Posted on 08/02/2021 10:45:06 PM PDT by Pilgrim's Progress
“For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken. Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it” (Proverbs 3:26-27 KJV).
“For the LORD shall be thy confidence,” not insurance. Invest in Him, trust in Him, and get close to Him and He’ll take care of it.
“. . . and shall keep thy foot from being taken,” that is a trap.
“Withhold not good from them to whom it is due,” Romans 13 says “tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.” Paul writes: “Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel” (I Corinthians 9:14 KJV). Take care of the preacher, God will take care of you.
If somebody deserves your prayers, or deserves your support, or both—don’t withhold the good. The honest truth is that what you are doing is withholding good from yourself. If you sow, you reap—and you always reap more than you sow.
“Withhold not good from them to whom it is due,” there’s an even greater law, to show the difference between the Old Testament and the New, in Galatians chapter 6.
Solomon said, “Withhold not good from them to whom it is due,” that’s a general truth, and that’s the way that most people live and that is good old, Old Testament theology. But in the New Testament, under grace, God expects a little more from you—you are not under Law. A lot of people think that once they got out from under law and got under grace, it would be simpler and easier. No, God often requires more. There is more grace than there is sin. “But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound” (Romans 5:20 KJV). “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required” (Luke 12:48). So, God is going to require more of you than in the Old Testament.
So, he says to the Old Testament saint, under Law, “Withhold not good from them to whom it is due,” but in Galatians 6:10 it says, “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men.” “Recompense to no man evil for evil” (Romans 12:17 KJV).
“Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:17-21 KJV).
Back in the Old Testament, you had a right to get even with the evil, and to seek vengeance for wrongs. Someone killed someone in your family, you had a right to go out and kill them.
That is what made the ministry of Jesus Christ so peculiar. When He showed up, you know what He told them? “Love your enemies.” In the Old Testament, God told them to kill them. There’s a great deal of difference between Law and grace. When Jesus Christ came, He came full of “grace and truth,” He was the culmination of grace, He was the very embodiment of grace.
“. . . do good unto all men,” we have a bigger responsibility. When they persecute us while rejecting Jesus Christ, we are not to thumb our nose at them and tell them to go to blazes. We are to pray for them. We are to try to win them as long as we have the opportunity. You say that’s hard. It sure is. Aren’t you glad a soulwinner didn’t give up on you?
The standard of New Testament grace is very high—much higher than the Law.
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