Posted on 09/15/2022 7:01:52 PM PDT by Pilgrim's Progress
“How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver! The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul” (Proverbs 16:16-17).
“How much better is it to get wisdom than gold!” Even in America you are going to have to go to school before you are going to get the gold. You have to learn a trade before you can get a good job. So, wisdom is better. You may never get gold from wisdom, but if you have it, you have a better time of getting through life and help others to get through life.
Especially is it better to be “wise unto salvation.”
“. . . and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!” Again, what will it profit a man to gain the whole world at the cost of his very soul. You see what Proverbs is? It is just over and over again the same refrain. Why did God take 31 chapters to say the same things over and over again? Because He knows how thick-headed we are. That’s how we learn, repetition.
When we raise children, that is exactly what we do, isn’t it? We tell them over and over and over again. I doubt anyone could count how many times they use the word “No!” in a child’s formative years. Maybe a million? Almost as many times as we answer “Why?” questions. You would think that the only words a kid would learn is “Don’t do that, Don’t do that, Do this, Do that.” It would do us good to learn the word “No!” as well when it comes to sin in our life. Somehow, we miss that part.
“Shut your mouth when you eat, we are trying to raise children—not hogs.” You know, we are trying to raise gentlemen and little ladies, but it’s a challenge. Well, it appears that God had that in mind when He brought Proverbs into existence.
“The highway of the upright is to depart from evil,” if the Old Testament saint is going to get to heaven, that is where it has to come from. In Ezekiel chapter 18, if a man lived right, he was righteous, or upright—and he lives. But if a man commits wickedness, he dies in his wickedness.
“Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live. The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?” (Ezekiel 18:19-23).
This is Old Testament salvation. I realize it is by faith, but a man had to believe what God said, and he had to live it. He had to obey what God said, not only believe what God said.
“. . . he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul,” this is like in keeping his heart with all diligence. He was to keep his heart right, and he was to keep his ways right.
If anyone would like to be added to the ping list, please let me know either by post or by p.m.
For more books on all topics of the Bible, visit my web site at:
Bump.
Thank you for your Word, Lord Jesus. We are praying for all those on the highway to Hell.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.