After considering the value of wisdom, the rewards of wisdom, and the deliverance from evil that wisdom provides, we will next consider the perils of wickedness to further reinforce what we have already learned: embracing and following the wisdom that comes from above is for our good.
The perils of wickedness can be divided into three categories: hardship in life, lack of hope for the future, and the inevitability of judgment.
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When Satan came before the Lord, God praised Job for his righteousness: “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil” (Job 1:8). Satan, however, protested. In his mind, he believed that God was unfairly protecting Job from temptation: “Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side?” (Job 1:10). This “hedge” of divine blessing made Job less susceptible to temptation.
Of course, when God granted permission for this “hedge” to be removed, Job remained faithful (Job 1:22; 2:10). But the fact that Job had to work harder to resist the temptation to forsake God cannot be denied. Temptation was more severe when the “hedge” protecting Job was taken away.
As we make application to our lives, we should understand that we can have certain hedges to help protect us from sin. God has promised a way of escape so that every temptation can be defeated (1 Corinthians 10:13). The more hedges we have in place, the better we will be able to overcome temptation.
The only infallible safeguard against temptation is the word of God. The wise man wrote, “Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him” (Proverbs 30:5). However, there are other hedges that we can put in place to help guard against temptation. We will consider a few of these in this article. We should understand that none of these safeguards are infallible, but they can greatly help if we use them properly.
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Thought from today’s Bible reading from 2 Corinthians 5-9.
It is common for one to feel guilty after doing something that is wrong. Whether it is due to conscience, negative consequences, or shame that comes from others learning of our actions, we often feel remorse over our sins. Only after one’s conscience is seared does he no longer feel such guilt (1 Timothy 4:2). But while this guilt (sorrow) over our actions may be common, not all of it is necessarily helpful. Notice what Paul told the brethren in Corinth:
“For though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it—for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while—I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death” (2 Corinthians 7:8-10).
In his first letter to these brethren, Paul rebuked them for several sins. Naturally, they were sorrowful (they had a sense of guilt and remorse) after Paul brought these sins to their attention and condemned them. Fortunately, the Corinthian brethren had the right kind of sorrow.
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“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
When Paul spoke of Christians (those “in Christ”) as being new creatures, he did not mean that we are no longer human as if we had become a new species. We remain human beings made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). But there are significant changes that come when one becomes a disciple of Christ. Let us notice a few of the “new things” that come when one becomes a “new creature” in Christ.
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Thought from today’s Bible reading from 1 Corinthians 15-16.
Many in the religious world believe that sin, though not necessarily desirable, is acceptable. They may not use the term acceptable, but when they affirm that God accepts one in sin before meeting His terms of forgiveness, or that Christians should accept one in sin without regard to what God’s word teaches about the bounds of fellowship, their point is essentially the same. To them, sin is acceptable, tolerable, or of no consequence. Yet this is not what the Scriptures teach.
“Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company corrupts good morals.’ Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame” (1 Corinthians 15:33-34).
Paul warned the saints in Corinth not to allow evil influences to corrupt their “good morals.” These evil influences would entice them to sin, trying to persuade them that there were no consequences for sinful behavior. Paul did not say that such corrupting of good morals was tolerable because God’s grace will unconditionally cover all sins. This is the deception that threatened the Corinthians and that threatens people of faith today.
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Thought from today’s Bible reading from 1 Corinthians 5-8.
The popularity of the “grace-unity” movement has led many to tolerate sin within their congregations. This was happening in Corinth when Paul wrote to them. He rebuked them for it.
“It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father’s wife. You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst” (1 Corinthians 5:1-2).
The Corinthians were being more tolerant than God allows within the bounds of fellowship. They accepted one with whom they had been told not to associate (1 Corinthians 5:11). Yet Paul did not just rebuke them for being too tolerant. He rebuked them for arrogance.
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Thought from today’s Bible reading from Acts 17:1-18:18.
When Paul came to Athens, he preached the gospel just as he did wherever he went. But it is noteworthy to consider what provoked him to preach there.
“Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he was observing the city full of idols. So he was reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and in the market place every day with those who happened to be present” (Acts 17:16-17).
Paul’s “spirit was being provoked within him” by the idolatry that existed in the city. It bothered him to see the people devoting themselves to so many false gods instead of worshipping the one, true, living God.
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What does “propitiation” mean? How is “justification” connected to salvation? What does “sanctification” look like in our day-to-day lives? The Bible uses some powerful words to describe God’s plan to save mankind. However, these words are not always easy to understand, especially when they are not part of our everyday vocabulary. This book explores key Bible terms that unlock the message of the gospel.
Big Words in the Bible examines five important words – Propitiation, Reconciliation, Sanctification, Justification, and Resurrection – using plain language to see how the Scriptures describe these concepts and how the apostle Paul employs them in his letter to the Romans. This book also contains an appendix with eleven additional articles to explore these topics further.
Whether you are new to the Bible and want to grow in your understanding or want a simple way to explain these core gospel doctrines to others, this book will be helpful. With a focus on the Scriptures, Big Words in the Bible helps break down these fundamental topics to shed light on the life-changing message of the gospel and the salvation found in it.
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