Category: Doctrine

Keeps His Life

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Proverbs 13:2-3 A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth: but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence. He that keeps his mouth keeps his life: but he that opens wide his lips shall have destruction. 

‘A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth: but the soul of the transgressor shall eat violence.’ The mouth of a righteous man produces blessing and life, but the mouth of sinners produces cursing and destruction (13:2-3; 1Pet. 3:10-11; Jas. 3:1-18). The control of the tongue is commanded by God (Jas. 1:26; 3:1-18). We have two eyes and two ears, suggesting we should see and hear more than speak with the one tongue fenced with teeth.

Eighteen secrets of a long life: Freedom from fear (Ps. 34:4). Quickening from God (Ps. 34:5). Boldness – freedom from shame. Freedom from troubles (Ps. 34:6). Divine deliverance (Ps. 34:7). Partaking of God’s life (Ps. 34:8). Absolute trust in God. Fear of God (Ps. 34:7-9). Freedom from want (Ps. 34:9-10). Seeking God first (Ps. 34:10, 15; Matt. 6:33). Godly teaching (Ps. 34:11; 2Tim. 3:15). Control of the tongue (Ps. 34:12-13). Godliness – departing from evil (Ps. 34:14-16). Consecration to doing good (Ps. 34:14). Seeking and pursuing peace. Brokenness and humility (Ps. 34:18). Salvation of the soul (Ps. 34:22). Prosperity – freedom from worry.

A Wise Son

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Proverbs 13:1 A wise son hears his father’s instruction: but a scorner hears not rebuke. 

‘A wise son hears his father’s instruction: but a scorner hears not rebuke.’ His father’s rebuke will correct a wise son, but a scorner will not profit from it. A wise son honours his parents, but a foolish one despises them (15:20). A wise son is a pleasure to parents (23:15-16; 3:12; 10:1; 15:20; 23:24-25; 29:3). Proverbs 17:21, 25; 19:13, 26; 20:20; 28:7, 24; 30:11, 17, refers to fools making parents unhappy.

Twenty-three characteristics of a wise son: He hears and obeys parents (1:5; 23:24). He increases knowledge (1:5; 12:15). He profits by examples (6:6). He profits by rebukes (9:8; 15:31). He increases wisdom (9:9). He is diligent in business (10:5). He welcomes commandments (10:8). He lays up knowledge (10:14). He controls lips, tongue (10:10; 17:28). He rules well (11:29). He is a success in soul-winning (11:30). He loves company of wise men (13:20). He builds for the future (14:1). He departs from evil (14:16). He utters knowledge rightly (15:2, 7). He makes parents happy (23:15). He seeks knowledge (18:15). He lives in soberness (20:1). He solves problems of men (21:22). He increases strength (24:5). He keeps the law (28:7). He turns away from contention (29:8). He controls himself in strife (29:11).

The Way of Righteousness – Part 2

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Proverbs 12:28 In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death.

The conditions of eternal life (continues): Continue in well-doing and seek eternal life (Rom. 2:7). Sow to the Spirit (Gal. 6:7-8). Fight the good fight of faith; lay hold on it (1Tim. 6:12, 19). Be sober and hope to the end for it – eternal life (Tit. 1:2; 3:7; 1Pet. 1:5, 9, 13 with Rom. 8:24). Endure temptations (Jas. 1:12). Let the promise of it remain in you and continue in God and Christ (1Jn. 2:24-25; 1Jn. 5:11-20). Love everybody (1Jn. 3:14-15). Keep yourself in the love of God, looking for eternal life (Jude 1:20-24). Overcome sin (Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21). Be faithful unto death (Rev. 2:10; Heb. 12:14-15). Believe and obey the gospel (John 3:15-19, 36; 4:14; 5:24; 6:40, 47, 54; 2Cor. 5:17; Rom. 1:5). Be born again, hear Christ, and follow Him (John 3:1-36; 10:27-29).

We get eternal life now and keep it forever if we meet the above conditions, but it does not become an unforfeitable eternal possession until we enter into it (Matt. 7:13; 18:8-9; 19:17; Rom. 6:22); receive it (Rom. 6:23; Jas. 1:12; 1Pet. 1:13; Rev. 2:10); reap it (Gal. 6:7-8); and inherit it in the world to come (Matt. 19:27-29; Mark 10:28-30; Luke 18:28-30), and at the end of this life (Rom. 6:22).

The Way of Righteousness – Part 1

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Proverbs 12:28 In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death. 

‘In the way of righteousness is life.’ Two things in the path of the righteous: Eternal life (Matt. 7:14) and immortality (1Pet. 3:4).

This way is a narrow way that leads to life but it cannot be given as an unforfeitable right until the end of the narrow way (John. 6:27; 10:1-28; 15:1-8).

The conditions of eternal life: Come to Christ (John 6:37, 44, 45, 65). Eat His flesh – drink His blood – partake in the Lord’s Supper (John 6:50, 51, 53, 58). Labour to live as Christ (John 6:27, 1Pet. 2:21-23). Hate (love less) the life in this world (John 12:25). Know God and Christ (John 17:2-3). Enter the right gate (Matt. 7:13-14). Don’t cause any offence to others (Matt. 18:8-9). Keep His commandments – obey His Word (Matt. 19:17). Forsake all (Matt. 19:27-29; Mark 10:28-30; Luke 18:28-30). Live free from sin (Rom. 5:21; 6:16-23; 8:1-13; Tit. 2:11-14).

To be continued…

Precious

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Proverbs 12:27 The slothful man roasts not that which he took in hunting: but the substance of a diligent man is precious. 

‘The slothful man roasts not that which he took in hunting: but the substance of a diligent man is precious.’ The slothful hunter is too lazy to roast his prey, but the precious treasure of the diligent man is utilized for the good of all. Plenty of hunters today hunt for trophies and not for food.

Those who are diligent appreciate what they have and acknowledge their blessings as precious. Without a thankful heart, we will not receive from God. From John 6:11 as well as on other such occasions we see Jesus giving thanks to God for blessings already provided, putting emphasis on thankfulness rather than asking for food to be blessed. Psalms 92:1 reminds us that it is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD and to sing praises unto His Name. 

More Excellent

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Proverbs 12:26 The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour: but the way of the wicked seduces them. 

‘The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour: but the way of the wicked seduces them.’ The just man guides his friend in righteousness, but a wicked neighbour leads him astray.

Five blessings of the righteous: They have a refuge (trust) in God. They are joyful in God. They have security in God. They are blessed by God. They have God’s favour or grace (Ps. 5:12).

Twelve characteristics of the righteous: They walk uprightly – without blame. They work righteousness. They speak truth inwardly. They don’t backbite (Ps. 15:3). They do no evil to neighbours and receive no reproach about them. They hold vile people condemned (Ps. 15:4). They honour them that fear the Lord. They keep their word even to their own hurt. They take no advantage of one in need to increase riches (Ps. 15:5). They refuse bribes. They protect the innocent.

The Heart of Man

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Proverbs 12:25 Heaviness in the heart of man makes it stoop: but a good word makes it glad. 

‘Heaviness in the heart of man makes it stoop: but a good word makes it glad.’ Anxiety, sorrow, and rebuke prostrate a man, but one statement of good news makes the heart light.

‘Stoop’ – Four examples of when sorrow prostrated men: Ezra (Ezra 9:3-10:3); Nehemiah (Neh. 1:4); David (Ps. 40:12; 2Sam. 18:33) and Jeremiah (Jer. 8:18; 9:1).

Psalms 69:19-21 predicts the sufferings of the Messiah on the cross and we see that He was heartbroken: Reproach had broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none. 

‘A good word makes it glad.’ Three examples of good news making glad: are Jacob (Gen. 45:27); Darius (Dan. 6:18-23) and the disciples (Matt. 28:5-8; Luke 24:32).

The Diligent

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Proverbs 12:24 The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute. 

‘The hand of the diligent shall bear rule.’ Three examples of the diligent ruling: are Eleazar (Gen. 24:2, 10); Joseph (Gen. 39:4, 22) and Jeroboam (1Kin. 11:28).

Eliezer of Damascus (Gen. 15:2). He was Abraham’s head servant. Abraham predicted God’s angel would go before Eliezer to get a wife for Isaac. It was fulfilled as in Genesis 24:12-67.

Joseph’s master in Egypt saw that the Lord was with him and the LORD made all that Joseph did to prosper in his hand. Joseph found grace in his master’s sight, and he served him: and made him overseer over his house. After Joseph was jailed he found favour in the sight of the the keeper of the prison. Joseph had absolute power over his new realm, including all the prisoners and all that was done in the prison. He later became the second in command over Egypt and the head of Israel, just as his dreams predicted.

God rented the ten tribes from the house of David and gave them to Jeroboam to rule over (1Kin. 11:29-39).

Knowledge vs Foolishness

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Proverbs 12:23 A prudent man conceals knowledge: but the heart of fools proclaims foolishness. 

‘A prudent man conceals knowledge: but the heart of fools proclaims foolishness.’ A wise man never brags about his education, knowledge, or experience, but a fool tells everybody how wise he is. The wisdom of this world is a craft, or subtle trade, which people carry on with others to benefit themselves.

The wise of the world is always full of schemes and plans for earthly gain, all of which are empty and vain. The natural man is the man living under the control of the fleshly passions, the sensual and depraved part of man in contrast with the rational part (Gal. 5:19-21; Rom. 1:29-32; 1Cor. 6:9-11; Col. 3:5-10). He has no sense of spiritual values and no relish for them. He counts it the highest wisdom to live for this world and carnal pleasures. Spiritual things are foolishness to him. He cannot see their supreme excellence due to animal appetites and being spiritually dead (Eph. 2:1-9).

No Evil Happen to the Just

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Proverbs 12:21 There shall no evil happen to the just: but the wicked shall be filled with mischief. 

‘Evil’ [Hebrew: ’aven] iniquity, especially connected with idols. Hence, it means vanity or a vain thing because idols are nothing (Job 15:35; Ps. 10:7; Pro. 22:8). Here it means that no vain thing will happen to the just, for all things work together for their good (Rom. 8:28). God turns to the advantage of the righteous or just any intended evil that happens.

Seven troubles God keeps one from: Sickness (Job 5:18); famine (Job 5:20, 22); war (Job 5:20); gossip and slander (Job 5:21); destruction and calamity (Job 5:21-22); wild beasts of the field (Job 5:22-23); sin (Job 5:24). If a Christian falls into these calamities it is because of sin and disobedience.

Promises of Psalms 91:1-16: If you abide under the shadow of the Almighty He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and the noisome pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers. His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night or of the arrow [attacks] that flies by day or of the pestilence [sickness] that walks in darkness or that which destroys at noonday. Though 1,000 fall at your left and 10,000 at your right, it shall not come near you. Only with your eyes will you see the reward of the wicked. There shall no evil befall you and no plague come near your dwelling. God shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. God will answer him, be with him in trouble, honour him, satisfy him with a long life and will show him His salvation.

Many are the promises of God. They cover every known need of life, here and hereafter, and reveal to what extent God has made provision to help man in his struggle to overcome sin, sickness, and satan, and regain the full dominion that he lost in Adam when he fell. The ultimate purpose of God in all His present dealings with man is to bring him back to the place where he was before the fall and purge him of all possibility of failing in the future.