Truth and the Interpretation of Scripture

The Best Illustration of Humanism

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Apologetics

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2024-04-27

Synopsis: John Weaver defines humanism as practical atheism—living independently of God—and argues that many professing Christians are functional humanists. Using Jeremiah 42–44, he illustrates how the remnant rejected God's clear word, trusted their own reasoning and experience, and chose to go to Egypt, exemplifying humanist thinking. He concludes that one cannot be both a Christian and a humanist, and calls believers to submit wholly to Scripture.

[John Weaver] So the title of the message today is this. The best illustration of humanism. The best illustration of humanism. Humanism is rampant in our lives. Most professing Christians are humanist and do not even realize their departure from God and his word. Humanism, at the maximum, is to be an atheist. At the minimum, it is to walk totally independent of God. Humanism is a denier of truth and it is a death wish at the same time. a humanism has a balance. I want to give you two definitions of humanism to set the stage for what I'm going to share with you today.

[John Weaver] The first definition comes from West Webster's New World Dictionary. And here it is. Any system of thought or action based on the nature, dignity, interest and ideals of man, specifically a modern, non-theistic, rationalistic movement that holds that man is capable of self-fulfillment, ethical conduct, without recourse to supernaturalism. So I'm going to water it down for you. In other words, humanism has absolutely no reference to God whatsoever. And humanism, in this definition, demonstrates the fact that a humanist does not believe that he needs God at all. Now, the second definition I'm going to read to you is from the American Humanist Association.

[John Weaver] This is what they say. Humanism is a progressive philosophy of life that without theism, which would be without God, because theos is the Greek word for God. So it is a progressive philosophy of life that without theism, or other supernatural beliefs, affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good. So humanism then basically teaches and believes that man is self-sufficient in and of himself. Man, according to humanism, is the measure of all things. Humanism does not need God. Humanism does not need prayer. Humanism does not need anything outside of itself. So humanism therefore refuses the truth of God's Word. It neglects the instruction of God's Word and lives as if God does not exist. lives as if God had never, ever spoken. In other words, humanism, you might say, is nothing more than practical atheism.

[John Weaver] And that certainly is true. I want you to just simply, as I talk about this today, look at the state of our churches and the condition of the lives of professing Christians today. And you will see humanism on every hand. Now, R.J. Rushdoony, in his book on Christianity and the State, said this, listen carefully. The churches represent the great area of freedom from status controls in many countries. This is a condition which the modern state finds intolerable and is determined to alter.

[John Weaver] The state's greatest ally in the struggle is all too often the church itself. The humanism of so many churchmen makes them dedicated allies of statist objectives. When you just stop and think about the last several years, all the churches that voluntarily closed down just simply because the state said they should close down. This is exactly what he's talking about. So in preparing for this message, I ran across a strange term. We laugh many times at oxymorons.

[John Weaver] An oxymoron is a figure of speech that juxtaposes concepts with opposite meanings, either in a word or phrase. And these words are usually, and always self contradictory. For instance, we might talk about a sober drunk, or you might talk about an honest thief, or a fateful adulterer. In other words, those are our contradictions in and of themselves. The word that I found, or the term that I found, would be absolutely hilarious if it was not so deceptive, because I was looking and I ran across this term, and here it is, Christian Humanism. Hmm. And then he went on to define Christian Humanism as a philosophy advocating the self-fulfillment of humanity within the framework of Christian principles.

[John Weaver] Now, that sounds pretty good. We may be human, but we are not humanist. So let me just explain something. It is impossible to be a Christian and a humanist at the same time, just like it's impossible to be an honest thief. or a sober drunk. It's totally impossible. If you are doing anything within the frame of Christianity, you're a Christian. If you're not living within the framework of Christianity, you're not a Christian. You're simply humans. There's no such thing as a Christian humanist. Now, let me explain something. We confuse terms all the time. Christian humanism is a term much like the phrase it's kicked about Judeo Christianity. There's no such animal. Judaism is contrary to Christianity. Christianity is contrary to Judaism. If you follow Judaism, you're not a Christian. If you follow Christianity, you do not follow Judaism.

[John Weaver] I want you to see the Apostle Paul himself made this distinction for us. So if you look very quickly in your Bibles to the book of Galatians chapter one, and I want you to look particularly at verses 13 through 16. Galatians chapter 1 beginning there in verse 13. Look what the Apostle Paul wrote. You remember Paul was raised a Pharisee. In fact, he claimed to be a Pharisee of the Pharisees. So he said in Galatians 1 in verse 13, for you've heard of my conversation in times past. Look at this now in the Jews religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God and wasted it.

[John Weaver] So Judaism and Christianity were opposite. Because in Judaism, he was persecuting Christians. And then he said in verse 14, and profited in the Jews religion above many of my equals in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the tradition of the fathers. So in Judaism, you have all kind of traditions. And he said, that's what I was following. But when you look at verse 15, but when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me by his grace to reveal his son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen.

[John Weaver] Immediately, I conferred not with flesh and blood. So I want you to know it was Paul's regeneration and conversion to Jesus Christ that separated him from the Jews religion. So one is either Jewish or one is either either Jewish or Christian. It's that simple. And it's the person and work of Jesus Christ that separates you to the Lord Jesus Christ. So if a Jewish person, quote unquote, converted to Christianity, he would not be a Jewish Christian. he would just be a Christian.

[John Weaver] Let me put it to you like this. If a Mormon converted to Christianity, he would not be a Mormon Christian. He'd just be a Christian. If a Hindu converted Christianity, he would not be a Hindu Christian. He'd just be a Christian. Same thing if a Buddhist converted. He would not be a Buddhist Christian. He'd just simply be a Christian. So this is what I'm trying to say. Clearly then, When you talk about a Christian humanist, there's no such animal. We are either humanist or we are Christian. There is no in-between because the philosophy of humanism is totally and completely contrary to that of Christianity. So by default then, a humanist is an evolutionist. A humanist believes in the perfection of man. The humanist does not believe in any afterlife. The humanist does not believe in judgment. So if you're a humanist and you do not believe in God and you do not listen to his word and you don't believe that you have any need of him, well, then obviously you're not going to adhere to a final judgment as it is taught in the Bible.

[John Weaver] So let me give it to you again. Here is the definition from the American humanist association. Here it is. Humanism is a progressive philosophy of life that without theism, or other supernatural beliefs, it affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good. So once again, translated, this definition means we don't need God. We don't need the Bible. We don't need prayer. We don't need anything supernatural.

[John Weaver] We are sufficient in and of ourselves. We know what is best for us. We know what is good for us. We even know what is best and good for others as well. And we are able to live a moral, ethical life that is well pleasing and fulfilling without any reference to God whatsoever. We're able to accomplish our goals.

[John Weaver] Now, The only problem with that, well, of course there are many, but the one major problem with this is a Bible doctrine that they deny, and that is the doctrine of total depravity. Because the Bible teaches that man is absolutely, totally depraved. In fact, Isaiah chapter one describes it from the top of the head to the toe of the foot. So, not only are our wills perverted and depraved, so is our mind, so is our thinking, so are our affections, everything about us. That's why the Bible says there's none good, no, not one. There's nothing to do with God. Good. There's none to seek after God. No, not one. So the humanists then do not need God. They do not need anything with reference to God or his word.

[John Weaver] Now, let me just demonstrate something for you very quickly. So the humanists now declare to be free to fulfill themselves. And also to know what is good for themselves and others, because of their rationality, because of their thinking. And of course, because I will show you a little bit later, because of their experience.

[John Weaver] Now, in order for this to be true, there are four things that have to be absolutely necessary. Four things are absolutely mandatory. First one is this, If you're going to say that I am sufficient in and of myself, I know what is good for me. I know what is good for others. There must be number one, an understanding of the alternatives that are to be chosen. There has to be an understanding of the alternatives that are to be chosen.

[John Weaver] So let me put it to you like this. If For instance, if I had on the one hand, a choice to be hit on one finger by a hammer, and on the other hand, a choice to have one finger cut open with a knife. I've got two choices to make our one choice, which everyone I think would be best for me, which neither one of them actually be best for me.

[John Weaver] But here's the problem with this. If I didn't use an illustration like that, if I use illustration, here is morality, here is what I am going to define as righteousness, and I'm going to choose between two things which are good. You have to understand there is a difference between a renewed mind and a sinful mind. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians chapter 2 and verse 14, for the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, neither can he know them because they're spiritually discerned. So how then can a humanist who does not believe in God, does not want the Word of God, does not believe in the Word of God, how can he have a true and accurate choice of the alternatives? He doesn't even understand the alternatives. So in order for a humanist to really accomplish that which he wanted, he has to know the alternatives that lie before him. And it's impossible for him to understand spiritual things without a renewed mind. Here's the second requirement. The second one is this.

[John Weaver] There must be a reliable criterion to distinguish between the two alternatives or to choose the best alternative. reliable criterion. Well, the Bible tells you in Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 18, listen carefully, that they are alienated from God through the ignorance that is in them. So, what kind of criterion then does a humanist use to determine what is best for him and that is his own perverted, corrupt, and depraved mind? And that mind is alienated from God through the ignorance of God that is in him. But there's a third thing that must be necessary, and that is men must have the will to choose and to seek the best alternative if they're really, truly free and able to do what humanists claim.

[John Weaver] So the truth of the matter is this, our wills, our slaves, our lusts, our desires, and are thinking. For instance, you could take a drunk and you could offer him a Bible or a fifth of whiskey. Which one do you think he's going to choose? He's going to take the fifth of whiskey because he's a drunk. He's a slave to his sin. He's a slave to his desires. You can offer a humanist a Bible, but he's not going to take it. And the reason he's not going to take it, he does not believe he needs it. In other words, he's a Pharisee.

[John Weaver] He has his own righteousness. He has his own morality. He doesn't need a Bible to tell him what is right, what is wrong. He has his own.

[John Weaver] Fourthly, if you are going to really be free, as the humanists claim, and that they have the ability to achieve what they want, you would actually have to have the power to achieve that which you have chosen. But the truth of the matter is man is kind of like Jethro Bodine, who wanted to be a brain surgeon with a fourth grade education, which is impossible. It's not going to happen.

[John Weaver] So the point I'm trying to make right now is very simple. If my family was in a fire, I might have a desire and the will to save them. But if I do not have the strength, if I do not have the ability, If I do not have the wisdom and discernment, it's impossible. Same thing with a flood. I don't have the strength and the ability. I just simply cannot do it.

[John Weaver] So in order for a man to achieve what the humanist says that man is capable of achieving, then these four things must necessarily be true. And of course, they are not true because humanism is based upon rationalism, which is nothing more than human thinking. And then it's also based upon human experience. And the reason you and I cannot trust our own thinking in one sense of the word is because we're not omniscient. We don't know everything. And we cannot do everything because we are not omnipotent. We're not God, not by any stretch of the imagination.

[John Weaver] None of us possess all knowledge or all power. Humanists say that we're capable of doing whatever we want to do. And we can fulfill every desire that we have by our own abilities, which is certainly not true.

[John Weaver] Now, I told you all that to set you up for Jeremiah chapter 44. So in order to set the stage for Jeremiah 44, we're going to have to look at Jeremiah chapter 42 and 43 as well. And before we get there to those chapters, I want to just tell you basically what these chapters are about. and what we're going to see and why they're important. Because in the book of Jeremiah, Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, has come over and he has conquered Judah and Jerusalem.

[John Weaver] He's killed many of the Judahites. He's taken about 5000 into captivity into Babylon. And he's left the poor of the land there so that they might Ten the land for him there were a few people that escaped and got away from him, but not many and So what Nebuchadnezzar has done? He's he's appointed get a liar to be governor for him and So there was a man by the name of Ishmael Who came up a little bit later and murdered get a liar He not only murdered get a liar. He murdered the Babylonian soldiers that Nebuchadnezzar had left there. Of course, Ishmael had men with him as well. And so now these people who are left the remnant, this little group are sincerely and genuinely frightened because they know that Nebuchadnezzar has already destroyed everything, killed countless numbers of people, taken some into captivity. And they are afraid now of Nebuchadnezzar, the sword, the pestilence and the famine that awaits them.

[John Weaver] So now in Jeremiah chapter 42, they come to Jeremiah and beg him to intercede to God for them. So look at it. Jeremiah 42, beginning there with verse one. Then all the captains of the forces and Johanan, the son of Korea, and Jezaniah, the son of Hoshea, and all the people from the least even to the greatest came near and said unto Jeremiah the prophet, Let we beseech thee our supplication be accepted before thee and pray for us unto the Lord by God, even for all this remnant.

[John Weaver] For we are left, but a few of many as I lies to behold us. Now the Lord thy God may show us the way when we may walk and the thing that we may do. Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them, I have heard you. Behold, I will pray unto the Lord your God according to your words, and it shall come to pass that whatsoever thing the Lord shall answer you, I will declare it unto you.

[John Weaver] I will keep nothing back from you. Then they said to Jeremiah, the Lord be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not even according to all things for the which the Lord by God shall send thee to us, whether it be good or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of the Lord our God to whom we send thee, that it may be well with us when we obey the voice of the Lord our God.

[John Weaver] Now, here's the interesting thing. They come to Jeremiah and they say, Jeremiah, we want you to pray for us. And we want the will of God in our lives. And Jeremiah, what we're going to do, we're going to accept whatever God tells us, whether it be good or whether it be evil. Now, the word evil does not mean sinful. It means in this section, whether or not we like it or whether or not we agree with it. In other words, we just want God's will. We want what is best for us. And God knows what is best for us. And we may not like what he said, but that's all right, too. We are going to do exactly that which God has determined and what God decrees.

[John Weaver] Now, the truth is that they feared Nebuchadnezzar. They not only feared Nebuchadnezzar, they feared the famine, they feared the pestilence. So Jeremiah said, okay, I'm gonna pray for you. So he did for 10 days. And after 10 days, the word of God came to Jeremiah. Look at it beginning in chapter seven, verse seven of Jeremiah 42. Look at verse seven. And it came to pass after 10 days that the word of the Lord came into Jeremiah. Then called he Johanan, the son of Korea and all the captains of the forces, which are with him, and all the people from the least even to the greatest, and said unto them, thus said the Lord, the God of Israel, unto whom you sent me to present your supplications before him, if you

[John Weaver] will still abide in this land, that is, stay in Judah, then I will build you and not pull you down, and I will plant you and not pluck you up, for I repent me of the evil that I've done unto you. Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom you are afraid, Be not afraid of him, saith the Lord, for I am with you to save you and to deliver you out of his hand. And I will show mercies unto you that he may have mercy upon you and cause you to return to your own land. But if you say we will not dwell in this land, Neither obey the voice of the Lord your God, saying, no, but we will go into the land of Egypt where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor have hunger of bread. There will we dwell. Now, therefore, hear the word of the Lord, you remnant of Judah. Thus said the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, if you wholly set your faces to enter into Egypt and go to sojourn there, Then it shall come to pass that the sword which you feared shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine which you were afraid shall follow

[John Weaver] close after you there in Egypt, and there you shall die. So shall it be with all the men that set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there. They shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence. None of them shall remain or escape from the evil that I will bring upon them. For thus said the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, As mine anger and my fury have been poured forth upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so shall my fury be poured forth upon you when you shall enter into Egypt, and you shall be in execration and an astonishment and a curse and a

[John Weaver] reproach, and you shall see this place no more. The Lord has said concerning you, O remnant of Judah, go ye not into Egypt. No, certainly thou have admonished you this day.

[John Weaver] Now to be absolutely honest, I do not know how much plainer that could be. I mean, God has just said, do not go down into Egypt. He said, you just stay in the land, I'll build you, I'll plant you. Don't fear Nebuchadnezzar, I can control Nebuchadnezzar. You just obey me and stay in the land. Now, God's will could not have been any plainer for them. The problem was this, the people were hypocritical when they came to Jeremiah. They really and truly did not want the will of God in their lives. If you look at Jeremiah chapter 42, beginning there with verse 20, here's what he tells them. For you dissembled in your hearts, that is, you played the hypocrite, in your hearts, when you sent me unto the Lord your God, saying, Pray for us unto the Lord our God, and according all that the Lord our God shall say, so declare unto us, and we will do it. And now I have this day declared it to you, but you have not obeyed the voice of the Lord your God, nor anything for the which he has sent me unto you.

[John Weaver] Now therefore know certainly that you shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence in the place whether you desire to go and to sojourn." Now, he said, look, you're a hypocrite. You did not really and truly want God's will. I've told you what God's will is and you refuse it and you reject it now to demonstrate. To demonstrate. The truth of their hypocrisy. I want you to look.

[John Weaver] In Jeremiah, Chapter 43, and let's read the first six verses. Look at this. We're getting to Jeremiah 44, but I know. And it came to pass that when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking unto all the people, all the words of the Lord their God, for which the Lord their God had sent him to them, even all these words, then spake Azariah the son of Hoshea, and Johanan the son of Korea, and all the proud men saying unto Jeremiah, thou speakest falsely. The Lord our God hath not sent thee to say, go not into Egypt and sojourn there.

[John Weaver] But Baruch, the son of Neriah, said of Theon against us, for to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, and that they might put us to death, and carry us away captives into Babylon. So Johanna, the son of Korea, and all the captains of the forces, and all the people obeyed not the voice of the Lord to dwell in the land of Judah. Now watch this. But Johanna, the son of Korea, and all the captains of the forces, took all the remnant of Judah that were returned from all nations, whether they had been driven, to dwell in the land of Judah, even men and women and children and the king's daughters and every person that Nebuchadnezzar Adam the captain of the guard and left with get a liar the son of I come the son of Shaphan and Jeremiah the prophet and Baruch the son of Nehemiah and so they came to the land of Egypt now notice if you would they kidnapped Jeremiah and Baruch they carried everyone down into Egypt So what

[John Weaver] did they do? When Jeremiah came back and said, here's what God said, they said, you're lying to us. God didn't say that. He didn't say go not down into Egypt. Why did they say God did not say go down into Egypt? Because that's where they wanted to go. They'd already determined that going down into Egypt was the best thing for them. They'd already determined that they could escape the sword and escape famine, escape pestilence, if they just simply went down into Egypt.

[John Weaver] What they did not understand and what they did not know was this. They were jumping out of the frying pan into the fire. Because God had already determined to give Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar. And he was going to punish the egyptian for their idolatry as well So now please listen to me We're about to get to jeremiah chapter 44 I want you to understand the reason that god destroyed judah and jerusalem Was because of their idolatry they were worshiping and pouring out offerings to the queen

[John Weaver] of heaven They were sacrificing their children to Baal and to Moloch in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom or Tophet as it's sometimes called. So God destroyed Judah and Jerusalem because of their idolatry. I want you to hang with me now because I want to show you the thinking of humanism and how prevalent it is in our lives today. So look in Jeremiah chapter 44 beginning there with verse 1. The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews which dwell in the land of Egypt, which dwell at Migdal and at Tavanese and at Nath in the country of Pathros, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, You have seen all the evil that I've brought upon Jerusalem and upon all the cities of Judah.

[John Weaver] And behold, this day they are a desolation and no man dwelleth therein. Why did God do it? because of their wickedness, which they have committed to provoke me to anger, in that they went to burn incense and to serve other gods, whom they knew not, neither they, ye nor your fathers. How be it I send unto you all my servants and prophets, rising early and sending them, saying, O do not this abominable thing that I hate, talking about idolatry, but they hearken not, nor incline their ear to turn from their wickedness, to burn incense and other gods. Wherefore, my fury and mine anger was poured forth and was kindled in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. And they are wasted and desolate at this day. So note, if you would, God tells them specifically that the reason he judged them was because of their idolatry. Now, the sad thing is this. They wouldn't listen. They wouldn't hear. They would not heed. God said, I tried to warn you. You would not turn.

[John Weaver] You would not repent. No. So God sends judgment.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to watch this. Let's begin reading on verse seven and read through verse 12. Jeremiah, 44, verse seven. Therefore, now, thus saith the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel. What's this? Wherefore commit you this great evil against your souls? To cut off from you, man and woman, child and suckling, out of Judah to leave you none to remain." Now, wait a minute.

[John Weaver] Stop and think about this. God is saying, you're not just destroying your souls, you're destroying the souls and lives of others as well. We do not think about that. Therefore now thus saith the Lord the God of hosts the God of Israel wherefore commit you this great evil against your souls to cut off from you man and woman child and suckling out of Judah and to leave you none to remain, in that you provoke me unto wrath with the works of your hands, burning incense unto other gods in the land of Egypt, whether you be gone to dwell, that you might cut yourselves off, and that you might be a curse and a reproach among all the nations of the earth. Have you forgotten the wickedness of your fathers, and the wickedness of the kings of Judah, and the wickedness of your wives, and of your own wickedness, and the wickedness of your wives which they have committed in the land of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, They're not humbled even to this day.

[John Weaver] Neither they feared nor walked in my law, nor in my statutes that I set before you and before your fathers. Therefore, thus said the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, behold, I will set my face against you for evil and to cut off all Judah. And I will take the remnant of Judah that have set their faces to go into the land of Egypt to sojourn there. And they shall all be consumed and fall in the land of Egypt. They shall even be consumed by the sword and by the famine they shall die from the least even to the greatest by the sword and by the famine and they shall be an execration and an astonishment and a curse and a reproach Now the interesting thing is this God had already told Jeremiah To Take great stones and put them in a brick hill and And then he said this, Nebuchadnezzar is going to come and set his throne upon these very stones.

[John Weaver] I want to make something exceedingly clear and to think about this. When you reject and refuse the word of God, the only thing left for you is dependence upon your own corrupt and depraved human thinking and human experience. which, of course, is always misinterpreted. Listen to me, because of your corrupt and perverted thinking.

[John Weaver] Now, I'm going to show it to you in this passage. Remember now, God's already judged these people because they're pouring out drink or offerings to the queen of heaven. They're worshiping all these false gods. They won't listen to God. They will not obey God. They've now fled into Egypt. God said, I'm going to destroy you because you won't listen. I want you to look at verse 16. Watch this. Watch this. In fact, let's begin reading in verse 15. Jeremiah chapter 44, look at verse 15. Then all the men which knew that their wives had burned incense unto other gods, and all the women that stood by, a great multitude, even all the people that dwelt in the land of Egypt and Pathros, answered Jeremiah saying, here's what they told Jeremiah, As for the word that thou has spoken to

[John Weaver] us in the name of the Lord We will not hearken unto thee. We're not going to listen to you. We're not going to obey you Now look at this, but we will certainly do whatsoever thing going forth out of our own mouth to burn incense unto the queen of heaven and to pour out drink offerings unto her As we have done we and our fathers our kings and our princes in the cities of judah and in the streets of jerusalem for then Had we plenty of vittles and were well and saw no evil But since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven and to pour out drink offerings under her We have wanted all things that have been consumed by the

[John Weaver] sword and by the famine. And when we burn incense to the queen of heaven and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we make our cakes to worship her and poured out drink offerings unto her without our men?

[John Weaver] Now look at what they were saying. They were saying, you don't understand, Jeremiah. You don't understand. When we were worshiping the queen of heaven and pouring out our drink offers we had plenty we did not have the sword. We did not have the famine But since we left off doing all this everything has come to pass that is destructive You don't understand here's what they did not understand They did not understand the only reason they prospered as long as they did was because of the mercy and the patience of God. God did not just instantly smite them and kill them.

[John Weaver] And their perverted thinking then interpreted their experience like. We need to worship the queen of heaven because that's where the blessings are. That's when we were not hungry. That's when we were not threatened with the sword. No, no, we did this. Yes, we did this. So they refuse to hear God. They refuse to hear his word. And they're basing everything upon their interpretation, their mental, their rational interpretation of their experience. And they were saying, in essence, we don't have any need for God. We don't want him. No, we don't need him at all.

[John Weaver] We know what is best for us. We know what we went through, and we know what works and what does not work. I've talked to Christian people so many times, and they would always say something like this. Well, I know what happened to me. I know what I went through. And they're basing everything upon their experience and their own interpretation of their experience. And we never stop to think that our minds are corrupted by nature. And unless our minds are renewed through the word of God, our thinking is wrong. And our misinterpretation of our experiences should be evident Because we interpret everything based upon our own perverted thinking Now look if you would to verse 20 jeremiah 44. Hang on Then jeremiah said unto all the people and to the men and to the women and to all the people which had given him that answer say All right.

[John Weaver] Watch it the incense that you burned in the cities of judah And in the streets of Jerusalem, you and your fathers, your kings and your princes, and the people of the land, did not the Lord remember them and came it not into his mind so that the Lord could no longer bear because of the evil of your doings and because of the abominations which you committed? Therefore, is your land a desolation and an astonishment and a curse without inhabited as of this day, because You have burned incense, and because you have sinned against the Lord, have not obeyed the voice of the Lord, nor walked in his law, nor in his statutes, nor in his testimonies, therefore this evil has happened unto you.

[John Weaver] As of this day, in other words, you've got everything turned around, folks. The reason you went through the judgment that you went through was because of what you were doing. You are pouring out drink offerings and making cakes to the Queen of Heaven instead of worshiping the One True and the Living God. You are doing what you want to do instead of obeying God's law. And what you've done is you've interpreted that little area, that little time when God was patient with you and did not judge you as the norm, as what you should be doing.

[John Weaver] That's exactly where you are now. Want you to take note of verse 25 of Jeremiah 44. I want you to look at this Thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel saying You and your wives have both spoken with your mouths. I And if fulfilled with your hand saying we will surely perform our vows that we have vowed to burn incest the queen of heaven and to pour out drink offerings under her, you will surely accomplish your vows and surely perform your vows. God says, look, I know what you've already determined in your heart. You've already said this is what we're going to do. We are not going to stop. We have determined that this is the best route for us to go. We've determined that this is for our good and the good of our children and the good of our neighbors. And this is exactly what we're going to do. I, I know, said God, you are going to accomplish your will. Humanists believe they know what is best for themselves.

[John Weaver] Humanists believes that they have the ability to guide and direct their lives into that which is the absolute best for them and for others as well. Thus, they reject God. They reject God's word. They don't need God. They don't need God's directives. They don't need God's salvation. They have spoken and so be it. A humanist is much like a witch in one sense of the word, because witches always say something like this, as my will is, so mote it be, or so must it be. In other words, I'm the one that determines what is good and what is bad. I'm the one that determines what should be done and what should not be done. So what these people were doing, in essence, they were challenging God.

[John Weaver] And notice, if you would, what God said in verse 25, again, the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, You and your wives have both spoken with your mouths and fulfilled with your hands, saying, We will surely perform our vows that we have vowed to burn incense to the queen of heaven and to pour out drink offerings under her. You will surely accomplish your vows and surely perform your vows. God says, I know you're going to do exactly that.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to look in Jeremiah 44 at verses 29 and 30. Look at this. Jeremiah 44, verse 29, God says, And this shall be a sign unto you, saith the Lord, that I will punish you in this place, that you may know that my words shall surely stand against you for evil. Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will give Pharaoh Hopra, king of Egypt, into the hands of his enemies, that would be Nebuchadnezzar, and in the hand of them that seek his life, as I gave Zedekiah, king of Judah, in the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, his enemy, that sought his life. Now here's what God is saying.

[John Weaver] You said with your mouth, we will perform our vows. God said, I said, you will surely die now let's see whose word is going to stand yours or mine hmm if you desire to challenge God you better be prepared to lose and to be destroyed because God is not only omniscient he is omnipotent He is the eternal, immutable, sovereign God of heaven and earth. Here's the whole point of this message today, and I'm going to make some application, but the whole point is I wanted you to see how humanists base everything upon their own rational thinking and interpret their experiences according to their own rational thinking, and they do not understand that the natural man receiveth not

[John Weaver] the things of the Spirit of God, neither can he know them because they're spiritually discerned. And they end up like these people challenging God. So let me make some applications. The first one is this. One of the major problems we have in our church today is not what is called Christian humanism. Our problem is We have professing Christians that are living as humanists. If they're not denying God personally, literally, they are living as if God does not exist. They're living as if they do not need God's word. They do not need God's directives. They do not need God's counsel. And the fact this is true is revealed in the ignorance of the average professing Christian. It's revealed in their ignorance of his precepts and of his principles. It's evidenced by their immorality and their unethical conduct and behavior. So I would tell you, just like Jeremiah told these people, you need to make up your minds. You need to determine whether or not you're going to be a Christian or a humanist because you cannot be both at the same time.

[John Weaver] It's impossible. It's impossible. Here's the second one. Here's a principle that you and I should master. It will enable us to avoid the problem that these people got into. Here's the principle. You always allow the Bible to interpret your experience. You never allow your experience to interpret the Bible. You always allow the Bible to interpret your experience. You never allow your experience to interpret the Bible. And I can show you Church after church and Christian after Christian that always allow their experience to interpret the Bible. I know it's gotta be true because it happened to me. Your experience is not the norm. Your experience is not the standard. The word of God is our standard. And so when you allow your experience to interpret the word of God, you've got real problems. You always allow the Bible to interpret your experience. Always. Now, here's the third one.

[John Weaver] You have to remember that humanism is a progressive philosophy of life that without theism or other supernatural beliefs affirms one's ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment for the greater good. And the greater good is determined by the humanist. Well, listen to me carefully. If you're not a humanist, then you need to demonstrate it and manifest it by reading and studying the Word of God and bringing your life into conformity to the Word of God. You're not going to learn anything just reading a verse or two every now and then. If you're not going to seriously study the Word of God, read the Word of God faithfully, you're not going Obey our Lord you remember what he said in Luke 6 in verse 46 our Lord said Why called you me Lord Lord and do not those things which I say unto you?

[John Weaver] I've told you a hundred times the word Lord is curious means boss owner master sovereign So our Lord says, why are you calling me boss? Why are you calling me master? Why are you calling me sovereign? If you're not going to obey everything that I say unto you. You see, here's what we try to do. We try to compartmentalize certain areas of our lives. We will say, well, I want to obey God in this area, but over here now, wait a minute.

[John Weaver] I know what I like. And I know what I need. I don't need the Bible over here because that would interfere with what I determined is best for me. Hmm. That is humanism. Now, listen to me. To the degree that you do not submit to the word of God. To the degree that you do not obey the Lord Jesus Christ. To that degree, you're a humanist. You're saying, I know what is sufficient for me. I know what is best for me. I do not need the word of God. And that's why the Bible tells you over and over, trust in the Lord with all your heart.

[John Weaver] and lean not to thine own understanding, and all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy path. Hmm. And all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy path. Fear the Lord, depart from evil. So we cannot have our lives compartmentalized. We have to say, Lord, You are our Lord and master. Let's see how that went. I think you remember that passage in First Corinthians, Chapter six, where the apostle said, what? No, you're not. You're bought with a price.

[John Weaver] Therefore, glory by God in your body and your spirit, which are. Help me out. Was that last word is. We belong to him.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to turn, if you would, to one last passage. I want you to look in your Bibles to John chapter 12 and verse 48. I can quote this verse, but I want you to see it. I've quoted it here many times before, but I want you to see it in light of what I have just been preaching and teaching. Look at this. John 12, verse 48.

[John Weaver] Remember now, humanists Do not need god. They do not need his word. They do not need his counsel. That's what they think And their minds are corrupted perverted depraved So in john 12 in verse 48, our lord said it like this he that rejected me That's jesus christ the living word And receiveth not my words. That's his written word hath one that judgeth him The word that i've spoken the same shall judge him in the last days So this book is going to judge in the last day the words that he has spoken. He is a judge. And here it is. God said in Jeremiah 44. We will see whose words shall stand, theirs or mine. And I've got news for you. God's Word shall stand forever, O Lord, as Thy Word settled in the heavens. He has sanctified His Word above His name. If God's Word ever fails, then God is not God.

[John Weaver] We cannot be a Christian humanist. We're either Christian or a humanist. There's no in-between. There's no compatibility. We must, we must be Christian in every area of our lives. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to thee this day. We thank you for your word. We thank you for your truth. Lord, we pray that you would make us wholly, completely, totally Christian in every area and every aspect in every compartment of our lives. May we submit to Thee and be obedient to Thee, and honor Thee. Desire Your will, desire Your word, desire Your truth, and conform our lives to it. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen.

[John Weaver] ♪

The Best Illustration of Humanism

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	wiMkOHjeIbs
Subject	Apologetics
Course	Truth and the Interpretation of Scripture
Genre	Sermon
Date	2024-04-27
Dictation Name
Book	Book 064: Truth and the Interpretation of Scripture — Chapter 4
Source Timed Segments	72

Formatted Transcript

Introduction: Defining Humanism

Humanism is rampant; most professing Christians are humanists without realizing it. Humanism is practical atheism—living as if God does not exist.

So the title of the message today is this: "The Best Illustration of Humanism." The best illustration of humanism. Humanism is rampant in our lives. Most professing Christians are humanists and do not even realize their departure from God and His Word. Humanism, at the maximum, is to be an atheist. At the minimum, it is to walk totally independent of God. Humanism is a denier of truth, and it is a death wish at the same time. Humanism has a balance. I want to give you two definitions of humanism to set the stage for what I'm going to share with you today.

Two Definitions of Humanism

Webster's and the American Humanist Association define humanism as a non-theistic, self-sufficient philosophy where man is the measure of all things.

The first definition comes from Webster's New World Dictionary. And here it is: "Any system of thought or action based on the nature, dignity, interests, and ideals of man; specifically, a modern, non-theistic, rationalistic movement that holds that man is capable of self-fulfillment, ethical conduct, without recourse to supernaturalism." So I'm going to water it down for you. In other words, humanism has absolutely no reference to God whatsoever. And humanism, in this definition, demonstrates the fact that a humanist does not believe that he needs God at all. Now, the second definition I'm going to read to you is from the American Humanist Association. This is what they say: "Humanism is a progressive philosophy of life that, without theism"—which would be without God, because theos is the Greek word for God—"or other supernatural beliefs, affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good." So humanism then basically teaches and believes that man is self-sufficient in and of himself. Man, according to humanism, is the measure of all things. Humanism does not need God. Humanism does not need prayer. Humanism does not need anything outside of itself. So humanism therefore refuses the truth of God's Word. It neglects the instruction of God's Word and lives as if God does not exist—lives as if God had never, ever spoken. In other words, humanism, you might say, is nothing more than practical atheism.

The Oxymoron of 'Christian Humanism'

The term 'Christian Humanism' is contradictory; one cannot be both a Christian and a humanist, just as one cannot be an honest thief.

An oxymoron is a figure of speech that juxtaposes concepts with opposite meanings, either in a word or phrase. And these words are usually, and always, self-contradictory. For instance, we might talk about a sober drunk, or you might talk about an honest thief, or a faithful adulterer. In other words, those are contradictions in and of themselves. The word that I found, or the term that I found, would be absolutely hilarious if it was not so deceptive, because I was looking and I ran across this term, and here it is: "Christian Humanism." Hmm. And then he went on to define Christian Humanism as a philosophy advocating the self-fulfillment of humanity within the framework of Christian principles.

Now, that sounds pretty good. We may be human, but we are not humanists. So let me just explain something. It is impossible to be a Christian and a humanist at the same time, just like it's impossible to be an honest thief or a sober drunk. It's totally impossible. If you are doing anything within the framework of Christianity, you're a Christian. If you're not living within the framework of Christianity, you're not a Christian. You're simply a humanist. There's no such thing as a Christian humanist. Now, let me explain something. We confuse terms all the time. Christian humanism is a term much like the phrase that's kicked about: "Judeo-Christianity." There's no such animal. Judaism is contrary to Christianity. Christianity is contrary to Judaism. If you follow Judaism, you're not a Christian. If you follow Christianity, you do not follow Judaism.

Biblical Distinction: Christianity vs. Judaism

Paul's conversion in Galatians 1 shows that Judaism and Christianity are opposites; a convert is simply a Christian, not a hyphenated one.

I want you to see the Apostle Paul himself made this distinction for us. So if you look very quickly in your Bibles to the book of Galatians chapter 1, and I want you to look particularly at verses 13 through 16. Galatians chapter 1, beginning there in verse 13. Look what the Apostle Paul wrote. You remember Paul was raised a Pharisee. In fact, he claimed to be a Pharisee of the Pharisees. So he said in Galatians 1 in verse 13,

Scripture Reading — Galatians 1:13-16

"For you have heard of my conversation in times past"

—look at this now—

Scripture Reading — Galatians 1:13-16

"in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God and wasted it."

So Judaism and Christianity were opposite. Because in Judaism, he was persecuting Christians. And then he said in verse 14, "And profited in the Jews' religion above many of my equals in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the tradition of the fathers." So in Judaism, you have all kinds of traditions. And he said, that's what I was following. But when you look at verse 15, "But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me by His grace to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the heathen." "Immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood." So I want you to know it was Paul's regeneration and conversion to Jesus Christ that separated him from the Jews' religion. So one is either Jewish or one is either Christian. It's that simple. And it's the person and work of Jesus Christ that separates you to the Lord Jesus Christ. So if a Jewish person, quote-unquote, converted to Christianity, he would not be a Jewish Christian. He would just be a Christian.

Humanism's False Assumptions

Humanism requires understanding alternatives, a reliable criterion, a free will, and power to achieve—all impossible due to total depravity.

Now, in order for this to be true, there are four things that have to be absolutely necessary. Four things are absolutely mandatory. First one is this: If you're going to say that I am sufficient in and of myself, I know what is good for me, I know what is good for others, there must be, number one, an understanding of the alternatives that are to be chosen. There has to be an understanding of the alternatives that are to be chosen.

So let me put it to you like this. If, for instance, I had on the one hand a choice to be hit on one finger by a hammer, and on the other hand a choice to have one finger cut open with a knife, I've got two choices to make—or one choice, which one I think would be best for me, which neither one of them actually would be best for me. But here's the problem with this. If I didn't use an illustration like that, if I use an illustration—here is morality, here is what I am going to define as righteousness, and I'm going to choose between two things which are good—you have to understand there is a difference between a renewed mind and a sinful mind. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians chapter 2 and verse 14, "For the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." So how then can a humanist who does not believe in God, does not want the Word of God, does not believe in the Word of God, how can he have a true and accurate choice of the alternatives? He doesn't even understand the alternatives. So in order for a humanist to really accomplish that which he wants, he has to know the alternatives that lie before him. And it's impossible for him to understand spiritual things without a renewed mind. Here's the second requirement. The second one is this.

There must be a reliable criterion to distinguish between the two alternatives or to choose the best alternative. A reliable criterion. Well, the Bible tells you in Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 18—listen carefully—that they are alienated from God through the ignorance that is in them. So, what kind of criterion then does a humanist use to determine what is best for him? It is his own perverted, corrupt, and depraved mind. And that mind is alienated from God through the ignorance of God that is in him. But there's a third thing that must be necessary, and that is men must have the will to choose and to seek the best alternative if they're really, truly free and able to do what humanists claim.

So the truth of the matter is this: our wills are slaves to our lusts, our desires, and our thinking. For instance, you could take a drunk and you could offer him a Bible or a fifth of whiskey. Which one do you think he's going to choose? He's going to take the fifth of whiskey because he's a drunk. He's a slave to his sin. He's a slave to his desires. You can offer a humanist a Bible, but he's not going to take it. And the reason he's not going to take it: he does not believe he needs it. In other words, he's a Pharisee.

He has his own righteousness. He has his own morality. He doesn't need a Bible to tell him what is right, what is wrong. He has his own. Fourthly, if you are going to really be free, as the humanists claim, and that they have the ability to achieve what they want, you would actually have to have the power to achieve that which you have chosen. But the truth of the matter is man is kind of like Jethro Bodine, who wanted to be a brain surgeon with a fourth-grade education, which is impossible. It's not going to happen.

So the point I'm trying to make right now is very simple. If my family was in a fire, I might have a desire and the will to save them. But if I do not have the strength, if I do not have the ability, if I do not have the wisdom and discernment, it's impossible. Same thing with a flood. I don't have the strength and the ability. I just simply cannot do it.

So in order for a man to achieve what the humanist says that man is capable of achieving, then these four things must necessarily be true. And of course, they are not true because humanism is based upon rationalism, which is nothing more than human thinking. And then it's also based upon human experience. And the reason you and I cannot trust our own thinking in one sense of the word is because we're not omniscient. We don't know everything. And we cannot do everything because we are not omnipotent. We're not God, not by any stretch of the imagination.

None of us possess all knowledge or all power. Humanists say that we're capable of doing whatever we want to do, and we can fulfill every desire that we have by our own abilities, which is certainly not true.

Historical Context: Jeremiah 42–43

After Babylon's conquest, the remnant asks Jeremiah to seek God's will, promising to obey, but they hypocritically reject God's command to stay in Judah.

He's killed many of the Judahites. He's taken about 5,000 into captivity into Babylon. And he's left the poor of the land there so that they might tend the land for him. There were a few people that escaped and got away from him, but not many. And so what Nebuchadnezzar has done, he's appointed Gedaliah to be governor for him. And so there was a man by the name of Ishmael who came up a little bit later and murdered Gedaliah. He not only murdered Gedaliah, he murdered the Babylonian soldiers that Nebuchadnezzar had left there. Of course, Ishmael had men with him as well. And so now these people who are left, the remnant, this little group, are sincerely and genuinely frightened because they know that Nebuchadnezzar has already destroyed everything, killed countless numbers of people, taken some into captivity. And they are afraid now of Nebuchadnezzar, the sword, the pestilence, and the famine that awaits them.

So now in Jeremiah chapter 42, they come to Jeremiah and beg him to intercede to God for them. So look at it. Jeremiah 42, beginning there with verse 1:

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 42:1-6

"Then all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least even to the greatest, came near and said unto Jeremiah the prophet, 'Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray for us unto the Lord thy God, even for all this remnant.'" "For we are left but a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us. Now the Lord thy God may show us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do."

Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them,

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 42:1-6

"I have heard you. Behold, I will pray unto the Lord your God according to your words, and it shall come to pass that whatsoever thing the Lord shall answer you, I will declare it unto you."

"I will keep nothing back from you." Then they said to Jeremiah, "The Lord be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not even according to all things for the which the Lord thy God shall send thee to us. Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of the Lord our God, to whom we send thee; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of the Lord our God." Now, here's the interesting thing. They come to Jeremiah and they say, "Jeremiah, we want you to pray for us. And we want the will of God in our lives. And Jeremiah, what we're going to do, we're going to accept whatever God tells us, whether it be good or whether it be evil." Now, the word evil does not mean sinful. It means in this section, whether or not we like it or whether or not we agree with it. In other words, we just want God's will. We want what is best for us. And God knows what is best for us. And we may not like what He said, but that's all right, too. We are going to do exactly that which God has determined and what God decrees.

Now, the truth is that they feared Nebuchadnezzar. They not only feared Nebuchadnezzar, they feared the famine, they feared the pestilence. So Jeremiah said, "Okay, I'm going to pray for you." So he did for 10 days. And after 10 days, the word of God came to Jeremiah. Look at it beginning in verse 7 of Jeremiah 42. Look at verse 7: "And it came to pass after ten days that the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah. Then called he Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces which were with him, and all the people from the least even to the greatest, and said unto them, 'Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, unto whom ye sent me to present your supplications before Him: If ye'"

"will still abide in this land"—that is, stay in Judah—"then will I build you, and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up: for I repent me of the evil that I have done unto you. Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be not afraid of him, saith the Lord: for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you out of his hand. And I will show mercies unto you, that he may have mercy upon you, and cause you to return to your own land. But if ye say, 'We will not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of the Lord your God,' saying, 'No; but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor have hunger of bread; and there will we dwell': Now therefore hear the word of the Lord, ye remnant of Judah; Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; If ye wholly set your faces to enter into Egypt, and go to sojourn there; then it shall come to pass, that the sword, which ye feared, shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine, whereof ye were afraid, shall follow"

"close after you there in Egypt; and there ye shall die. So shall it be with all the men that set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there; they shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: and none of them shall remain or escape from the evil that I will bring upon them. For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; As mine anger and my fury have been poured forth upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem; so shall my fury be poured forth upon you, when ye shall enter into Egypt: and ye shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a" "reproach; and ye shall see this place no more. The Lord hath said concerning you, O ye remnant of Judah; Go ye not into Egypt: know certainly that I have admonished you this day."

Now to be absolutely honest, I do not know how much plainer that could be. I mean, God has just said, "Do not go down into Egypt." He said, "You just stay in the land, I'll build you, I'll plant you. Don't fear Nebuchadnezzar, I can control Nebuchadnezzar. You just obey Me and stay in the land." Now, God's will could not have been any plainer for them. The problem was this: the people were hypocritical when they came to Jeremiah. They really and truly did not want the will of God in their lives. If you look at Jeremiah chapter 42, beginning there with verse 20, here's what he tells them:

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 42:7-22

"For ye dissembled in your hearts"

—that is, you played the hypocrite—

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 42:7-22

"in your hearts, when ye sent me unto the Lord your God, saying, 'Pray for us unto the Lord our God; and according unto all that the Lord our God shall say, so declare unto us, and we will do it.' And now I have this day declared it to you; but ye have not obeyed the voice of the Lord your God, nor any thing for the which He hath sent me unto you."

"Now therefore know certainly that ye shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, in the place whither ye desire to go and to sojourn." Now, he said, "Look, you're a hypocrite. You did not really and truly want God's will. I've told you what God's will is and you refuse it and you reject it." Now to demonstrate the truth of their hypocrisy, I want you to look in Jeremiah chapter 43, and let's read the first six verses. Look at this. We're getting to Jeremiah 44, but I know.

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 43:1-7

"And it came to pass, that when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking unto all the people all the words of the Lord their God, for which the Lord their God had sent him to them, even all these words, then spake Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men, saying unto Jeremiah, 'Thou speakest falsely: the Lord our God hath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there.'"

"But Baruch the son of Neriah setteth thee on against us, for to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they might put us to death, and carry us away captives into Babylon." So Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, and all the people, obeyed not the voice of the Lord, to dwell in the land of Judah. Now watch this. "But Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, took all the remnant of Judah, that were returned from all nations, whither they had been driven, to dwell in the land of Judah; even men, and women, and children, and the king's daughters, and every person that Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Jeremiah the prophet, and Baruch the son of Neriah. So they came into the land of Egypt." Now notice, if you would, they kidnapped Jeremiah and Baruch. They carried everyone down into Egypt. So what

did they do? When Jeremiah came back and said, "Here's what God said," they said, "You're lying to us. God didn't say that. He didn't say go not down into Egypt." Why did they say God did not say go down into Egypt? Because that's where they wanted to go. They'd already determined that going down into Egypt was the best thing for them. They'd already determined that they could escape the sword and escape famine, escape pestilence, if they just simply went down into Egypt.

The Remnant's Humanist Reasoning (Jeremiah 44)

The people refuse God's word, claiming their past prosperity while worshiping the queen of heaven proves it is best, misinterpreting God's patience.

What they did not understand and what they did not know was this: they were jumping out of the frying pan into the fire. Because God had already determined to give Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar. And He was going to punish the Egyptians for their idolatry as well. So now please listen to me. We're about to get to Jeremiah chapter 44. I want you to understand the reason that God destroyed Judah and Jerusalem was because of their idolatry. They were worshiping and pouring out offerings to the queen

of heaven. They were sacrificing their children to Baal and to Molech in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, or Tophet as it's sometimes called. So God destroyed Judah and Jerusalem because of their idolatry. I want you to hang with me now because I want to show you the thinking of humanism and how prevalent it is in our lives today. So look in Jeremiah chapter 44, beginning there with verse 1:

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 44:1-14

"The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews which dwell in the land of Egypt, which dwell at Migdol, and at Tahpanhes, and at Noph, and in the country of Pathros, saying, 'Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Ye have seen all the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, and upon all the cities of Judah.'"

"And, behold, this day they are a desolation, and no man dwelleth therein, because of their wickedness which they have committed to provoke Me to anger, in that they went to burn incense, and to serve other gods, whom they knew not, neither they, ye, nor your fathers. Howbeit I sent unto you all My servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, saying, 'Oh, do not this abominable thing that I hate'"—talking about idolatry—"but they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear to turn from their wickedness, to burn no incense unto other gods. Wherefore My fury and Mine anger was poured forth, and was kindled in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; and they are wasted and desolate, as at this day." So note, if you would, God tells them specifically that the reason He judged them was because of their idolatry. Now, the sad thing is this: they wouldn't listen. They wouldn't hear. They would not heed. God said, "I tried to warn you. You would not turn."

You would not repent. No. So God sends judgment. Now, I want you to watch this. Let's begin reading on verse 7 and read through verse 12. Jeremiah 44, verse 7:

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 44:1-14

"Therefore now thus saith the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; Wherefore commit ye this great evil against your souls, to cut off from you man and woman, child and suckling, out of Judah, to leave you none to remain?"

Now, wait a minute. Stop and think about this. God is saying, "You're not just destroying your souls, you're destroying the souls and lives of others as well." We do not think about that.

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 44:1-14

"Therefore now thus saith the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; Wherefore commit ye this great evil against your souls, to cut off from you man and woman, child and suckling, out of Judah, and to leave you none to remain; in that ye provoke Me unto wrath with the works of your hands, burning incense unto other gods in the land of Egypt, whither ye be gone to dwell, that ye might cut yourselves off, and that ye might be a curse and a reproach among all the nations of the earth? Have ye forgotten the wickedness of your fathers, and the wickedness of the kings of Judah, and the wickedness of their wives, and your own wickedness, and the wickedness of your wives, which they have committed in the land of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem? They are not humbled even unto this day."

"Neither have they feared, nor walked in My law, nor in My statutes, that I set before you and before your fathers. Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will set My face against you for evil, and to cut off all Judah. And I will take the remnant of Judah, that have set their faces to go into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, and they shall all be consumed, and fall in the land of Egypt; they shall even be consumed by the sword and by the famine: they shall die, from the least even unto the greatest, by the sword and by the famine: and they shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach." Now the interesting thing is this: God had already told Jeremiah to take great stones and put them in a brick kiln. And then He said this: "Nebuchadnezzar is going to come and set his throne upon these very stones."

I want to make something exceedingly clear and to think about this. When you reject and refuse the Word of God, the only thing left for you is dependence upon your own corrupt and depraved human thinking and human experience, which, of course, is always misinterpreted. Listen to me, because of your corrupt and perverted thinking. Now, I'm going to show it to you in this passage. Remember now, God's already judged these people because they're pouring out drink offerings to the queen of heaven. They're worshiping all these false gods. They won't listen to God. They will not obey God. They've now fled into Egypt. God said, "I'm going to destroy you because you won't listen." I want you to look at verse 16. Watch this. Watch this. In fact, let's begin reading in verse 15. Jeremiah chapter 44, look at verse 15: "Then all the men which knew that their wives had burned incense unto other gods, and all the women that stood by, a great multitude, even all the people that dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying, 'As for the word that thou hast spoken to'"

"us in the name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee. We're not going to listen to you. We're not going to obey you." Now look at this: "But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil. But since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the" "sword and by the famine. And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings unto her, without our men?"

Now look at what they were saying. They were saying,

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 44:15-19

"You don't understand, Jeremiah. You don't understand. When we were worshiping the queen of heaven and pouring out our drink offerings, we had plenty. We did not have the sword. We did not have the famine. But since we left off doing all this, everything has come to pass that is destructive. You don't understand."

Here's what they did not understand. They did not understand the only reason they prospered as long as they did was because of the mercy and the patience of God. God did not just instantly smite them and kill them.

God's Response and Challenge

Jeremiah corrects their misinterpretation: judgment came because of idolatry. God declares His word will stand against theirs, and He will judge.

Watch it: "The incense that ye burned in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, ye, and your fathers, your kings, and your princes, and the people of the land, did not the Lord remember them, and came it not into His mind? So that the Lord could no longer bear, because of the evil of your doings, and because of the abominations which ye have committed; therefore is your land a desolation, and an astonishment, and a curse, without an inhabitant, as at this day. Because ye have burned incense, and because ye have sinned against the Lord, and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord, nor walked in His law, nor in His statutes, nor in His testimonies; therefore this evil is happened unto you." "As at this day." In other words, you've got everything turned around, folks. The reason you went through the judgment that you went through was because of what you were doing. You are pouring out drink offerings and making cakes to the queen of heaven instead of worshiping the one true and the living God. You are doing what you want to do instead of obeying God's law. And what you've done is you've interpreted that little area, that little time when God was patient with you and did not judge you, as the norm, as what you should be doing.

That's exactly where you are now. I want you to take note of verse 25 of Jeremiah 44. I want you to look at this:

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 44:20-30

"Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying; Ye and your wives have both spoken with your mouths, and fulfilled with your hand, saying, 'We will surely perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her': ye will surely accomplish your vows, and surely perform your vows."

God says, "Look, I know what you've already determined in your heart. You've already said this is what we're going to do. We are not going to stop. We have determined that this is the best route for us to go. We've determined that this is for our good and the good of our children and the good of our neighbors. And this is exactly what we're going to do. I know," said God, "you are going to accomplish your will." Humanists believe they know what is best for themselves.

Humanists believe that they have the ability to guide and direct their lives into that which is the absolute best for them and for others as well. Thus, they reject God. They reject God's Word. They don't need God. They don't need God's directives. They don't need God's salvation. They have spoken and so be it. A humanist is much like a witch in one sense of the word, because witches always say something like this: "As my will is, so mote it be," or "so must it be." In other words, I'm the one that determines what is good and what is bad. I'm the one that determines what should be done and what should not be done. So what these people were doing, in essence, they were challenging God.

And notice, if you would, what God said in verse 25 again:

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 44:20-30

"The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying; Ye and your wives have both spoken with your mouths, and fulfilled with your hand, saying, 'We will surely perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her': ye will surely accomplish your vows, and surely perform your vows."

God says, "I know you're going to do exactly that." Now, I want you to look in Jeremiah 44 at verses 29 and 30. Look at this. Jeremiah 44, verse 29, God says:

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 44:20-30

"And this shall be a sign unto you, saith the Lord, that I will punish you in this place, that ye may know that My words shall surely stand against you for evil. Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will give Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies"

—that would be Nebuchadnezzar—

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 44:20-30

"and into the hand of them that seek his life; as I gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, his enemy, and that sought his life."

Now here's what God is saying.

You said with your mouth, "We will perform our vows." God said, "I said, you will surely die. Now let's see whose word is going to stand, yours or Mine." Hmm. If you desire to challenge God, you better be prepared to lose and to be destroyed, because God is not only omniscient, He is omnipotent. He is the eternal, immutable, sovereign God of heaven and earth. Here's the whole point of this message today, and I'm going to make some application, but the whole point is I wanted you to see how humanists base everything upon their own rational thinking and interpret their experiences according to their own rational thinking, and they do not understand that "the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." And they end up like these people challenging God. So let me make some applications. The first one is this. One of the major problems we have in our church today is not what is called Christian humanism. Our problem is we have professing Christians that are living as humanists. If they're not denying God personally, literally, they are living as if God does not exist. They're living as if they do not need God's Word. They do not need God's directives. They do not need God's counsel. And the fact this is true is revealed in the ignorance of the average professing Christian. It's revealed in their ignorance of His precepts and of His principles. It's evidenced by their immorality and their unethical conduct and behavior. So I would tell you, just like Jeremiah told these people, you need to make up your minds. You need to determine whether or not you're going to be a Christian or a humanist, because you cannot be both at the same time.

Applications for Today

Professing Christians often live as humanists by ignoring Scripture. We must let the Bible interpret experience, not vice versa, and submit wholly to Christ.

It's impossible. It's impossible. Here's the second one. Here's a principle that you and I should master. It will enable us to avoid the problem that these people got into. Here's the principle: You always allow the Bible to interpret your experience. You never allow your experience to interpret the Bible. You always allow the Bible to interpret your experience. You never allow your experience to interpret the Bible. And I can show you church after church and Christian after Christian that always allow their experience to interpret the Bible. "I know it's gotta be true because it happened to me." Your experience is not the norm. Your experience is not the standard. The Word of God is our standard. And so when you allow your experience to interpret the Word of God, you've got real problems. You always allow the Bible to interpret your experience. Always. Now, here's the third one.

You have to remember that humanism is a progressive philosophy of life that, without theism or other supernatural beliefs, affirms one's ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment for the greater good. And the greater good is determined by the humanist. Well, listen to me carefully. If you're not a humanist, then you need to demonstrate it and manifest it by reading and studying the Word of God and bringing your life into conformity to the Word of God. You're not going to learn anything just reading a verse or two every now and then. If you're not going to seriously study the Word of God, read the Word of God faithfully, you're not going to obey our Lord. You remember what He said in Luke 6 in verse 46? Our Lord said,

Scripture Reading — Luke 6:46

"Why call ye Me, Lord, Lord, and do not those things which I say unto you?"

I've told you a hundred times the word Lord is kurios, means boss, owner, master, sovereign. So our Lord says, "Why are you calling Me boss? Why are you calling Me master? Why are you calling Me sovereign, if you're not going to obey everything that I say unto you?" You see, here's what we try to do. We try to compartmentalize certain areas of our lives. We will say, "Well, I want to obey God in this area, but over here now, wait a minute." "I know what I like. And I know what I need. I don't need the Bible over here because that would interfere with what I determined is best for me." Hmm. That is humanism. Now, listen to me. To the degree that you do not submit to the Word of God, to the degree that you do not obey the Lord Jesus Christ, to that degree, you're a humanist. You're saying, "I know what is sufficient for me. I know what is best for me. I do not need the Word of God." And that's why the Bible tells you over and over, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

and lean not to thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." Hmm. "In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths. Fear the Lord, and depart from evil." So we cannot have our lives compartmentalized. We have to say, "Lord, You are our Lord and Master." Let's see how that went. I think you remember that passage in 1 Corinthians chapter 6, where the apostle said, "What? Know ye not that..." No, you're not. You're bought with a price.

Conclusion: Christ's Word Will Judge

Jesus said His word will judge us at the last day. We cannot be Christian humanists; we must be Christian in every area of life.

Now, I want you to turn, if you would, to one last passage. I want you to look in your Bibles to John chapter 12 and verse 48. I can quote this verse, but I want you to see it. I've quoted it here many times before, but I want you to see it in light of what I have just been preaching and teaching. Look at this. John 12, verse 48. Remember now, humanists do not need God. They do not need His Word. They do not need His counsel. That's what they think. And their minds are corrupted, perverted, depraved. So in John 12 in verse 48, our Lord said it like this:

Scripture Reading — John 12:48

"He that rejecteth Me"

—that's Jesus Christ, the living Word—

Scripture Reading — John 12:48

"and receiveth not My words"

—that's His written Word—

Scripture Reading — John 12:48

"hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day."

So this book is going to judge in the last day the words that He has spoken. He is a judge. And here it is. God said in Jeremiah 44, "We will see whose words shall stand, theirs or Mine." And I've got news for you. God's Word shall stand forever. "O Lord, Thy Word is settled in the heavens." He has sanctified His Word above His name. If God's Word ever fails, then God is not God.

We cannot be a Christian humanist. We're either Christian or a humanist. There's no in-between. There's no compatibility. We must, we must be Christian in every area of our lives. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee this day. We thank You for Your Word. We thank You for Your truth. Lord, we pray that You would make us wholly, completely, totally Christian in every area and every aspect in every compartment of our lives. May we submit to Thee and be obedient to Thee, and honor Thee. Desire Your will, desire Your Word, desire Your truth, and conform our lives to it. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Humanism as Practical Atheism

Summary: Humanism is living independently of God, denying the need for His Word, prayer, or supernatural guidance.

Evidence: Humanism, at the maximum, is to be an atheist. At the minimum, it is to walk totally independent of God.

Incompatibility of Christianity and Humanism

Summary: One cannot be a Christian and a humanist simultaneously; the philosophies are mutually exclusive.

Evidence: It is impossible to be a Christian and a humanist at the same time, just like it's impossible to be an honest thief or a sober drunk.

Total Depravity and Human Inability

Summary: Because of total depravity, human reasoning is corrupted and cannot reliably discern spiritual truth or choose what is best.

Evidence: The Bible teaches that man is absolutely, totally depraved... our wills are slaves to our lusts, our desires, and our thinking.

Rejection of God's Word in Favor of Experience

Summary: The remnant in Jeremiah 44 rejected God's clear command, trusting their own interpretation of past prosperity while worshiping idols.

Evidence: They were saying, 'When we were worshiping the queen of heaven... we had plenty... But since we left off... we have wanted all things.'

The Authority and Finality of God's Word

Summary: God's word will stand forever and will judge those who reject it; human words and reasoning will fail.

Evidence: God said, 'We will see whose words shall stand, theirs or Mine.'... God's Word shall stand forever.

Functional Humanism Among Professing Christians

Summary: Many professing Christians live as humanists by compartmentalizing their lives and not submitting to Scripture in all areas.

Evidence: To the degree that you do not submit to the Word of God... to that degree, you're a humanist.

Key Arguments

Humanism is self-defeating because of total depravity

Summary: Humanism assumes man can know and choose what is best, but the Bible teaches man's mind and will are corrupted by sin.

Evidence: How then can a humanist who does not believe in God... have a true and accurate choice of the alternatives? He doesn't even understand the alternatives.

The remnant's hypocrisy reveals humanist thinking

Summary: The people claimed to want God's will but had already decided to go to Egypt, demonstrating they trusted their own judgment over God's command.

Evidence: They said, 'Thou speakest falsely: the Lord our God hath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there.'

Misinterpreting experience leads to idolatry

Summary: The remnant attributed their past prosperity to idol worship, not God's patience, and used this misinterpretation to justify continued rebellion.

Evidence: They did not understand the only reason they prospered as long as they did was because of the mercy and the patience of God.

God's word will ultimately judge all

Summary: Jesus taught that His word will judge those who reject it; human autonomy will be exposed as rebellion.

Evidence: He that rejecteth Me, and receiveth not My words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

Christians must submit wholly to Scripture

Summary: Partial obedience is functional humanism; believers must allow the Bible to interpret their experience, not the reverse.

Evidence: You always allow the Bible to interpret your experience. You never allow your experience to interpret the Bible.

Scripture References

Galatians 1:13-16

Context: Paul's conversion separated him from Judaism, showing Christianity and Judaism are distinct.

1 Corinthians 2:14

Context: The natural man cannot understand spiritual things because they are spiritually discerned.

Ephesians 4:18

Context: Unbelievers are alienated from God through ignorance due to hardened hearts.

Isaiah 1

Context: Describes total depravity from head to foot.

Jeremiah 42:1-6

Context: The remnant asks Jeremiah to pray for God's guidance, promising to obey whatever He says.

Jeremiah 42:7-22

Context: God commands the remnant to stay in Judah and not go to Egypt, warning of judgment if they disobey.

Jeremiah 43:1-7

Context: The leaders accuse Jeremiah of lying and take the remnant to Egypt against God's command.

Jeremiah 44:1-14

Context: God reminds the remnant in Egypt that Jerusalem was destroyed for idolatry, and they will face judgment for continuing.

Jeremiah 44:15-19

Context: The people defiantly refuse to listen, claiming their idol worship brought prosperity.

Jeremiah 44:20-30

Context: Jeremiah corrects their misinterpretation; God declares His word will stand and He will judge them.

Luke 6:46

Context: Jesus asks why people call Him Lord but do not obey Him.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Context: Trust in the Lord and lean not on your own understanding.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Context: You are bought with a price; glorify God in your body and spirit.

John 12:48

Context: Jesus' word will judge those who reject Him at the last day.

Historical References

Nebuchadnezzar's conquest of Judah

Context: Babylon conquered Judah, killed many, took captives, and left a remnant under Gedaliah.

Gedaliah's assassination by Ishmael

Context: Ishmael murdered the governor Gedaliah and Babylonian soldiers, causing fear among the remnant.

Pharaoh Hophra

Context: God gave Pharaoh Hophra of Egypt into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar as a sign of judgment.

R.J. Rushdoony, Christianity and the State

Context: Rushdoony noted that the humanism of churchmen makes them allies of statist objectives.

Important Quotes

Humanism, at the maximum, is to be an atheist. At the minimum, it is to walk totally independent of God.

Significance: Concise definition of humanism as practical atheism, setting the theme for the entire message.

It is impossible to be a Christian and a humanist at the same time, just like it's impossible to be an honest thief or a sober drunk.

Significance: Emphasizes the absolute incompatibility of Christianity and humanism.

You always allow the Bible to interpret your experience. You never allow your experience to interpret the Bible.

Significance: Key hermeneutical principle to avoid the error of the remnant in Jeremiah 44.

To the degree that you do not submit to the Word of God, to the degree that you do not obey the Lord Jesus Christ, to that degree, you're a humanist.

Significance: Application showing that partial obedience is functional humanism.

Discussion Questions

In what ways might professing Christians today live as functional humanists without realizing it?

Context: Weaver claims most professing Christians are humanists and do not realize their departure from God.

How does the doctrine of total depravity undermine the core assumptions of humanism?

Context: Humanism assumes man can know and choose what is best, but the Bible teaches man's mind and will are corrupted.

Why did the remnant in Jeremiah 44 reject God's clear command, and how does their reasoning mirror modern humanist thinking?

Context: They trusted their own interpretation of past prosperity while worshiping idols, rejecting God's word.

What does it mean to 'allow the Bible to interpret your experience' rather than the reverse? Can you give an example?

Context: Weaver states this principle as essential to avoid the error of the remnant.

How does the concept of Jesus as 'Lord' (kurios) challenge compartmentalized obedience in our lives?

Context: Weaver references Luke 6:46, emphasizing that calling Jesus Lord demands total obedience.

Applications

Examine your life for functional humanism

Summary: Evaluate areas where you live as if God does not exist or His Word does not apply, and repent of practical atheism.

Evidence: Most professing Christians are humanists and do not even realize their departure from God and His Word.

Submit every area of life to Scripture

Summary: Do not compartmentalize your life; bring all decisions, desires, and behaviors under the authority of God's Word.

Evidence: To the degree that you do not submit to the Word of God... to that degree, you're a humanist.

Let the Bible interpret your experiences

Summary: When evaluating past events or seeking guidance, always filter your interpretation through Scripture rather than relying on personal reasoning.

Evidence: You always allow the Bible to interpret your experience. You never allow your experience to interpret the Bible.

Trust God's Word over human reasoning

Summary: When God's commands conflict with your understanding or desires, choose obedience, trusting His omniscience and goodness.

Evidence: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not to thine own understanding.

Recognize the danger of misinterpreting God's patience

Summary: Do not mistake God's temporary patience with sin as approval; past prosperity during disobedience does not justify continued rebellion.

Evidence: They did not understand the only reason they prospered as long as they did was because of the mercy and the patience of God.

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T16:39:03Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T07:40:09Z

Clean Transcript

The Best Illustration of Humanism

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

So the title of the message today is this: "The Best Illustration of Humanism." The best illustration of humanism. Humanism is rampant in our lives. Most professing Christians are humanists and do not even realize their departure from God and His Word. Humanism, at the maximum, is to be an atheist. At the minimum, it is to walk totally independent of God. Humanism is a denier of truth, and it is a death wish at the same time. Humanism has a balance. I want to give you two definitions of humanism to set the stage for what I'm going to share with you today.
#1 | 0:11 to 1:12 | cleaned
The first definition comes from Webster's New World Dictionary. And here it is: "Any system of thought or action based on the nature, dignity, interests, and ideals of man; specifically, a modern, non-theistic, rationalistic movement that holds that man is capable of self-fulfillment, ethical conduct, without recourse to supernaturalism." So I'm going to water it down for you. In other words, humanism has absolutely no reference to God whatsoever. And humanism, in this definition, demonstrates the fact that a humanist does not believe that he needs God at all. Now, the second definition I'm going to read to you is from the American Humanist Association.
#2 | 1:12 to 2:05 | cleaned
This is what they say: "Humanism is a progressive philosophy of life that, without theism"—which would be without God, because theos is the Greek word for God—"or other supernatural beliefs, affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good." So humanism then basically teaches and believes that man is self-sufficient in and of himself. Man, according to humanism, is the measure of all things. Humanism does not need God. Humanism does not need prayer. Humanism does not need anything outside of itself. So humanism therefore refuses the truth of God's Word. It neglects the instruction of God's Word and lives as if God does not exist—lives as if God had never, ever spoken. In other words, humanism, you might say, is nothing more than practical atheism.
#3 | 2:06 to 3:17 | cleaned
And that certainly is true. I want you to just simply, as I talk about this today, look at the state of our churches and the condition of the lives of professing Christians today. And you will see humanism on every hand. Now, R.J. Rushdoony, in his book on Christianity and the State, said this—listen carefully: "The churches represent the great area of freedom from state controls in many countries. This is a condition which the modern state finds intolerable and is determined to alter."
#4 | 3:17 to 3:56 | cleaned
"The state's greatest ally in the struggle is all too often the church itself. The humanism of so many churchmen makes them dedicated allies of statist objectives." When you just stop and think about the last several years, all the churches that voluntarily closed down just simply because the state said they should close down—this is exactly what he's talking about. So in preparing for this message, I ran across a strange term. We laugh many times at oxymorons.
#5 | 3:56 to 4:31 | cleaned
An oxymoron is a figure of speech that juxtaposes concepts with opposite meanings, either in a word or phrase. And these words are usually, and always, self-contradictory. For instance, we might talk about a sober drunk, or you might talk about an honest thief, or a faithful adulterer. In other words, those are contradictions in and of themselves. The word that I found, or the term that I found, would be absolutely hilarious if it was not so deceptive, because I was looking and I ran across this term, and here it is: "Christian Humanism." Hmm. And then he went on to define Christian Humanism as a philosophy advocating the self-fulfillment of humanity within the framework of Christian principles.
#6 | 4:32 to 5:29 | cleaned
Now, that sounds pretty good. We may be human, but we are not humanists. So let me just explain something. It is impossible to be a Christian and a humanist at the same time, just like it's impossible to be an honest thief or a sober drunk. It's totally impossible. If you are doing anything within the framework of Christianity, you're a Christian. If you're not living within the framework of Christianity, you're not a Christian. You're simply a humanist. There's no such thing as a Christian humanist. Now, let me explain something. We confuse terms all the time. Christian humanism is a term much like the phrase that's kicked about: "Judeo-Christianity." There's no such animal. Judaism is contrary to Christianity. Christianity is contrary to Judaism. If you follow Judaism, you're not a Christian. If you follow Christianity, you do not follow Judaism.
#7 | 5:30 to 6:34 | cleaned
I want you to see the Apostle Paul himself made this distinction for us. So if you look very quickly in your Bibles to the book of Galatians chapter 1, and I want you to look particularly at verses 13 through 16. Galatians chapter 1, beginning there in verse 13. Look what the Apostle Paul wrote. You remember Paul was raised a Pharisee. In fact, he claimed to be a Pharisee of the Pharisees. So he said in Galatians 1 in verse 13, "For you have heard of my conversation in times past"—look at this now—"in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God and wasted it."
#8 | 6:34 to 7:16 | cleaned
So Judaism and Christianity were opposite. Because in Judaism, he was persecuting Christians. And then he said in verse 14, "And profited in the Jews' religion above many of my equals in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the tradition of the fathers." So in Judaism, you have all kinds of traditions. And he said, that's what I was following. But when you look at verse 15, "But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me by His grace to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the heathen."
#9 | 7:17 to 7:53 | cleaned
"Immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood." So I want you to know it was Paul's regeneration and conversion to Jesus Christ that separated him from the Jews' religion. So one is either Jewish or one is either Christian. It's that simple. And it's the person and work of Jesus Christ that separates you to the Lord Jesus Christ. So if a Jewish person, quote-unquote, converted to Christianity, he would not be a Jewish Christian. He would just be a Christian.
#10 | 7:54 to 8:30 | cleaned
Let me put it to you like this. If a Mormon converted to Christianity, he would not be a Mormon Christian. He'd just be a Christian. If a Hindu converted to Christianity, he would not be a Hindu Christian. He'd just be a Christian. Same thing if a Buddhist converted. He would not be a Buddhist Christian. He'd just simply be a Christian. So this is what I'm trying to say. Clearly then, when you talk about a Christian humanist, there's no such animal. We are either humanists or we are Christians. There is no in-between, because the philosophy of humanism is totally and completely contrary to that of Christianity. So by default then, a humanist is an evolutionist. A humanist believes in the perfection of man. The humanist does not believe in any afterlife. The humanist does not believe in judgment. So if you're a humanist and you do not believe in God and you do not listen to His Word and you don't believe that you have any need of Him, well, then obviously you're not going to adhere to a final judgment as it is taught in the Bible.
#11 | 8:31 to 9:42 | cleaned
So let me give it to you again. Here is the definition from the American Humanist Association. Here it is: "Humanism is a progressive philosophy of life that, without theism or other supernatural beliefs, affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good." So once again, translated, this definition means we don't need God. We don't need the Bible. We don't need prayer. We don't need anything supernatural.
#12 | 9:43 to 10:17 | cleaned
We are sufficient in and of ourselves. We know what is best for us. We know what is good for us. We even know what is best and good for others as well. And we are able to live a moral, ethical life that is well-pleasing and fulfilling without any reference to God whatsoever. We're able to accomplish our goals.
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Now, the only problem with that—well, of course there are many—but the one major problem with this is a Bible doctrine that they deny, and that is the doctrine of total depravity. Because the Bible teaches that man is absolutely, totally depraved. In fact, Isaiah chapter 1 describes it from the top of the head to the sole of the foot. So, not only are our wills perverted and depraved, so is our mind, so is our thinking, so are our affections—everything about us. That's why the Bible says there's none good, no, not one. There's none that doeth good. There's none that seeketh after God. No, not one. So the humanists then do not need God. They do not need anything with reference to God or His Word.
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Now, let me just demonstrate something for you very quickly. So the humanists now declare to be free to fulfill themselves, and also to know what is good for themselves and others, because of their rationality, because of their thinking. And of course, because—I will show you a little bit later—because of their experience.
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Now, in order for this to be true, there are four things that have to be absolutely necessary. Four things are absolutely mandatory. First one is this: If you're going to say that I am sufficient in and of myself, I know what is good for me, I know what is good for others, there must be, number one, an understanding of the alternatives that are to be chosen. There has to be an understanding of the alternatives that are to be chosen.
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So let me put it to you like this. If, for instance, I had on the one hand a choice to be hit on one finger by a hammer, and on the other hand a choice to have one finger cut open with a knife, I've got two choices to make—or one choice, which one I think would be best for me, which neither one of them actually would be best for me.
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But here's the problem with this. If I didn't use an illustration like that, if I use an illustration—here is morality, here is what I am going to define as righteousness, and I'm going to choose between two things which are good—you have to understand there is a difference between a renewed mind and a sinful mind. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians chapter 2 and verse 14, "For the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." So how then can a humanist who does not believe in God, does not want the Word of God, does not believe in the Word of God, how can he have a true and accurate choice of the alternatives? He doesn't even understand the alternatives. So in order for a humanist to really accomplish that which he wants, he has to know the alternatives that lie before him. And it's impossible for him to understand spiritual things without a renewed mind. Here's the second requirement. The second one is this.
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There must be a reliable criterion to distinguish between the two alternatives or to choose the best alternative. A reliable criterion. Well, the Bible tells you in Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 18—listen carefully—that they are alienated from God through the ignorance that is in them. So, what kind of criterion then does a humanist use to determine what is best for him? It is his own perverted, corrupt, and depraved mind. And that mind is alienated from God through the ignorance of God that is in him. But there's a third thing that must be necessary, and that is men must have the will to choose and to seek the best alternative if they're really, truly free and able to do what humanists claim.
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So the truth of the matter is this: our wills are slaves to our lusts, our desires, and our thinking. For instance, you could take a drunk and you could offer him a Bible or a fifth of whiskey. Which one do you think he's going to choose? He's going to take the fifth of whiskey because he's a drunk. He's a slave to his sin. He's a slave to his desires. You can offer a humanist a Bible, but he's not going to take it. And the reason he's not going to take it: he does not believe he needs it. In other words, he's a Pharisee.
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He has his own righteousness. He has his own morality. He doesn't need a Bible to tell him what is right, what is wrong. He has his own.
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Fourthly, if you are going to really be free, as the humanists claim, and that they have the ability to achieve what they want, you would actually have to have the power to achieve that which you have chosen. But the truth of the matter is man is kind of like Jethro Bodine, who wanted to be a brain surgeon with a fourth-grade education, which is impossible. It's not going to happen.
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So the point I'm trying to make right now is very simple. If my family was in a fire, I might have a desire and the will to save them. But if I do not have the strength, if I do not have the ability, if I do not have the wisdom and discernment, it's impossible. Same thing with a flood. I don't have the strength and the ability. I just simply cannot do it.
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So in order for a man to achieve what the humanist says that man is capable of achieving, then these four things must necessarily be true. And of course, they are not true because humanism is based upon rationalism, which is nothing more than human thinking. And then it's also based upon human experience. And the reason you and I cannot trust our own thinking in one sense of the word is because we're not omniscient. We don't know everything. And we cannot do everything because we are not omnipotent. We're not God, not by any stretch of the imagination.
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None of us possess all knowledge or all power. Humanists say that we're capable of doing whatever we want to do, and we can fulfill every desire that we have by our own abilities, which is certainly not true.
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Now, I told you all that to set you up for Jeremiah chapter 44. So in order to set the stage for Jeremiah 44, we're going to have to look at Jeremiah chapter 42 and 43 as well. And before we get there to those chapters, I want to just tell you basically what these chapters are about, and what we're going to see and why they're important. Because in the book of Jeremiah, Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, has come over and he has conquered Judah and Jerusalem.
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He's killed many of the Judahites. He's taken about 5,000 into captivity into Babylon. And he's left the poor of the land there so that they might tend the land for him. There were a few people that escaped and got away from him, but not many. And so what Nebuchadnezzar has done, he's appointed Gedaliah to be governor for him. And so there was a man by the name of Ishmael who came up a little bit later and murdered Gedaliah. He not only murdered Gedaliah, he murdered the Babylonian soldiers that Nebuchadnezzar had left there. Of course, Ishmael had men with him as well. And so now these people who are left, the remnant, this little group, are sincerely and genuinely frightened because they know that Nebuchadnezzar has already destroyed everything, killed countless numbers of people, taken some into captivity. And they are afraid now of Nebuchadnezzar, the sword, the pestilence, and the famine that awaits them.
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So now in Jeremiah chapter 42, they come to Jeremiah and beg him to intercede to God for them. So look at it. Jeremiah 42, beginning there with verse 1: "Then all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least even to the greatest, came near and said unto Jeremiah the prophet, 'Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray for us unto the Lord thy God, even for all this remnant.'"
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"For we are left but a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us. Now the Lord thy God may show us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do." Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them, "I have heard you. Behold, I will pray unto the Lord your God according to your words, and it shall come to pass that whatsoever thing the Lord shall answer you, I will declare it unto you."
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"I will keep nothing back from you." Then they said to Jeremiah, "The Lord be a true and faithful witness between us, if we do not even according to all things for the which the Lord thy God shall send thee to us. Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of the Lord our God, to whom we send thee; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of the Lord our God."
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Now, here's the interesting thing. They come to Jeremiah and they say, "Jeremiah, we want you to pray for us. And we want the will of God in our lives. And Jeremiah, what we're going to do, we're going to accept whatever God tells us, whether it be good or whether it be evil." Now, the word evil does not mean sinful. It means in this section, whether or not we like it or whether or not we agree with it. In other words, we just want God's will. We want what is best for us. And God knows what is best for us. And we may not like what He said, but that's all right, too. We are going to do exactly that which God has determined and what God decrees.
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Now, the truth is that they feared Nebuchadnezzar. They not only feared Nebuchadnezzar, they feared the famine, they feared the pestilence. So Jeremiah said, "Okay, I'm going to pray for you." So he did for 10 days. And after 10 days, the word of God came to Jeremiah. Look at it beginning in verse 7 of Jeremiah 42. Look at verse 7: "And it came to pass after ten days that the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah. Then called he Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces which were with him, and all the people from the least even to the greatest, and said unto them, 'Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, unto whom ye sent me to present your supplications before Him: If ye'"
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"will still abide in this land"—that is, stay in Judah—"then will I build you, and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up: for I repent me of the evil that I have done unto you. Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be not afraid of him, saith the Lord: for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you out of his hand. And I will show mercies unto you, that he may have mercy upon you, and cause you to return to your own land. But if ye say, 'We will not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of the Lord your God,' saying, 'No; but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor have hunger of bread; and there will we dwell': Now therefore hear the word of the Lord, ye remnant of Judah; Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; If ye wholly set your faces to enter into Egypt, and go to sojourn there; then it shall come to pass, that the sword, which ye feared, shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine, whereof ye were afraid, shall follow"
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"close after you there in Egypt; and there ye shall die. So shall it be with all the men that set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there; they shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: and none of them shall remain or escape from the evil that I will bring upon them. For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; As mine anger and my fury have been poured forth upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem; so shall my fury be poured forth upon you, when ye shall enter into Egypt: and ye shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a"
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"reproach; and ye shall see this place no more. The Lord hath said concerning you, O ye remnant of Judah; Go ye not into Egypt: know certainly that I have admonished you this day."
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Now to be absolutely honest, I do not know how much plainer that could be. I mean, God has just said, "Do not go down into Egypt." He said, "You just stay in the land, I'll build you, I'll plant you. Don't fear Nebuchadnezzar, I can control Nebuchadnezzar. You just obey Me and stay in the land." Now, God's will could not have been any plainer for them. The problem was this: the people were hypocritical when they came to Jeremiah. They really and truly did not want the will of God in their lives. If you look at Jeremiah chapter 42, beginning there with verse 20, here's what he tells them: "For ye dissembled in your hearts"—that is, you played the hypocrite—"in your hearts, when ye sent me unto the Lord your God, saying, 'Pray for us unto the Lord our God; and according unto all that the Lord our God shall say, so declare unto us, and we will do it.' And now I have this day declared it to you; but ye have not obeyed the voice of the Lord your God, nor any thing for the which He hath sent me unto you."
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"Now therefore know certainly that ye shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, in the place whither ye desire to go and to sojourn." Now, he said, "Look, you're a hypocrite. You did not really and truly want God's will. I've told you what God's will is and you refuse it and you reject it." Now to demonstrate the truth of their hypocrisy, I want you to look
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in Jeremiah chapter 43, and let's read the first six verses. Look at this. We're getting to Jeremiah 44, but I know. "And it came to pass, that when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking unto all the people all the words of the Lord their God, for which the Lord their God had sent him to them, even all these words, then spake Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men, saying unto Jeremiah, 'Thou speakest falsely: the Lord our God hath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there.'"
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"But Baruch the son of Neriah setteth thee on against us, for to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they might put us to death, and carry us away captives into Babylon." So Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, and all the people, obeyed not the voice of the Lord, to dwell in the land of Judah. Now watch this. "But Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, took all the remnant of Judah, that were returned from all nations, whither they had been driven, to dwell in the land of Judah; even men, and women, and children, and the king's daughters, and every person that Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Jeremiah the prophet, and Baruch the son of Neriah. So they came into the land of Egypt." Now notice, if you would, they kidnapped Jeremiah and Baruch. They carried everyone down into Egypt. So what
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did they do? When Jeremiah came back and said, "Here's what God said," they said, "You're lying to us. God didn't say that. He didn't say go not down into Egypt." Why did they say God did not say go down into Egypt? Because that's where they wanted to go. They'd already determined that going down into Egypt was the best thing for them. They'd already determined that they could escape the sword and escape famine, escape pestilence, if they just simply went down into Egypt.
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What they did not understand and what they did not know was this: they were jumping out of the frying pan into the fire. Because God had already determined to give Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar. And He was going to punish the Egyptians for their idolatry as well. So now please listen to me. We're about to get to Jeremiah chapter 44. I want you to understand the reason that God destroyed Judah and Jerusalem was because of their idolatry. They were worshiping and pouring out offerings to the queen
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of heaven. They were sacrificing their children to Baal and to Molech in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, or Tophet as it's sometimes called. So God destroyed Judah and Jerusalem because of their idolatry. I want you to hang with me now because I want to show you the thinking of humanism and how prevalent it is in our lives today. So look in Jeremiah chapter 44, beginning there with verse 1: "The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews which dwell in the land of Egypt, which dwell at Migdol, and at Tahpanhes, and at Noph, and in the country of Pathros, saying, 'Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Ye have seen all the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, and upon all the cities of Judah.'"
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"And, behold, this day they are a desolation, and no man dwelleth therein, because of their wickedness which they have committed to provoke Me to anger, in that they went to burn incense, and to serve other gods, whom they knew not, neither they, ye, nor your fathers. Howbeit I sent unto you all My servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, saying, 'Oh, do not this abominable thing that I hate'"—talking about idolatry—"but they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear to turn from their wickedness, to burn no incense unto other gods. Wherefore My fury and Mine anger was poured forth, and was kindled in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; and they are wasted and desolate, as at this day." So note, if you would, God tells them specifically that the reason He judged them was because of their idolatry. Now, the sad thing is this: they wouldn't listen. They wouldn't hear. They would not heed. God said, "I tried to warn you. You would not turn."
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You would not repent. No. So God sends judgment.
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Now, I want you to watch this. Let's begin reading on verse 7 and read through verse 12. Jeremiah 44, verse 7: "Therefore now thus saith the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; Wherefore commit ye this great evil against your souls, to cut off from you man and woman, child and suckling, out of Judah, to leave you none to remain?" Now, wait a minute.
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Stop and think about this. God is saying, "You're not just destroying your souls, you're destroying the souls and lives of others as well." We do not think about that. "Therefore now thus saith the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; Wherefore commit ye this great evil against your souls, to cut off from you man and woman, child and suckling, out of Judah, and to leave you none to remain; in that ye provoke Me unto wrath with the works of your hands, burning incense unto other gods in the land of Egypt, whither ye be gone to dwell, that ye might cut yourselves off, and that ye might be a curse and a reproach among all the nations of the earth? Have ye forgotten the wickedness of your fathers, and the wickedness of the kings of Judah, and the wickedness of their wives, and your own wickedness, and the wickedness of your wives, which they have committed in the land of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem? They are not humbled even unto this day."
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"Neither have they feared, nor walked in My law, nor in My statutes, that I set before you and before your fathers. Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will set My face against you for evil, and to cut off all Judah. And I will take the remnant of Judah, that have set their faces to go into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, and they shall all be consumed, and fall in the land of Egypt; they shall even be consumed by the sword and by the famine: they shall die, from the least even unto the greatest, by the sword and by the famine: and they shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach." Now the interesting thing is this: God had already told Jeremiah to take great stones and put them in a brick kiln. And then He said this: "Nebuchadnezzar is going to come and set his throne upon these very stones."
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I want to make something exceedingly clear and to think about this. When you reject and refuse the Word of God, the only thing left for you is dependence upon your own corrupt and depraved human thinking and human experience, which, of course, is always misinterpreted. Listen to me, because of your corrupt and perverted thinking.
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Now, I'm going to show it to you in this passage. Remember now, God's already judged these people because they're pouring out drink offerings to the queen of heaven. They're worshiping all these false gods. They won't listen to God. They will not obey God. They've now fled into Egypt. God said, "I'm going to destroy you because you won't listen." I want you to look at verse 16. Watch this. Watch this. In fact, let's begin reading in verse 15. Jeremiah chapter 44, look at verse 15: "Then all the men which knew that their wives had burned incense unto other gods, and all the women that stood by, a great multitude, even all the people that dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying, 'As for the word that thou hast spoken to'"
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"us in the name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee. We're not going to listen to you. We're not going to obey you." Now look at this: "But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil. But since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the"
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"sword and by the famine. And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings unto her, without our men?"
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Now look at what they were saying. They were saying, "You don't understand, Jeremiah. You don't understand. When we were worshiping the queen of heaven and pouring out our drink offerings, we had plenty. We did not have the sword. We did not have the famine. But since we left off doing all this, everything has come to pass that is destructive. You don't understand." Here's what they did not understand. They did not understand the only reason they prospered as long as they did was because of the mercy and the patience of God. God did not just instantly smite them and kill them.
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And their perverted thinking then interpreted their experience like: "We need to worship the queen of heaven because that's where the blessings are. That's when we were not hungry. That's when we were not threatened with the sword. No, no, we did this. Yes, we did this." So they refuse to hear God. They refuse to hear His Word. And they're basing everything upon their interpretation, their mental, their rational interpretation of their experience. And they were saying, in essence, "We don't have any need for God. We don't want Him. No, we don't need Him at all."
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We know what is best for us. We know what we went through, and we know what works and what does not work. I've talked to Christian people so many times, and they would always say something like this: "Well, I know what happened to me. I know what I went through." And they're basing everything upon their experience and their own interpretation of their experience. And we never stop to think that our minds are corrupted by nature. And unless our minds are renewed through the Word of God, our thinking is wrong. And our misinterpretation of our experiences should be evident, because we interpret everything based upon our own perverted thinking. Now look, if you would, to verse 20, Jeremiah 44. Hang on. "Then Jeremiah said unto all the people, to the men, and to the women, and to all the people which had given him that answer, saying, 'All right.'"
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Watch it: "The incense that ye burned in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, ye, and your fathers, your kings, and your princes, and the people of the land, did not the Lord remember them, and came it not into His mind? So that the Lord could no longer bear, because of the evil of your doings, and because of the abominations which ye have committed; therefore is your land a desolation, and an astonishment, and a curse, without an inhabitant, as at this day. Because ye have burned incense, and because ye have sinned against the Lord, and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord, nor walked in His law, nor in His statutes, nor in His testimonies; therefore this evil is happened unto you."
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"As at this day." In other words, you've got everything turned around, folks. The reason you went through the judgment that you went through was because of what you were doing. You are pouring out drink offerings and making cakes to the queen of heaven instead of worshiping the one true and the living God. You are doing what you want to do instead of obeying God's law. And what you've done is you've interpreted that little area, that little time when God was patient with you and did not judge you, as the norm, as what you should be doing.
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That's exactly where you are now. I want you to take note of verse 25 of Jeremiah 44. I want you to look at this: "Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying; Ye and your wives have both spoken with your mouths, and fulfilled with your hand, saying, 'We will surely perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her': ye will surely accomplish your vows, and surely perform your vows." God says, "Look, I know what you've already determined in your heart. You've already said this is what we're going to do. We are not going to stop. We have determined that this is the best route for us to go. We've determined that this is for our good and the good of our children and the good of our neighbors. And this is exactly what we're going to do. I know," said God, "you are going to accomplish your will." Humanists believe they know what is best for themselves.
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Humanists believe that they have the ability to guide and direct their lives into that which is the absolute best for them and for others as well. Thus, they reject God. They reject God's Word. They don't need God. They don't need God's directives. They don't need God's salvation. They have spoken and so be it. A humanist is much like a witch in one sense of the word, because witches always say something like this: "As my will is, so mote it be," or "so must it be." In other words, I'm the one that determines what is good and what is bad. I'm the one that determines what should be done and what should not be done. So what these people were doing, in essence, they were challenging God.
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And notice, if you would, what God said in verse 25 again: "The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying; Ye and your wives have both spoken with your mouths, and fulfilled with your hand, saying, 'We will surely perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her': ye will surely accomplish your vows, and surely perform your vows." God says, "I know you're going to do exactly that."
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Now, I want you to look in Jeremiah 44 at verses 29 and 30. Look at this. Jeremiah 44, verse 29, God says: "And this shall be a sign unto you, saith the Lord, that I will punish you in this place, that ye may know that My words shall surely stand against you for evil. Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will give Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies"—that would be Nebuchadnezzar—"and into the hand of them that seek his life; as I gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, his enemy, and that sought his life." Now here's what God is saying.
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You said with your mouth, "We will perform our vows." God said, "I said, you will surely die. Now let's see whose word is going to stand, yours or Mine." Hmm. If you desire to challenge God, you better be prepared to lose and to be destroyed, because God is not only omniscient, He is omnipotent. He is the eternal, immutable, sovereign God of heaven and earth. Here's the whole point of this message today, and I'm going to make some application, but the whole point is I wanted you to see how humanists base everything upon their own rational thinking and interpret their experiences according to their own rational thinking, and they do not understand that "the natural man receiveth not
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the things of the Spirit of God, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." And they end up like these people challenging God. So let me make some applications. The first one is this. One of the major problems we have in our church today is not what is called Christian humanism. Our problem is we have professing Christians that are living as humanists. If they're not denying God personally, literally, they are living as if God does not exist. They're living as if they do not need God's Word. They do not need God's directives. They do not need God's counsel. And the fact this is true is revealed in the ignorance of the average professing Christian. It's revealed in their ignorance of His precepts and of His principles. It's evidenced by their immorality and their unethical conduct and behavior. So I would tell you, just like Jeremiah told these people, you need to make up your minds. You need to determine whether or not you're going to be a Christian or a humanist, because you cannot be both at the same time.
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It's impossible. It's impossible. Here's the second one. Here's a principle that you and I should master. It will enable us to avoid the problem that these people got into. Here's the principle: You always allow the Bible to interpret your experience. You never allow your experience to interpret the Bible. You always allow the Bible to interpret your experience. You never allow your experience to interpret the Bible. And I can show you church after church and Christian after Christian that always allow their experience to interpret the Bible. "I know it's gotta be true because it happened to me." Your experience is not the norm. Your experience is not the standard. The Word of God is our standard. And so when you allow your experience to interpret the Word of God, you've got real problems. You always allow the Bible to interpret your experience. Always. Now, here's the third one.
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You have to remember that humanism is a progressive philosophy of life that, without theism or other supernatural beliefs, affirms one's ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment for the greater good. And the greater good is determined by the humanist. Well, listen to me carefully. If you're not a humanist, then you need to demonstrate it and manifest it by reading and studying the Word of God and bringing your life into conformity to the Word of God. You're not going to learn anything just reading a verse or two every now and then. If you're not going to seriously study the Word of God, read the Word of God faithfully, you're not going to obey our Lord. You remember what He said in Luke 6 in verse 46? Our Lord said, "Why call ye Me, Lord, Lord, and do not those things which I say unto you?"
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I've told you a hundred times the word Lord is kurios, means boss, owner, master, sovereign. So our Lord says, "Why are you calling Me boss? Why are you calling Me master? Why are you calling Me sovereign, if you're not going to obey everything that I say unto you?" You see, here's what we try to do. We try to compartmentalize certain areas of our lives. We will say, "Well, I want to obey God in this area, but over here now, wait a minute."
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"I know what I like. And I know what I need. I don't need the Bible over here because that would interfere with what I determined is best for me." Hmm. That is humanism. Now, listen to me. To the degree that you do not submit to the Word of God, to the degree that you do not obey the Lord Jesus Christ, to that degree, you're a humanist. You're saying, "I know what is sufficient for me. I know what is best for me. I do not need the Word of God." And that's why the Bible tells you over and over, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
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and lean not to thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." Hmm. "In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths. Fear the Lord, and depart from evil." So we cannot have our lives compartmentalized. We have to say, "Lord, You are our Lord and Master." Let's see how that went. I think you remember that passage in 1 Corinthians chapter 6, where the apostle said, "What? Know ye not that..." No, you're not. You're bought with a price.
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"Therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." Help me out. Was that last word "is"? We belong to Him.
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Now, I want you to turn, if you would, to one last passage. I want you to look in your Bibles to John chapter 12 and verse 48. I can quote this verse, but I want you to see it. I've quoted it here many times before, but I want you to see it in light of what I have just been preaching and teaching. Look at this. John 12, verse 48.
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Remember now, humanists do not need God. They do not need His Word. They do not need His counsel. That's what they think. And their minds are corrupted, perverted, depraved. So in John 12 in verse 48, our Lord said it like this: "He that rejecteth Me"—that's Jesus Christ, the living Word—"and receiveth not My words"—that's His written Word—"hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day." So this book is going to judge in the last day the words that He has spoken. He is a judge. And here it is. God said in Jeremiah 44, "We will see whose words shall stand, theirs or Mine." And I've got news for you. God's Word shall stand forever. "O Lord, Thy Word is settled in the heavens." He has sanctified His Word above His name. If God's Word ever fails, then God is not God.
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We cannot be a Christian humanist. We're either Christian or a humanist. There's no in-between. There's no compatibility. We must, we must be Christian in every area of our lives. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee this day. We thank You for Your Word. We thank You for Your truth. Lord, we pray that You would make us wholly, completely, totally Christian in every area and every aspect in every compartment of our lives. May we submit to Thee and be obedient to Thee, and honor Thee. Desire Your will, desire Your Word, desire Your truth, and conform our lives to it. In the name of Jesus Christ, we ask and pray. Amen.
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♪
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T16:39:03Z

The Best Illustration of Humanism

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

John Weaver defines humanism as practical atheism—living independently of God—and argues that many professing Christians are functional humanists. Using Jeremiah 42–44, he illustrates how the remnant rejected God's clear word, trusted their own reasoning and experience, and chose to go to Egypt, exemplifying humanist thinking. He concludes that one cannot be both a Christian and a humanist, and calls believers to submit wholly to Scripture.

Introduction: Defining Humanism

Humanism is rampant; most professing Christians are humanists without realizing it. Humanism is practical atheism—living as if God does not exist.

Two Definitions of Humanism

Webster's and the American Humanist Association define humanism as a non-theistic, self-sufficient philosophy where man is the measure of all things.

The Oxymoron of 'Christian Humanism'

The term 'Christian Humanism' is contradictory; one cannot be both a Christian and a humanist, just as one cannot be an honest thief.

Biblical Distinction: Christianity vs. Judaism

Paul's conversion in Galatians 1 shows that Judaism and Christianity are opposites; a convert is simply a Christian, not a hyphenated one.

Scripture Reading — Galatians 1:13-16

"For you have heard of my conversation in times past"

—look at this now—

Scripture Reading — Galatians 1:13-16

"in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God and wasted it."

Humanism's False Assumptions

Humanism requires understanding alternatives, a reliable criterion, a free will, and power to achieve—all impossible due to total depravity.

Historical Context: Jeremiah 42–43

After Babylon's conquest, the remnant asks Jeremiah to seek God's will, promising to obey, but they hypocritically reject God's command to stay in Judah.

So now in Jeremiah chapter 42, they come to Jeremiah and beg him to intercede to God for them. So look at it. Jeremiah 42, beginning there with verse 1:

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 42:1-6

"Then all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least even to the greatest, came near and said unto Jeremiah the prophet, 'Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray for us unto the Lord thy God, even for all this remnant.'" "For we are left but a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us. Now the Lord thy God may show us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do."

Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them,

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 42:1-6

"I have heard you. Behold, I will pray unto the Lord your God according to your words, and it shall come to pass that whatsoever thing the Lord shall answer you, I will declare it unto you."

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 42:7-22

"For ye dissembled in your hearts"

—that is, you played the hypocrite—

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 42:7-22

"in your hearts, when ye sent me unto the Lord your God, saying, 'Pray for us unto the Lord our God; and according unto all that the Lord our God shall say, so declare unto us, and we will do it.' And now I have this day declared it to you; but ye have not obeyed the voice of the Lord your God, nor any thing for the which He hath sent me unto you."

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 43:1-7

"And it came to pass, that when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking unto all the people all the words of the Lord their God, for which the Lord their God had sent him to them, even all these words, then spake Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men, saying unto Jeremiah, 'Thou speakest falsely: the Lord our God hath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there.'"

The Remnant's Humanist Reasoning (Jeremiah 44)

The people refuse God's word, claiming their past prosperity while worshiping the queen of heaven proves it is best, misinterpreting God's patience.

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 44:1-14

"The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews which dwell in the land of Egypt, which dwell at Migdol, and at Tahpanhes, and at Noph, and in the country of Pathros, saying, 'Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Ye have seen all the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, and upon all the cities of Judah.'"

You would not repent. No. So God sends judgment. Now, I want you to watch this. Let's begin reading on verse 7 and read through verse 12. Jeremiah 44, verse 7:

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 44:1-14

"Therefore now thus saith the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; Wherefore commit ye this great evil against your souls, to cut off from you man and woman, child and suckling, out of Judah, to leave you none to remain?"

Now, wait a minute. Stop and think about this. God is saying, "You're not just destroying your souls, you're destroying the souls and lives of others as well." We do not think about that.

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 44:1-14

"Therefore now thus saith the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; Wherefore commit ye this great evil against your souls, to cut off from you man and woman, child and suckling, out of Judah, and to leave you none to remain; in that ye provoke Me unto wrath with the works of your hands, burning incense unto other gods in the land of Egypt, whither ye be gone to dwell, that ye might cut yourselves off, and that ye might be a curse and a reproach among all the nations of the earth? Have ye forgotten the wickedness of your fathers, and the wickedness of the kings of Judah, and the wickedness of their wives, and your own wickedness, and the wickedness of your wives, which they have committed in the land of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem? They are not humbled even unto this day."

Now look at what they were saying. They were saying,

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 44:15-19

"You don't understand, Jeremiah. You don't understand. When we were worshiping the queen of heaven and pouring out our drink offerings, we had plenty. We did not have the sword. We did not have the famine. But since we left off doing all this, everything has come to pass that is destructive. You don't understand."

God's Response and Challenge

Jeremiah corrects their misinterpretation: judgment came because of idolatry. God declares His word will stand against theirs, and He will judge.

That's exactly where you are now. I want you to take note of verse 25 of Jeremiah 44. I want you to look at this:

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 44:20-30

"Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying; Ye and your wives have both spoken with your mouths, and fulfilled with your hand, saying, 'We will surely perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her': ye will surely accomplish your vows, and surely perform your vows."

And notice, if you would, what God said in verse 25 again:

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 44:20-30

"The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying; Ye and your wives have both spoken with your mouths, and fulfilled with your hand, saying, 'We will surely perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her': ye will surely accomplish your vows, and surely perform your vows."

God says, "I know you're going to do exactly that." Now, I want you to look in Jeremiah 44 at verses 29 and 30. Look at this. Jeremiah 44, verse 29, God says:

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 44:20-30

"And this shall be a sign unto you, saith the Lord, that I will punish you in this place, that ye may know that My words shall surely stand against you for evil. Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will give Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies"

—that would be Nebuchadnezzar—

Scripture Reading — Jeremiah 44:20-30

"and into the hand of them that seek his life; as I gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, his enemy, and that sought his life."

Now here's what God is saying.

Applications for Today

Professing Christians often live as humanists by ignoring Scripture. We must let the Bible interpret experience, not vice versa, and submit wholly to Christ.

Scripture Reading — Luke 6:46

"Why call ye Me, Lord, Lord, and do not those things which I say unto you?"

Conclusion: Christ's Word Will Judge

Jesus said His word will judge us at the last day. We cannot be Christian humanists; we must be Christian in every area of life.

Scripture Reading — John 12:48

"He that rejecteth Me"

—that's Jesus Christ, the living Word—

Scripture Reading — John 12:48

"and receiveth not My words"

—that's His written Word—

Scripture Reading — John 12:48

"hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day."

The Best Illustration of Humanism

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	wiMkOHjeIbs
Subject	Apologetics
Course	Truth and the Interpretation of Scripture
Genre	Sermon
Date	2024-04-27
Dictation Name
Book	Book 064: Truth and the Interpretation of Scripture — Chapter 4
Source Timed Segments	72

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction: Defining Humanism: Humanism is rampant; most professing Christians are humanists without realizing it. Humanism is practical atheism—living as if God does not exist.
Two Definitions of Humanism: Webster's and the American Humanist Association define humanism as a non-theistic, self-sufficient philosophy where man is the measure of all things.
The Oxymoron of 'Christian Humanism': The term 'Christian Humanism' is contradictory; one cannot be both a Christian and a humanist, just as one cannot be an honest thief.
Biblical Distinction: Christianity vs. Judaism: Paul's conversion in Galatians 1 shows that Judaism and Christianity are opposites; a convert is simply a Christian, not a hyphenated one.
Humanism's False Assumptions: Humanism requires understanding alternatives, a reliable criterion, a free will, and power to achieve—all impossible due to total depravity.
Historical Context: Jeremiah 42–43: After Babylon's conquest, the remnant asks Jeremiah to seek God's will, promising to obey, but they hypocritically reject God's command to stay in Judah.
The Remnant's Humanist Reasoning (Jeremiah 44): The people refuse God's word, claiming their past prosperity while worshiping the queen of heaven proves it is best, misinterpreting God's patience.
God's Response and Challenge: Jeremiah corrects their misinterpretation: judgment came because of idolatry. God declares His word will stand against theirs, and He will judge.
Applications for Today: Professing Christians often live as humanists by ignoring Scripture. We must let the Bible interpret experience, not vice versa, and submit wholly to Christ.
Conclusion: Christ's Word Will Judge: Jesus said His word will judge us at the last day. We cannot be Christian humanists; we must be Christian in every area of life.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Humanism is self-defeating because of total depravity

Humanism assumes man can know and choose what is best, but the Bible teaches man's mind and will are corrupted by sin.

How then can a humanist who does not believe in God... have a true and accurate choice of the alternatives? He doesn't even understand the alternatives.

The remnant's hypocrisy reveals humanist thinking

The people claimed to want God's will but had already decided to go to Egypt, demonstrating they trusted their own judgment over God's command.

They said, 'Thou speakest falsely: the Lord our God hath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there.'

Misinterpreting experience leads to idolatry

The remnant attributed their past prosperity to idol worship, not God's patience, and used this misinterpretation to justify continued rebellion.

They did not understand the only reason they prospered as long as they did was because of the mercy and the patience of God.

God's word will ultimately judge all

Jesus taught that His word will judge those who reject it; human autonomy will be exposed as rebellion.

He that rejecteth Me, and receiveth not My words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

Christians must submit wholly to Scripture

Partial obedience is functional humanism; believers must allow the Bible to interpret their experience, not the reverse.

You always allow the Bible to interpret your experience. You never allow your experience to interpret the Bible.

Scripture References

Galatians 1:13-16: Paul's conversion separated him from Judaism, showing Christianity and Judaism are distinct.
1 Corinthians 2:14: The natural man cannot understand spiritual things because they are spiritually discerned.
Ephesians 4:18: Unbelievers are alienated from God through ignorance due to hardened hearts.
Isaiah 1: Describes total depravity from head to foot.
Jeremiah 42:1-6: The remnant asks Jeremiah to pray for God's guidance, promising to obey whatever He says.
Jeremiah 42:7-22: God commands the remnant to stay in Judah and not go to Egypt, warning of judgment if they disobey.
Jeremiah 43:1-7: The leaders accuse Jeremiah of lying and take the remnant to Egypt against God's command.
Jeremiah 44:1-14: God reminds the remnant in Egypt that Jerusalem was destroyed for idolatry, and they will face judgment for continuing.
Jeremiah 44:15-19: The people defiantly refuse to listen, claiming their idol worship brought prosperity.
Jeremiah 44:20-30: Jeremiah corrects their misinterpretation; God declares His word will stand and He will judge them.
Luke 6:46: Jesus asks why people call Him Lord but do not obey Him.
Proverbs 3:5-6: Trust in the Lord and lean not on your own understanding.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20: You are bought with a price; glorify God in your body and spirit.
John 12:48: Jesus' word will judge those who reject Him at the last day.

Historical References

Nebuchadnezzar's conquest of Judah: Babylon conquered Judah, killed many, took captives, and left a remnant under Gedaliah.
Gedaliah's assassination by Ishmael: Ishmael murdered the governor Gedaliah and Babylonian soldiers, causing fear among the remnant.
Pharaoh Hophra: God gave Pharaoh Hophra of Egypt into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar as a sign of judgment.
R.J. Rushdoony, Christianity and the State: Rushdoony noted that the humanism of churchmen makes them allies of statist objectives.

Important Quotes

Humanism, at the maximum, is to be an atheist. At the minimum, it is to walk totally independent of God.

Concise definition of humanism as practical atheism, setting the theme for the entire message.

It is impossible to be a Christian and a humanist at the same time, just like it's impossible to be an honest thief or a sober drunk.

Emphasizes the absolute incompatibility of Christianity and humanism.

You always allow the Bible to interpret your experience. You never allow your experience to interpret the Bible.

Key hermeneutical principle to avoid the error of the remnant in Jeremiah 44.

To the degree that you do not submit to the Word of God, to the degree that you do not obey the Lord Jesus Christ, to that degree, you're a humanist.

Application showing that partial obedience is functional humanism.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

In what ways might professing Christians today live as functional humanists without realizing it?

[Context]

Weaver claims most professing Christians are humanists and do not realize their departure from God.

[Question]

How does the doctrine of total depravity undermine the core assumptions of humanism?

[Context]

Humanism assumes man can know and choose what is best, but the Bible teaches man's mind and will are corrupted.

[Question]

Why did the remnant in Jeremiah 44 reject God's clear command, and how does their reasoning mirror modern humanist thinking?

[Context]

They trusted their own interpretation of past prosperity while worshiping idols, rejecting God's word.

[Question]

What does it mean to 'allow the Bible to interpret your experience' rather than the reverse? Can you give an example?

[Context]

Weaver states this principle as essential to avoid the error of the remnant.

[Question]

How does the concept of Jesus as 'Lord' (kurios) challenge compartmentalized obedience in our lives?

[Context]

Weaver references Luke 6:46, emphasizing that calling Jesus Lord demands total obedience.

Applications

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