Wisdom ………….Foolishness……..

You're familiar with the command to the ancients, 'Do not murder.'  I'm telling you that anyone who is so much as angry with a brother or sister is guilty of murder. Carelessly call a brother 'idiot!' and you just might find yourself hauled into court. Thoughtlessly yell 'stupid!' at a sister and you are on the brink of hellfire.  The simple moral fact is that words kill”.  Matt. 5:21-22  MSG Bible

In the Sermon on the Mount, of which these verses are a part of, Jesus was attempting to show that He did not come to reduce the requirements of the Law, but to reinforce them so that they would be interpreted even more strictly than was common in Israel. 

Not only was it sinful to commit murder (Matt. 5:21), but it was wrong to be angry with a brother because anger may lead to murder, just as lust may lead to immorality (Matt. 5:27-30).  

To call a brother a fool is to declare him to be worthless.   To conclude that one is worthless, then, is to come to the conclusion that the world would best be rid of him, which is but one short step from murder.   Jesus did NOT condemn the assessment of a person’s character, but the assassination of one’s character.

Just as Jesus did not forbid us from discerning the character of fools, the Book of Proverbs commends this assessment as a necessity for those who would be wise. 

Several reasons are given for the need to discern between those who are fools and those who are wise.

To associate with fools is both unwise and unpleasant.  To some degree folly is contagious and association with a fool tends to diminish our ability to discern the truth from error and wisdom from foolishness.

“Go from the presence of a foolish and self-confident man, for you will not find knowledge on his lips”.   Prov. 14:7 AMP

A fool is bound for his own destruction and he will inevitable destroy everything in his path.  Those who get in the way of the fool will get hurt!

“It is safer to meet a bear robbed of her cubs
than to confront a fool caught in foolishness”.   Prov. 17:12 NLT

“Throw out the mocker, and fighting goes, too.
Quarrels and insults will disappear”.  Prov. 22:10 NLT

A man’s spirit is what he is…….

“You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you.  And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything”.   I Cor. 6:12 NLT

One of the longest discussions in the Bible about one type of person concerns the fool: Prov. 26:1-12.    These verses are tightly knit in an interesting structure.  The word “fool” used in Prov. is not someone who lacks basic intelligence.   A fool is not someone who lacks information.  Rather, the term “fool” is a moral term in this book.

“Wisdom” is defined in Proverbs as seeing who God is, seeing how He rules the world, and responding accordingly.   The fool is someone who is not wise in this sense.    He does not see who God is!  Or he sees, and does NOT respond accordingly.   In particular, the fool takes his moral code, his rules for living, from any source other than God’s Word.  Thus, a person can have the highest IQ in the world and still be a fool.

“Give a silly answer to a silly question, and the one who asked it will realize that he's not as smart as he thinks”.  Prov. 26:5 GNT

“There is more hope for fools than for people who think they are wise”. Prov. 26:12 NLT

If the foolish person continues to go in the direction he’s headed, with his understanding of right and wrong, he will be wise in his own eyes.   And that’s very dangerous.   For if he himself becomes the final arbiter of right and wrong, he will never listen to rebuke or correction.   He judges God; God cannot judge him according to his thoughts.    He IS self exalted!

Is this the necessary outcome of the fool’s life?  Is there hope?   These verses imply that there is at least a tinge of hope.   Not all fools are yet wise in their own eyes, for someone who answers a fool according to his folly may keep him from becoming that way.   It is important NOT to give him the impression of approval, NOT to encourage him in this dangerous path he is on.  

The undisciplined person in the spiritual life is always trying to reform, but never does.   They say, “Pray for me in my struggle with anger, addictions, jealousy, hatred….etc.”    But they continue to go back to their old ways and never fight the temptations.    They NEVER take the steps necessary to grow up and walk in maturity.

They love to make resolutions and promises that they are going to change.  They even pick up the Bible and have a reading plan----that makes them feel good and they believe they have fooled others with their actions.    But after a short time they fall back into their old ways.

 The fool is confident in his own ability to see the world and discern right from wrong.  Thus, he is not submitting himself to Jesus because he is in control and lives in the real world.

He is in great danger personally-----headed to destruction.

A city without a wall is in peril.  It has NO protection. 

A man’s spirit is what he is!

If he loses control of the spirit, he has lost control of himself.    The spirit of man must control the flesh, or else, the man will go the way of the flesh which leads to hell.    As with all sins.

 Each one of us can fall into sin unless we guard our souls, fearing the Lord and seeking wisdom.   We can destroy what we love most; we can harm what we most want to build up if left to our sinful selves.

We need to identify these sinful tendencies within our self.  Put off the old man and flee from these sinful desires!

God does not just tell us what to quit, He also tells us how to correct our problem.   Additions and anger is often a deep-seeded habit, but anyone can overcome them by diligent application of God’s Word.

“ My eyes are always on the Lord,
for he rescues me from the traps of my enemies”.  Psalms 25:15 NLT

Self-Control……an unwalled city

“A man who can't control himself
is like a city whose walls are broken down”.   Prov. 25:28  NIRV

During biblical times, walls defined a city.  Those who lived outside of cities were at the mercy of marauders or armies passing through.  The walled cities allowed civilization to develop and thrive.

A city without walls could not serve that purpose.

How is a man without self-control like an unwalled city? 

He too is unprotected from dangers.  These dangers could be inside of you:  the uncontrolled craving for sex, the desire for thrills, the aspiration for recognition, the compulsion for money, the lust for power and/or the need for entertainment.  

Each of these desires or cravings can overpower the person lacking self-control, leading them into danger. 

Alternately, the dangers could be outside of you-----a person who will entice you playing on your inner desires in order to get you to do something beneficial for them.

The Greek word for self-control means “restraining passions and appetites”.

A person without self-control will never attain their long term goals.   They will always be diverted from the tasks necessary for accomplishing that goal by entertaining temptations and lusts.

The person may well desire to achieve that goal, but without some degree of self-control they will never attain it.

Paul tells us that the fruit of the Spirit includes self-control.   We need that self-control to attain Godliness.

“….the Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control.  There is no law against such things as these”.               Gal. 5:22-23 GNT

Sound Mindedness………

“Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts.  Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace.  Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts”.   II Tim. 2:22 NLT

The Bible teaches that we must worship God “in spirit and truth” (Jn 4:24).    The reference to spirit cannot mean purely physical emotion, as is often thought to be the case in the religions of this world.

There, people actually work up a certain emotion that is generated from human energy, entirely apart from God or self-control.  This often results in people leaping and shouting wildly in supposed “religious fervor”.  This is because people operate by their emotions and are given to extremes based on the atmosphere settings along with the music, lighting and coaxing.

Notice that worshipping God properly also means it “in truth”.   The Bible states that “God’s Word is truth” (Jn 17:17).   Therefore, it is impossible to worship God properly unless one understands what His Word contains.  This means actively studying it, seeking to learn how to properly obey God.

Obedience to God is necessary for one to receive the Spirit of God (Acts 5:32).

Paul wrote that God’s Spirit reflects “power, love and a sound mind” (II Tim.1:7).   A person with sound mindedness knows when to express and when to withhold emotions.   Just from this verse, it is clear that emotional maturity involves a combination of growing up mentally, physically and psychologically to achieve true, full spiritual maturity.

“God didn't give us a spirit that makes us weak and fearful.  He gave us a spirit that gives us power and love.  It helps us control ourselves”.  II Tim. 1:7 NIRV

What is emotional maturity?

“He who has no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down and without walls”.    Prov. 25:28  AMP

Did you know that the Bible tells people----literally---to “grow up”?   It is found in Eph. 4:15; “…we are to hold to the truth with love in our hearts.  We are to grow up and be more like Christ.  He is the leader of the church”.

The ultimate goal of every Believer is to grow up to be like Christ.  This means reflecting the same character that Christ had, who explained that He had “overcome the world” (Jn 16:33).  

The world is filled with raw emotions.   Billions have learned to yield to whatever impulses and feelings come naturally to them.

God’s Word states, “A man who can't control himself is like a city whose walls are broken down (Prov. 25:28 NIRV).    What a deplorable and tragic condition for anyone to fall into-----and yet, to one degree or another, this is the condition of most people.

One obvious point in this passage is that a city without walls is defenseless.   It cannot protect itself.  It is subject to being overrun by invading armies, bandits or animals.

So it is with people whose emotions are able to “overrun” them.   They lack the “wall” of emotional maturity to protect them from feelings, impulses and emotions and moods, which are merely emotions extended over a long duration because the person is unable to “pull himself together” and “snap out of it”.

Rudeness, anger, emotional outbursts, envy and resentment, unforgiving attitudes, self-pity, sulking, hatred and harboring bitterness, covetousness, and numerous other wrong attitudes, come and go at will in such weak, defenseless people.

On the other hand, God’s Word also states, “He who is slow to anger is better than the powerful. And he who rules his spirit is better than he who takes a city” (Prov. 16:32 NLV).

This powerful verse reveals how God values people who have developed strong self-control (temperance).    In the world, the acclamation—the greatness—of military commanders is often defined by the great cities they capture (“take”).   Yet God says that one who can capture ---rule---his own spirit (feelings, attitudes, etc) is greater than any famous general!

In the NT, the apostle Paul taught, “….exercise self-control in all things” (I Cor. 9:25 NKJV).   To have self-control in all things is a tall order.   In fact, it takes a lifetime to master all the feelings involved in every aspect of life.

The good news is we have the Holy Spirit who will empower us to walk in the ways of Christ and help us to exercise self-control over our emotions.

Are you controlling your emotions?

“A person without self-control
is like a city with broken-down walls”.   Prov. 25:28 NLT

In our world today, people no longer base decisions and actions on solid moral values.   They have been programmed to act according to their feelings.   

Emotions are something that everyone must battle.

There was a once a famous song, titled “Feelings”.   Looking back, it became, in a sense, prophetic of our entire age.

Most people today make decisions, come to conclusions or react in given situations based almost exclusively on how things feel to them.   For more than a generation, most people have become subtly conditioned to listen to and stay in tune with their feelings, as a guide to their course of action in any given situation.

The vast majority of people, including society as a whole, once generally reacted to circumstances and the environment around them, based on the values that they had been taught----based on ethics, principles, morals, beliefs, integrity and overall character.   This meant people once viewed matters based much more on right versus wrong, good versus evil, proper versus improper and law versus sin.

Today, hurt feelings, emotions and perceptions have become much more important------they have been given much greater credence in people’s thinking---than probably any other time in history.

Children’s sporting events have experienced outrages over a simple call by an umpire that caused emotions to boil over.  How often do we hear of parents at Little League baseball, soccer, Little Guy football or other events assaulting coaches or umpires?

Why are so few children any longer actively taught to control their feelings?   The answer lies in the fact that most parents do not know how to control their own emotions.

Human nature is selfish----plain and simple!   It focuses almost entirely on the needs and concerns of SELF!  It is interested solely in what it can get. 

Of course, selfishness is inseparable from personal feelings.   True Godly love, on the other hand, is interested in and focused on the needs and concerns of others.  It is concerned with what it can give to others, not what it can get.

Most people are never actively taught to grow up emotionally.   They are never taught to develop and maintain emotional maturity, learning to keep a grip on every kind of human emotions, including rage, jealousy, resentment, vanity, fear, hatred, impatience….etc.  

In truth, all of these are impulses, flowing from emotions, which need to be actively controlled.

“…throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception.   Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy”.    Eph. 4:22,24  NLT

The fear of the Lord is rooted in our relationship with Him…….

“The Lord takes pleasure in those who reverently and worshipfully fear Him, in those who hope in His mercy and loving-kindness”.   Psalms 147:11 AMP

There is no fear of God without doing the will of God.  In other words, whoever fears the Lord does His will and whoever does not fear Him, but wants to satisfy his flesh and do whatever he wants will not follow the will of God.

What does it mean to fear of God?

Prov. 8:13; “The fear of the Lord is to hate what is sinful.   I hate pride, self-love, the way of sin, and lies”. 

Prov. 3:7;”Do not be wise in your own eyes.  Fear the Lord and turn away from what is sinful”.  

One implication of the above scriptures is that you cannot fear God if you think well of yourself…….prideful.

The fear of God is a choice.

Prov. 1:29; “For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the Lord”.

We are to dwell in the fear of the Lord all day long.

Prov. 23:17; “Don’t envy sinners, but always continue to fear the Lord”.

How does one come to understand the fear of God?

Prov. 2:1-5; “My child, listen to what I say, and treasure my commands.
 Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding.
 Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding.
 Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures.
 Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God”.

Benefits of fearing God?

Prov. 1:7; “Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and discipline”.

Prov. 9:10; “Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom.
Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment”.

Prov. 15:33; “The fear of the Lord is discipline leading to wisdom,
and humility comes before honor”.

Psalms 147:11; “…..the Lord’s delight is in those who fear him,
those who put their hope in his unfailing love”.

The fear of the Lord is rooted in our relationship to God as His children.

The fear of the Lord is rooted in our love for Him. 

   When we really love God, with all our heart the thought of offending Him fills us with dread!  We cannot bear the thought that we have hurt or offended Him in any way, we love Him too much!

The fear of the Lord is rooted in our admiration for God.

   We have a wonder and awe of Him that is inspired by a deep respect for God and an aversion to offend Him.  We love Him too much to ever want to damage our relationship with Him.

The fear of God is rooted in our desire for unity with God.

   We have a great fear of sin because we know it will create a distance between us and God.  We have a greater desire to be in union with Him and the gift of a holy fear causes us to fear ever losing the intensity of that union.

The fear of God is rooted in our appreciation for God’s holiness.

   God is holy and the holy fear within us strikes a deep awareness of this holiness as well as a deep understanding that we must be made holy before coming into His presence.  Holy fear helps us to appreciate that we do not simply walk into God’s presence in the spiritual equivalent of jeans and a T-shirt.  Holy fear inspires us to be clothed in holy attire…..the blood of Jesus and true righteousness.   Holy fear makes us serious about this preparation.

“That’s the whole story.  Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty.    God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad”.   Ecc. 12:13-14 NLT