Posted on 11/13/2022 12:36:17 AM PST by Pilgrim's Progress
“Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded. The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death” (Proverbs 13:13-14).
“Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed,” Proverbs 8 deals with this subject: “But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death” (Proverbs 8:36).
There is an unhappy end to all those that despise the Word of God, reject its warnings, and refuse Him that came to give them eternal life: “And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power” (II Thessalonians 1:7-9).
Many of the people that are saved are saved because verses like this scare the hell out of them. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,” and he is fool that scoffs at the One that can destroy them with an everlasting destruction. “And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh” (Jude 1:23).
“. . . but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded,” he that submits to the Word of God and applies Christ’s sacrifice on the cross to himself is saved, and shall never be destroyed.
What is a man’s responsibility toward the Word of God?
1. He is to receive it: “Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls” (James 1:21).
2. He is to take it in like seed: “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever” (I Peter 1:23).
3. If he rejects it, it will judge him: “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” (John 12:48).
“Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.”
“The law of the wise,” it can be a wise parent or a wise counselor. It could also be Christ Himself: “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord” (I Corinthians 1:30-31).
“The law of the wise is a fountain of life,” especially is this true of our parents, in the physical sense: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth” (Ephesians 6:1-3). If children will listen to the law of the wise, it is a long life for them.
“. . . to depart from the snares of death,” so how does listening to parents allow us to depart from the snares of death? They tell us not to run with the wrong crowd, but sadly, multitudes of young people are tragically killed because they car they were riding in was being driven by a drunk. Kids that listen to mom and dad are not in that car when it crashes. How many young people are suddenly thrust into eternity because of a drug overdose because they were out with the wrong crowd instead of staying at home where it is safe? Graves are full of children that did not listen to the “law of the wise.”
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