Under Gods command

Under Gods Command

Proverbs 12:14 – From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things as surely as the work of his hands reward him. 

There are great rewards for good speech and actions. Will you miss them in life? Will others win them, leaving you behind? The proverb’s lesson is simple, but most forget the certain rewards for righteousness. They are too concerned with the world’s opinions of success or approval of their peers. They forget God and men will compensate the godly.

Speaking right and doing right bring rewards. The world may not exalt or reward virtue, but this true proverb gives wonderful advice. If you use your mouth for kind, spiritual, and wise words, God and men will reward you with satisfying honors. And both God and men will also surely compensate you for good works of charity, godliness, and truth.

The only speech that brings good and satisfying rewards is pure and wise speech, which the proverb implies. If you use your mouth for folly, lies, or boasting, it will bring trouble (Pr 10:6,14,31; 12:18; 13:3; 18:6-7,21; 20:17). The same is true of actions – things done with your hands. Only noble deeds bring good rewards (Pr 6:17; 10:4; 26:6; Is 3:10-11).

Good speech blesses others (Pr 24:26). But the reward here is to the speaker (Pr 13:2; 15:23; 18:20). Kings will befriend a man with gracious speech (Pr 22:11). How could Pharaoh resist promoting Joseph (Gen 41:39-45)? Jonathan resist loving David (I Sam 18:1-4)? Nebuchadnezzar resist promoting Daniel (Dan 2:46-49)? What will the King of kings do for those who speak to others about Him (Mal 3:16-18)? Read it, and rejoice!

Good deeds are the fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, righteousness, and truth (Gal 5:22-23; Eph 5:9). The good works of God’s elect are the result of God’s powerful workmanship in them by regeneration (Eph 2:10). What God works in, they are to work out (Phil 2:12-13).

Bad deeds are signs of carnal Christians – self-love, coveting, boasting, pride, blasphemy, disobedience to parents, unthankful, unholy, perverted love, trucebreakers, false accusers, unruly, fierce, despisers of good people, traitors, heady, haughty, lovers of pleasures more than God, and merely a hypocritical form of religion (II Tim 3:1-5). They lose!

Good words and works are not the mere ceremony or ritual of church attendance or activities. Isaiah 58 provides a wonderful distinction between outward religious compliance and true godliness affecting your relationships with others. And the rewards listed in this passage cover an incredible range of blessings far beyond this commentary.

The Bible is God’s manual for successful living, and living His way will save you from the dysfunctional problems of this wicked world and bring prosperity and success (Josh 1:6-9; Ps 1:1-3; 19:7-11; Jas 1:25). But there are also the rewards described above. Glory!

Your goal is to be like Jesus Christ. He grew in favour with God and men (Luke 2:52). His speech was gracious beyond belief (Ps 45:2; Luke 4:22). He went about doing good (Acts 10:38). He is the example Paul followed, and we should follow Paul (I Cor 11:1).

But did He not die young, you ask? He voluntarily laid down His life, forgiving the soldiers, in the ultimate act and words for His elect. What was His reward? Promoted to the pinnacle of the universe to reign forever (Phil 2:5-11; Eph 1:19-23; Heb 12:1-3)!

Under Gods Command

Proverbs 11:13 A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret.    

Test your integrity or faithfulness. Can you keep a secret? Will you hide it from those not needing to know? Tattlers or gossips have no integrity – they do not have a faithful spirit. If they know damaging information about another, they must tell it, quickly and widely.

What God called talebearing here used to be called tattling or gossiping. Now it is called investigative reporting. Now it is entertainment. Newspapers, television, tabloids, and Internet sites feed on it. People read it with glee; they tingle with curiosity hearing it; they beg for more details, especially sexual ones; they cannot wait to repeat it to others.

If the least rumor or unsavory fact is found about a president’s personal life or family, it is spread far and wide and discussed to death. The same is true for business leaders, sports figures, and celebrities. The more negative the facts, that much more exciting to spread! This fascination with secrets is a sin and proves the perversity of a generation.

Family members, neighbors, office workers, and even some church members love to spread news of negative events in the lives of others. They say, “Did you know they are divorced? Have you heard the latest about him? Can you believe she did that?” And off go wicked lips and ears to discuss the private details of others that should be concealed.

This sin is an abomination to God, and He hates it. His holy ears know that spreading damaging news about others is to rape their reputations. Solomon taught here that good men with faithful spirits will not repeat private news they learn about others.

Physical rape is a horrible crime, and it should be punished severely. But talebearing may be worse, in that it can have greater consequences. Instead of hurting a person’s body for a few minutes or an emotional state for a while, it can leave permanent scars on a person’s reputation and character, the more valuable parts of a person. Consider it.

The heart of man is desperately wicked and will do anything it can to defame or injure others (Jer 17:9; Rom 3:13-18). One of the easiest ways to hurt another’s reputation is to spread private information that does not need to be told. So it is this sin that the proverb condemns.

Faithful men will hide private information they happen to learn. They will conceal such things; they will not repeat them to anyone. They will do all they can to protect the reputations of others, no matter what their personal feelings about the person might be. Such integrity and faithfulness makes a man great in the sight of God and men.

Guard your tongue, reader. Do not let it spread secrets that should be concealed. It does not matter at all whether the information is true or not. If the matter is not needed for the proper exercise of authority, then bury it. If the matter could hurt a person’s reputation, then bury it. If the matter is not uplifting or commending or helpful, then bury it.

How important is it to avoid this sin? The proverb here teaches that faithful men will not do it. Psalm 15:3 teach that a mark of eternal life is not doing it. Since God hates it and mentions it often in Scripture, all fathers must include it in their training (Eph 6:4). Great men and women, those called faithful and having integrity, work to protect others.

Jesus Christ is Faithful and True (Rev 19:11). He forgets the sins of His people forever (Heb 8:12). He would never reveal them, for it is His glory to cover offenses (Pr 25:2; Ps 103:10-12). It should be your pleasure to love others with the same compassion and commitment to protect them from damaging reports (Pr 10:12; 17:9; I Pet 4:8).

Under Gods Command

Proverbs 11:13 A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret.   

Test your integrity or faithfulness. Can you keep a secret? Will you hide it from those not needing to know? Tattlers or gossips have no integrity – they do not have a faithful spirit. If they know damaging information about another, they must tell it, quickly and widely.

What God called talebearing here used to be called tattling or gossiping. Now it is called investigative reporting. Now it is entertainment. Newspapers, television, tabloids, and Internet sites feed on it. People read it with glee; they tingle with curiosity hearing it; they beg for more details, especially sexual ones; they cannot wait to repeat it to others.

If the least rumor or unsavory fact is found about a president’s personal life or family, it is spread far and wide and discussed to death. The same is true for business leaders, sports figures, and celebrities. The more negative the facts, that much more exciting to spread! This fascination with secrets is a sin and proves the perversity of a generation.

Family members, neighbors, office workers, and even some church members love to spread news of negative events in the lives of others. They say, “Did you know they are divorced? Have you heard the latest about him? Can you believe she did that?” And off go wicked lips and ears to discuss the private details of others that should be concealed.

This sin is an abomination to God, and He hates it. His holy ears know that spreading damaging news about others is to rape their reputations. Solomon taught here that good men with faithful spirits will not repeat private news they learn about others.

Physical rape is a horrible crime, and it should be punished severely. But talebearing may be worse, in that it can have greater consequences. Instead of hurting a person’s body for a few minutes or an emotional state for a while, it can leave permanent scars on a person’s reputation and character, the more valuable parts of a person. Consider it.

The heart of man is desperately wicked and will do anything it can to defame or injure others (Jer 17:9; Rom 3:13-18). One of the easiest ways to hurt another’s reputation is to spread private information that does not need to be told. So it is this sin that the proverb condemns.

Faithful men will hide private information they happen to learn. They will conceal such things; they will not repeat them to anyone. They will do all they can to protect the reputations of others, no matter what their personal feelings about the person might be. Such integrity and faithfulness makes a man great in the sight of God and men.

Guard your tongue, reader. Do not let it spread secrets that should be concealed. It does not matter at all whether the information is true or not. If the matter is not needed for the proper exercise of authority, then bury it. If the matter could hurt a person’s reputation, then bury it. If the matter is not uplifting or commending or helpful, then bury it.

How important is it to avoid this sin? The proverb here teaches that faithful men will not do it. Psalm 15:3 teach that a mark of eternal life is not doing it. Since God hates it and mentions it often in Scripture, all fathers must include it in their training (Eph 6:4). Great men and women, those called faithful and having integrity, work to protect others.

Jesus Christ is Faithful and True (Rev 19:11). He forgets the sins of His people forever (Heb 8:12). He would never reveal them, for it is His glory to cover offenses (Pr 25:2; Ps 103:10-12). It should be your pleasure to love others with the same compassion and commitment to protect them from damaging reports (Pr 10:12; 17:9; I Pet 4:8).

Under Gods Command 

Proverbs 10:32 The lips of the righteous know what is fitting, but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse.  

Think before you speak. Do your words fit the situation? Will your speech help and please those listening? A godly man knows what to say, when to say it, and how to say it. He makes sure his words and speech are acceptable to others, and they love him for it.

But a wicked man does the opposite – he impulsively lets out of his mouth whatever is in his contrary and foolish mind. He does not care what others desire or need to hear. His words offend others, so they consider him rude and obnoxious, and they avoid him.

The way you talk declares your character. The way you talk determines how influential you will be.

Of course, everyone thinks his own speech is good and right (Pr 21:2). Human pride and inborn folly presume that others love the way you talk, and pride and folly are in great supply in every child of Adam. Only by the mercy of God, learning grace and wisdom, and strict ruling of the tongue can men learn to speak in a way acceptable to others.

Speech is for the hearers – so it is their perception and opinion that counts, not yours! It is others that determine whether what you say is acceptable or not. It is your duty to learn what they expect, so you can speak acceptable words. If you think being conventional is weakness or sinful compromise, you are too foolish and selfish to learn wisdom. Paul made sure as far as he could to avoid offending any (I Cor 9:19-23; 10:32-33).

Righteous men study to answer, but fools pour out the evil in their hearts and minds (Pr 15:28,2; 16:23; 13:16; 29:11). While studying to answer includes correct facts, necessary knowledge, and a wise response to the matter at hand, consider it well that studying also means to know your audience and what they consider acceptable (Ac 17:22-31; 23:6).

Your lips only say what is already in his heart, according to Jesus (Luke 6:45). The heart of the righteous loves what is good and acceptable, so their choice of words is pleasing to God and men. But the heart of the wicked is depraved and selfish, so his speech is obnoxious and rude. Only by a change of heart will his speech ever improve. And only the Lord can change his heart by regeneration to deliver him from the power of the devil.

Speech is one of the ways you can glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, for pleasant words will be a beautiful testimony to His grace and glory (Col 4:6). Your difference from the world will be great, for they are guilty of filthiness, foolish talking, and jesting, which will soon bring God’s judgment on them (Eph 5:3-7). Let every reader learn to speak acceptably.

Under Gods Command

Proverbs 9:1-6 Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn out its seven pillars.  She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table.  She has sent out her maids, and she calls from the highest point of the city.  Let all who are simple come in here! She says to those who lack judgment. Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed. Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of understanding.   

Simple men have two options. They can accept Lady Wisdom’s sincere invitation for wisdom and a blessed life. Or they can fall for a whore’s lying seduction for death and hell. With a very powerful comparison, King Solomon set out the choice of life and death for his children, nation, and you. Listen carefully! Every man shall bear his own burden!

Readers, watch closely, and see the precious comparison. Two women are after your soul. Both are beautiful. The beauty of one is timeless; that of the other very short. One speaks the truth; the other lies from beginning to end. Both are pleasant; but the pleasure of one is for a very short season, and the pleasure of the other is for eternity. Two women call!

“Let all who are simple come in here!” she says to those who lack judgment. ,” She said to him, “Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mixed. Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding” (Pr 9:4-6). This is the beautiful and noble Lady Wisdom, who has been described and speaking since Proverbs 8:1.

“Let all who are simple come in here!” she says to those who lack judgment,” she said to him, “Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant” (Pr 9:16-17). This is the lustful and fatally dangerous whore, Lady Folly, who is described and speaking in Proverbs 9:13-18.

This foolish woman, this strange woman, this whore, is also beautiful, and she also calls you. She wants simple men and those that lack understanding to destroy them, for they know “not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell” (Pr 9:18). A wise man is too difficult for her to seduce, for he knows her wiles cover bitter pain.

At her table you are looking at the rapidly decaying features of a malicious liar, who is planning to take advantage of your simplicity for her own gain. Her flattering words are the anesthesia for your soul; her kisses are the kiss of death. Hell awaits you. Run away!

Lady Wisdom is much more beautiful and has prepared a beautiful house, fully furnished, for your perpetual prosperity and comfort (Pr 9:1-5). Her guests are luxuriously entertained and provided for to the eternal benefit of their souls. See the comments on Pr 9:1 and Pr 9:2. Your simplicity does not offend her; she wants to help you gain wisdom!

These are not merely two literal women here, but a personification of the choices every man or woman must make in life. Will he seek and learn heavenly wisdom, and avoid the foolishness of this world that will destroy him? Or will he weakly let a whorish world take him down the seductive path to hell?

Simple men can learn wisdom and understanding with Lady Wisdom, who wants to serve and help men needing knowledge. They can become wise by filling their lives with God’s precious Word, sound Bible preaching, godly music, and the Lord’s people. To learn from Lady Wisdom, they must shun this world’s ideas, music, entertainment, and friends.

But simple men can also be destroyed by the strange woman, who seeks to take advantage of their ignorance for her own ends. The simple are too ignorant to know her house is the way to death and hell. But the attentive reader is now informed and should ponder what house he has entered. Be not deceived, her pleasure is only for a moment.

Under Gods Command 

Proverbs 28:18 He whose walk is blameless is kept safe, but he whose ways are perverse will suddenly fall.   

Who can save you from falling? God! But He does so by your choices today. If you live a godly and righteous life, He will protect you and prosper you. But if you choose to follow this perverse world and live like them, He will justly leave you to certain destruction.

You are making decisions today that determine how soon you will fall and ruin your life. If you walk wisely according to the words of truth in the Bible, you will be saved from falling and destroying your life. But if you choose to be contrary and rebellious, no one is going to get hurt but you. God and Solomon have already guaranteed your coming ruin.

Walking uprightly is living a lifestyle of godliness, righteousness, and wisdom. Those who do so are the great and noble men of the world, and they are blessed and favored by God and men (Pr 11:5-6; 28:6; Ps 84:11).

Foolish men stumble through life, because they cannot see – their foolish hearts have no light, and they reject the light of Scripture (Pr 4:19) and nature (Rom 1:18-32). But the path of the just is like a sunrise: good and honest men see more and more clearly as they pass through life – missing potholes, pitfalls, and chasms that others fall into (Pr 4:18).

But the best is last! Those who walk uprightly will be saved in the great Day of Judgment unto eternal life, for their good works are the evidence and proof they are God’s elect (II Pet 1:5-11; I Thess 1:2-4; I Tim 6:17-19)! But those that are perverse in their ways shall be cast by God into the lake of fire for eternity (Rev 20:11-15). What a fall that will be!