{"id":4894,"date":"2020-09-21T13:33:33","date_gmt":"2020-09-21T13:33:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/eotcmk.org\/e\/?p=4894"},"modified":"2020-09-25T09:22:46","modified_gmt":"2020-09-25T09:22:46","slug":"lean-not-on-your-own-discernment-proverbs-37","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eotcmk.org\/e\/lean-not-on-your-own-discernment-proverbs-37\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cLean not on your own discernment\u201d (Proverbs 3:7)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201c<\/strong>Lean not on your own discernment\u201d (<\/strong>Proverbs 3:7<\/strong>)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Leaning on our own discernment or understanding and seeking not the wisdom of God, we lose fear of God. But, fear of God is the beginning of knowledge and trusting in the LORD is necessary of attaining any of the wisdom of life. \u00a0Trusting the Lord is to fear him with all our heart indicating trust which is beyond intellectual assent to a deep reliance on the Lord, a settled confidence in his care and his faithfulness to his word.<\/p>\n

Wise Solomon further explains trusting in the Lord. One, who understands, is his perception of the right course of action. The wise will govern themselves by what the Lord himself declares and will not set their own finite, often-mistaken understanding against his. (Proverbs 1:7, 2:5;\u00a09:10,\u00a015:33,\u00a09:23)<\/p>\n

Making straight a person\u2019s paths is to make the course of the person\u2019s life one that continually progresses towards a goal. The emphasis is on the moral quality of one\u2019s life path. As it is stated in Saint James \u201cIf any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.\u201d Believers are to have an undivided faith, asking for wisdom from their ever-wise and all-generous God. James addresses the believer who lacks wisdom in handling trials. Wisdom, as in the Old Testament, is a God-given and God-centered discernment regarding the practical issues in life. Wisdom comes from prayer for God\u2019s help. God gives generously (with \u201csingle-minded\u201d liberality) and without reproach (he does not want anyone to hesitate to come to him). (James 1:5)<\/p>\n

When Saint Paul said, \u201cLet no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore, do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord\u201d he is not telling Christians to avoid all contact with nonbelievers but to avoid joining with them in their sin. The Bible is general principles for life, but all in the name of Christians must embrace wisdom to discern how in pertaining those principles to the concrete issues of their lives. The book of Proverbs is of great help in this regard. Such wisdom may be defined as \u201cthe skill of spiritual living,\u201d which one must thoughtfully discern, apply, and practice in order to live in a way that is pleasing to the Lord. \u201cBeloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.\u201d (Ephesians 5:6\u201310, 1 John 4:1)<\/p>\n

Christian faith is not spiritual gullibility. \u201cTest the spirits.\u201d The unseen spiritual influences that guide people\u2019s speech and actions can be \u201ctested\u201d by observing their doctrine and conduct as well as by the gift of spiritual discernment (1 Corinthians 12:10; 14:29). False prophets are people who claim to speak for God but are actually speaking by demonic influence In today\u2019s age of \u201ctolerance,\u201d discriminating discernment can be viewed as being judgmental and as, \u201cJudge not,\u201d. Yet Jesus also taught, \u201cDo not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.\u201d (Matthew 7:1, 1 John 4:3\u20134, John 7:24)<\/p>\n

The present evil age still threatens those who belong to Lord Christ, so they must resist its pressure. Their lives are changed as their minds are made new; so that they are able to \u201cdiscern\u201d God\u2019s will. By testing you may discern translates which often has the sense of finding out the worth of something by putting it to use or testing it in actual practice. \u201cDo not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.\u201d (Romans 1: 28, 12:2, Luke 14:19, 1 Corinthians 3:13, 2, 8:22, 1 Timothy 3:10)<\/p>\n

Mentioning Saint James\u2019s quote is wise, \u201cWho is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.\u201d (James 3:13\u201318)<\/p>\n

These verses could be called \u201cthe tale of two cities\u201d the realm of contrasted with that of selfish ambition. The one \u201cfrom above\u201d leads to \u201cpeace,\u201d while the \u201cearthly\u201d one leads to \u201cdisorder.\u201d (James 3:13, 17)<\/p>\n

Wisdom for Saint James is not merely intellectual but also behavioral. Meekness (Galatians) was considered weakness by the Greeks but Jesus elevated it to a primary Christian virtue. (Matthew 5:5; 11:29) Meekness comes not from cowardice or passivity but rather from trusting God and therefore being set free from anxious self-promotion. \u201cEveryone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.\u201d (<\/em>Matthew 7:24)<\/p>\n

A parable brings the Sermon on the Mount to a close as Lord Jesus calling for his listeners to decide between himself and the religious establishment, drawing a dividing line between him and any other foundation for life. The evidence of whether one is truly a believer is in whether one does the words of Lord Jesus. Disciples who build their lives on the bedrock of Jesus and his message of the kingdom of heaven are truly wise, regardless of the shifting cultural or religious fashions. (James 1:22\u201323\u00a0and\u00a0James 2:20\u201322)<\/p>\n

The first petition in Saint Paul\u2019s prayer is that God would cause the cardinal Christian virtue of love to abound more and more, and that it would be accompanied by knowledge and all discernment, so that the Philippians\u2019 love would find expression in wise actions that would truly benefit others and glorify God. As Christians grow in their understanding of what it means to follow Jesus, they will increasingly be able to affirm and practice what is excellent. Such joyful obedience to God will give them the confidence of being found pure and blameless when Lord Jesus returns. This does not imply instantaneous spiritual perfection but rather an increasing likeness to Christ. But fruit of righteousness is not produced in the believer\u2019s own power. Because that fruit comes through Lord Jesus Christ, it will result in the Glory and praise of God. He said,\u201cAnd it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.\u201d (Philippians 1:9\u201310)<\/p>\n

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! \u201cFor who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?\u201d \u201cOr who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?\u201d (<\/em>As he concludes his setting forth of God\u2019s great plan in the history of salvation. Saint Paul breaks forth into praise. God\u2019s wisdom and ways are far beyond the understanding of human beings, and hence he deserves all the glory. (Romans 11:33\u201335)<\/p>\n

The words of Saint Isaiah taught that no human being knows the mind of the Lord apart from revelation, and no one can serve as God\u2019s adviser. Likewise the majestic words of are a reminder that no one ultimately gives anything to God. Instead, everything humans have is a gift from God. (Isaiah 40:13, Job 41:11, 1 Corinthians 4:7)<\/p>\n

Since all things are from God, and through God, and for God, it follows that he deserves all the glory forever. God\u2019s saving plan brings him great honor, praise, and glory forever and ever.<\/p>\n

Source: Bible Exposition <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Leaning in our own discernment or understanding and seeking not the wisdom of God, we lose fear of God. But, fear of God is the beginning of knowledge and trusting in the LORD is necessary of attaining any of the wisdom of life. Trusting the Lord is to fear him with all our heart indicating trust which is beyond intellectual assent to a deep reliance on the Lord, a settled confidence in his care and his faithfulness to his word. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[45,80],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4894","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermon","category-theology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/eotcmk.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4894"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/eotcmk.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/eotcmk.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eotcmk.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eotcmk.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4894"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/eotcmk.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4894\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4898,"href":"https:\/\/eotcmk.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4894\/revisions\/4898"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/eotcmk.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4894"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eotcmk.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4894"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eotcmk.org\/e\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4894"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}