophets; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine hath overcome, because of the Lord, and because of the words of his holiness. For the land is full of adulterers." Now go back if you would just look at verse 9, notice the word "prophets" now.
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He says in verse 10, "For the land is full of adulterers; for because of swearing the land mourneth; the pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up, and their course is evil, and their force is not right. For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the Lord. Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness."
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"They shall be driven on, and fall therein: for I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith the Lord. And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err. I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness."
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"They are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah." Now, if you followed the passage, you will notice that God spoke about the prophets being sinful and evil. He spoke about the people of the land being adulterers and swearing. And then He talked about the priests. So now you have the prophets, the priests, and the people, each one of them absolutely, totally wicked. They are corrupt transgressors. They are violating the Law of God.
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Now, look if you would at verse 12. Look what God says, "Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness, and they shall be driven on, and fall therein: for I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith the Lord." Now, when you look at verse 12, He says, "wherefore their way." What is their way? It is the way that they have chosen. They're not walking in God's ways. They are now walking in their own way. So he says very clearly, "wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness." Now, interestingly, God says their ways are going to end up being slippery ways.
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Each one of us has slid down. And you know, the funny thing is, almost the amazing thing is, if you fall down, slip down publicly, one of the first things you do is look around and see who watched you fall, you know, whether you're hurt or not. But notice, we can avoid slippery places if we see them, if we know them. I remember a long time ago, I was in Indiana preaching, and we were staying with a family, and our room was upstairs.
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And they had, I think it was oak boards on their stairway, and I made the bad mistake of coming downstairs in my socks. And the last thing I remember was seeing my feet at the ceiling as my lower back hit that stairwell, and I slid all the way down. And yeah, I had a hematoma about like the size of my fist that Alice had to drain for about two weeks.
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And I'm just simply saying it's one of those things that happen. But notice if you would, God says they're going to be in slippery places, but he adds something else. Here's a double judgment. He said in verse 12, "wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery places in the darkness." So they're not going to be able to see danger. They're not going to be able to avoid or avert the danger. No, no. And then he says this in verse 12, "wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery places in the darkness, and they shall be driven on." In other words, God will drive them because of their choice of their own particular ways. So he says in verse 12, it will be absolutely impossible to avoid this judgment.
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Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Deuteronomy 32. I want you to see this. In light of that passage, Deuteronomy 32, and notice if you would, please, verse 35. Deuteronomy 32 and verse 35. Look what God says. Deuteronomy 32, verse 35.
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"To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence." Now he's talking about the wicked. Watch. "...their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste." But notice he says, "...their foot shall slide in due time." Surely their own slippery places. In other words, they've chosen their way. It is not God's way. And their foot shall slide. I don't know if you remember the passage in Psalm 73 where Asaph is writing and he is talking about the fact that he was envious at the wicked because he saw their prosperity. He went on to say that they were not in trouble like other men and he said their voice runs through the heaven, they do whatever they please. And then he says, "Surely I have washed my hands in vain, and in innocence." In other words, what good has it done me to be holy and right when the ungodly are prospering? And then he said, he didn't understand it until I went into the house of God.
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He said, "Then I understood their end." And then when he got to verse 18, he said, "Surely thou didst set them in slippery places." In other words, their foot shall slide in due time. And then he began to thank God that God had indeed saved him.
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Now, the truth that I'm speaking about now, as I've already pointed out, is applicable to individuals, to families, churches, societies, and nations. I want to show you this. I want you to follow me in Scripture because God says, "they have not known my ways." Because men choose their way. And that's what he was talking about in Jeremiah 23. But go to Jeremiah chapter 17 and look if you would please at verse 10. And I want to show you again how man's ways ultimately bring judgment. Notice in Jeremiah chapter 17 and verse 10 at what God says. He says, "I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings." So God is going to judge us and recompense us according to our ways, whether of course it's going to be biblical ways or whether it's going to be man's ways. We're going to be judged. Notice chapter 18 and verse 11 of Jeremiah. Jeremiah 18 verse 11. Look what he says, "Now therefore go to, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you."
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"Return ye now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good." So God says, "Listen, I'm going to judge you. I'm going to destroy you. The best thing for you to do is turn from your evil way. Make your ways good, how? By coming back to God's way." But he said, "I'm going to judge you based upon your evil ways." So, turn right over to the book of Ezekiel chapter 7. It's amazing to me how often these prophets cried out against the people and yet, of course, they refused to listen. Look at Ezekiel chapter 7 and verse 4. Ezekiel 7 and verse 4. God says, "And mine eye shall not spare thee, neither will I have pity: but I will recompense thy ways upon thee, and thine abominations shall be in the midst of thee: and ye shall know that I am the Lord." Wow. Skip down, if you would, to verse 9. "And mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: I will recompense thee according to thy ways and thine abominations that are in the midst of thee; and ye shall know that I am the Lord that smiteth." When I judge you, you're going to know it's me. Turn to
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chapter 14 and look in verse 23. Ezekiel 14 verse 23. He says, "And they shall comfort you, when ye see their ways and their doings: and ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, saith the Lord." In other words, he tells Ezekiel, you'll understand when I do it, they had it coming. Look, if you would, in Ezekiel chapter 20 and verse 21. Chapter 20 and verse 21. Again, he says it like this.
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"Notwithstanding the children rebelled against me: they walked not in my statutes, neither kept my judgments to do them, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; they polluted my sabbaths: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness." But notice what he said in verse 21, "they walked not in my statutes." In other words, they did not walk in his ways.
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They chose their own way. Look in Ezekiel 24 and verse 14. Ezekiel 24 and verse 14. He says, "I the Lord have spoken it: it shall come to pass, and I will do it; I will not go back, neither will I spare, neither will I repent; according to thy ways, and according to thy doings, shall they judge thee, saith the Lord God." So God says you're going to reap according to your ways. It's just that simple.
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Now, I want you to turn, I'm going to quote a verse as you turn there, but I want you to turn to the book of Zechariah, which is the last book before Malachi, Zechariah, Malachi, to chapter 1. As you turn there, listen to Hosea 12 in verse 2. "The Lord hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him." So again God says I'm going to judge you according to your ways. This passage in Zechariah chapter 1 is a very interesting passage. I remember, Lord have mercy, I guess 35 years ago now at least I preached a message from this passage, it was on Father's Day, and look at verse 4, The very first thing God told these people, "Be ye not as your fathers." Isn't that amazing? On Father's Day we want to hold up fathers and say emulate your father, but not this one. He said, "Be not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets have cried, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Turn ye now from your evil ways, and from your evil doings."
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"But they did not hear, nor hearken unto me, saith the Lord."
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Now, just stop there just for a moment. So God says, I don't want you to be like your fathers. How were the fathers? They wouldn't heed, they wouldn't hear, they wouldn't listen, they wouldn't repent. God says, don't be like that.
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Now look at verse 5. "Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever?" No. Now look at verse 6. He says, "But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers?" Lord, you can't outrun God. "And they returned and said, Like as the Lord of hosts thought to do unto us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us."
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So let me put it to you very plainly. Whatever God says is going to come to pass. And when God says he's going to judge us for living according to our ways instead of his ways, then obviously it's going to happen. No man, no church, no family, no society, and no nation can escape the consequences of their actions, or the consequences of their choices. One passage will clarify that, Jeremiah 11, verse 11. Listen to what God says, "Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape."
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"And though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them." God said, I will bring my judgment, and they shall not be able to escape. When God places our feet in slippery places, in darkness, and we're driven, as he said in Deuteronomy 32 verse 35, "their feet shall slide in due time." It's just a matter of time. You think about the wicked of this world, it's just a matter of time. Their feet shall slide.
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So you need to consider: To depart from God's ways is wickedness. And when you depart from God's ways, it brings judgment and devastation upon you. Here's the fourth thing today. You need to consider that the ways of the Lord are right and true ways and lead to obedience and holiness.
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Now, John the Baptist, of course, was the forerunner of Jesus Christ. And he was sent before Christ to prepare his ways. Zechariah the father of John the Baptist said this in Luke 1 verse 76, "And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways." So how then did John the Baptist prepare the ways of Jesus Christ? Well John prepared his ways by preparing a people to receive his ways. You remember John came preaching the baptism of repentance. He said, "Repent ye." And when he saw the Pharisees come to his baptism, he said, "O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" And so what John was doing was this. He was saying, you people have turned to your own ways. You've turned from God's ways. Now you need to repent and turn back to God and His ways. So what John was teaching then was basically conformity to God's Word and rejection of man's ways.
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That is how John was preparing the way of the Lord. David, a man after God's own heart, Psalm 25 and verse 4 prayed this, "Show me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths." Show me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. Have you ever asked God to show you his ways? If you walk in his ways, obviously you will follow his paths. Wherever there is a desire for holiness and obedience, there will inevitably be a desire to know God's ways. Let me put it in a different way. It is impossible to be obedient and holy if you're ignorant, without knowing God's ways. Let me put it even more bluntly. An ignorant man can never be a holy man. Now, when I say that, I'm talking about someone who is ignorant of God's Word.
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You could have 40 PhDs behind your name, and they could all be earned PhDs. You could be the most brilliant man on earth, but if you're ignorant of God and His ways, you still cannot be holy. It's just that simple. So, let me show you. I want you to turn to 2 Peter chapter 3. And look, if you would please, at verse 18. The last verse in 2 Peter. 2 Peter 3 and verse 18. Look at this verse.
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"But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen." But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Well, just a cursory reading of that verse ought to tell you that if you're growing in grace, it is because you're growing in knowledge. You really cannot separate grace and knowledge. But there is a very important word in verse 18. It's a small word. He said in verse 18, "but grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." The little word "and" is from the little Greek word kai, K-A-I. And kai is translated in our Bibles many times, but it is also translated another way many times. It is sometimes, and yes, many times, translated as "even." And so if you look back at verse 18, "but grow in grace, even in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." In other words, no one is growing in grace unless they're growing in knowledge.
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Knowledge and grace go together. This is why I'm saying that God's ways always lead to obedience and holiness. Now I want you to turn to the book of Hosea. There is one verse here that you can already nearly quote. Hosea chapter 4. I'm going to show you the verse that you're familiar with first. Look at Hosea chapter 4 and verse 6. We're talking about knowledge now, and grace, and holiness. In Hosea 4 and verse 6, he says, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children." And let me just mention this, I'm not preaching on this, but since God's law is an expression of His will, and since children are an expression of our will, this is an example of the lex talionis, which is the law of retribution, where God makes the punishment fit the crime. So God says, you're not concerned with my will, I'm not concerned with your will.
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But notice if you would, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me." In other words, if you don't know how to serve me, if you don't know how to obey me, if you don't know what my ways are, how can you live for me? It's impossible. Now notice if you would Hosea 14 and verse 9. Hosea 14 and verse 9, the last verse in the book of Hosea. Watch what he says. Hosea 14 verse 9, "Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein." God says if you're wise, if you understand, if you're prudent, you walk in His ways. It is that simple. Now, I do want you to turn back to Isaiah chapter 2 because I still want you to see in this passage how knowledge is connected to obedience and holiness.
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Look at Isaiah 2 and verse 3. Isaiah 2 and verse 3, "And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." Now note what they say. "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways." There will be instruction.
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There will be knowledge imparted. When you have the instruction, when you have the knowledge, "we will walk in his paths." Where do we get the knowledge? Where do we get the instruction? "For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." In other words, we get the knowledge and the instruction from His word. That is how we know how to live.
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So, turn over to Isaiah 35. Look, if you would, beginning there with verse 8. Isaiah 35 and verse 8. He says, "And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein." In other words, if you're walking in obedience to God's ways, you're not going to err. You must remember Hebrews 3 and verse 10, "they do always err in their heart." Why? Because "they have not known my ways." Now he says, when you're on the highway of holiness, you're not going to err therein. Watch verse 9.
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"No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: and the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." As we walk the highway of holiness. So you have to consider that God's ways are right and true, and they always lead to obedience and to holiness. Okay? Here's number five. You have to consider that the ways of the Lord are blessed and rejoicing ways.
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So I want you to go back to Deuteronomy chapter 30 to begin with. We're going to look at a number of passages. Deuteronomy, but look in Deuteronomy 30 and verse 16. Deuteronomy 30 verse 16. In fact, let's read verse 15 so that you can see this. You've got to consider that the ways of the Lord are blessed and rejoicing ways. Look what he said in Deuteronomy 30 verse 15: "See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil." So you've got two choices. You've got life and good, and you have death and evil. Now, how did God set before this people life and good and death and evil? Watch the explanation in verse 16. "In that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it." That is life, and that is good.
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Here's death and evil. "But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it. I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live." Now note if you would, God said I've set before you life and good and death and evil. Life and good is by obeying God's Word. Death and evil is by disobeying. Let me say it another way. Life and good is walking in his ways. Death and evil is walking in your own ways.
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Now, many fail to grasp a simple fact. That simple fact is that God has designed his word and his law for our good. Notice if you would he says I want you to obey me "that thou mayest live and multiply: and the Lord thy God shall bless thee." So go back to Deuteronomy chapter 5 and let's look at a few verses here to show you that obedience is basically for our good. Deuteronomy chapter 5, notice if you would please verse 33. Deuteronomy 5 verse 33: "Ye shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess." Now God says you walk in my ways, you're going to live, that's life. That it may be well with you, that's good. And that you may prolong your days in the land which the Lord your God shall possess. Wow.
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You know, I know that as Christians, we understand and know to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. That's no problem. But unless you're terribly sick, in an awful lot of pain, it is normal and natural to want to live. Anybody in this room want to die tonight? I don't. Even though I know to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. I enjoy life. I enjoy preaching. I enjoy teaching. I enjoy a lot of things.
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What did God just say? Look at it again, if you would, in verse 33. "Ye shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days." I want to live long, and I want to live a healthy life. In fact, when I die, I want to be so healthy people say, "Hmm, I wonder what killed him," you know. I'm serious. And God says it is for our good. Look in Deuteronomy 6 verses 24 and 25. Deuteronomy 6 verses 24 and 25. Watch it now. He says, "And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day. And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God, as he hath commanded us." But note if you would verse 24. He said, "And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always."
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Do you realize it is for our good that God said thou shalt not commit adultery. It is for our good that God said thou shalt not steal. It is for our good that God said thou shalt not take my name in vain. It is for our good that God said thou shalt not covet. All of this is for our good. It's not just for God's honor and glory, it is for our good as well.
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Look in Deuteronomy chapter 10 and verses 12 and 13. Deuteronomy 10 verses 12 and 13. "And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways," there it is again, "and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, to keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?" Wow. So God says it is for our good that we obey. Look in Deuteronomy 12 and verse 28. Deuteronomy 12 verse 28. He says, "Observe and hear all these words which I command thee, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee for ever, when thou doest that which is good and right in the sight of the Lord thy God." Now God says if we obey Him, it is not just for our good, but it's even for the good of our children. Wow.
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So, the point I'm trying to make is very simple. We have to consider that God's ways always lead to blessedness and rejoicing. Even David, the man after God's own heart, said in Psalm 128 in verse 1, "Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways." And when you get to Psalm 138 in verse 5, he says, "Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the Lord: for great is the glory of the Lord." Wow. I don't know about you, but that sounds to me like rejoicing. That sounds to me like being blessed.
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Now, I want you to turn to another passage. I want you to turn to the book of James, chapter 2, and let me show you an interesting passage. Hebrews, James. After the book of Hebrews you have James, James chapter 2. You know, whenever you begin to talk about the Word of God or the Law of God, so many people try to equate God's Law or God's Word with bondage, which is a complete fabrication. The flesh is bondage. The world is bondage. God's law is liberty. There is no liberty apart from the law of God. Look in James 2 beginning there in verse 8.
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Now he says, "If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well." Now note it is called the royal law. "But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty." Now, when you look at verse 8, God's law is called the royal law. Why?
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Because it proceeds from the king of kings. It is his law. But when you look at the latter part of verse 12, it is called the law of liberty. True liberty is found in obedience to God and His ways. All else is slavery, bondage, and tyranny. All you have to do is observe people, observe individuals. And you want to talk about bondage? Look how many people are in bondage to cigarettes, to alcohol, to dope, to pleasures, to self.
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Our Lord said, "Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin." But stop and think about this. When this country was founded, it was founded upon God and His Word. Stop and think of the true liberty and freedom that our forefathers enjoyed and had. Think now how far we have transgressed from those principles and where we are now, that now you need permission from a competent authority to do that which is absolutely normal, natural, and right. I told you, I think it was probably 30 to 40 years ago now, I was in Virginia, Fairfax, Virginia, and I was horrified back then to find out that in order to cut down a tree on your own property, you had to have permission or license from the city to do so.
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In fact, I know one preacher's son who got arrested and thrown in jail for cutting down some dead trees on his own property because he didn't get the proper paperwork and permission. Where does things like that come from? Look at the countries, the nations that have gone far from God's Word. They may have religion, but it's a pagan religion. And they're all tyrannies. They're all tyrannies. Liberty is not the ability to do as you please. That is licentiousness. Liberty is the ability to do as you ought and as you should. When we have liberty to obey God, and when you study 2 Corinthians chapter 3, what does the scripture say? "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." So if the Spirit of the Lord is not there, there is not liberty. And the Spirit of the Lord always leads us in agreement with His ways. So the blessed man is the man who walks in the ways of the Lord. There are ways of rejoicing and there are ways of obedience.
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Now, let me make some applications, so I want you to listen carefully. The first one is this. Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet. Everyone knows that Jeremiah preached to his people, but they would not listen, they would not hear, they would not heed, they would not repent. Jeremiah saw Jerusalem destroyed. He saw the people killed. He saw his people enslaved, taken bondage by Nebuchadnezzar. He saw the walls of Jerusalem broken down, the temple broken and ransacked.
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And he wrote in Lamentations 3 and verse 40, "Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord." Now you know, stop and think about that. "Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord." The wise man is going to heed and notice what is happening. If I see David stick his hand in the fire, and the next thing I see is flesh falling off his fingers, I don't think I'm going to try that. I'm going to just learn from what he did and say, I'm not doing that. If I see Gary fall into a hole, I'm going to do everything I can to go around that hole. I'll try to help him out, but I'm not going to step in it just because he stepped in it.
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This is what he's saying. Look at the people that are dying. Look at the people that are enslaved. And then he says, "Let us search and try our ways." We better learn something when we see people dying, enslaved, and being destroyed. God said in Jeremiah 26 and verse 13, "Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the Lord your God; and the Lord will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you." So what did God say? If you don't want to reap what you have sown, if you don't want my full judgment upon you, you amend your ways, you turn from your wicked ways and you come back to my ways. It's just that simple.
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The second application is this. If we wish to avoid heartache and disappointment and destruction, the wise course of action is to make sure that we do not leave or forsake the ways of the Lord.
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Now, how in the world do you accomplish that? Well, the answer we find in the life of Jotham. The Bible says in 2 Chronicles 27 and verse 6, "So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the Lord his God."
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Now stop and think about that. Jotham became mighty because he prepared his ways before the Lord his God. What does that mean? It means this, what Jotham did was he found out what God's ways were and then he changed his ways to walk in God's ways. He became a mighty man because he prepared his ways before the Lord. He made sure that whatever he did was biblical and right. So if we really want to be blessed, if we really want to rejoice in the Lord, if we really want to not dishonor our Heavenly Father, then we need to learn to prepare our ways and make sure that each of our ways are His ways.
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Here's the fourth one, or the third one. There is an additional blessing to obedience that we hardly ever think of. Years ago, I preached on this text. It's one of my favorite texts. But that additional blessing that we hardly ever think of is peace. Not just personal peace, but peace in a lot of the areas as well. For in Proverbs 16 in verse 7, the Bible says, "When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him." Think about that. When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. So an added blessing to obedience is peace. When we walk in His ways, we please Him.
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One last passage, I want you to look in the book of Colossians chapter 1, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Colossians chapter 1, and look at verses 9 and 10 and put together everything that I've been saying for the last two Lord's days. Watch this, Colossians 1 verse 9, Paul is talking about his prayer for the Colossian Christians and he says this, "For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you." Now, I want you to note his particular request in prayer for these Christians.
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"And to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God." Now, go back if you would to look at verse 9. He said, here's what we are praying, "we do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will."
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You remember I told you earlier it's impossible for an ignorant man to be a holy man. So he says, we're praying that you might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. What would be the result of that? Verse 10, "that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing."
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Now watch, "being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God." So if you obey the knowledge that God gives you, and you walk worthy of the Lord and all-pleasing, guess what? God gives you more knowledge. You continue to increase in knowledge. Then verse 11, "strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son." All of this comes from walking in the knowledge of His will, or let me put it bluntly, walking in His ways. Remember, if you would, Hebrews 3 and verse 10, "Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways." It grieves the heart of God when we do not know His ways and we do not walk in His ways.
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So if we do not want to grieve our Heavenly Father, we must learn to be obedient and to walk in His ways. Let's pray. Father, help us, we pray, in the name of Jesus Christ. Give us grace that we may serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. Teach us Thy ways, O Lord, that we might walk in Thy paths. Give us, Lord, understanding and wisdom and discernment that we may do that which is right and holy. In Thy name we ask, Amen.
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so
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T15:30:10Z

Ignorant Professors - Part 2 of 2

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

Pastor John Weaver continues his exposition of Hebrews 3:10, emphasizing that those who profess to know God but are ignorant of His ways are 'ignorant professors.' He argues that departing from God's ways is wickedness that brings inevitable judgment, while walking in His ways leads to obedience, holiness, blessing, and rejoicing. The sermon calls believers to search their ways, turn from sin, and prepare their ways before the Lord by growing in the knowledge of His will.

Introduction and Review

Weaver recaps the previous message, noting that God commands us to walk in His ways and that departing from His ways is wickedness.

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 3:7-11

"Wherefore, as the Holy Ghost saith, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: when your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways." "So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest."

We're looking at verse 10 particularly where God says,

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 3:7-11

"Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways."

Departing from God's Ways Brings Judgment

Weaver demonstrates from Jeremiah 23, Deuteronomy 32, and other passages that choosing our own ways leads to slippery places in darkness and inevitable judgment.

chapter 14 and look in verse 23. Ezekiel 14 verse 23. He says,

Scripture Reading — Ezekiel 7:4, 9

"And they shall comfort you, when ye see their ways and their doings: and ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, saith the Lord."

They chose their own way. Look in Ezekiel 24 and verse 14. Ezekiel 24 and verse 14. He says,

Scripture Reading — Ezekiel 24:14

"I the Lord have spoken it: it shall come to pass, and I will do it; I will not go back, neither will I spare, neither will I repent; according to thy ways, and according to thy doings, shall they judge thee, saith the Lord God."

So God says you're going to reap according to your ways. It's just that simple.

Scripture Reading — Hosea 12:2

"The Lord hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him."

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 11:11

"Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape." "And though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them."

God's Ways Lead to Obedience and Holiness

Using John the Baptist's ministry, David's prayer, and 2 Peter 3:18, Weaver shows that knowledge of God's ways is essential for holiness and obedience.

Now, John the Baptist, of course, was the forerunner of Jesus Christ. And he was sent before Christ to prepare his ways. Zechariah the father of John the Baptist said this in Luke 1 verse 76,

Scripture Reading — Luke 1:76

"And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways."

That is how John was preparing the way of the Lord. David, a man after God's own heart, Psalm 25 and verse 4 prayed this,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 25:4

"Show me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths."

God's Ways Are Blessed and Rejoicing Ways

From Deuteronomy 30 and other texts, Weaver argues that walking in God's ways brings life, good, blessing, and rejoicing, while disobedience brings death and evil.

Application: Search and Try Our Ways

Weaver applies Jeremiah's call to self-examination, urging believers to learn from the destruction of others and amend their ways to avoid judgment.

The second application is this. If we wish to avoid heartache and disappointment and destruction, the wise course of action is to make sure that we do not leave or forsake the ways of the Lord.

Application: Prepare Our Ways Before the Lord

Using Jotham's example, Weaver exhorts believers to prepare their ways by aligning them with God's Word, leading to might and blessing.

Application: Obedience Brings Peace

Weaver highlights Proverbs 16:7, noting that when a man's ways please the Lord, even his enemies are at peace with him.

Conclusion: Praying for Knowledge and a Worthy Walk

Weaver closes with Colossians 1:9-10, praying that believers be filled with the knowledge of God's will to walk worthy and please Him, avoiding the grief of Hebrews 3:10.

Ignorant Professors - Part 2 of 2

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	lFnlPPJqGUY
Subject	Church Government
Course	Church Order: Preaching and Pastoral Ministry
Genre	Sermon
Date	2017-01-11
Dictation Name
Book	Book 032: Ignorant Professors — Chapter 2
Source Timed Segments	66

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction and Review: Weaver recaps the previous message, noting that God commands us to walk in His ways and that departing from His ways is wickedness.
Departing from God's Ways Brings Judgment: Weaver demonstrates from Jeremiah 23, Deuteronomy 32, and other passages that choosing our own ways leads to slippery places in darkness and inevitable judgment.
God's Ways Lead to Obedience and Holiness: Using John the Baptist's ministry, David's prayer, and 2 Peter 3:18, Weaver shows that knowledge of God's ways is essential for holiness and obedience.
God's Ways Are Blessed and Rejoicing Ways: From Deuteronomy 30 and other texts, Weaver argues that walking in God's ways brings life, good, blessing, and rejoicing, while disobedience brings death and evil.
Application: Search and Try Our Ways: Weaver applies Jeremiah's call to self-examination, urging believers to learn from the destruction of others and amend their ways to avoid judgment.
Application: Prepare Our Ways Before the Lord: Using Jotham's example, Weaver exhorts believers to prepare their ways by aligning them with God's Word, leading to might and blessing.
Application: Obedience Brings Peace: Weaver highlights Proverbs 16:7, noting that when a man's ways please the Lord, even his enemies are at peace with him.
Conclusion: Praying for Knowledge and a Worthy Walk: Weaver closes with Colossians 1:9-10, praying that believers be filled with the knowledge of God's will to walk worthy and please Him, avoiding the grief of Hebrews 3:10.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Sin is a violation of God's law and a departure from His ways

Every sin transgresses God's law; turning to our own ways is idolatry and wickedness.

1 John 3:4: 'sin is the transgression of the law' and 2 Samuel 22:22: 'I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God.'

No one can escape the consequences of their actions

Individuals, families, churches, and nations will reap judgment according to their ways; God's recompense is inescapable.

Jeremiah 11:11: 'I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape' and Ezekiel 7:4: 'I will recompense thy ways upon thee.'

God's law is for our good, not bondage

God's commands are designed for our welfare, preservation, and blessing; true liberty is found in obedience.

Deuteronomy 6:24: 'for our good always, that he might preserve us alive' and James 2:12: 'the law of liberty.'

Ignorance of God's Word prevents holiness

Without knowledge of God's ways, one cannot be obedient or holy; knowledge and grace grow together.

Hosea 4:6: 'My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge' and 2 Peter 3:18: 'grow in grace, even in the knowledge.'

Walking in God's ways leads to life and good, not death and evil

God sets before us life and good through obedience, and death and evil through disobedience; we must choose life.

Deuteronomy 30:15-16: 'I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil... to walk in his ways... that thou mayest live.'

Preparing our ways before God brings strength and blessing

Jotham became mighty by preparing his ways before the Lord; believers must align their conduct with Scripture.

2 Chronicles 27:6: 'Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the Lord his God.'

Pleasing God in our ways results in peace with enemies

Obedience to God's ways can lead to peace even with adversaries, as God intervenes on behalf of the righteous.

Proverbs 16:7: 'When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.'

Increasing in knowledge of God's will leads to a fruitful, worthy walk

Paul's prayer for knowledge results in a walk that pleases God, fruitfulness, and further increase in knowledge.

Colossians 1:9-10: 'filled with the knowledge of his will... that ye might walk worthy of the Lord... increasing in the knowledge of God.'

Scripture References

Hebrews 3:7-11: The primary text of the sermon, warning against hardening hearts and erring through ignorance of God's ways.
Titus 1:16: Describes those who profess to know God but deny Him by their works, illustrating ignorant professors.
Isaiah 55:8-9: God's thoughts and ways are infinitely higher than man's, necessitating turning from our ways to His.
1 John 3:4: Defines sin as transgression of the law, equating sin with departing from God's ways.
2 Samuel 22:22: David's testimony that keeping God's ways prevents wicked departure from God.
Jeremiah 23:9-12: Prophets, priests, and people are wicked; their own ways become slippery places in darkness, bringing judgment.
Deuteronomy 32:35: God's vengeance: the foot of the wicked shall slide in due time, illustrating inevitable judgment.
Psalm 73:18: Asaph realized God sets the wicked in slippery places, leading to their destruction.
Jeremiah 17:10: God searches the heart and recompenses every man according to his ways.
Jeremiah 18:11: God calls Judah to turn from evil ways to avoid devised judgment.
Ezekiel 7:4, 9: God will recompense their ways upon them without pity, so they know He is the Lord.
Ezekiel 14:23: God's judgment is not without cause; they will understand when they see the ways and doings of the wicked.
Ezekiel 20:21: Israel rebelled by not walking in God's statutes, provoking His fury.
Ezekiel 24:14: God will judge according to their ways and doings, without relenting.
Hosea 12:2: The Lord will punish Jacob according to his ways and recompense his doings.
Zechariah 1:4-6: God warns not to be like the fathers who refused to turn from evil ways; His words took hold of them.
Jeremiah 11:11: God brings evil that cannot be escaped; they will cry but He will not hear.
Luke 1:76: John the Baptist was sent to prepare the ways of the Lord by calling people to repentance.
Psalm 25:4: David's prayer for God to show him His ways and teach him His paths.
2 Peter 3:18: Believers are to grow in grace and knowledge; the 'and' can mean 'even,' linking grace and knowledge inseparably.

Historical References

Israel in the wilderness (Exodus/Numbers generation): The generation that tempted God, saw His works forty years, and grieved Him by erring in heart and not knowing His ways.
John the Baptist's ministry: John prepared the way of the Lord by preaching repentance and calling people to turn from their own ways to God's ways.
Jotham, king of Judah: Jotham became mighty because he prepared his ways before the Lord, serving as an example of aligning conduct with God's Word.
Jeremiah's prophetic ministry and the fall of Jerusalem: Jeremiah witnessed Jerusalem's destruction and the people's enslavement by Nebuchadnezzar because they refused to heed God's call to amend their ways.
Founding principles of the United States: Weaver contrasts the liberty enjoyed by the nation's forefathers, founded on God and His Word, with modern tyranny resulting from departure from those principles.
Personal anecdote: slipping on stairs in Indiana: Weaver recounts falling down a stairway in socks to illustrate the danger of slippery places, analogous to the judgment of walking in one's own ways.
Personal anecdote: tree-cutting permit in Fairfax, Virginia: Weaver shares an example of a preacher's son arrested for cutting dead trees without a permit, illustrating loss of liberty when society departs from God's ways.

Important Quotes

Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.

The central text of the sermon, highlighting the grief of God over those who are ignorant of His ways and thus err continually.

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

Defines 'ignorant professors' as those whose lives contradict their profession of knowing God.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.

Establishes the vast difference between God's ways and man's, necessitating a turn from our ways to His.

Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness, and they shall be driven on, and fall therein: for I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith the Lord.

Vivid imagery of judgment: those who choose their own ways will find them slippery and dark, with no escape.

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee.

Underscores the fatal consequence of ignorance and rejection of God's revealed ways.

Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.

Contrasts the outcome of the just who walk in God's right ways with the transgressors who stumble.

When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

Highlights an often-overlooked blessing of obedience: peace with adversaries.

Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the Lord his God.

Provides a practical example of how aligning one's conduct with God's Word leads to strength and blessing.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

What does it mean to be an 'ignorant professor' according to Hebrews 3:10 and Titus 1:16? How can we examine our own lives for this tendency?

[Context]

Weaver defines ignorant professors as those who profess to know God but deny Him by their works, erring because they do not know His ways.

[Question]

How does the imagery of 'slippery ways in the darkness' from Jeremiah 23:12 illustrate the consequences of walking in our own ways? Can you think of modern examples?

[Context]

Weaver explains that choosing our own ways leads to inevitable judgment, depicted as slippery, dark paths from which there is no escape.

[Question]

Why does Weaver insist that an ignorant man cannot be a holy man? How does 2 Peter 3:18 connect grace and knowledge?

[Context]

Weaver argues that knowledge of God's ways is essential for holiness, and that growing in grace is inseparable from growing in knowledge.

[Question]

In what ways does God's law function as a 'law of liberty' rather than bondage, as described in James 2? How does this contrast with worldly ideas of freedom?

[Context]

Weaver teaches that true liberty is found in obedience to God's commands, while sin and self-will lead to slavery.

[Question]

What does it practically mean to 'prepare our ways before the Lord' as Jotham did? How can we apply this in daily decision-making?

[Context]

Weaver uses Jotham's example to urge believers to align their conduct with Scripture, ensuring their ways are God's ways.

[Question]

How does the promise of Proverbs 16:7 ('he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him') encourage us to pursue obedience even in difficult relationships?

[Context]

Weaver presents peace with enemies as an added blessing of pleasing God in our ways.

[Question]

According to Colossians 1:9-10, what is the relationship between being filled with the knowledge of God's will and walking worthy of the Lord? How can we pursue this in our prayer lives?

[Context]

Weaver concludes that knowledge of God's will leads to a worthy walk, fruitfulness, and increasing knowledge, forming a cycle of growth.

[Question]

Weaver says, 'It grieves the heart of God when we do not know His ways and we do not walk in His ways.' How should this truth affect our daily choices and priorities?

[Context]

The sermon ends with a call to avoid grieving God by learning obedience and walking in His ways, based on Hebrews 3:10.

Applications

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