Proverbs 9 – Wisdom and Folly

Hello Project Ezra!  This week we will be reading from Proverbs chapter 9.  In this chapter wisdom and folly are contrasted and personified.  Both are seen as calling out to people as they go by, trying to entice them to listen, but with vastly different results.  This chapter is one of several which remind us that the fear or the knowledge of God are the beginning of wisdom, and indeed there is nothing more wise than to trust in God, and nothing more foolish than to deny His existence.  But more than that, we need to know God in truth, to know who He is, not just to believe in a nameless, faceless deity who created us and then sat back to see what would happen.  God is specific about who He is, what He has done, what He demands of us, and how we can be made right with Him.  It is that wisdom that we want to use this passage to call people to.

Another valuable point to consider, and I think a vital one in defending the faith, is that fact that the foundation of belief in God is necessary to make sense of the world we live in, and even for our thought process.  The fear of God is, indeed, the beginning of wisdom, and is necessary for rational thought and argumentation.  Many arguments made against the Christian world view use Christian principles to support them, thought those making the arguments are often not aware of this.  For instance, a common argument I hear, and you likely have heard, against the God of the Bible is the fact that a God who allows evil and suffering would be immoral, thus the good God of the Bible does not exist.  Of course, the argument doesn’t work theologically, but on a more foundational level, the idea of morality is irrational without a moral law giver, which is what is being denied.  If there is no absolute standard of right and wrong, the concept of morality disappears, and appeals to morality becomes nothing but personal preference.

The link below is to some videos from Jason Lisle of Answers in Genesis, dealing with what he calls Nuclear Strength Apologetics, and more commonly called Presuppositional Apologetics, and deals with the Christian world view as the true basis for rational thought and discussion.  It is very good material, and should help equip you not only to deal with these type of questions when they come up, but to spot the assumptions in conflicting world views that those who hold them are generally not even aware of.  You can also take a look at www.proofthatgodexists.org, which takes a very unique approach in presenting some of the same truths.

http://yoursoulmatters.org/blog/2011/07/30/nuclear-strength-apologetics/

Finally, we are approaching the third anniversary of Mission Good Friday, the event that grew into what is now Project Ezra.  On Good Friday and Easter weekend we will be reading Matthew 26-28, and I pray that you will join us and encourage others to do the same.  Invite a friend or two to come with you, either to read, to hand out gospel tracts, or just to pray, and see what God does in their life.  I’ll be posting more details about the event soon.

All for His glory,

Dan

INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND PROJECT EZRA

READ PROVERBS 9

This passage speaks of two voices which call to all of us

The voice of wisdom and the voice of knowledge

Wisdom says “Leave your simple ways and live”

Folly’s words sound pleasant, but only lead to death

Both are calling you.  Who are you listening to?

God’s word says the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom

It is wise to know who God is, and what He is like

It is also wise to understand who man truly is

God is a God of love, but also a holy and just God

Don’t make the mistake of only acknowledging part of His character

God is holy, which means He is perfect and pure, and man is not (Ps 99:9, Rev 4:8)

Man sinful, and born in sin (Psalm 51:3-5)

Intentions of man’s heart evil from youth (Gen 8:21)

None righteous, no not one (Rom 3:10-12)

Because God is just and perfect, all sin will be punished with perfect justice

See yourself in the light of God’s law, and you will recognize your sin

Purpose of the law is to bring the knowledge of sin (Gal 3:24, Rom 3:20)

Your conscience also tells you when you do wrong.  The law written on your heart (Rom 2:15)

GO THROUGH THE LAW TO BRING CONVICTION OF SIN

Folly is loud and seductive

Leads to destruction

The pleasures of sin are fleeting (Heb 11:25)

God will judge wickedness (Ecc 3:17, 12:14)

Storing up wrath for the day of wrath (Rom 2:5-8)

Be afraid of the one who can destroy soul and body in hell (Mt. 10:28)

Punishment of eternal fire (Jude 7)

But Jesus took that wrath upon Himself on the cross, became a curse for us (Gal 3:13)

The cross is the perfect demonstration of God’s mercy and justice, His wrath and His love

God hated sin so much He punished it completely

God loved his children so much He sent them a substitute (Eph 2:4)

That is why Jesus is the only way.  Only He paid our fine

Only mediator between God and men (1 Tim 2:5)

Only name under heaven by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12)

Only He paid the price, and only He could have paid the price

Even smallest sin infinitely sinful against an infinitely holy God

Only God in human flesh, more valuable than all creation combined, could pay for infinite sin

Sin forgiven through repentance and faith (Acts 20:21)

Unless you repent, you will perish (Luke 13:3)

Repentance is a change of mind and heart, change of direction

Turn from sin, and turn to Jesus Christ

Will become a new creature, born again

Not a Christian cliché, but a supernatural act of God

So today, cry out to God and ask Him to save you

Nothing more important than your soul, your standing before God

What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his soul? (Mt 16:26)

Will be dead much longer than you will be alive, so deal with it now

Repent and trust in Christ while God has graciously given you time

YOU MIGHT WANT TO OFFER TO TALK TO ANYBODY WHO HAS QUESTIONS.  ALSO, IT WOULD BE WISE TO KEEP A STOCK OF GOOD GOSPEL TRACTS, BIBLES, AND THE LIKE, SO THOSE WHO MAY BE NEW TO THE GOSPEL HAVE SOMETHING TO TAKE WITH THEM.