Romans-Related Topical Applications

Without Cause

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: New Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2019-11-06

Synopsis: Pastor John Weaver examines Psalm 35, where David laments being attacked by former friends without cause. He applies this to the believer's experience of unjust criticism from fellow Christians and shows how David's response—living righteously and appealing to God—points to the greater David, Jesus Christ, who was also hated without cause. The sermon culminates in the application that when we attack fellow believers, we are attacking Christ Himself, as we are His body.

[John Weaver] 35 and I want us to read a number of verses. I'd really like to read the entire psalm, but we'll probably start at Stop about verse 20 notice if you would please Psalm 35 Beginning there with verse 1 David says plead my cause O Lord with them that strive with me Fight against them that fight against me Take hold of shield and buckler and stand up for mine help Draw out also the spear and stop the way against them that persecute me Say unto my soul I am by salvation Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul.

[John Weaver] Let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt. Let them be as chaff before the wind and let the angel of the Lord chase them. Let their way be dark and slippery, and let the angel of the Lord persecute them. For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul. Let destruction come upon him at unawares, and let his net that he hath hid catch himself, and to that very destruction let him fall. And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord, it shall rejoice in his salvation. All my bones shall say, Lord, Who is like unto thee, which delivereth the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?

[John Weaver] False witnesses did rise up. They laid to my charge things I knew not. They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul. But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth. I humbled my soul with fasting, and my prayer returned into my own bosom. I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother. I bowed down heavily as one that mourneth for his mother.

[John Weaver] But in mine adversity, they rejoiced and gathered themselves together. Yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me. And I knew it not, and they did tear me and cease not. With hypocritical mockers and feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth. Lord, how long wilt thou look on? Rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions. I will give thee thanks in the great congregation. I will praise thee among much people. Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me.

[John Weaver] Neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause for they speak not peace But they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land The type of the message today is just simply without cause without cause Oftentimes we find ourselves in situations and circumstances in which we view ourselves as victims We are hurt Disappointed and oftentimes become angry and bitter. We do not understand what happened or even why it happened We just simply know that it happened and based upon our understanding There was no cause for it And so consequently we have to deal with the situation and hopefully we can at least deal with whatever it is in a biblical manner.

[John Weaver] I suspect that one thing that hurts the most and is even the most debilitating for a Christian is that when we are criticized and belittled and berated and attacked. by another believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] Now we expect such from unbelievers, but we do not expect it from believers. And yet our Lord said it like this in John chapter 16 verse 33. He said, In the world you shall have tribulation. The Apostle Paul said in 2 Timothy chapter 3 in verse 2, 12, yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

[John Weaver] Now let me point something out about Christians. It is unbelievable, and yet it is absolutely true, that Christians can be just as mean, just as vicious, and just as wicked as anyone else. In fact, we oftentimes violate God's word, and we oftentimes do things that specifically are mentioned that God really, truly hates. If you will hold Psalm 35, but look in your Bibles, if you would please, to Proverbs chapter six. Proverbs chapter six. And notice if you would please, beginning there with verse 16. Proverbs chapter 6 and notice verse 16 Notice what the Bible says These six things that the Lord hate So God is speaking about that which he hates These six things that the Lord hate he a seven or an abomination unto him.

[John Weaver] What does God hate a proud look a lying tongue a and hands that shed innocent blood, and heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among the brethren." Now it is true that most of us are not going to shed innocent blood. I understand that. But certainly we can have a proud look, we can have a lying tongue, we can have a heart that devises wicked imaginations, we can have feet that run swiftly to mischief, and we can be a false witness, and we can speak lies, and we can sow discord among the brethren. And these are things specifically that God hates.

[John Weaver] And to realize that we are capable of these sins, and when they are against us, Individuals it hurts and it is exceedingly grievous now. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Psalm 55 So I can try to begin to set the stage for you to understand Psalm 35. So if you look in Psalm 55 You'll see how hurt David was when he came to being attacked by fellow believers Look what he said Psalm 55 and let's begin reading there with verse 12. I David said for it was not an enemy that reproached me then I could have borne it Neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me then I would have hid myself from him but It was thou a man mine equal my guide and mine acquaintance.

[John Weaver] We took sweet counsel together and And walked into the house of God in company. Now David said, if it was an enemy that reproached me, I could have borne it. I could understand that. I know that my enemy hates me. He said, if it was someone that was stronger than me that would magnify himself against me, I could have hid myself. I could have withdrawn from him. That's no problem. But he said, the thing that got me was the man that attacked me, was the man who was my equal, my guide and my acquaintance and we took sweet counsel together and walked in the house of God in company. So we understand enemies, but it hurts grievously when we are attacked and vilified by our brother in Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] Now let me tell you what Psalm 35 is. Psalm 35 is an expression of grief by David when he is attacked by those who supposedly were his friends. We do not know the exact situation to which Psalm 35 is dealing with. It could have been the treatment that David received at the hand of King Saul. It could have been the treatment that David received at the hand of a Hithophel, or Shemai, or even his son Absalom. We're not told, but we are told very clearly that this is a passage where a friend has turned on David. I want to give you a paragraph from Albert Barnes on Psalm 35. Don't you listen carefully, because this I think will be very applicable. He said this, What is apparent in this psalm, the central idea, that which makes it useful, is that it was composed with reference to the treatment which the author received from those who were his professed friends, from those to whom he had shown kindness in their troubles, to whom he had been a

[John Weaver] friend and a brother, but who had now turned against him. In the time of prosperity, they had been his professed friends, and had partaken freely and largely of his hospitality. When they were afflicted, he, that is David, had shown them sympathy and kindness. But when reverses came upon him, they forsook him and joined with his persecutors and accusers. This psalm, therefore, has a special applicability to trials of that nature.

[John Weaver] It expresses the feelings and views of the author in regard to his own sorrows as springing from such ingratitude and his earnest prayer to God to interpose on his behalf the rolling of the sorrows of this pained and oppressed heart upon the arm of his unchanging friend, the mighty and merciful God. As occasions similar to those referred to in the psalm not infrequently occur in this world, It was important that in the volume of inspiration, an example should be furnished of the manner in which piety is to meet such a form of trial. So he's saying that very obviously we're going to be facing things like this. And this psalm teaches us how we are to face such a trial.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to look in verse one and show you the David's grief. How anxious he was because he begins by saying plead my cause O Lord with them that strive against me Fight against them that fight against me literally David is praying litigate. Oh Lord with them that litigate against me Contend with those that contend against me So in simple words what David is doing is asking God to avenge him of his adversaries now I want you to look at verses 2 through 9 because David unashamedly Asked God to do certain things for him ha And as I look at this, and as I read this with you, I want you to stop and ask yourself this question. Would you make these prayer requests unto God when folks are persecuting you? Will explain momentarily but look in verse 2 and David says take hold of shielded buckler and stand up for my help the words come and defend me Draw out also the spear and stop the way against them that persecute me Say to my soul.

[John Weaver] I am my salvation in other words David is not just saying Defend me he is saying that but he's saying take out your spear and stop them Let them know what they're doing now. Look at the prayer. He prays in verse 4 Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul Let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devised my hurt Let them be as chaff before the wind and let the angel the Lord chase them. I Let their way be dark and slippery, and let the angel of the Lord persecute them. For without cause have they hid for me in their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul. Let destruction come upon him at unawares, and let his net that he hath hid catch himself. Into that very destruction let him fall and my soul shall be joyful in the Lord. It shall rejoice in his Salvation so David now is unashamedly asking God to persecute those Who are persecuting him? Let there be a shaft before the wind let the angel the Lord chase them let their way be dark and slippery Let the angel the Lord persecute them now.

[John Weaver] Here's my question. I Why would David pray such a prayer? The answer is found in verse 7. Look at it. For without cause have they hid from me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul. In other words, David is saying they're persecuting me and I have done nothing to hurt them. There is nothing in me that draws forth this wicked response from them. Now, look down in verse 19.

[John Weaver] He will say it again. Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me, neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.

[John Weaver] Now, the interesting thing is the Hebrew word, which is translated without a cause, literally means they hated him freely, without a purpose. They hated him undeservedly. In other words, David had done absolutely nothing wrong to draw forth their ire, their hatred, and their bitterness. So they were hating him and attacking him for no purpose. They were doing it Undeservingly towards David and they were doing it freely So it's almost inconceivable for you and I to think that Christians could act in such a manner But it is entirely possible This is what I call the hen house syndrome.

[John Weaver] I don't know if you know anything about chickens or not. I But you let a chicken get hurt could be accidentally could have been in a fight and Just let a little blood be shown and guess what? The other chickens are cool come together and peck that one to death if possible. I You know and I've often said this is the way it is for the Christians seemingly We're about the only ones who try to destroy our walking wounded when one gets down instead of trying to help We always try to hurt it seems but the Bible tells us what we are to do And let me tell you it's easier to criticize and condemn than it is actually help you see the Bible says in Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault You who are spiritual restore such in one listen carefully in the spirit of meekness considering thine own self Then he says bear you one of those burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ Now, what does he mean do it in the spirit of meekness considering your own self?

[John Weaver] If it's not for God's grace, you would be the one that needed to help instead of the one being the helper That's what he's saying So it's much easier to criticize and condemn than it is to humble ourselves and help someone. Criticism and condemnation is in one sense of the word an act of the flesh. Humility and obedience is an act of the spirit. And even as Christians, we still have this battle between the flesh and the spirit.

[John Weaver] I want you to hold Psalm 35, but turn in your Bibles, if you would, and look to Galatians chapter 5, and let's begin reading there in verse 13. Galatians chapter 5 and verse 13. Look what the Apostle says Galatians 5 verse 13 He said for brethren. You've been called unto Liberty only use not Liberty for an occasion of the flesh but by love serve one another For all the law is fulfilled in one word even this thou shalt love thy neighbors thyself now watch verse 15 but if you bite and devour one another Take heed that you be not consumed one of another This I say, then, walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth, or fights against, the Spirit, and the Spirit fights against the flesh. And these, that is, the flesh and the spirit, are contrary the one to the other, so that you cannot do the things that you would." Now, interestingly enough, for years I have wanted to preach a message on Galatians 5 Verse 15 where the Apostle Paul says but if you bite and devour one another take heed that you may not consume one of another I've never preached the message that I wanted to but I've already got the title

[John Weaver] in my mind cannibal Christians Cannibal Christians because that's exactly what we end up doing Paul said if we are not careful We will end up biting and devouring one another and we will end up being consumed one of another so the rancor and the ill will and the bitterness and the harshness of spirit and the meanness of mind and fleshly pride arrogance and haughtiness, hatefulness, condemnatory attitudes, unwillingness to serve, and know-it-all attitudes ultimately will just simply devour and destroy. So, we desperately need the mind of Jesus Christ in every area of our lives. That's why the Bible says, let this mind be in you which also was in Christ Jesus.

[John Weaver] Want you to see what David is contending with so go back if you would to Psalm 35 and look if you would please beginning there with verse 11 11 and 12 So David now is being condemned. He's being attacked undeservedly and Look if you would please in verse 11. Look what he says he says false witnesses did rise up and They laid to my charge things that I knew not.

[John Weaver] They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul. Now look at verse 11. False witnesses did rise up. They laid to my charge things which I know not. You know, I certainly understand that. I can identify with that. I have had people begin to express and tell others What I believed and what my positions were. And I don't even know the people. I've never spoken to them. They've never spoken to me.

[John Weaver] But yet they are an expert on what I believe. It is absolutely insane. I had to write one man a letter. He made a number of statements. Everything he said was an absolute ball faced lie. I never I've never met the man in my entire life, never spoken to him. And yet he was telling he was telling where I'd been and what I'd done. And I'd never been to any of those places. And I've never done any of those things.

[John Weaver] Now, so this is what is happening here. You're going to understand this verse momentarily. David says false witnesses did rise up. They laid to my charge things which I know not. It amazes me that Christians and especially preachers can be so crass and so fleshly and so insolent as to declare what someone believes without ever consulting that individual. You know, the best way to know what I actually believe is to ask me.

[John Weaver] And I will tell you. It's that simple. If I want to know what Joshua believes, I can ask him. He can tell me. I have no right to go around and say, well, Gary believes this. I've never even talked to Gary about it. But this is what David is saying. Now, David said, I've had charges laid to me. Against me. I knew nothing about them. I was totally ignorant of them now moreover. I'm should look at verse 12 He says they rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul now I Know that David was a sinner just like you and I sinners But the truth of the matter is even though David was a sinner in this instance in Psalm 35 David was

[John Weaver] innocent And everything they were doing was without a cause. And every time David tried to help them and do that, which is good and holy, they turned around and rewarded him evil for his good. Look in verses 13 and 14. Here was David's attitude toward them. Here were his actions toward them. In verse 13, he said, but it's for me. When they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth.

[John Weaver] I humbled my soul with fasting and my prayer returned into my own bosom. I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother. I bowed down heavily as one that mourneth for his mother. So David was sincere. He was just. And he sought to help them, not just through prayer, but by fasting and prayer. He was demonstrating his love for them as a friend and as a brother. And he even goes farther because he said, he mourned for them as one mourneth for his mother. In other words, everyone knows what it's like to lose a mother.

[John Weaver] My mother's been dead for years. Now, I still think of my mother and it grieved me when she died. I still think of my father. I'm just simply pointing out the fact David here was really, truly, genuinely compassionate and concerned, and he was grieved for these individuals.

[John Weaver] Now, I want to point this out. He said in verse 13, but it's for me when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth. Humbled myself with fasting and my prayer returned into my own bosom now What does that mean my prayer returned in my own bosom? Literally what he's saying is I prayed with my head sunk into my bosom in other words the prayer that went out of his lips his breath came back and hit him and his own stomach. So it was the earnest prayer of someone who was really genuinely bowed down with sorrow. It's much like in 1st Kings 18 in verse 42. When Elijah prayed, the Bible says he cast himself upon the ground and put his face between his knees and prayed. And so this is what David is saying, my prayer was genuine, my prayer was real, and it was truthful. Henry Ainsworth said it like this, in reference to this statement. He said, I wished no worse to them than to myself.

[John Weaver] Let me receive of God such good as I pray for them. In other words, David said, I'm willing to take from God whatever I pray for them. So obviously, he was genuinely sincere in this as well. So there was no shallowness in David's prayer. There was no emptiness. There was no hypocrisy on David's part. His concern, his compassion for these people Was absolutely genuine. His actions clearly demonstrated his attitude. He was not wicked. He was not ungodly. He was biblical.

[John Weaver] He was right, and he was holy. Now, here's the thing. What was their response to David's biblical attitude and actions? Well, look if you would, verses 15 through 17. He says, but in my adversity, they rejoiced and gathered themselves together. Yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not. They did tear me and cease not with hypocritical mockers and feasts. They gnashed upon me with their teeth. So they got together and they're talking about David. They're slandering him. They're mocking him. They're ridiculing him. They're criticizing him. They're condemning him. And he says with their teeth, they literally tore me apart. He said I was unaware of all their talk, but that's exactly what they were doing So he said they gathered themselves together against me. You know, I usually tell people when someone says Well, you should hear what old so-and-so said about you. I usually have two responses. The first one is this Well, if they really knew me the way God does it probably say worse things than that about me or number two As long as they're talking about me, they're leaving some poor widow woman alone so But but this is exactly what David is saying David said boy they

[John Weaver] get together and all they're doing is Ripping me apart and they don't cease they do not stop now. Let me point something out We cannot control What people think or what people say? There's no way in the world I can control what Steve thinks I can't control what David says Not only that There's no way in the world that we can make people like us or love us Inevitably in a sinful world with sinful people People are going to misinterpret and when they misinterpret they

[John Weaver] misunderstand and when they misunderstand they misjudge But there are two things that we can do and both of these are scriptural and biblical The first thing is this We may live in such a way as to prove them wrong. In other words, our lives, our attitudes and our actions are to demonstrate that they are gossipers, slanderers and liars. So we have to be obedient, even if they're disobedient.

[John Weaver] So let me give you an illustration. I want you to turn to the book of Romans chapter 12. And as you're turning to Romans chapter 12, Here's the illustration. If Steve stood up in this room and cursed me to my face and everyone in here heard him, here's my question. Would that give me the right to stand up and curse him back? And the answer is no. Just simply because Steve does wrong does not give me the right to do wrong.

[John Weaver] There is a biblical way to handle His wickedness and his wrongness. What is it? Well look in Romans chapter 12 and let's begin reading there if you would please at verse 17 God says recompense to no man evil for evil or which you don't Pay evil back with evil Provide things honest inside of all men. That's what I mean by living holy and obediently Then he says if it be possible As much as life in you live peaceably with all men now watch verse 19.

[John Weaver] I Dearly beloved avenge not yourselves, but rather give place in the wrath for it is written Vengeance is mine. I will repay saith the Lord Therefore if thine enemy hunger What are you to do? Feed him if he thirst give him drink for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good so God says If someone does you wrong and they are wicked towards you and they're hungry feed him now God doesn't say go out and buy him a big steak But he does say feed him, you know If you've got peas share the peas with him if he's thirsty give him water to drink. You don't have to go out and buy Some kind of special water for it. Just give him whatever you've got He said in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head Now, let me explain something to you. Heaping coals of fire upon one's head. Is equivalent to repaying evil with good.

[John Weaver] Because as explained in verse 21, but years ago, I heard about a woman who came to her pastor who was in a counseling session with her, and she was a. Criticizing and condemning her husband and they were having problems And so the pastor just kind of leaned back and looked at her and smiled and said well Have you tried heaping coals of fire upon his head that is returning good for evil? She says no, but I tried hot water that don't work either. So But the Bible says in verse 21 be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good so the first thing that we can do is it we can live obediently and honestly and prove them to be liars and slanderers and gossipers and worthless individuals The second thing that we can do is

[John Weaver] we can appeal to God if you go back to Psalm 35 I want you to see how David does this Psalm 35 Look if you would please in verse 17 Psalm 35 verse 17 David asked Lord How long without look on? Rescue my soul from their destructions and my darling from the lions Lord, how long without look on the Lord's Lord? How long are you gonna let this continue? Lord, you know that I'm innocent in this, you know that they're persecuting me without a cause You know my heart, you know my motives, you know everything about me so Lord, please Don't let this go on continually. If you'll skip down to verse 22, watch it again.

[John Weaver] He says, This thou hast seen, O Lord, keep not silence. O Lord, be not far from me. Stir up thyself and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord. So he's asking God then to intervene. He's asking God to interpose himself. So David is doing two things number one. He's going to live his life wholly and rightly and do that which is good and obedient and Secondly, he's appealing to God.

[John Weaver] So let me make a statement. I want you to understand this When we appeal to God for help We need to be innocent we need to be righteous and We are unrighteous if we are guilty We just merely condemn ourselves by appealing to God If you will turn in your Bibles holding Psalm 35, you'll turn in your Bibles to 1st John 1st John notice if you would please chapter 3 and let's begin reading there with verse 18 1st John 3 verse 18 and Here's this is explained very clearly. I First John 3 verse 18 John writes my little children Let us not love in word neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth And in hereby we do know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him now watch verse 20 for if our heart condemn us God is greater than our heart and with all things Beloved if our heart condemn us not for Then have we confidence toward God now notice he said if we come to God and we're guilty and we know we're guilty And our heart is condemning us.

[John Weaver] He said God's greater than our heart God knows that He said if you want to come to God with confidence you come with innocently, you come in righteousness. If you can come in righteousness and your heart does not condemn you, we have confidence that God is hearing us and God is going to answer and impose himself on our part.

[John Weaver] Now, each of us has been accused wrongly without a cause. Each of us has been attacked wrongly and without a cause. So here's my question. What makes Psalm 35 so applicable for us? Have you ever stopped to think why God allowed certain things to be put in the Bible? Here is David being attacked from professed friends and brothers. There is something that you and I must benefit from this passage. There's something that we must apply to our lives.

[John Weaver] And so you have to ask, what are the applications we're to make? Now, I want you to listen very carefully. While I have been talking about David in Psalm 35, since David wrote Psalm 35, There is the greater David in view. And the greater David is the Lord Jesus Christ. I want you to hold Psalm 35 and turn in your Bibles, if you would, to Matthew 22.

[John Weaver] And let's begin reading there with verse 41. I want you to watch carefully. I'm going to be quoting some passages, but I want you to watch what our Lord does. Matthew chapter 22. beginning there verse 41 While the Pharisees were gathered together Jesus asked them saying What think you of Christ? Whose son is he? What think you of the Messiah whose son is he? They said him the son of David Well, that's good verse 43 he said unto them how then that David and spirit called him Lord saying I The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies I footstool. If David then called him Lord, how is he his son?

[John Weaver] And no man was able to answer him a word. Neither did any man from that day forth ask him any more questions. Oh, so our Lord says, look, what think you of Christ? Well, he's the son of David. Well, if he's just merely the son of David, how is it that David in Psalm 110 said, the Lord said to my Lord, sit down on my right hand. If if he is his Lord, how is he just simply the son of David? In other words, what he's trying to show him or show these Pharisees is that obviously Jesus Christ, the Messiah, is not just the son of David in a physical sense, but he is the true son of David and he is God incarnate. Now I want you to listen very carefully Matthew 1 verse 1 the very first verse in the New Testament says this the book of the generations of Jesus Christ the son of David the son of Abraham Jesus Christ is the true son of David Solomon was a physical son, but Jesus Christ is

[John Weaver] the true son of David Do you remember there in Luke chapter 1 in verse 32 the Bible says this concerning Jesus Christ? He shall be great and he shall be called the son of the highest and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father So Jesus Christ is the true son of David Consequently he's greater than Solomon Solomon was just the physical son. I wish you'd listen to what our Lord said in Matthew chapter 12 in verse 42 He said the Queen of the South shall rise up in the judgment with this generation and shall condemn it and For she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, a greater than Solomon is here. And he says the same thing in Luke 11 verse 31. Jesus Christ is greater than Solomon. Why? Because Solomon was just simply a physical son. Jesus Christ is the true son because Jesus Christ is the true inheritor of David's throne. Now, I want you to listen carefully.

[John Weaver] Whatever is said of David And Psalm 35 is applicable to the Lord Jesus Christ himself, because Jesus Christ is the true son of David. So I want you to go back to Psalm 35. Go ahead and find Matthew 26, if you would, please. And just hold Matthew 26. And then we're going back to Psalm 35 first. And look, if you would please, at verse 11. Psalm 35 verse 11. Notice, if you would, I quoted this verse earlier. Psalm 35 verse 11.

[John Weaver] False witnesses did rise up. They laid to my charge things that I knew not.

[John Weaver] Now, that was only true of David, the king. It was also true of the true son of David, the Lord Jesus Christ. If you look in your Bible, so Matthew 26. beginning there with verse 59 Notice if you would please what is said Matthew 26 in verse 59 Now the chief priests and elders and all the council saw false witness against Jesus to put him to death note. They're seeking false witness Verse 60 but found none. Yay, though many false witnesses came they found none Yet they found none. At last came two false witnesses and said, This fellow said, I'm able to destroy the temple of God and build it in three days.

[John Weaver] And the high priest arose and said to him, answer is now nothing. What is it which all these witnesses witness against thee? So here are false witnesses coming and laying our Lord's charge, things which he knew not. That's the true of the physical David, but it's true of the greater David the Lord Jesus Christ as well Go back to Psalm 35 and look at verse 19 Psalm 35 verse 19 He says let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me Neither let them wink with the eye that

[John Weaver] hate me without a cause Now may I remind you of something? When David was saying That they were persecuting him without a cause. It means they hated him and persecuted him freely. There was no purpose in it. In other words, there was nothing in David that drew forth and merited their hatred.

[John Weaver] Now, the same is true of the Lord Jesus Christ. So I want you to look, if you would, please, in Psalm 69 and verse 4. Psalm 69 and verse 4. You'll see the same truth enunciated again. Psalm 69 and verse 4. The Bible says they they that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head They that would destroy me being mine enemies wrongfully are mighty Then I restored that which I took not away. So this verse is used in the New Testament concerning Jesus Christ So if you will turn in your Bibles to the book of John chapter 15 John chapter 15 and let's begin reading there with verse 22 John 15 and verse 22 John 15 verse 22 Our Lord says If I had not come

[John Weaver] and spoken unto them They had not had sin But now they have no cloak for their sin watch verse 23 He that hateth me hateth my father also If I had not done among them the works which none other man did They had not had sin But now have they both seen and hated both me and my father. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, they hated me without a cause." The same verse from Psalm 35 from Psalm 69 is now applied to Jesus Christ in John 15 and verse 25. In other words, there was nothing in Jesus Christ that merited or drew forth the hatred of these wicked people. They hated him freely. They hated him for no purpose. They hated him without a cause. Jesus Christ was and is the sinless son of God.

[John Weaver] Now, here's the interesting thing. These people mocked and ridiculed Jesus Christ. They lied against him. They slandered him. They crucified him. But did you know that Jesus Christ used the two options that reveal for us in Psalm 35? What did he do first? He lived a perfect life in obedience to his father, in obedience to the law, to demonstrate that these people who were persecuting him and lying against him were slanderers and gossipers and wicked, wicked people.

[John Weaver] He said in John 8 and verse 29, and he that sent me is with me. The father hath not left me alone for I do always those things which please him Our Lord did always those things which pleased his father and you remember what he said in John 8 in verse 46 He looked at those Pharisees and he said this which of you convinced of me of sin Here I am charge me with a sin show me where I've sinned show me where I violated and They couldn't do it. So here our Lord lived a life that was a life of holiness and obedience, and he proved his enemies were wicked and wrong, and they were lying and slandering against him. The second thing he did, he appealed to his father.

[John Weaver] If you would turn in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews, chapter five, and notice if you would, verses seven through nine. Hebrews chapter five, verses seven through nine. Watch this. Hebrews chapter 5 verse 7, who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard in that he feared.

[John Weaver] Though he were a son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered, and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him. But note who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplication, would strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard. that he feared so our Lord then not only lived a holy godly obedient life he also appealed to his heavenly father so Christ then used both of these methods to reprove and rebuke the gainsayers we should do as well I don't have time but here's an interesting study if you would just go

[John Weaver] through the book of Psalms and And note how often David claimed God as his defense. For instance, in Psalm 7 and verse 10, he said, my defense is of God who saveth the upright in heart. When you get to Psalm 62 and verse 6, he says, he is my rock and my salvation. He is my defense. I shall not be moved. And then when you get to Psalm 94 in verse 22, he says, but the Lord is my defense and my God is the rock of my refuge. So over and over in the Bible, David claims God as his defense. God is his defender.

[John Weaver] It's his responsibility to live wholly and righteously and godly. And God in his time will vindicate David. He will demonstrate who is lying. who is not lying now I Want to make two applications and I want to towel this together for you I want you to think about this and I'm going to be honest with you. I Preach this entire message really just to get my last application Here's the first application We must understand that that which we sow We will reap inevitably Whatever we sow is going to come back upon our own heads If we lie, we're going to be lied upon If we slander we're going to be slandered if we gossip we're going to be gossiped about I want you to turn to Psalm 9 and then to Psalm 35 Look if you would at Psalm 9 at verses 15 and 16 first Psalm 9 Notice if you would please beginning there with verse 15 Look what he says Psalm 9 verse 15 The heathen are sunk down in the pit which they made in the net which they hid is their own foot taken The Lord is known by the judgment which he executed the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands so God says The heathen are sunk down in the

[John Weaver] pit that they made. They fell into their own pit. The net which they hid, their own foot is captured. The Lord is known by the judgment which he executed. The wicked is snared by the work of his own hands. Inevitably, it's going to come back on us.

[John Weaver] Now, look in your Bibles to Psalm 35, at verses six and eight. Psalm 35, beginning there with verse six. He says, let their way be dark and slippery, Let the angel of the Lord persecute them for without cause have they hid for me the net in a pit Which without cause they have digged for my soul now watch that Destruction come upon him at unawares and let his net that he had hid catch himself into that very destruction let him fall and So we have to understand that whatever we do to others is ultimately going to come back to us. We're going to reap that which we sow. And usually when you sow, you reap more than you sow. Okay. Here's the second application.

[John Weaver] Here are some concluding questions. I want you to think about this. Before I ask them, I want you to turn in your Bibles to Matthew 25. I want you to be ready. I want you to turn to Matthew 25. And I want you to think about this. I want you to listen carefully. Here are my concluding questions. Would you lie about the Lord Jesus Christ? Would you criticize and condemn the Lord Jesus Christ?

[John Weaver] Would you dare to impugn his motives? Would you gossip and slander about Jesus Christ because he didn't hold the same views that you hold? Or would you try to condemn His understanding in light of your finite understanding? Would you make yourself the bar of justice and right instead of submitting to Him and His Word? Would you say that you were the determiner of right and wrong and that you were the determiner of right doctrine and wrong doctrine and not Jesus Christ? Would you hate him? Would you vilify him? Would you denounce him?

[John Weaver] Would you separate from him? And I can hear you right now saying, no, no, no. I would never do any of those things. Never. Never. And my response is. Really? We do it every day. How? Look in Matthew 25 in verse 40. And the king shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as you've done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, you've done it unto me. Huh?

[John Weaver] You see, Jesus Christ is our head and we're the body. You touch my body, it affects my head. You touch my head, it affects my body. And whenever we attack each other, we're attacking the Lord Jesus Christ. We are one according to His word. The truth of the matter is, we have never really understood the implication of what it means to attack a fellow believer and try to degrade him, destroy him, denounce him. When ultimately, whatever we're doing to that believer, we're doing to the Lord Jesus Christ. Without cause. Jesus Christ does not deserve any of our trash and our wickedness and our ill will and our anger and our and our vindictiveness. He doesn't deserve any of it. And whatever we give to one another, whatever we give to another believer, we're giving to the Lord Jesus Christ. And he does not deserve any of our wickedness. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow before thee. We thank you for your word. We thank you for your truth.

[John Weaver] We pray this will sink down into our hearts and we will think very clearly before we begin to criticize and condemn. And Lord, help us to be obedient and humble ourselves to help and not destroy. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen. ♪ ♪ ♪ you

Without Cause

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	91WspLI8rFo
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans-Related Topical Applications
Genre	Sermon
Date	2019-11-06
Dictation Name
Book	Book 138: Romans-Related Topical Applications — Chapter 19
Source Timed Segments	69

Formatted Transcript

Introduction: The Pain of Unjust Attacks

Weaver introduces the theme of being victimized without cause, especially by fellow believers, and reads Psalm 35:1-10.

Psalm 35, and I want us to read a number of verses. I'd really like to read the entire psalm, but we'll probably start about verse 20. Notice if you would please Psalm 35. Beginning there with verse 1, David says,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 35:1-10

"Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me. Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help. Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation. Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul." "Let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt. Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the Lord chase them. Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the Lord persecute them. For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul. Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall. And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord: it shall rejoice in his salvation. All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?"

"False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things I knew not. They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul. But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into my own bosom. I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother." "But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not: with hypocritical mockers at feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth. Lord, how long wilt thou look on? Rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions. I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people. Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me."

The Reality of Christian Meanness

Christians can be as mean as anyone, violating things God hates (Proverbs 6:16-19). David's grief over betrayal by a friend is highlighted from Psalm 55.

Now let me point something out about Christians. It is unbelievable, and yet it is absolutely true, that Christians can be just as mean, just as vicious, and just as wicked as anyone else. In fact, we oftentimes violate God's word, and we oftentimes do things that specifically are mentioned that God really, truly hates. If you will hold Psalm 35, but look in your Bibles, if you would please, to Proverbs chapter 6. Proverbs chapter 6. And notice if you would please, beginning there with verse 16. Proverbs chapter 6 and notice verse 16. Notice what the Bible says: "These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him."

What does God hate? "A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among the brethren." Now it is true that most of us are not going to shed innocent blood. I understand that. But certainly we can have a proud look, we can have a lying tongue, we can have a heart that devises wicked imaginations, we can have feet that run swiftly to mischief, and we can be a false witness, and we can speak lies, and we can sow discord among the brethren. And these are things specifically that God hates. And to realize that we are capable of these sins, and when they are against us individuals, it hurts and it is exceedingly grievous. Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to Psalm 55 so I can try to begin to set the stage for you to understand Psalm 35. So if you look in Psalm 55, you'll see how hurt David was when he came to being attacked by fellow believers. Look what he said, Psalm 55, and let's begin reading there with verse 12. David said, "For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him: but it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance."

"We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company." Now David said, if it was an enemy that reproached me, I could have borne it. I could understand that. I know that my enemy hates me. He said, if it was someone that was stronger than me that would magnify himself against me, I could have hid myself. I could have withdrawn from him. That's no problem. But he said, the thing that got me was the man that attacked me, was the man who was my equal, my guide and my acquaintance, and we took sweet counsel together and walked in the house of God in company. So we understand enemies, but it hurts grievously when we are attacked and vilified by our brother in Jesus Christ.

Understanding Psalm 35: David's Grief and Prayer

Psalm 35 is an expression of grief when friends turn against David. He prays for God to contend with his adversaries because they attack him without cause.

Now let me tell you what Psalm 35 is. Psalm 35 is an expression of grief by David when he is attacked by those who supposedly were his friends. We do not know the exact situation to which Psalm 35 is dealing with. It could have been the treatment that David received at the hand of King Saul. It could have been the treatment that David received at the hand of Ahithophel, or Shimei, or even his son Absalom. We're not told, but we are told very clearly that this is a passage where a friend has turned on David. I want to give you a paragraph from Albert Barnes on Psalm 35. Listen carefully, because this I think will be very applicable. He said this: "What is apparent in this psalm, the central idea, that which makes it useful, is that it was composed with reference to the treatment which the author received from those who were his professed friends, from those to whom he had shown kindness in their troubles, to whom he had been a

friend and a brother, but who had now turned against him. In the time of prosperity, they had been his professed friends, and had partaken freely and largely of his hospitality. When they were afflicted, he, that is David, had shown them sympathy and kindness. But when reverses came upon him, they forsook him and joined with his persecutors and accusers. This psalm, therefore, has a special applicability to trials of that nature." It expresses the feelings and views of the author in regard to his own sorrows as springing from such ingratitude and his earnest prayer to God to interpose on his behalf, the rolling of the sorrows of this pained and oppressed heart upon the arm of his unchanging friend, the mighty and merciful God. As occasions similar to those referred to in the psalm not infrequently occur in this world, it was important that in the volume of inspiration, an example should be furnished of the manner in which piety is to meet such a form of trial. So he's saying that very obviously we're going to be facing things like this. And this psalm teaches us how we are to face such a trial.

Now, I want you to look in verse 1 and show you David's grief, how anxious he was, because he begins by saying, "Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive against me: fight against them that fight against me." Literally David is praying, "Litigate, O Lord, with them that litigate against me. Contend with those that contend against me." So in simple words, what David is doing is asking God to avenge him of his adversaries. Now I want you to look at verses 2 through 9 because David unashamedly asked God to do certain things for him. And as I look at this, and as I read this with you, I want you to stop and ask yourself this question: Would you make these prayer requests unto God when folks are persecuting you? We'll explain momentarily, but look in verse 2, and David says, "Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help." The words, "Come and defend me. Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul,

I am thy salvation." In other words, David is not just saying, "Defend me," he is saying that, but he's saying, "Take out your spear and stop them. Let them know what they're doing." Now look at the prayer he prays in verse 4: "Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt. Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the Lord chase them. Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the Lord persecute them. For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul. Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall. And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord: it shall rejoice in his salvation." So David now is unashamedly asking God to persecute those who are persecuting him. "Let them be as chaff before the wind, let the angel of the Lord chase them, let their way be dark and slippery, let the angel of the Lord persecute them." Now,

here's my question: Why would David pray such a prayer? The answer is found in verse 7. Look at it. "For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul." In other words, David is saying, "They're persecuting me and I have done nothing to hurt them. There is nothing in me that draws forth this wicked response from them." Now, look down in verse 19. He will say it again: "Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause."

Now, the interesting thing is the Hebrew word which is translated "without a cause" literally means they hated him freely, without a purpose. They hated him undeservedly. In other words, David had done absolutely nothing wrong to draw forth their ire, their hatred, and their bitterness. So they were hating him and attacking him for no purpose. They were doing it undeservingly towards David, and they were doing it freely. So it's almost inconceivable for you and I to think that Christians could act in such a manner. But it is entirely possible. This is what I call the hen house syndrome.

I don't know if you know anything about chickens or not. But you let a chicken get hurt—could be accidentally, could have been in a fight—and just let a little blood be shown, and guess what? The other chickens will come together and peck that one to death if possible. You know, and I've often said this is the way it is for Christians seemingly. We're about the only ones who try to destroy our walking wounded. When one gets down, instead of trying to help, we always try to hurt, it seems. But the Bible tells us what we are to do. And let me tell you, it's easier to criticize and condemn than it is to actually help. You see, the Bible says in Galatians 6:1-2, "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." Then he says, "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ." Now, what does he mean, "do it in the spirit of meekness, considering thine own self"?

The Hen House Syndrome and Biblical Response

Christians often attack the wounded instead of restoring them (Galatians 6:1-2). The fleshly tendency to bite and devour one another is contrasted with walking in the Spirit (Galatians 5:13-17).

If it's not for God's grace, you would be the one that needed to help instead of the one being the helper. That's what he's saying. So it's much easier to criticize and condemn than it is to humble ourselves and help someone. Criticism and condemnation is, in one sense of the word, an act of the flesh. Humility and obedience is an act of the spirit. And even as Christians, we still have this battle between the flesh and the spirit. I want you to hold Psalm 35, but turn in your Bibles, if you would, and look to Galatians chapter 5, and let's begin reading there in verse 13. Galatians chapter 5 and verse 13. Look what the Apostle says: Galatians 5:13, he said,

Scripture Reading — Galatians 5:13-17

"For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

Now watch verse 15:

Scripture Reading — Galatians 5:13-17

"But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would."

Now, interestingly enough, for years I have wanted to preach a message on Galatians 5:15, where the Apostle Paul says,

Scripture Reading — Galatians 5:13-17

"But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another."

I've never preached the message that I wanted to, but I've already got the title

in my mind: "Cannibal Christians." Cannibal Christians, because that's exactly what we end up doing. Paul said if we are not careful, we will end up biting and devouring one another, and we will end up being consumed one of another. So the rancor and the ill will and the bitterness and the harshness of spirit and the meanness of mind and fleshly pride, arrogance and haughtiness, hatefulness, condemnatory attitudes, unwillingness to serve, and know-it-all attitudes ultimately will just simply devour and destroy. So, we desperately need the mind of Jesus Christ in every area of our lives. That's why the Bible says, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus."

David's Innocence and Compassion

David was innocent, yet false witnesses rose against him. He had shown genuine compassion, fasting and praying for his enemies when they were sick.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 35:11-14

"They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul."

Now look at verse 11:

Scripture Reading — Psalm 35:11-14

"False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things which I know not."

You know, I certainly understand that. I can identify with that. I have had people begin to express and tell others what I believed and what my positions were. And I don't even know the people. I've never spoken to them. They've never spoken to me. But yet they are an expert on what I believe. It is absolutely insane. I had to write one man a letter. He made a number of statements. Everything he said was an absolute bald-faced lie. I never—I've never met the man in my entire life, never spoken to him. And yet he was telling where I'd been and what I'd done. And I'd never been to any of those places. And I've never done any of those things. Now, so this is what is happening here. You're going to understand this verse momentarily. David says,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 35:11-14

"False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things which I know not."

It amazes me that Christians, and especially preachers, can be so crass and so fleshly and so insolent as to declare what someone believes without ever consulting that individual. You know, the best way to know what I actually believe is to ask me. And I will tell you. It's that simple. If I want to know what Joshua believes, I can ask him. He can tell me. I have no right to go around and say, "Well, Gary believes this." I've never even talked to Gary about it. But this is what David is saying. Now, David said, "I've had charges laid to me, against me. I knew nothing about them. I was totally ignorant of them." Now moreover, look at verse 12. He says,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 35:11-14

"They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul."

Now I know that David was a sinner just like you and I are sinners. But the truth of the matter is, even though David was a sinner, in this instance in Psalm 35 David was innocent. And everything they were doing was without a cause. And every time David tried to help them and do that which is good and holy, they turned around and rewarded him evil for his good. Look in verses 13 and 14. Here was David's attitude toward them. Here were his actions toward them. In verse 13, he said,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 35:11-14

"But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth." "I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into my own bosom. I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother."

So David was sincere. He was just. And he sought to help them, not just through prayer, but by fasting and prayer. He was demonstrating his love for them as a friend and as a brother. And he even goes farther because he said he mourned for them as one mourneth for his mother. In other words, everyone knows what it's like to lose a mother.

My mother's been dead for years now. I still think of my mother, and it grieved me when she died. I still think of my father. I'm just simply pointing out the fact David here was really, truly, genuinely compassionate and concerned, and he was grieved for these individuals.

Scripture Reading — 1 Kings 18:42

Now, I want to point this out. He said in verse 13, "But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled myself with fasting; and my prayer returned into my own bosom." Now what does that mean, "my prayer returned into my own bosom"? Literally what he's saying is, I prayed with my head sunk into my bosom. In other words, the prayer that went out of his lips, his breath came back and hit him in his own stomach. So it was the earnest prayer of someone who was really genuinely bowed down with sorrow. It's much like in 1 Kings 18:42, when Elijah prayed, the Bible says he cast himself upon the ground and put his face between his knees and prayed. And so this is what David is saying: my prayer was genuine, my prayer was real, and it was truthful. Henry Ainsworth said it like this, in reference to this statement. He said, "I wished no worse to them than to myself."

"Let me receive of God such good as I pray for them." In other words, David said, "I'm willing to take from God whatever I pray for them." So obviously, he was genuinely sincere in this as well. So there was no shallowness in David's prayer. There was no emptiness. There was no hypocrisy on David's part. His concern, his compassion for these people was absolutely genuine. His actions clearly demonstrated his attitude. He was not wicked. He was not ungodly. He was biblical.

The Enemies' Response and Our Two Options

David's enemies rejoiced in his adversity and tore him apart. We cannot control others, but we can live righteously to prove them wrong and appeal to God for vindication (Romans 12:17-21).

He was right, and he was holy. Now, here's the thing. What was their response to David's biblical attitude and actions? Well, look if you would, verses 15 through 17. He says, "But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not: with hypocritical mockers at feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth." So they got together and they're talking about David. They're slandering him. They're mocking him. They're ridiculing him. They're criticizing him. They're condemning him. And he says with their teeth, they literally tore me apart. He said, "I was unaware of all their talk, but that's exactly what they were doing." So he said, "They gathered themselves together against me." You know, I usually tell people when someone says, "Well, you should hear what old so-and-so said about you," I usually have two responses. The first one is this: "Well, if they really knew me the way God does, they'd probably say worse things than that about me." Or number two: "As long as they're talking about me, they're leaving some poor widow woman alone." So but this is exactly what David is saying. David said, "Boy, they

get together and all they're doing is ripping me apart, and they don't cease. They do not stop." Now, let me point something out. We cannot control what people think or what people say. There's no way in the world I can control what Steve thinks. I can't control what David says. Not only that, there's no way in the world that we can make people like us or love us. Inevitably, in a sinful world with sinful people, people are going to misinterpret, and when they misinterpret, they

misunderstand, and when they misunderstand, they misjudge. But there are two things that we can do, and both of these are scriptural and biblical. The first thing is this: We may live in such a way as to prove them wrong. In other words, our lives, our attitudes, and our actions are to demonstrate that they are gossipers, slanderers, and liars. So we have to be obedient, even if they're disobedient.

So let me give you an illustration. I want you to turn to the book of Romans chapter 12. And as you're turning to Romans chapter 12, here's the illustration. If Steve stood up in this room and cursed me to my face and everyone in here heard him, here's my question: Would that give me the right to stand up and curse him back? And the answer is no. Just simply because Steve does wrong does not give me the right to do wrong.

There is a biblical way to handle his wickedness and his wrongness. What is it? Well, look in Romans chapter 12 and let's begin reading there if you would please at verse 17. God says,

Scripture Reading — Romans 12:17-21

"Recompense to no man evil for evil."

Or,

Scripture Reading — Romans 12:17-21

"Don't pay evil back with evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men."

That's what I mean by living holy and obediently. Then he says,

Scripture Reading — Romans 12:17-21

"If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men."

Now watch verse 19.

Scripture Reading — Romans 12:17-21

"Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, what are you to do? Feed him. If he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good."

So God says, if someone does you wrong and they are wicked towards you, and they're hungry, feed him. Now God doesn't say go out and buy him a big steak, but He does say feed him. You know, if you've got peas, share the peas with him. If he's thirsty, give him water to drink. You don't have to go out and buy some kind of special water for it. Just give him whatever you've got. He said,

Scripture Reading — Romans 12:17-21

"In so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head."

Now, let me explain something to you. Heaping coals of fire upon one's head is equivalent to repaying evil with good.

Because as explained in verse 21, but years ago, I heard about a woman who came to her pastor who was in a counseling session with her, and she was criticizing and condemning her husband and they were having problems. And so the pastor just kind of leaned back and looked at her and smiled and said, "Well, have you tried heaping coals of fire upon his head?" That is, returning good for evil. She says, "No, but I tried hot water. That don't work either." So but the Bible says in verse 21, "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." So the first thing that we can do is we can live obediently and honestly and prove them to be liars and slanderers and gossipers and worthless individuals. The second thing that we can do is

we can appeal to God. If you go back to Psalm 35, I want you to see how David does this. Psalm 35, look if you would please in verse 17. Psalm 35 verse 17, David asked, "Lord, how long wilt thou look on? Rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions." Lord, how long wilt thou look on? Lord, how long are you gonna let this continue? Lord, you know that I'm innocent in this, you know that they're persecuting me without a cause. You know my heart, you know my motives, you know everything about me. So Lord, please don't let this go on continually. If you'll skip down to verse 22, watch it again.

He says, "This thou hast seen, O Lord: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me. Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord." So he's asking God then to intervene. He's asking God to interpose himself. So David is doing two things: number one, he's going to live his life wholly and rightly and do that which is good and obedient, and secondly, he's appealing to God.

The Greater David: Jesus Christ

Jesus is the true Son of David. Psalm 35 applies to Him: false witnesses accused Him (Matthew 26:59-61), and He was hated without a cause (John 15:25). He lived perfectly and appealed to the Father.

And so you have to ask, what are the applications we're to make? Now, I want you to listen very carefully. While I have been talking about David in Psalm 35, since David wrote Psalm 35, there is the greater David in view. And the greater David is the Lord Jesus Christ. I want you to hold Psalm 35 and turn in your Bibles, if you would, to Matthew 22. And let's begin reading there with verse 41. I want you to watch carefully. I'm going to be quoting some passages, but I want you to watch what our Lord does. Matthew chapter 22, beginning there verse 41:

Scripture Reading — Matthew 22:41-46

"While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he?"

What think you of the Messiah? Whose son is he? They said unto him, "The son of David." Well, that's good. Verse 43, he said unto them, "How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?

Scripture Reading — Matthew 22:41-46

" And no man was able to answer him a word. Neither did any man from that day forth ask him any more questions. So our Lord says, "

Look, what think you of Christ?"

Scripture Reading — Matthew 22:41-46

"Well, he's the son of David." "Well, if he's just merely the son of David, how is it that David in Psalm 110 said, 'The Lord said to my Lord, sit down on my right hand'? If he is his Lord, how is he just simply the son of David?"

In other words, what he's trying to show these Pharisees is that obviously Jesus Christ, the Messiah, is not just the son of David in a physical sense, but he is the true son of David and he is God incarnate. Now I want you to listen very carefully. Matthew 1:1, the very first verse in the New Testament, says this:

Scripture Reading — Matthew 22:41-46

"The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham."

Jesus Christ is the true son of David. Solomon was a physical son, but Jesus Christ is

Scripture Reading — Matthew 1:1

the true son of David. Do you remember there in Luke 1:32 the Bible says this concerning Jesus Christ: "He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David." So Jesus Christ is the true son of David. Consequently, he's greater than Solomon. Solomon was just the physical son. I wish you'd listen to what our Lord said in Matthew 12:42. He said, "The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here." And he says the same thing in Luke 11:31. Jesus Christ is greater than Solomon. Why? Because Solomon was just simply a physical son. Jesus Christ is the true son because Jesus Christ is the true inheritor of David's throne. Now, I want you to listen carefully.

Whatever is said of David in Psalm 35 is applicable to the Lord Jesus Christ himself, because Jesus Christ is the true son of David. So I want you to go back to Psalm 35. Go ahead and find Matthew 26, if you would, please. And just hold Matthew 26. And then we're going back to Psalm 35 first. And look, if you would please, at verse 11. Psalm 35 verse 11. Notice, if you would, I quoted this verse earlier. Psalm 35 verse 11.

"False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not." Now, that was not only true of David the king, it was also true of the true son of David, the Lord Jesus Christ. If you look in your Bible, so Matthew 26, beginning there with verse 59. Notice if you would please what is said. Matthew 26 and verse 59:

Scripture Reading — Matthew 26:59-62

"Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death."

Note, they're seeking false witness. Verse 60:

Scripture Reading — Matthew 26:59-62

"But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none."

At the last came two false witnesses, and said,

Scripture Reading — Matthew 26:59-62

"This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days."

And the high priest arose, and said unto him,

Scripture Reading — Matthew 26:59-62

"Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?"

So here are false witnesses coming and laying to our Lord's charge things which he knew not. That's true of the physical David, but it's true of the greater David, the Lord Jesus Christ, as well. Go back to Psalm 35 and look at verse 19. Psalm 35 verse 19. He says, "Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that

hate me without a cause." Now may I remind you of something? When David was saying that they were persecuting him without a cause, it means they hated him and persecuted him freely. There was no purpose in it. In other words, there was nothing in David that drew forth and merited their hatred.

Now, the same is true of the Lord Jesus Christ. So I want you to look, if you would, please, in Psalm 69 and verse 4. Psalm 69 and verse 4. You'll see the same truth enunciated again. Psalm 69 and verse 4. The Bible says,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 69:4

"They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away."

So this verse is used in the New Testament concerning Jesus Christ. So if you will turn in your Bibles to the book of John chapter 15. John chapter 15 and let's begin reading there with verse 22. John 15 and verse 22. John 15 verse 22, our Lord says, "If I had not come

and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin." Watch verse 23:

Scripture Reading — John 15:22-25

"He that hateth me hateth my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause."

The same verse from Psalm 35, from Psalm 69, is now applied to Jesus Christ in John 15:25. In other words, there was nothing in Jesus Christ that merited or drew forth the hatred of these wicked people. They hated him freely. They hated him for no purpose. They hated him without a cause. Jesus Christ was and is the sinless Son of God.

Now, here's the interesting thing. These people mocked and ridiculed Jesus Christ. They lied against him. They slandered him. They crucified him. But did you know that Jesus Christ used the two options that are revealed for us in Psalm 35? What did he do first? He lived a perfect life in obedience to his Father, in obedience to the law, to demonstrate that these people who were persecuting him and lying against him were slanderers and gossipers and wicked, wicked people.

He said in John 8:29, "And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him." Our Lord did always those things which pleased his Father. And you remember what he said in John 8:46? He looked at those Pharisees and he said this: "Which of you convinceth me of sin?" Here I am, charge me with a sin. Show me where I've sinned. Show me where I violated. And they couldn't do it. So here our Lord lived a life that was a life of holiness and obedience, and he proved his enemies were wicked and wrong, and they were lying and slandering against him. The second thing he did, he appealed to his Father.

If you would turn in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews, chapter 5, and notice if you would, verses 7 through 9. Hebrews chapter 5, verses 7 through 9. Watch this. Hebrews chapter 5 verse 7: "Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared." "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him." But note: "Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared." So our Lord then not only lived a holy, godly, obedient life, he also appealed to his heavenly Father. So Christ then used both of these methods to reprove and rebuke the gainsayers. We should do as well. I don't have time, but here's an interesting study: if you would just go

through the book of Psalms and note how often David claimed God as his defense. For instance, in Psalm 7:10, he said, "My defense is of God, which saveth the upright in heart." When you get to Psalm 62:6, he says, "He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defense; I shall not be moved." And then when you get to Psalm 94:22, he says, "But the Lord is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge." So over and over in the Bible, David claims God as his defense. God is his defender.

Applications: Reaping What We Sow and Attacking Christ

We reap what we sow (Psalm 9:15-16; 35:8). The ultimate application: when we attack fellow believers, we attack Christ Himself (Matthew 25:40).

It's his responsibility to live wholly and righteously and godly. And God in his time will vindicate David. He will demonstrate who is lying, who is not lying. Now I want to make two applications and I want to tie this together for you. I want you to think about this, and I'm going to be honest with you. I preached this entire message really just to get my last application. Here's the first application: We must understand that that which we sow, we will reap. Inevitably, whatever we sow is going to come back upon our own heads. If we lie, we're going to be lied upon. If we slander, we're going to be slandered. If we gossip, we're going to be gossiped about. I want you to turn to Psalm 9 and then to Psalm 35. Look if you would at Psalm 9 at verses 15 and 16 first. Psalm 9, notice if you would please beginning there with verse 15. Look what he says: Psalm 9 verse 15, "The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made: in the net which they hid is their own foot taken. The Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands." So God says, "The heathen are sunk down in the

pit that they made. They fell into their own pit. The net which they hid, their own foot is captured. The Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth: the wicked is snared by the work of his own hands." Inevitably, it's going to come back on us.

Now, look in your Bibles to Psalm 35, at verses 6 and 8. Psalm 35, beginning there with verse 6. He says, "Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the Lord persecute them. For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul." Now watch verse 8: "Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall." And so we have to understand that whatever we do to others is ultimately going to come back to us. We're going to reap that which we sow. And usually when you sow, you reap more than you sow. Okay. Here's the second application.

Here are some concluding questions. I want you to think about this. Before I ask them, I want you to turn in your Bibles to Matthew 25. I want you to be ready. I want you to turn to Matthew 25. And I want you to think about this. I want you to listen carefully. Here are my concluding questions: Would you lie about the Lord Jesus Christ? Would you criticize and condemn the Lord Jesus Christ?

Would you dare to impugn his motives? Would you gossip and slander about Jesus Christ because he didn't hold the same views that you hold? Or would you try to condemn His understanding in light of your finite understanding? Would you make yourself the bar of justice and right instead of submitting to Him and His Word? Would you say that you were the determiner of right and wrong and that you were the determiner of right doctrine and wrong doctrine and not Jesus Christ? Would you hate him? Would you vilify him? Would you denounce him?

Would you separate from him? And I can hear you right now saying, "No, no, no. I would never do any of those things. Never. Never." And my response is: Really? We do it every day. How? Look in Matthew 25 in verse 40. "And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." Huh?

You see, Jesus Christ is our head and we're the body. You touch my body, it affects my head. You touch my head, it affects my body. And whenever we attack each other, we're attacking the Lord Jesus Christ. We are one according to His word. The truth of the matter is, we have never really understood the implication of what it means to attack a fellow believer and try to degrade him, destroy him, denounce him. When ultimately, whatever we're doing to that believer, we're doing to the Lord Jesus Christ. Without cause. Jesus Christ does not deserve any of our trash and our wickedness and our ill will and our anger and our vindictiveness. He doesn't deserve any of it. And whatever we give to one another, whatever we give to another believer, we're giving to the Lord Jesus Christ. And he does not deserve any of our wickedness. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow before thee. We thank you for your word. We thank you for your truth.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Suffering unjustly from fellow believers

Summary: The deepest hurt for a Christian is being attacked by another believer without cause, as David experienced.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'I suspect that one thing that hurts the most... is when we are criticized and belittled and berated and attacked by another believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.'

The sinfulness of Christians

Summary: Christians are capable of the same meanness and sins that God hates, including sowing discord.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'It is unbelievable, and yet it is absolutely true, that Christians can be just as mean, just as vicious, and just as wicked as anyone else.'

Innocence and appeal to God

Summary: When attacked without cause, the righteous response is to live obediently and appeal to God for vindication.

Evidence: Weaver explains, 'There are two things that we can do... We may live in such a way as to prove them wrong... we can appeal to God.'

Christ as the greater David

Summary: Jesus is the true Son of David, and Psalm 35 finds its ultimate fulfillment in His suffering without cause.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'Whatever is said of David in Psalm 35 is applicable to the Lord Jesus Christ himself, because Jesus Christ is the true son of David.'

Attacking believers is attacking Christ

Summary: Because believers are Christ's body, any attack on a fellow Christian is an attack on Jesus Himself.

Evidence: Weaver concludes, 'Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.'

Key Arguments

David was attacked without cause by former friends

Summary: Psalm 35 describes David's grief over being persecuted by those he had treated as friends, who now hate him freely and undeservedly.

Evidence: Weaver notes, 'For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.'

Christians can act wickedly toward one another

Summary: Believers are capable of the sins listed in Proverbs 6:16-19, including sowing discord, which God hates.

Evidence: Weaver reads Proverbs 6:16-19 and says, 'These are things specifically that God hates.'

The biblical response to unjust attack is righteous living and appeal to God

Summary: Romans 12:17-21 teaches not to repay evil for evil but to overcome evil with good, leaving vengeance to God.

Evidence: Weaver reads Romans 12:17-21 and explains, 'God says, if someone does you wrong... feed him... In so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head.'

Jesus Christ is the true Son of David and suffered without cause

Summary: Jesus fulfills Psalm 35 as the greater David; He was falsely accused and hated without a cause, as John 15:25 confirms.

Evidence: Weaver cites John 15:25: 'They hated me without a cause,' applying it to Christ.

We reap what we sow

Summary: Psalm 9:15-16 and Psalm 35:8 show that the wicked fall into their own traps; our actions toward others will return upon us.

Evidence: Weaver reads Psalm 9:15-16 and Psalm 35:8, stating, 'Inevitably, whatever we sow is going to come back upon our own heads.'

Attacking a believer is attacking Christ

Summary: Matthew 25:40 teaches that what we do to the least of Christ's brethren, we do to Him; thus, criticizing a fellow Christian is criticizing Jesus.

Evidence: Weaver quotes Matthew 25:40 and says, 'Whenever we attack each other, we're attacking the Lord Jesus Christ.'

Scripture References

Psalm 35:1-10

Context: Read at the opening to introduce David's plea for God to fight against his persecutors.

John 16:33

Context: Quoted to show that tribulation is expected in the world.

2 Timothy 3:12

Context: Cited to affirm that all who live godly will suffer persecution.

Proverbs 6:16-19

Context: Read to list the seven things God hates, including sowing discord among brethren.

Psalm 55:12-14

Context: Quoted to illustrate David's hurt over betrayal by a close friend and fellow worshipper.

Galatians 6:1-2

Context: Cited to instruct believers to restore the fallen with meekness.

Galatians 5:13-17

Context: Read to warn against biting and devouring one another and to walk in the Spirit.

Psalm 35:11-14

Context: Read to show David's innocence and his compassionate response to his enemies' sickness.

1 Kings 18:42

Context: Referenced to compare David's posture of prayer to Elijah's earnest prayer.

Psalm 35:15-17

Context: Read to describe how David's enemies rejoiced in his adversity and tore him apart.

Romans 12:17-21

Context: Read to teach not to repay evil for evil but to overcome evil with good.

Psalm 35:17, 22-23

Context: Read to show David's appeal to God for intervention and vindication.

1 John 3:18-21

Context: Read to explain that confidence toward God comes when our heart does not condemn us.

Matthew 22:41-46

Context: Read to show Jesus' question about David calling the Messiah 'Lord,' establishing Christ as the greater David.

Matthew 1:1

Context: Cited to identify Jesus as the son of David.

Luke 1:32

Context: Cited to show Jesus will be given the throne of His father David.

Matthew 12:42

Context: Cited to declare that a greater than Solomon is here, referring to Christ.

Matthew 26:59-62

Context: Read to show false witnesses rising against Jesus, fulfilling Psalm 35:11.

Psalm 69:4

Context: Read to show the prophecy of being hated without a cause, applied to Christ.

John 15:22-25

Context: Read to show Jesus applying 'They hated me without a cause' to Himself.

Historical References

Albert Barnes

Context: Weaver quotes Barnes' commentary on Psalm 35, describing it as dealing with treatment from professed friends who turned against David.

Henry Ainsworth

Context: Weaver cites Ainsworth's comment on Psalm 35:13, 'I wished no worse to them than to myself.'

Important Quotes

I suspect that one thing that hurts the most and is even the most debilitating for a Christian is when we are criticized and belittled and berated and attacked by another believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Significance: Introduces the central pain of the sermon: unjust attacks from fellow Christians.

It is unbelievable, and yet it is absolutely true, that Christians can be just as mean, just as vicious, and just as wicked as anyone else.

Significance: Highlights the reality of sin within the church, setting up the need for the biblical response.

For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.

Significance: Key verse from Psalm 35:7 emphasizing the undeserved nature of the attacks.

We're about the only ones who try to destroy our walking wounded.

Significance: Illustrates the 'hen house syndrome' where Christians attack those who are already down.

But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

Significance: Galatians 5:15 quoted to warn against destructive infighting among believers.

False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.

Significance: Psalm 35:11, showing David's experience of false accusation, later applied to Christ.

Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Significance: Matthew 25:40, the climactic application that attacking believers is attacking Christ.

Discussion Questions

Why does being attacked by a fellow believer hurt more than being attacked by an unbeliever?

Context: Weaver states that we expect tribulation from the world but not from believers, and David expressed greater grief over betrayal by a friend.

In what ways can Christians be guilty of the sins listed in Proverbs 6:16-19, especially sowing discord?

Context: Weaver reads the list of things God hates and notes that Christians can commit these sins, causing great hurt.

How does David's prayer in Psalm 35 model a righteous response to unjust persecution?

Context: Weaver explains David's appeal to God for vindication and his commitment to living righteously.

What does it mean to 'heap coals of fire' on an enemy's head, and how can we practically do this?

Context: Weaver discusses Romans 12:20 and the principle of overcoming evil with good.

How does seeing Jesus as the greater David change our understanding of Psalm 35?

Context: Weaver shows that Jesus fulfilled Psalm 35 by being falsely accused and hated without a cause.

Why is it important to examine our own hearts before appealing to God for vindication?

Context: Weaver cites 1 John 3:20-21, emphasizing that confidence before God requires a heart that does not condemn us.

How does the principle of sowing and reaping apply to our words and actions toward other believers?

Context: Weaver uses Psalm 9:15-16 and Psalm 35:8 to illustrate that we will reap what we sow.

In what practical ways do we attack Christ when we attack fellow believers?

Context: Weaver concludes with Matthew 25:40, stating that whatever we do to other believers, we do to Christ.

Applications

Live righteously to prove accusers wrong

Summary: When falsely accused, we should live in such a way that our lives demonstrate the falsehood of the accusations.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'We may live in such a way as to prove them wrong. In other words, our lives, our attitudes, and our actions are to demonstrate that they are gossipers, slanderers, and liars.'

Appeal to God rather than seeking personal vengeance

Summary: Instead of repaying evil for evil, we should entrust our cause to God, who will vindicate in His time.

Evidence: Weaver explains, 'The second thing that we can do is we can appeal to God... Lord, how long wilt thou look on?'

Overcome evil with good

Summary: We are commanded to feed our enemies and give them drink, thereby heaping coals of fire on their heads and overcoming evil with good.

Evidence: Weaver reads Romans 12:20-21 and says, 'Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.'

Examine your own heart before appealing to God

Summary: We must ensure our own innocence and righteousness before we can confidently ask God to intervene on our behalf.

Evidence: Weaver cites 1 John 3:20-21: 'If our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.'

Recognize that attacking believers is attacking Christ

Summary: Because we are Christ's body, any criticism or harm directed at a fellow Christian is ultimately directed at Jesus Himself.

Evidence: Weaver concludes with Matthew 25:40: 'Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.'

Restore the fallen with meekness

Summary: Instead of criticizing and condemning a brother overtaken in a fault, we should seek to restore him gently, considering our own vulnerability.

Evidence: Weaver quotes Galatians 6:1-2 and explains, 'If it's not for God's grace, you would be the one that needed to help instead of the one being the helper.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T15:54:22Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T05:58:24Z

Clean Transcript

Without Cause

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

Psalm 35, and I want us to read a number of verses. I'd really like to read the entire psalm, but we'll probably start about verse 20. Notice if you would please Psalm 35. Beginning there with verse 1, David says, "Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me. Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help. Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation. Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul."
#1 | 0:13 to 0:50 | cleaned
"Let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt. Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the Lord chase them. Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the Lord persecute them. For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul. Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall. And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord: it shall rejoice in his salvation. All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?"
#2 | 0:51 to 1:38 | cleaned
"False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things I knew not. They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul. But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into my own bosom. I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother."
#3 | 1:38 to 2:03 | cleaned
"But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not: with hypocritical mockers at feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth. Lord, how long wilt thou look on? Rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions. I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people. Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me."
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"Neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause. For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land." The title of the message today is just simply "Without Cause." Without cause. Oftentimes we find ourselves in situations and circumstances in which we view ourselves as victims. We are hurt, disappointed, and oftentimes become angry and bitter. We do not understand what happened or even why it happened. We just simply know that it happened, and based upon our understanding, there was no cause for it. And so consequently, we have to deal with the situation, and hopefully we can at least deal with whatever it is in a biblical manner.
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I suspect that one thing that hurts the most and is even the most debilitating for a Christian is when we are criticized and belittled and berated and attacked by another believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.
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Now we expect such from unbelievers, but we do not expect it from believers. And yet our Lord said it like this in John 16:33. He said, "In the world you shall have tribulation." The Apostle Paul said in 2 Timothy 3:12, "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution."
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Now let me point something out about Christians. It is unbelievable, and yet it is absolutely true, that Christians can be just as mean, just as vicious, and just as wicked as anyone else. In fact, we oftentimes violate God's word, and we oftentimes do things that specifically are mentioned that God really, truly hates. If you will hold Psalm 35, but look in your Bibles, if you would please, to Proverbs chapter 6. Proverbs chapter 6. And notice if you would please, beginning there with verse 16. Proverbs chapter 6 and notice verse 16. Notice what the Bible says: "These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him."
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What does God hate? "A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among the brethren." Now it is true that most of us are not going to shed innocent blood. I understand that. But certainly we can have a proud look, we can have a lying tongue, we can have a heart that devises wicked imaginations, we can have feet that run swiftly to mischief, and we can be a false witness, and we can speak lies, and we can sow discord among the brethren. And these are things specifically that God hates.
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And to realize that we are capable of these sins, and when they are against us individuals, it hurts and it is exceedingly grievous. Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to Psalm 55 so I can try to begin to set the stage for you to understand Psalm 35. So if you look in Psalm 55, you'll see how hurt David was when he came to being attacked by fellow believers. Look what he said, Psalm 55, and let's begin reading there with verse 12. David said, "For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him: but it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance."
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"We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company." Now David said, if it was an enemy that reproached me, I could have borne it. I could understand that. I know that my enemy hates me. He said, if it was someone that was stronger than me that would magnify himself against me, I could have hid myself. I could have withdrawn from him. That's no problem. But he said, the thing that got me was the man that attacked me, was the man who was my equal, my guide and my acquaintance, and we took sweet counsel together and walked in the house of God in company. So we understand enemies, but it hurts grievously when we are attacked and vilified by our brother in Jesus Christ.
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Now let me tell you what Psalm 35 is. Psalm 35 is an expression of grief by David when he is attacked by those who supposedly were his friends. We do not know the exact situation to which Psalm 35 is dealing with. It could have been the treatment that David received at the hand of King Saul. It could have been the treatment that David received at the hand of Ahithophel, or Shimei, or even his son Absalom. We're not told, but we are told very clearly that this is a passage where a friend has turned on David. I want to give you a paragraph from Albert Barnes on Psalm 35. Listen carefully, because this I think will be very applicable. He said this: "What is apparent in this psalm, the central idea, that which makes it useful, is that it was composed with reference to the treatment which the author received from those who were his professed friends, from those to whom he had shown kindness in their troubles, to whom he had been a
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friend and a brother, but who had now turned against him. In the time of prosperity, they had been his professed friends, and had partaken freely and largely of his hospitality. When they were afflicted, he, that is David, had shown them sympathy and kindness. But when reverses came upon him, they forsook him and joined with his persecutors and accusers. This psalm, therefore, has a special applicability to trials of that nature."
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It expresses the feelings and views of the author in regard to his own sorrows as springing from such ingratitude and his earnest prayer to God to interpose on his behalf, the rolling of the sorrows of this pained and oppressed heart upon the arm of his unchanging friend, the mighty and merciful God. As occasions similar to those referred to in the psalm not infrequently occur in this world, it was important that in the volume of inspiration, an example should be furnished of the manner in which piety is to meet such a form of trial. So he's saying that very obviously we're going to be facing things like this. And this psalm teaches us how we are to face such a trial.
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Now, I want you to look in verse 1 and show you David's grief, how anxious he was, because he begins by saying, "Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive against me: fight against them that fight against me." Literally David is praying, "Litigate, O Lord, with them that litigate against me. Contend with those that contend against me." So in simple words, what David is doing is asking God to avenge him of his adversaries. Now I want you to look at verses 2 through 9 because David unashamedly asked God to do certain things for him. And as I look at this, and as I read this with you, I want you to stop and ask yourself this question: Would you make these prayer requests unto God when folks are persecuting you? We'll explain momentarily, but look in verse 2, and David says, "Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help." The words, "Come and defend me. Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul,
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I am thy salvation." In other words, David is not just saying, "Defend me," he is saying that, but he's saying, "Take out your spear and stop them. Let them know what they're doing." Now look at the prayer he prays in verse 4: "Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt. Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the Lord chase them. Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the Lord persecute them. For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul. Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall. And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord: it shall rejoice in his salvation." So David now is unashamedly asking God to persecute those who are persecuting him. "Let them be as chaff before the wind, let the angel of the Lord chase them, let their way be dark and slippery, let the angel of the Lord persecute them." Now,
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here's my question: Why would David pray such a prayer? The answer is found in verse 7. Look at it. "For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul." In other words, David is saying, "They're persecuting me and I have done nothing to hurt them. There is nothing in me that draws forth this wicked response from them." Now, look down in verse 19.
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He will say it again: "Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause."
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Now, the interesting thing is the Hebrew word which is translated "without a cause" literally means they hated him freely, without a purpose. They hated him undeservedly. In other words, David had done absolutely nothing wrong to draw forth their ire, their hatred, and their bitterness. So they were hating him and attacking him for no purpose. They were doing it undeservingly towards David, and they were doing it freely. So it's almost inconceivable for you and I to think that Christians could act in such a manner. But it is entirely possible. This is what I call the hen house syndrome.
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I don't know if you know anything about chickens or not. But you let a chicken get hurt—could be accidentally, could have been in a fight—and just let a little blood be shown, and guess what? The other chickens will come together and peck that one to death if possible. You know, and I've often said this is the way it is for Christians seemingly. We're about the only ones who try to destroy our walking wounded. When one gets down, instead of trying to help, we always try to hurt, it seems. But the Bible tells us what we are to do. And let me tell you, it's easier to criticize and condemn than it is to actually help. You see, the Bible says in Galatians 6:1-2, "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." Then he says, "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ." Now, what does he mean, "do it in the spirit of meekness, considering thine own self"?
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If it's not for God's grace, you would be the one that needed to help instead of the one being the helper. That's what he's saying. So it's much easier to criticize and condemn than it is to humble ourselves and help someone. Criticism and condemnation is, in one sense of the word, an act of the flesh. Humility and obedience is an act of the spirit. And even as Christians, we still have this battle between the flesh and the spirit.
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I want you to hold Psalm 35, but turn in your Bibles, if you would, and look to Galatians chapter 5, and let's begin reading there in verse 13. Galatians chapter 5 and verse 13. Look what the Apostle says: Galatians 5:13, he said, "For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." Now watch verse 15: "But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would." Now, interestingly enough, for years I have wanted to preach a message on Galatians 5:15, where the Apostle Paul says, "But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another." I've never preached the message that I wanted to, but I've already got the title
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in my mind: "Cannibal Christians." Cannibal Christians, because that's exactly what we end up doing. Paul said if we are not careful, we will end up biting and devouring one another, and we will end up being consumed one of another. So the rancor and the ill will and the bitterness and the harshness of spirit and the meanness of mind and fleshly pride, arrogance and haughtiness, hatefulness, condemnatory attitudes, unwillingness to serve, and know-it-all attitudes ultimately will just simply devour and destroy. So, we desperately need the mind of Jesus Christ in every area of our lives. That's why the Bible says, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus."
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I want you to see what David is contending with, so go back if you would to Psalm 35 and look if you would please beginning there with verse 11 and 12. So David now is being condemned. He's being attacked undeservedly. And look if you would please in verse 11. Look what he says. He says, "False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not."
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"They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul." Now look at verse 11: "False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things which I know not." You know, I certainly understand that. I can identify with that. I have had people begin to express and tell others what I believed and what my positions were. And I don't even know the people. I've never spoken to them. They've never spoken to me.
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But yet they are an expert on what I believe. It is absolutely insane. I had to write one man a letter. He made a number of statements. Everything he said was an absolute bald-faced lie. I never—I've never met the man in my entire life, never spoken to him. And yet he was telling where I'd been and what I'd done. And I'd never been to any of those places. And I've never done any of those things.
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Now, so this is what is happening here. You're going to understand this verse momentarily. David says, "False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things which I know not." It amazes me that Christians, and especially preachers, can be so crass and so fleshly and so insolent as to declare what someone believes without ever consulting that individual. You know, the best way to know what I actually believe is to ask me.
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And I will tell you. It's that simple. If I want to know what Joshua believes, I can ask him. He can tell me. I have no right to go around and say, "Well, Gary believes this." I've never even talked to Gary about it. But this is what David is saying. Now, David said, "I've had charges laid to me, against me. I knew nothing about them. I was totally ignorant of them." Now moreover, look at verse 12. He says, "They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul." Now I know that David was a sinner just like you and I are sinners. But the truth of the matter is, even though David was a sinner, in this instance in Psalm 35 David was
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innocent. And everything they were doing was without a cause. And every time David tried to help them and do that which is good and holy, they turned around and rewarded him evil for his good. Look in verses 13 and 14. Here was David's attitude toward them. Here were his actions toward them. In verse 13, he said, "But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth."
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"I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into my own bosom. I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother." So David was sincere. He was just. And he sought to help them, not just through prayer, but by fasting and prayer. He was demonstrating his love for them as a friend and as a brother. And he even goes farther because he said he mourned for them as one mourneth for his mother. In other words, everyone knows what it's like to lose a mother.
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My mother's been dead for years now. I still think of my mother, and it grieved me when she died. I still think of my father. I'm just simply pointing out the fact David here was really, truly, genuinely compassionate and concerned, and he was grieved for these individuals.
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Now, I want to point this out. He said in verse 13, "But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled myself with fasting; and my prayer returned into my own bosom." Now what does that mean, "my prayer returned into my own bosom"? Literally what he's saying is, I prayed with my head sunk into my bosom. In other words, the prayer that went out of his lips, his breath came back and hit him in his own stomach. So it was the earnest prayer of someone who was really genuinely bowed down with sorrow. It's much like in 1 Kings 18:42, when Elijah prayed, the Bible says he cast himself upon the ground and put his face between his knees and prayed. And so this is what David is saying: my prayer was genuine, my prayer was real, and it was truthful. Henry Ainsworth said it like this, in reference to this statement. He said, "I wished no worse to them than to myself."
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"Let me receive of God such good as I pray for them." In other words, David said, "I'm willing to take from God whatever I pray for them." So obviously, he was genuinely sincere in this as well. So there was no shallowness in David's prayer. There was no emptiness. There was no hypocrisy on David's part. His concern, his compassion for these people was absolutely genuine. His actions clearly demonstrated his attitude. He was not wicked. He was not ungodly. He was biblical.
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He was right, and he was holy. Now, here's the thing. What was their response to David's biblical attitude and actions? Well, look if you would, verses 15 through 17. He says, "But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not: with hypocritical mockers at feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth." So they got together and they're talking about David. They're slandering him. They're mocking him. They're ridiculing him. They're criticizing him. They're condemning him. And he says with their teeth, they literally tore me apart. He said, "I was unaware of all their talk, but that's exactly what they were doing." So he said, "They gathered themselves together against me." You know, I usually tell people when someone says, "Well, you should hear what old so-and-so said about you," I usually have two responses. The first one is this: "Well, if they really knew me the way God does, they'd probably say worse things than that about me." Or number two: "As long as they're talking about me, they're leaving some poor widow woman alone." So but this is exactly what David is saying. David said, "Boy, they
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get together and all they're doing is ripping me apart, and they don't cease. They do not stop." Now, let me point something out. We cannot control what people think or what people say. There's no way in the world I can control what Steve thinks. I can't control what David says. Not only that, there's no way in the world that we can make people like us or love us. Inevitably, in a sinful world with sinful people, people are going to misinterpret, and when they misinterpret, they
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misunderstand, and when they misunderstand, they misjudge. But there are two things that we can do, and both of these are scriptural and biblical. The first thing is this: We may live in such a way as to prove them wrong. In other words, our lives, our attitudes, and our actions are to demonstrate that they are gossipers, slanderers, and liars. So we have to be obedient, even if they're disobedient.
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So let me give you an illustration. I want you to turn to the book of Romans chapter 12. And as you're turning to Romans chapter 12, here's the illustration. If Steve stood up in this room and cursed me to my face and everyone in here heard him, here's my question: Would that give me the right to stand up and curse him back? And the answer is no. Just simply because Steve does wrong does not give me the right to do wrong.
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There is a biblical way to handle his wickedness and his wrongness. What is it? Well, look in Romans chapter 12 and let's begin reading there if you would please at verse 17. God says, "Recompense to no man evil for evil." Or, "Don't pay evil back with evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men." That's what I mean by living holy and obediently. Then he says, "If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men." Now watch verse 19.
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"Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, what are you to do? Feed him. If he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." So God says, if someone does you wrong and they are wicked towards you, and they're hungry, feed him. Now God doesn't say go out and buy him a big steak, but He does say feed him. You know, if you've got peas, share the peas with him. If he's thirsty, give him water to drink. You don't have to go out and buy some kind of special water for it. Just give him whatever you've got. He said, "In so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head." Now, let me explain something to you. Heaping coals of fire upon one's head is equivalent to repaying evil with good.
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Because as explained in verse 21, but years ago, I heard about a woman who came to her pastor who was in a counseling session with her, and she was criticizing and condemning her husband and they were having problems. And so the pastor just kind of leaned back and looked at her and smiled and said, "Well, have you tried heaping coals of fire upon his head?" That is, returning good for evil. She says, "No, but I tried hot water. That don't work either." So but the Bible says in verse 21, "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." So the first thing that we can do is we can live obediently and honestly and prove them to be liars and slanderers and gossipers and worthless individuals. The second thing that we can do is
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we can appeal to God. If you go back to Psalm 35, I want you to see how David does this. Psalm 35, look if you would please in verse 17. Psalm 35 verse 17, David asked, "Lord, how long wilt thou look on? Rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions." Lord, how long wilt thou look on? Lord, how long are you gonna let this continue? Lord, you know that I'm innocent in this, you know that they're persecuting me without a cause. You know my heart, you know my motives, you know everything about me. So Lord, please don't let this go on continually. If you'll skip down to verse 22, watch it again.
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He says, "This thou hast seen, O Lord: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me. Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord." So he's asking God then to intervene. He's asking God to interpose himself. So David is doing two things: number one, he's going to live his life wholly and rightly and do that which is good and obedient, and secondly, he's appealing to God.
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So let me make a statement. I want you to understand this. When we appeal to God for help, we need to be innocent. We need to be righteous. And we are unrighteous if we are guilty. We just merely condemn ourselves by appealing to God. If you will turn in your Bibles, holding Psalm 35, you'll turn in your Bibles to 1 John. 1 John, notice if you would please chapter 3, and let's begin reading there with verse 18. 1 John 3:18, and here's this explained very clearly. 1 John 3:18, John writes, "My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him." Now watch verse 20: "For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God." Now notice he said, if we come to God and we're guilty and we know we're guilty, and our heart is condemning us,
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he said, "God's greater than our heart. God knows that." He said, if you want to come to God with confidence, you come innocently, you come in righteousness. If you can come in righteousness and your heart does not condemn you, we have confidence that God is hearing us and God is going to answer and impose himself on our part.
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Now, each of us has been accused wrongly, without a cause. Each of us has been attacked wrongly and without a cause. So here's my question: What makes Psalm 35 so applicable for us? Have you ever stopped to think why God allowed certain things to be put in the Bible? Here is David being attacked from professed friends and brothers. There is something that you and I must benefit from this passage. There's something that we must apply to our lives.
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And so you have to ask, what are the applications we're to make? Now, I want you to listen very carefully. While I have been talking about David in Psalm 35, since David wrote Psalm 35, there is the greater David in view. And the greater David is the Lord Jesus Christ. I want you to hold Psalm 35 and turn in your Bibles, if you would, to Matthew 22.
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And let's begin reading there with verse 41. I want you to watch carefully. I'm going to be quoting some passages, but I want you to watch what our Lord does. Matthew chapter 22, beginning there verse 41: "While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he?" What think you of the Messiah? Whose son is he? They said unto him, "The son of David." Well, that's good. Verse 43, he said unto them, "How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?"
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And no man was able to answer him a word. Neither did any man from that day forth ask him any more questions. So our Lord says, "Look, what think you of Christ?" "Well, he's the son of David." "Well, if he's just merely the son of David, how is it that David in Psalm 110 said, 'The Lord said to my Lord, sit down on my right hand'? If he is his Lord, how is he just simply the son of David?" In other words, what he's trying to show these Pharisees is that obviously Jesus Christ, the Messiah, is not just the son of David in a physical sense, but he is the true son of David and he is God incarnate. Now I want you to listen very carefully. Matthew 1:1, the very first verse in the New Testament, says this: "The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham." Jesus Christ is the true son of David. Solomon was a physical son, but Jesus Christ is
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the true son of David. Do you remember there in Luke 1:32 the Bible says this concerning Jesus Christ: "He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David." So Jesus Christ is the true son of David. Consequently, he's greater than Solomon. Solomon was just the physical son. I wish you'd listen to what our Lord said in Matthew 12:42. He said, "The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here." And he says the same thing in Luke 11:31. Jesus Christ is greater than Solomon. Why? Because Solomon was just simply a physical son. Jesus Christ is the true son because Jesus Christ is the true inheritor of David's throne. Now, I want you to listen carefully.
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Whatever is said of David in Psalm 35 is applicable to the Lord Jesus Christ himself, because Jesus Christ is the true son of David. So I want you to go back to Psalm 35. Go ahead and find Matthew 26, if you would, please. And just hold Matthew 26. And then we're going back to Psalm 35 first. And look, if you would please, at verse 11. Psalm 35 verse 11. Notice, if you would, I quoted this verse earlier. Psalm 35 verse 11.
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"False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not."
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Now, that was not only true of David the king, it was also true of the true son of David, the Lord Jesus Christ. If you look in your Bible, so Matthew 26, beginning there with verse 59. Notice if you would please what is said. Matthew 26 and verse 59: "Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death." Note, they're seeking false witness. Verse 60: "But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none." At the last came two false witnesses, and said, "This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days."
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And the high priest arose, and said unto him, "Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?" So here are false witnesses coming and laying to our Lord's charge things which he knew not. That's true of the physical David, but it's true of the greater David, the Lord Jesus Christ, as well. Go back to Psalm 35 and look at verse 19. Psalm 35 verse 19. He says, "Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that
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hate me without a cause." Now may I remind you of something? When David was saying that they were persecuting him without a cause, it means they hated him and persecuted him freely. There was no purpose in it. In other words, there was nothing in David that drew forth and merited their hatred.
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Now, the same is true of the Lord Jesus Christ. So I want you to look, if you would, please, in Psalm 69 and verse 4. Psalm 69 and verse 4. You'll see the same truth enunciated again. Psalm 69 and verse 4. The Bible says, "They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away." So this verse is used in the New Testament concerning Jesus Christ. So if you will turn in your Bibles to the book of John chapter 15. John chapter 15 and let's begin reading there with verse 22. John 15 and verse 22. John 15 verse 22, our Lord says, "If I had not come
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and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin." Watch verse 23: "He that hateth me hateth my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause." The same verse from Psalm 35, from Psalm 69, is now applied to Jesus Christ in John 15:25. In other words, there was nothing in Jesus Christ that merited or drew forth the hatred of these wicked people. They hated him freely. They hated him for no purpose. They hated him without a cause. Jesus Christ was and is the sinless Son of God.
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Now, here's the interesting thing. These people mocked and ridiculed Jesus Christ. They lied against him. They slandered him. They crucified him. But did you know that Jesus Christ used the two options that are revealed for us in Psalm 35? What did he do first? He lived a perfect life in obedience to his Father, in obedience to the law, to demonstrate that these people who were persecuting him and lying against him were slanderers and gossipers and wicked, wicked people.
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He said in John 8:29, "And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him." Our Lord did always those things which pleased his Father. And you remember what he said in John 8:46? He looked at those Pharisees and he said this: "Which of you convinceth me of sin?" Here I am, charge me with a sin. Show me where I've sinned. Show me where I violated. And they couldn't do it. So here our Lord lived a life that was a life of holiness and obedience, and he proved his enemies were wicked and wrong, and they were lying and slandering against him. The second thing he did, he appealed to his Father.
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If you would turn in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews, chapter 5, and notice if you would, verses 7 through 9. Hebrews chapter 5, verses 7 through 9. Watch this. Hebrews chapter 5 verse 7: "Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared."
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"Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him." But note: "Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared." So our Lord then not only lived a holy, godly, obedient life, he also appealed to his heavenly Father. So Christ then used both of these methods to reprove and rebuke the gainsayers. We should do as well. I don't have time, but here's an interesting study: if you would just go
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through the book of Psalms and note how often David claimed God as his defense. For instance, in Psalm 7:10, he said, "My defense is of God, which saveth the upright in heart." When you get to Psalm 62:6, he says, "He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defense; I shall not be moved." And then when you get to Psalm 94:22, he says, "But the Lord is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge." So over and over in the Bible, David claims God as his defense. God is his defender.
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It's his responsibility to live wholly and righteously and godly. And God in his time will vindicate David. He will demonstrate who is lying, who is not lying. Now I want to make two applications and I want to tie this together for you. I want you to think about this, and I'm going to be honest with you. I preached this entire message really just to get my last application. Here's the first application: We must understand that that which we sow, we will reap. Inevitably, whatever we sow is going to come back upon our own heads. If we lie, we're going to be lied upon. If we slander, we're going to be slandered. If we gossip, we're going to be gossiped about. I want you to turn to Psalm 9 and then to Psalm 35. Look if you would at Psalm 9 at verses 15 and 16 first. Psalm 9, notice if you would please beginning there with verse 15. Look what he says: Psalm 9 verse 15, "The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made: in the net which they hid is their own foot taken. The Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands." So God says, "The heathen are sunk down in the
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pit that they made. They fell into their own pit. The net which they hid, their own foot is captured. The Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth: the wicked is snared by the work of his own hands." Inevitably, it's going to come back on us.
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Now, look in your Bibles to Psalm 35, at verses 6 and 8. Psalm 35, beginning there with verse 6. He says, "Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the Lord persecute them. For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul." Now watch verse 8: "Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall." And so we have to understand that whatever we do to others is ultimately going to come back to us. We're going to reap that which we sow. And usually when you sow, you reap more than you sow. Okay. Here's the second application.
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Here are some concluding questions. I want you to think about this. Before I ask them, I want you to turn in your Bibles to Matthew 25. I want you to be ready. I want you to turn to Matthew 25. And I want you to think about this. I want you to listen carefully. Here are my concluding questions: Would you lie about the Lord Jesus Christ? Would you criticize and condemn the Lord Jesus Christ?
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Would you dare to impugn his motives? Would you gossip and slander about Jesus Christ because he didn't hold the same views that you hold? Or would you try to condemn His understanding in light of your finite understanding? Would you make yourself the bar of justice and right instead of submitting to Him and His Word? Would you say that you were the determiner of right and wrong and that you were the determiner of right doctrine and wrong doctrine and not Jesus Christ? Would you hate him? Would you vilify him? Would you denounce him?
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Would you separate from him? And I can hear you right now saying, "No, no, no. I would never do any of those things. Never. Never." And my response is: Really? We do it every day. How? Look in Matthew 25 in verse 40. "And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." Huh?
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You see, Jesus Christ is our head and we're the body. You touch my body, it affects my head. You touch my head, it affects my body. And whenever we attack each other, we're attacking the Lord Jesus Christ. We are one according to His word. The truth of the matter is, we have never really understood the implication of what it means to attack a fellow believer and try to degrade him, destroy him, denounce him. When ultimately, whatever we're doing to that believer, we're doing to the Lord Jesus Christ. Without cause. Jesus Christ does not deserve any of our trash and our wickedness and our ill will and our anger and our vindictiveness. He doesn't deserve any of it. And whatever we give to one another, whatever we give to another believer, we're giving to the Lord Jesus Christ. And he does not deserve any of our wickedness. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow before thee. We thank you for your word. We thank you for your truth.
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We pray this will sink down into our hearts and we will think very clearly before we begin to criticize and condemn. And Lord, help us to be obedient and humble ourselves to help and not destroy. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T15:54:22Z

Without Cause

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

Pastor John Weaver examines Psalm 35, where David laments being attacked by former friends without cause. He applies this to the believer's experience of unjust criticism from fellow Christians and shows how David's response—living righteously and appealing to God—points to the greater David, Jesus Christ, who was also hated without cause. The sermon culminates in the application that when we attack fellow believers, we are attacking Christ Himself, as we are His body.

Introduction: The Pain of Unjust Attacks

Weaver introduces the theme of being victimized without cause, especially by fellow believers, and reads Psalm 35:1-10.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 35:1-10

"Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me. Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help. Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation. Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul." "Let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt. Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the Lord chase them. Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the Lord persecute them. For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul. Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall. And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord: it shall rejoice in his salvation. All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?"

The Reality of Christian Meanness

Christians can be as mean as anyone, violating things God hates (Proverbs 6:16-19). David's grief over betrayal by a friend is highlighted from Psalm 55.

Understanding Psalm 35: David's Grief and Prayer

Psalm 35 is an expression of grief when friends turn against David. He prays for God to contend with his adversaries because they attack him without cause.

The Hen House Syndrome and Biblical Response

Christians often attack the wounded instead of restoring them (Galatians 6:1-2). The fleshly tendency to bite and devour one another is contrasted with walking in the Spirit (Galatians 5:13-17).

Scripture Reading — Galatians 5:13-17

"For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

Now watch verse 15:

Scripture Reading — Galatians 5:13-17

"But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would."

Now, interestingly enough, for years I have wanted to preach a message on Galatians 5:15, where the Apostle Paul says,

Scripture Reading — Galatians 5:13-17

"But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another."

I've never preached the message that I wanted to, but I've already got the title

David's Innocence and Compassion

David was innocent, yet false witnesses rose against him. He had shown genuine compassion, fasting and praying for his enemies when they were sick.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 35:11-14

"They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul."

Now look at verse 11:

Scripture Reading — Psalm 35:11-14

"False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things which I know not."

Scripture Reading — Psalm 35:11-14

"False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things which I know not."

Scripture Reading — Psalm 35:11-14

"They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul."

Scripture Reading — Psalm 35:11-14

"But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth." "I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into my own bosom. I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother."

Scripture Reading — 1 Kings 18:42

Now, I want to point this out. He said in verse 13, "But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled myself with fasting; and my prayer returned into my own bosom." Now what does that mean, "my prayer returned into my own bosom"? Literally what he's saying is, I prayed with my head sunk into my bosom. In other words, the prayer that went out of his lips, his breath came back and hit him in his own stomach. So it was the earnest prayer of someone who was really genuinely bowed down with sorrow. It's much like in 1 Kings 18:42, when Elijah prayed, the Bible says he cast himself upon the ground and put his face between his knees and prayed. And so this is what David is saying: my prayer was genuine, my prayer was real, and it was truthful. Henry Ainsworth said it like this, in reference to this statement. He said, "I wished no worse to them than to myself."

The Enemies' Response and Our Two Options

David's enemies rejoiced in his adversity and tore him apart. We cannot control others, but we can live righteously to prove them wrong and appeal to God for vindication (Romans 12:17-21).

There is a biblical way to handle his wickedness and his wrongness. What is it? Well, look in Romans chapter 12 and let's begin reading there if you would please at verse 17. God says,

Scripture Reading — Romans 12:17-21

"Recompense to no man evil for evil."

Or,

Scripture Reading — Romans 12:17-21

"Don't pay evil back with evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men."

That's what I mean by living holy and obediently. Then he says,

Scripture Reading — Romans 12:17-21

"If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men."

Now watch verse 19.

Scripture Reading — Romans 12:17-21

"Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, what are you to do? Feed him. If he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good."

Scripture Reading — Romans 12:17-21

"In so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head."

Now, let me explain something to you. Heaping coals of fire upon one's head is equivalent to repaying evil with good.

The Greater David: Jesus Christ

Jesus is the true Son of David. Psalm 35 applies to Him: false witnesses accused Him (Matthew 26:59-61), and He was hated without a cause (John 15:25). He lived perfectly and appealed to the Father.

Scripture Reading — Matthew 22:41-46

"While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he?"

Scripture Reading — Matthew 22:41-46

" And no man was able to answer him a word. Neither did any man from that day forth ask him any more questions. So our Lord says, "

Look, what think you of Christ?"

Scripture Reading — Matthew 22:41-46

"Well, he's the son of David." "Well, if he's just merely the son of David, how is it that David in Psalm 110 said, 'The Lord said to my Lord, sit down on my right hand'? If he is his Lord, how is he just simply the son of David?"

Scripture Reading — Matthew 22:41-46

"The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham."

Jesus Christ is the true son of David. Solomon was a physical son, but Jesus Christ is

Scripture Reading — Matthew 1:1

the true son of David. Do you remember there in Luke 1:32 the Bible says this concerning Jesus Christ: "He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David." So Jesus Christ is the true son of David. Consequently, he's greater than Solomon. Solomon was just the physical son. I wish you'd listen to what our Lord said in Matthew 12:42. He said, "The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here." And he says the same thing in Luke 11:31. Jesus Christ is greater than Solomon. Why? Because Solomon was just simply a physical son. Jesus Christ is the true son because Jesus Christ is the true inheritor of David's throne. Now, I want you to listen carefully.

Scripture Reading — Matthew 26:59-62

"Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death."

Note, they're seeking false witness. Verse 60:

Scripture Reading — Matthew 26:59-62

"But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none."

At the last came two false witnesses, and said,

Scripture Reading — Matthew 26:59-62

"This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days."

And the high priest arose, and said unto him,

Scripture Reading — Matthew 26:59-62

"Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?"

Scripture Reading — Psalm 69:4

"They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away."

and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin." Watch verse 23:

Scripture Reading — John 15:22-25

"He that hateth me hateth my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause."

Applications: Reaping What We Sow and Attacking Christ

We reap what we sow (Psalm 9:15-16; 35:8). The ultimate application: when we attack fellow believers, we attack Christ Himself (Matthew 25:40).

Without Cause

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	91WspLI8rFo
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans-Related Topical Applications
Genre	Sermon
Date	2019-11-06
Dictation Name
Book	Book 138: Romans-Related Topical Applications — Chapter 19
Source Timed Segments	69

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction: The Pain of Unjust Attacks: Weaver introduces the theme of being victimized without cause, especially by fellow believers, and reads Psalm 35:1-10.
The Reality of Christian Meanness: Christians can be as mean as anyone, violating things God hates (Proverbs 6:16-19). David's grief over betrayal by a friend is highlighted from Psalm 55.
Understanding Psalm 35: David's Grief and Prayer: Psalm 35 is an expression of grief when friends turn against David. He prays for God to contend with his adversaries because they attack him without cause.
The Hen House Syndrome and Biblical Response: Christians often attack the wounded instead of restoring them (Galatians 6:1-2). The fleshly tendency to bite and devour one another is contrasted with walking in the Spirit (Galatians 5:13-17).
David's Innocence and Compassion: David was innocent, yet false witnesses rose against him. He had shown genuine compassion, fasting and praying for his enemies when they were sick.
The Enemies' Response and Our Two Options: David's enemies rejoiced in his adversity and tore him apart. We cannot control others, but we can live righteously to prove them wrong and appeal to God for vindication (Romans 12:17-21).
The Greater David: Jesus Christ: Jesus is the true Son of David. Psalm 35 applies to Him: false witnesses accused Him (Matthew 26:59-61), and He was hated without a cause (John 15:25). He lived perfectly and appealed to the Father.
Applications: Reaping What We Sow and Attacking Christ: We reap what we sow (Psalm 9:15-16; 35:8). The ultimate application: when we attack fellow believers, we attack Christ Himself (Matthew 25:40).

Major Themes

Key Arguments

David was attacked without cause by former friends

Psalm 35 describes David's grief over being persecuted by those he had treated as friends, who now hate him freely and undeservedly.

Weaver notes, 'For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.'

Christians can act wickedly toward one another

Believers are capable of the sins listed in Proverbs 6:16-19, including sowing discord, which God hates.

Weaver reads Proverbs 6:16-19 and says, 'These are things specifically that God hates.'

The biblical response to unjust attack is righteous living and appeal to God

Romans 12:17-21 teaches not to repay evil for evil but to overcome evil with good, leaving vengeance to God.

Weaver reads Romans 12:17-21 and explains, 'God says, if someone does you wrong... feed him... In so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head.'

Jesus Christ is the true Son of David and suffered without cause

Jesus fulfills Psalm 35 as the greater David; He was falsely accused and hated without a cause, as John 15:25 confirms.

Weaver cites John 15:25: 'They hated me without a cause,' applying it to Christ.

We reap what we sow

Psalm 9:15-16 and Psalm 35:8 show that the wicked fall into their own traps; our actions toward others will return upon us.

Weaver reads Psalm 9:15-16 and Psalm 35:8, stating, 'Inevitably, whatever we sow is going to come back upon our own heads.'

Attacking a believer is attacking Christ

Matthew 25:40 teaches that what we do to the least of Christ's brethren, we do to Him; thus, criticizing a fellow Christian is criticizing Jesus.

Weaver quotes Matthew 25:40 and says, 'Whenever we attack each other, we're attacking the Lord Jesus Christ.'

Scripture References

Psalm 35:1-10: Read at the opening to introduce David's plea for God to fight against his persecutors.
John 16:33: Quoted to show that tribulation is expected in the world.
2 Timothy 3:12: Cited to affirm that all who live godly will suffer persecution.
Proverbs 6:16-19: Read to list the seven things God hates, including sowing discord among brethren.
Psalm 55:12-14: Quoted to illustrate David's hurt over betrayal by a close friend and fellow worshipper.
Galatians 6:1-2: Cited to instruct believers to restore the fallen with meekness.
Galatians 5:13-17: Read to warn against biting and devouring one another and to walk in the Spirit.
Psalm 35:11-14: Read to show David's innocence and his compassionate response to his enemies' sickness.
1 Kings 18:42: Referenced to compare David's posture of prayer to Elijah's earnest prayer.
Psalm 35:15-17: Read to describe how David's enemies rejoiced in his adversity and tore him apart.
Romans 12:17-21: Read to teach not to repay evil for evil but to overcome evil with good.
Psalm 35:17, 22-23: Read to show David's appeal to God for intervention and vindication.
1 John 3:18-21: Read to explain that confidence toward God comes when our heart does not condemn us.
Matthew 22:41-46: Read to show Jesus' question about David calling the Messiah 'Lord,' establishing Christ as the greater David.
Matthew 1:1: Cited to identify Jesus as the son of David.
Luke 1:32: Cited to show Jesus will be given the throne of His father David.
Matthew 12:42: Cited to declare that a greater than Solomon is here, referring to Christ.
Matthew 26:59-62: Read to show false witnesses rising against Jesus, fulfilling Psalm 35:11.
Psalm 69:4: Read to show the prophecy of being hated without a cause, applied to Christ.
John 15:22-25: Read to show Jesus applying 'They hated me without a cause' to Himself.

Historical References

Albert Barnes: Weaver quotes Barnes' commentary on Psalm 35, describing it as dealing with treatment from professed friends who turned against David.
Henry Ainsworth: Weaver cites Ainsworth's comment on Psalm 35:13, 'I wished no worse to them than to myself.'

Important Quotes

I suspect that one thing that hurts the most and is even the most debilitating for a Christian is when we are criticized and belittled and berated and attacked by another believer in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Introduces the central pain of the sermon: unjust attacks from fellow Christians.

It is unbelievable, and yet it is absolutely true, that Christians can be just as mean, just as vicious, and just as wicked as anyone else.

Highlights the reality of sin within the church, setting up the need for the biblical response.

For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.

Key verse from Psalm 35:7 emphasizing the undeserved nature of the attacks.

We're about the only ones who try to destroy our walking wounded.

Illustrates the 'hen house syndrome' where Christians attack those who are already down.

But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

Galatians 5:15 quoted to warn against destructive infighting among believers.

False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.

Psalm 35:11, showing David's experience of false accusation, later applied to Christ.

Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Matthew 25:40, the climactic application that attacking believers is attacking Christ.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

Why does being attacked by a fellow believer hurt more than being attacked by an unbeliever?

[Context]

Weaver states that we expect tribulation from the world but not from believers, and David expressed greater grief over betrayal by a friend.

[Question]

In what ways can Christians be guilty of the sins listed in Proverbs 6:16-19, especially sowing discord?

[Context]

Weaver reads the list of things God hates and notes that Christians can commit these sins, causing great hurt.

[Question]

How does David's prayer in Psalm 35 model a righteous response to unjust persecution?

[Context]

Weaver explains David's appeal to God for vindication and his commitment to living righteously.

[Question]

What does it mean to 'heap coals of fire' on an enemy's head, and how can we practically do this?

[Context]

Weaver discusses Romans 12:20 and the principle of overcoming evil with good.

[Question]

How does seeing Jesus as the greater David change our understanding of Psalm 35?

[Context]

Weaver shows that Jesus fulfilled Psalm 35 by being falsely accused and hated without a cause.

[Question]

Why is it important to examine our own hearts before appealing to God for vindication?

[Context]

Weaver cites 1 John 3:20-21, emphasizing that confidence before God requires a heart that does not condemn us.

[Question]

How does the principle of sowing and reaping apply to our words and actions toward other believers?

[Context]

Weaver uses Psalm 9:15-16 and Psalm 35:8 to illustrate that we will reap what we sow.

[Question]

In what practical ways do we attack Christ when we attack fellow believers?

[Context]

Weaver concludes with Matthew 25:40, stating that whatever we do to other believers, we do to Christ.

Applications

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