Proverbs 1:7
The fear of The LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Knowledge is based on experience and observation. The knowledge we have in life is the wisdom of our years applied to our daily lives. Wisdom is applied knowledge. We have learned from our mistakes, and no longer make foolish decisions that would detrimentally impact the life we choose to live now.
Even when our lives are given over to God, these same statements can be made. The fear of The Lord is the Beginning of Knowledge. But not only the beginning. The fear of The Lord remains with us; for we do not want to incur God's wrath, only His blessings.
We experience God when we first come to saving grace through His Only Begotten Son Jesus Christ. [Ephesians 2:8,9]. We experience God when we choose to be obedient and put Him first in our lives. [Psalm 63:1; Exodus 20:3-7; 1 Corinthians 8:6].
We experience God when we talk to Him. [Philippians 4:6]. We experience God when we walk with Him. [1 Thessalonians 4:1]. We experience God when we see His handiwork and recognize it as His creations. [Psalm 19:1-6; Psalm 66; Genesis 1; Colossians 1:16].
This is the beginning of knowledge.
We observe all that God is doing in our lives. For starters, He has changed us from "a people lost in darkness" to "a people who live in The Light". Before we came the knowledge of saving grace through Jesus Christ, we lived sin-filled lives. We wasted our finances on worldly investments, which only dragged us lower and eventually we hit rock-bottom where we landed on The Rock: Jesus Christ.
We recognized that God is God and saw that His Word is True. We came to Him through Jesus Christ and He forgave us of our sins. By the blood of His Holy Lamb God washed away the stench and stain of sin in our hearts. And gave us His Holy Spirit to both teach us God's Way and God's Word, and to Advocate for us on our behalf. This, too, is the beginning of knowledge.
But with this Word of Knowledge comes a warning:
"Fools despise wisdom and instruction."
Who is a fool? I'm drawing on The Topical Lexicon here:
Someone who knows The Truth and rejects It.
We know that The Truth is Jesus Christ. So, a fool must be someone who has known The Truth of God's Word, then rejected it for one reason or another.
John 3:19
“And this is the condemnation, that Light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than Light, because their deeds were evil.”
(Condemnation: judgment, verdict, the cause for indictment)
Someone who is morally and spiritually corrupt.
It is impossible to be a faithful God-fearing Christian and still harbor or hide a secret life from prying eyes. Someone is always watching, especially in this day and age. Be Warned: God can still see hearts and He knows who belongs to Him and who does not. [1 John 3:8; Matthew 7:23]
2 Timothy 2:19
Nevertheless the Foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names The Name of Christ depart from iniquity.”
Fools are impulsive: they do without thinking of the consequences of their actions. They make rash decisions and blame others for the fallout [Proverbs 10:14; 12:16; Job 5:2].
Fools mock sin [Proverbs 14:9]. And in doing so, are mocking the atonement made for sin. Their mocking laughter fills the streets, but their hearts are not joyful. By heckling and harassing the believer, they hope to elevate themselves in the eyes of their peers, but their hearts remain as hateful to their peers as to themselves.
Fools deny The Truth vehemently. They refuse to believe that God became a man to save mankind from the punishment of death. In their refusal they have condemned themselves, and so will reap the consequences of their unbelief.
John 3:18
“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in The Name of The Only Begotten Son of God.”
Fools live their lives in vain. In their foolish hearts they have rejected God, God's Authority, God's Word, and God's Spirit. By denying God, they have submitted to lies and the father of lies. They seek the wealth of this world, instead of the riches of heaven. They ponder the meaning of life, instead of seeking it.
They torment themselves and each other in their vain attempts to reach the epitomes of their goals. Fools are self-seeking, not God-seeking: fame (having their names known), fortune (wealth of this world), and glory (prideful accomplishments) marks their endeavors. What is done for self will be rewarded in the second resurrection: eternal damnation and then the lake of fire [Revelation 20:6; 21:8].
Therefore, the warning is put forth to you today:
John 5:24
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My Word and believes in Him Who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.”
John 3:3
Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Do you believe? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is Lord? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is God's Only Begotten Son? that He died on the cross for your sins so that you wouldn't have to die?
Are you ready? Are you ready to serve God and live? or do you wish to remain in the filth of your sins? Do you wish to remain in the pigsty and eat slop? or are you ready to run to The Father and dine on His Bread and His Water?
IS HE WORTHY - Chris Tomlin
