In this section of verses Solomon
encourage his son to be strong in his faith in the LORD, YHWH, the
self-Existent or Eternal God.
Proverbs 3:3–7 “Let not mercy and truth
forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine
heart: So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and
man. Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own
understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy
paths.Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.”
So many men reject a belief in the God
of the Bible because they cannot understand how He can be self-existent and
eternal. If you really stop and think
about it, that truth should encourage our faith—not hinder it. If we could understand all about God, He would
no longer be God. Scripture is clear in
declaring that He is beyond our understanding.
Isaiah 55:8–9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are
your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the
earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your
thoughts.”
Isaiah 43:10 “Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant
whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am
he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.”
Isaiah 46:5&9 “To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal,
and compare me, that we may be like?... Remember the former things of old: for
I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me….”
After encouraging his son to earnestly
seek wisdom and understanding rooted in the fear of God, Solomon now encourages
his son to cling to mercy and truth.
Again, truth is rooted in God and His word.
Deuteronomy 32:4 “He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his
ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.”
John 17:17 “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”
Solomon is basically telling his son
to make mercy and truth so much a part of his being that it is like they are permanently
engraved on his heart. The scripture
often reminds us that it is our heart that controls our actions.
Genesis 6:5 “And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in
the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only
evil continually.”
Jeremiah 17:10 “I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even
to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his
doings.”
Matthew 12:35 “A good man out of the good treasure of the heart
bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth
forth evil things.”
Romans 10:10 “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness;
and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
Solomon is
clear in encouraging his son to trust the LORD with ALL his heart—not just in
some areas, but regarding everything to do with his life. With God it is all or nothing; you either
trust Him completely for salvation or it is not saving faith. Faith plus anything else results in a false
gospel; it is a belief that will result in your eternal doom. Webster defines trust as follows: “Assured resting of the mind on the integrity, veracity, justice,
friendship, or other sound principle, of another person….” That type of trust or faith implies an
unquestioning confidence in the truth of God’s word. God’s word is very clear in declaring that
salvation is a work of God—not man; it is a gift to man.
Ephesians 2:8–9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that
not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should
boast.”
Titus 3:5–7 “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but
according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and
renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ
our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs
according to the hope of eternal life.”
For some
reason this truth, which should be a cause for great thanksgiving, is one that
most people refuse to embrace. We would
rather think that we can enjoy God’s’ presence in heaven for eternity on our
own terms rather than on His. Why? Because we don’t want the accountability that
comes with accepting Him on His terms.
If we listen to the lies of the enemy, we can give in to the flesh and
live according to our own wisdom with a false hope of gaining heaven. Scripture is clear—the wisdom of man leads to
death no matter how sincere you are in what you believe or how many good works you
do and declare to be in the name of the LORD.
Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but
the end thereof are the ways of death.”
Matthew 7:13–14 “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the
gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be
which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which
leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”
Matthew 7:21–23 “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord,
shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father
which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not
prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name
done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you:
depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
(to be continued…)
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