The book of Proverbs focuses on wisdom that comes from above. It contains many contrasts between wisdom and foolishness. Several passages describe one who lacks sense, which means he is void of understanding or wisdom. Paul said we are to “walk, not as unwise men but as wise” (Ephesians 5:15). So let us consider some of the passages from Proverbs about those who lack sense and see what we can learn from them.
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Laws are often violated by those who do not know that they are breaking a law. In these cases, a transgression is made, regardless of the offender’s knowledge of the statute. It is not uncommon for one to claim that he was unaware of the law he was breaking. Even if this is true, he still stands to be punished for his violation.
This concept is not hard to understand in our society’s legal system. Yet when it comes to God’s law, people often choose to look at it very differently. As long as they do not know that what they are doing is wrong, they are perfectly content to assume that they are doing right. They refuse to consider the fact that our sins will still condemn us. Ignorance is no more of an excuse to be used before God than it is for human authorities.
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Robert Wallace Officer (1845-1930), at one point in his life, served as a missionary for the Liberty Baptist Association. During this six year period, he faced several charges of heresy. Below is an excerpt from a heresy trial in which Dr. J.R. Graves examined him to determine his “soundness of faith.”
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Aylette Raines (1798-1881) was sprinkled in the Episcopal church when he was four years old, but by the time he was a young adult, had become a Universalist. When he had the opportunity to hear Walter Scott, a preacher of the gospel, he went to hear him so that he might challenge Scott to a debate. In the excerpt below, Raines recalls his encounter with Scott and explains why a debate never happened.
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Thought from today’s Bible reading from Acts 1-3.
After healing a lame man at the gate of the temple, Peter had the opportunity to preach the second gospel sermon recorded in the book of Acts. As he did with the first, he condemned his audience for their part in the death of Christ (Acts 3:14-15). However, he acknowledged that they acted in ignorance.
“And now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your rulers did also. But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:17-19).
Jesus’ mission was part of God’s “predetermined plan” (Acts 2:23). The Old Law, which the Jews had access to, told them about the coming Christ (John 5:46; Galatians 3:24). Yet they missed the point of these prophecies. Therefore, because they were in ignorance about what God revealed, they rejected Christ.
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Thought from today’s Bible reading from Luke 23; John 18-19.
There are several lessons to be learned from the thief who was crucified next to Jesus. Notice what Luke recorded in his gospel:
“One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, ‘Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!’ But the other answered, and rebuking him said, ‘Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.’ And he was saying, ‘Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!’ And He said to him, ‘Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise’” (Luke 23:39-43).
Thought from today’s Bible reading from Matthew 22; Mark 12.
The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection. When they confronted Jesus on this point, they thought they had an unanswerable argument that would prove the foolishness of believing in the resurrection.
They presented a scenario in which a woman was married to seven brothers, each one followed the death of the next older brother (Matthew 22:23-27). The Sadducees then asked Jesus this question: “In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had married her” (Matthew 22:28). Notice how Jesus responded:
“But Jesus answered and said to them, ‘You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.’
“‘But regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God: “I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob”? He is not the God of the dead but of the living’” (Matthew 22:29-32).
Jesus’ argument “silenced the Sadducees” (Matthew 22:34). They had no answer for Him. If God said, “I am” the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, even after these men were dead, then one should necessarily infer that these men continued to exist, even after death.
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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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