Proverbs 8:1-7 Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice? 2 She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths. 3 She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors. 4 Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man. 5 O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart. 6 Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things. 7 For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
To those who say "I didn't know", God says "You did know, but refused to listen".
There will be many who stand before God at the Great White Throne Judgment who will say, "I didn't know". In fact, I have heard people say "What about the people who never heard the Gospel, never heard the Word of God, never heard of the Old Rugged Cross? Will they get a free pass into Heaven because they haven't heard?"
Short answer: NO!
Longer answer: God Himself has made clear and plain what He expects. No one leaves this life saying "I never knew". Christians will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ (Romans 14:20; 2 Corinthians 5:10) where our works for Jesus that we did in this life will be judged. I am sure there of some of you who will say,
"I never knew"
To which Jesus will reply "You were told, but would not listen".
God's Wisdom Is Not Hidden
Proverbs 8:1-3 Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth (nāṯan, naw-than', to give) her voice? 2 She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths. 3 She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.
Where is God's Word not revealed? His Word is "in the top of high places". You can be in the Palace, the White House, the Congress. You can be a dictator like Putin, or a President like Biden. No matter how high you go, God's Wisdom reaches there. Wisdom is by the way "in the places of the paths". God's Word is accessible to the common person like you and I. God's Word "crieth at the gates". In ancient times the "gates" was where merchants came to do their business, so God's Word is accessible to major corporations and businesses, CEO and SEOs, Wall Street and Fortune 500 Companies. But God's Word is also "at the coming in at the doors". It comes into homes, no matter who you are. God makes sure His Word penetrates everywhere. There is no one who says, "I never knew". Why is this?
Because God's Word is embedded in our conscience, our creation.
When the Apostle Paul discussed the horrendous evil that was dragging the Roman Empire down, he wrote:
Romans 1:18-20 (ESV) For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
Inside of every human is the concepts of what is good and what is evil. In time we can convince ourselves that good is evil and evil is good. We can create a month where we celebrate sexual sin (like June) and then corporations can push sexual sin and acceptance of perversion until a fearful people decide they cannot speak out against it. It doesn't make it right – but we know what is right.
God gave us all a conscience, but we can, through perversion and willfulness, harden that conscience.
Proverbs 8:4-7 Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man. 5 O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart. 6 Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things. 7 For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
When God says "my voice is to the sons of man", that doesn't mean He just speaks to MEN. The phrase "sons of man" is a reference to humans born in a human way.
God speaks right and wrong to every person. He clearly represents Himself and His desire for us in His Bible.
I got home from Church last Sunday to find an invitation to a new cult that is meeting in Columbia. It uses the Mulehouse on Sundays at 10 am, and has attracted a large crowd. Called the "Belonging Co" it is co-pastored by a man and his wife, Henry and Alex Seeley. Past of the "Word of Faith Movement", they believe that since we as humans are created in the image of God, what we say has the power to change reality. From a recent sermon, Alex Seeley stated:
"God's Word has creative power. It forms something out of nothing. We are made in the image of God, we have creative power, so we need to watch our words."
We DO NOT HAVE CREATIVE POWER with OUR words. This is what the world believes. What do we hear in our society? "Live our YOUR TRUTH". "You can BE WHATEVER you want to be". Young people are told that they can be "furries" because they believe they are "furries" and purr like "furries". That's nonsense. God's Word, Wisdom, says:
Proverbs 8:4 Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.
Wisdom comes from God. The Bible says,
James 1:5-6 (NKJV) If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting ...
We are born with a knowledge of good and evil because God created us that way. If someone beats a kitten to death with a ball-peen hammer we don't celebrate that. It is wrong to torture and kill something so soft and helpless. But if a person dismembers a tiny baby in its mother's womb, and flushes the little body parts into the dumpster, we celebrate this. Why? Because we have convinced ourselves that the convenience of a selfish and self serving mother trumps the life which is within her.
And we are horribly wrong.
God's Word is truth. God tells us:
Proverbs 8:8-9 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing FROWARD (pāṯal, unsavory or twisted, torturous) or PERVERSE (ʿiqqēš, crooked, perverse) in them. 9 They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.
God says "My Word is not torturous. What I say is not meant to make you suffer. What I speak, I speak in love, and want you to understand your life will not be blessed until you receive it". For we who love the Lord have learned to trust the Lord, even if we do not agree at the time with what He has said. We know that, in time, God's Word is ALWAYS right.
God's Word, His Wisdom, Sets The Standard
The "Word of Faith Movement" is dangerous on many levels, for it elevates the Word of Man over the Word of God. They teach "our words have creative power", a quotation from their female pastor Alex Seeley. Here's my problem with these types of churches.
They are blatant about ignoring Scripture.
Let's start with they have a female Pastor. What's wrong with a female Pastor? What's wrong is that it violates what God has established as the parameters of the Pastoral office. The Bible ties the office of Pastor back to the creation of humanity. The Apostle writes:
1 Timothy 2:11-15 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. 12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. 13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. 15 Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.
When the qualifications for the office of the Pastor were established in the very next chapter, the Apostle wrote:
1 Timothy 3:1-5 This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. 2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach; 3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; 4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; 5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
This is culturally offensive in our America today, but nonetheless what the Scripture says. God designed us and gave us value within our sexes. Adam was FIRST FORMED, then EVE. Eve was formed out of Adam. The leader in the family is to be the husband and father. The leader in the Church is to be male. PERIOD! It has been historically true that once women were introduced into the pulpits as Pastor, the mainline churches next normalized sexual perversion and began to celebrate "Pride". That is the way to destruction.
We Are To Receive God's Word, Not Man's Word
Proverbs 8:10-13 Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. 11 For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it. 12 I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions. 13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
It is God Who establishes the parameters of our faith. For instance, God defines EVIL and PERVERSION. We do not define it. God's Word defines it.
The devil and his acolytes spend time debating what God has clearly said. The righteous just DO the Word. The saved by faith always seek to follow God.
Christians cherish God's Word, even if we do not fully understand it. God says "wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it". Wisdom is the most important thing in the world. Why? Because it lends toward "PRUDENCE". God hates pride, arrogance, and evil ways. He hates these things for the harm they bring to His creation.
Proverbs 8:14-21 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength. 15 By me kings reign, and princes decree justice. 16 By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth. 17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. 18 Riches and honor are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness. 19 My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver. 20 I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment: 21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.
The way to blessing is to RECEIVE and OBEY God's Word. You will never succeed in life until God's Word guides it. God's Word brings order out of disorder. It brings stability to nations. It is God's Word that is the basis of the laws of nations. God's Word goes on to say "Riches and honor are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness". There are great riches in following God, in adhering to His Word. We are told in:
Ephesians 1:7-8 (ESV) In {Christ} we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight ...
Through God's Word we have the "RICHES OF GOD'S GRACE". Through faith in the Gospel, we are promised the forgiveness of our sins, and redemption from eternal punishment. The "RICHES OF THIS WORLD" choke the Word of God from our lives (Matthew 13:22), and lead us to failure. But when we believe on and DO that which God tells us,
Romans 10:12 (ESV) …. the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.
We who have believed on Christ have "THE RICHES OF HIS GLORIOUS INHERITANCE" (Ephesians 1:18). God brings us into His family, and guarantees that we are His children both now, and into eternity.
Again, compare this to the teaching of Alex Seeley (Belonging Co):
"God waits for our "yes", and our "yes" brings increase in our lives. God is saying, "I never ask of you that which you are not able to accomplish. I'm never going to give you more than you can handle. But I do need to co-labor with you. If you say "yes" to God, you will always find increase".
That's not in the Scripture. God often puts more on us than we can handle, so that we can follow Him in faith. Further, when you say "yes" to God and live for His glory (and not for your pocketbook), you will find persecution. The Apostle write:
2 Timothy 3:12-17 (ESV) Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
There is ALWAYS going to be a new brand of toothpaste, and another cult like the Belonging Co. They were in the early Church, and they're here now. Peter said:
2 Peter 2:1-3 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
They rise up, preach untruths that have no foundation in the Word of God, and live lives of luxury on your money. They do not preach a Gospel of salvation, but a false gospel, a social gospel, a prosperity gospel contrary to the Scripture.
If you turn to Jesus "the Wisdom of God" the Lord will bring you into His Kingdom. He will write His Law on your heart, and teach you to love His Word. God's intent for His Church is not to re-write scripture, nor to twist what He has said, but to heed His Word and do what He says. We do not boast about ourselves, but about our Jesus. And we do what we can to please Him, loving God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and being …. and loving our neighbors the way we want to be loved.
We are not Gods.
We are God's.
We do not speak as Gods.
Only God has the authority of God.
May God the Holy Spirit guide you into His truth.
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