The upright life of the Christians (2)
[Proverbs 20:19-25]
During the past two weeks, we have been taught four lessons on how to live a upright life as Christians under the heading “The upright life of the Christians (1)” based on Proverbs 20:13-18. Those four were lessons on the right way of life, right words, right love, and right management. A Christian's right way of life was to work diligently (v. 13), a right word was not to boast of ourselves (v. 14) and not to deceive (lie) (v. 17), and instead speak the wise words (v. 15). And we were taught that the love of the Christian is to be careful not to be a guarantee for others, and the love of neighbor also needs self-control (v. 16). Finally, we receive a lesson that Christians need advice and guidance in the correct management of Christians (v. 18). In particular, because we entrust our management to God, only God's management should be done through our management. Today, I would like to receive five lessons on how to live a right life in the sight of God as Christians under the title of “The upright life of the Christian (2),” based on Proverbs 20:19-25.
First, in order for us as Christians to live the right life in God’s sight we must have the right relationship.
How should we be in good relationship with others as Christians? Don’t you think that sometimes having good relationship with other people is beyond your capacity? I think there are people around us who are very hard to accept and to build relationship with. The relationship is very difficult because there are people who make us hard and hurt our hearts. In particular, those who are working will know how difficult relationship is as they work with their bosses and co-workers. One study found that there are two major workplace difficulties. One is the difficulty of work and the other is the difficulty of human relations. But here, the difficulty of human relations is twice that of work. What do you think?
When I think about the right relationship of the Christians, it reminds me Proverbs 3:27-25. As I meditated on that passage, I learned three principles about the relationship of the wise:
(1) The first principle about the relationship of the wise is that we shouldn’t withhold good from those to whom it is due.
Look at Proverbs 3:27-28: “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in your power to do it. Do not say to your neighbor, "Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it," When you have it with you.” When it is in our power to do it, we shouldn’t withhold good from those to whom it is due. We shouldn’t say to our neighbor to go and come back, and we will give it tomorrow.
(2) The second principle about the relationship of the wise is that we shouldn’t contend with another person without cause.
Look at Proverbs 3:29-30: “Do not devise harm against your neighbor, While he lives securely beside you. Do not contend with a man without cause, If he has done you no harm.” We shouldn’t start an argument and contend without cause.
(3) The third principle about the relationship of the wise is that we shouldn’t envy a man of violence.
Look at Proverbs 3:31 – “Do not envy a man of violence And do not choose any of his ways.” The reason is because God detests a perverse man (v. 32), His curse is on the house of the wicked (v. 33), He mocks proud mockers (v. 34) and He holds up the fools to shame (v. 35).
In Proverbs 20:19-22, we can think of three lessons about the right relationship of the Christians that God teaches us:
(1) We shouldn’t associate with a gossiper.
Look at Proverbs 20:19 – “He who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets, Therefore do not associate with a gossip.” Here, a person who talks a lot is a person who goes about as a slanderer. And the person who goes about as the slanderer reveals secret. S/he especially reveals other person’s confidential information. In fact, s/he is a gossiper. The Bible tells us not to associate with the gossiper (v. 19). Then why shouldn’t we associate with the gossiper? The reason is because such a person reveals the secrets of others (v. 19, 11:13). In other words, the reason we shouldn’t associate with the gossiper is because such a person loses trust. In addition to this reason, reading the book of Proverbs teaches us another reason why we shouldn’t associate with the gossiper. And the reason is that gossiper causes quarrels. Look at Proverbs 26:20 – “Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down.” Another reason is that gossiper separates close friends. Look Proverbs 16:28 – “A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends.” Don't you think that the gossiper who likes to talk about other people stirs up dissension and separates close friends? Not only the gossiper separates close friends, but also siblings and even the couple relationship. How does the gossiper separates them? They do so by lying. Look at Proverbs 6:19 – “a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.” Therefore, we shouldn’t associate with the gossiper.
(2) We shouldn’t curse our parents.
Look at Proverbs 20:20 – “He who curses his father or his mother, His lamp will go out in time of darkness.” When you hear this word, won’t you think in your mind that who will curse their own parents? However, in the original Hebrew, the word "curse" means not only "curse" but also "belittle" (Vine). That means that the phrase “He who curse his father or his mother” can mean ‘He who belittle his father or his mother’. Now, doesn't that change the problem? Although we have never cursed our parents, we may have belittled them. We may have esteemed them lightly, underestimated them and despised them. This is what Matthew 15:4 says: “For God said, 'Honor your father and mother' and 'Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.'” In the Old Testament, those who curse their parents or belittle them violate the command of “honor your parents,” which is the fifth commandment of the Ten Commandments (Exod. 20:12). The penalty for the violation is stated in Exodus 21:17 – “Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death” (cf. Lev. 20:9). One commentator says that this punishment not only applied to those who curse their parents, but also those who rebel against their parents (Walvoord). In Proverbs 20:20, the lamp of he who curses his father or his mother will go out in time of darkness refers to death (Walvoord). Therefore, we shouldn’t curse our parents, but rather we should bless them. And we shouldn’t belittle our parents but value them highly. We should also respect and honor them without disregarding them.
(3) We shouldn’t revenge.
Look at Proverbs 20:22 – “Do not say, "I will repay evil"; Wait for the LORD, and He will save you.” If someone has hurt us in a relationship, our nature is to repay him for the pain we've suffered. In fact, we prefer the word “hate your enemy” rather than “Love your neighbor” (Mt. 5:43). It’s our nature to “Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot” (Deut. 19:21). So God tells us in Proverbs 24:29 – “Do not say, "I'll do to him as he has done to me; I'll pay that man back for what he did.” Also Proverbs 20:22 says “Do not say, ‘I will repay evil’.” That means that even the other person hurt us, we shouldn’t hurt him or her back. Don’t we say that if we do that, we will be the same person? If we are true Christians, shouldn't we be different from the people in this world? One of the things that we should be different is waiting for God instead of repaying evil (Prov. 20:22). In order to understand what it means to wait for God we must look at Romans 12:19 – “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.” The reason why we should wait for God instead of repaying evil is because it is God’s to avenge and not us. Therefore, we must wait and believe that God will repay for us. This is what Deuteronomy 32:35 says: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them.” What does it mean? It means that revenge is God's. Look at Nahum 1:2 – “The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD takes vengeance and is filled with wrath. The LORD takes vengeance on his foes and maintains his wrath against his enemies.” When it is time for God’s vengeance (Jere. 51:6) God will repay for us. Therefore, we must not repay. We must believe in God and wait. God will take revenge and deliver us in God's time.
Second, in order for us as Christians to live the right life in God’s sight we must have the right inheritance perspective.
What is “inheritance”? According to the Internet Wikipedia inheritance is the comprehensive succession of property and status by the death of a person and the center of inheritance lies in inheritance of fortune (Wikipedia). Look at Proverbs 20:21 – “An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning will not be blessed at the end.” The phrase “An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning” probably indicates that the child had asked his father for a fortune to be passed on to him (Walvoord). A good example is the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-20. The second son said to his father, “Father, give me my share of the estate” (v. 12). So the father divided his property between them (v. 12). Think about how the second son felt when he received his property. Wouldn't it be nice to receive a portion of your parents' property as your inheritance little bit earlier? But what does the Bible say? The younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living (v. 13). After all, the younger son was not blessed by his inheritance (Prov. 20:21). Dr. Park Yoon-sun interpreted Proverbs 20:21 in relation to verse 20. He said that “a man curses his father or mother” (v. 20) is the man whose behavior and character is bad. Also, he said verses 20 and 21 are talking about this man who speaks against his parents and disobey them because of the property problem. He said that the people whose behavior and character is bad often conflict with their parents by forcing their rights without having to fulfill their responsibilities, mainly because of the financial problem. Ads they do so, they also use abuse and curse (Park). I think it makes sense. And I personally think that it is ugly to see children fighting over their parents' inheritance. Not long ago, I noticed that the couple of Korea's big business presidents who have a lot of wealth were fighting over their father’s inheritance. When I heard the news about that, I don’t think that was good example to others. That is why I fully agree with Proverbs 20:21. One interesting point is that verse 21 has both the word “the beginning” and “the end”. After all, when we inherit our inheritance from our parents quickly, we may feel happy at the beginning because we think that we are materially blessed. But at the end that inheritance will not be blessed. Not only that, I think that the children will dispute with each other over their parents’ inheritance and their sibling relationship will be cut off.
I read one of the articles published in the Internet Korean Newspaper that introduced fifteen rich people who refused to give their property to their children. They were referred to as ‘The rich people who refused their inheritance.’ Among those fifteen people, we are familiar with some of the names such as Warren Buffett, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, eBay founder Pierre Omidiar, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Hong Kong Actor Jackin Chan. Their motto is that inherited wealth can ruin humans. So an important figure in oil industry Pickens said: ‘I like to make money and donate. … But I don't like to inherit my money (to my children) because it usually does more harm than good.’ A Hong Kong action star Jackie Chan said, ‘If my son is capable, he will make money on his own. If not, he will just waste my money.’ And this is what Warren Buffett said: ‘I want to give my children enough money to think that they can do something with it. But I don't want to give them so that they don’t have to do anything.’ What do you think? What do you think about inheriting your wealth to your children?
If non-believers have this kind of inheritance perspective, how about us, the believers? Shouldn’t we have the right inheritance perspective in God’s sight and not in the eyes of people? What is the right perspective of inheritance in God's eyes? What does the Bible says about the inheritance that we the children of God should have?
(1) We must remember that we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.
Look at Romans 8:17 – “Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” Who is a heir? Isn’t it a person inheriting the property? It means a property inheritor of God's kingdom. By God’s grace, we have become heirs of God through faith in Jesus Christ. We also became heirs with Jesus Christ (Eph. 3:6). We have become property inheritors of the kingdom of God. We must keep this in mind.
(2) We must be thankful for the fact that we have inherited eternal life.
Look at Matthew 19:29 – “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.” As heirs of God, we have inherited eternal life through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is God's total grace. Apostle Paul said in Titus 3:7 – “so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” By the grace of God we became the heirs who have the hope of eternal life. We should be grateful for this grace of God.
(3) We must seek for the glorious new body and the heavenly dwelling heirs prepared in heaven.
Look at Philippians 3:20-21: “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” The day that Jesus will come again, we will be like His glorious body. And we will enter the heavenly dwellings that the Lord has prepared (Jn. 14:1-3) and live with Him forever. Therefore, we, as heirs of God, those who have eternal life, are to live on earth, longing for the body of glory and eternal heavenly dwelling which will be inherited by us in the future.
(4) We should value the wisdom of heavenly Father God more than inheritance from our physical parents.
Look at Proverbs 19:14 – “Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the LORD.” The inheritance we receive from our parents (house or riches) is precious, but even more precious is a wise wife from God. The focus here is “wisdom” rather than wife. In other words, the inheritance we receive from God is wisdom. We should value this wisdom more than our homes or our wealth.
Third, in order for us as Christians to live the right life in God’s sight we must have the right business perspective.
Look at Proverbs 20:23 – “The LORD detests differing weights, and dishonest scales do not please him.” If I think about “scales”, Proverbs 16:11 comes to my mind: “Honest scales and balances are from the LORD; all the weights in the bag are of his making.” Here, “scales,” “balances,” and “weights” refers to “scale.” And this scale measure accurately. In other words, this scale is a “fair” scale. In other words, it is the consistent scale. In addition to Proverbs 20:23, in verse 10, King Solomon says as follow: “Differing weights and differing measures-- the LORD detests them both.” What does it mean? It means that a wise Christian who fears God hates the differing scale that God hates. In other words, the wise Christians hate deception, which God hates. Thus we must hate the dishonesty that God hates. Rather, we must delight in accurate weights just as the accurate weights are God’s delight (11:1). In other words, we must be honest.
Perhaps in King Solomon's day some of the merchants deceived their customers by using their weights to deceive them from the quality, weight, or quantity of their goods (see Prov. 11:1). The way that the merchants deceived their customers was by using the 'double scale'. In other words, while the dishonest merchants used the light and small scale to give less grain when they sold grain, they used the heavy and bigger scale when they bought grain. If this applies to the reality in which we live, we can receive valuable lessons about how Christians in business should do the right work in the sight of God. In short, the lesson is to do business with the right business perspective. Here, the right business perspective is to seek honesty that God is pleased with, but hate the dishonesty that God hates. If we Christian merchants are dishonest in our commercial conduct, we must remember that God hates dishonest commercial conduct. Never should we do dishonestly for unrighteous gain. Rather, we must be honest in our commercial conduct.
In addition, the Bible tells us more about the right business perspective. One of them is found in James 4:13-17: “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.’ As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.” There are three lessons that Christian businessmen should learn from this Word:
(1) The Christian businessmen must do good.
Look at James 4:17 – “Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.” The Christian businessmen need to know how to do good. The Bible says that even though they know they suppose to do good but don’t do it, it's sin. Look at 1 Timothy 6:18 – “Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.” The Christian businessmen should be generous. They should be willing to share and do a lot of good work. Look at Hebrews 13:16 – “And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” The sacrifices that God is pleased with is doing good and sharing with others. Look at 2 Thessalonians 3:13 – “And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right.” If the Christian businessmen do good in their own strength, they will one day get tired and discouraged. But they will not be discouraged if they do good by the power of grace that God supplies.
(2) The Christian businessmen should not boast in their arrogance.
Look at James 4:16 – “But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.” The Bible says that it is evil for the Christian businessmen to boast in their arrogance. Look at Jeremiah 9:23 – “… let not a rich man boast of his riches.” Look at Psalms 49:6 – “Even those who trust in their wealth And boast in the abundance of their riches?” The Bible says not to trust in our wealth and not to boast our wealth. Rather, the Bible tells us to depend on God. And this is what the Bible says about boasting: “But, ‘Let him who boasts boast in the Lord’” (2 Cor. 10:17), “If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness” (11:30). The Christian businessmen should not boast of their strong things, but of their weaknesses. And they must boast in the Lord. Look at Jeremiah 9:23-24: “Thus says the LORD, "Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things," declares the LORD.” We should boast of knowing God. God is pleased with this.
(3) The Christian businessmen should have attitude and habit of saying that “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that”, knowing that they are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away in the midst of planning to make a profit by doing business.
Look at James 4: 14-15: “Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.’” I think it’s not easy to have this attitude and habit. We need to intentionally strive to do so with God's help while we are praying to God. One of those efforts we can make is, in my case, I meditate on is this words of James that we are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away as I drive on a foggy day. When I see the fog, I think about the fact that my life is like a mist that appears for a little while and quickly disappears. When I keep on doing so, then I have more view of death. The Christian businessmen should also have the death perspective and ask themselves what kind of profit they should make. It is necessary for them to think and pray about what is more valuable and eternal and what God wants from them through their business.
In addition to James 4:13-17, there is another Bible verse that the Christian businessmen must know. It is Deuteronomy 8:17-18a: “"Otherwise, you may say in your heart, 'My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth.' "But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, ….” We must keep in mind that it’s not our power and the strength of our hands that made us our wealth. We must never forget that we have wealth because God has given us the power to make wealth. The Christian businessmen who believe this truth will surely use their God-given wealth wisely for God’s glory and not in vain.
The Christian businessmen must have the right business perspective. The right business perspective is to do business honestly. And the Christian businessmen must do good and don't boast in arrogance. And they should know that their life is a mist that disappears after a short time. So they need to have attitude and habit of saying, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” And when they have gained wealth, they should not say “My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth.” Rather, they must remember that it is God who is giving them power to make wealth.
Fourth, in order for us as Christians to live the right life in God’s sight we must have the right future perspective.
Look at Proverbs 20:24 – “A man's steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand his own way?” Have you ever made plans in your own life and pursued for your purpose, and eventually didn’t go according to your plan? When that happens, what do we usually think about? Have you ever thought that ‘My work doesn’t go as well as I want’? If our work doesn’t go as well as we want, how can it go well as we planned about our future and work hard to achieve it? Sometimes it goes well with our plan, but more often, it doesn’t go well as we plan and we face difficulties. I remember what the Bible says in Ecclesiastes 7:14 – “When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future.” What does it mean? It means that we should rejoice when everything goes well, but we must think when we go through difficulties. God gives to us both happiness and difficulties so that we cannot know what will happen next. We must realize that we don’t know what will happen next.
We can be happy when things are going well. We can rejoice and feel happiness when everything is successful. The question is, what should we do when we are in trouble? When the Shepherd Lord makes us lie down in green pastures and leads us beside quiet waters (Ps. 23:2), there is no problem. But what should we do when we choose to walk through the valley of the shadow of death? (v. 4) The Bible says to consider (Eccle. 7:14). What does it mean? It means that we need to look back on the past when we faced hardships and difficulties. And as we look back on the past, we must remember how God delivered us from our hardships and difficulties and how He showed His grace of deliverance to us. This is the right perspective of the past. Then we can believe that the God of salvation will save us from the difficulties we face in the present. Then we can face the present difficult reality with faith and with confidence in deliverance. Although the difficult circumstances have not changed yet, we have changed in which we can boldly go through those difficult circumstances by faith. Why does God not only give us the happiness of prosperity, but also allow us to go through hardships and difficulties? The reason for this is so that we cannot discover anything about our future (Eccle. 7:14). Although we may look better if we know what will happen in our future, we will surely sin more and more against God if we know our future. If we know our future, we will certainly be proud and not trust in God. And we will try to live our lives as our own. Not only we can be lazy, but we can also live our lives however we want to live. It is better not to know the future. It's no fun to know the score before the soccer game is over. We don't want to see it at all. We need not to know. We must not know our future. But what is certain is that only God knows our future. This is what God says in Isaiah 44:7 – “Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and lay out before me what has happened since I established my ancient people, and what is yet to come-- yes, let him foretell what will come.” Who can say what is going to happen in the future? Who can tell us about the future work? There is no one in the world who can speak boldly with confidence what will happen in the future. Only the omniscient God knows the future. And all future work is done only by God's sovereign will in His providence. Therefore, we should listen to these words: “To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the LORD comes the reply of the tongue. … In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.” What does it mean? It means that even though we plan our way with our hearts, it is God who leads our steps. God, who guides our paths, tells us: “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” We must know this thought of God. We must believe in this God's thoughts toward us. And this thought of God must be our thought as well. In other words, we must live by faith with the future and hope in the Lord. In prosperity as well as in hardship, we must live by faith with the future and hope.
What is our future and hope? Isn't it the Second Coming of Jesus? We must hope and be convinced by faith in the Second Coming of Jesus. And knowing that we will stand before the Lord and will settle account with Him in the future, we must faithfully take on the mission the Lord has entrusted to us on earth. We believe that Jesus, who was the same yesterday, today, and forever, will be with us (Heb. 13:8).
Fifth, in order for us as Christians to live the right life in God’s sight we must have the right devotion perspective.
Look at Proverbs 20:25 – “It is a trap for a man to dedicate something rashly and only later to consider his vows.” Who do you think of in the Bible when you think about a person who made a vow in prayer? I think of Hannah in 1 Samuel 1. As we already know, “Hanna” was a woman whose womb the Lord closed (1 Sam. 1:5-6) who offered a vow to God. Look at 1 Samuel 1:10-11: “In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the LORD. And she made a vow, saying, "O LORD Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant's misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.” God remembered Hannah, who had made the vow to God (v. 19), and she conceived and gave birth to a son named Samuel (v. 20). Hannah, after weaning the baby Samuel as she had made the vow to God, actually took him to the house of the Lord (v. 24) and gave the child to God for the rest of his life (v. 28). Listen to what she said to the priest Eli: “… As surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the LORD. I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD." And he worshiped the LORD there.” Hannah gave her precious son Samuel to God. This is the dedication that we should learn. Another good example of dedication comes out in the Jesus’ story in the New Testament. It is none other than the story of a woman named Mary who poured “a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume” on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair (Jn. 12:3). Here, the woman “Mary” is not the mother of Jesus, but the younger sister of Lazarus who died and was raised again and of Martha. She was the woman who broke the jar of perfume and poured the perfume on the head and the feet of Jesus who came to Bethany before going to Jerusalem. “But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, ‘Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages’” (vv. 4-5). He said this not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief. As keeper of the money bag, Judah Iscariot used to help himself to what was put into it (v. 6). When we think of these words, we may think that there are devotees like Mary in the church and thieves like Judas Iscariot. When I think of these two groups of people, I think there are people in the church who have the right devotion and the wrong devotion.
Let’s think about who are the Christians who have the wrong perspective of devotion in three ways:
(1) The Christians who have the wrong perspective of devotion devote their lips only.
Honestly, how many people in the church are dedicated to the Lord by word only and serve the Lord's church only by word? They are just talkative. They talk about serving but they have no action. These devotees who serve the Lord’s church with only their mouth never benefit the church. Rather, it is more likely them to cause problems in the church.
(2) The Christians who have the wrong perspective of devotion are coveted people in their hearts.
There are people within the church who not only talk about serving but also actually serving the Lord’s church but with impure motives. These are those who serve the church with covetousness in their hearts. There is danger for these devotees to harm the church.
(3) The Christians who have the wrong perspective of devotion are those who are rashly devoted to God.
Look at Proverbs 20:25 – “It is a trap for a man to dedicate something rashly and only later to consider his vows.” Here, dedicate something rashly refers to a person who vows to give something to God and thinks again. And the rash devotee says: “My vow was a mistake” (Eccl. 5:6). For example, you dedicated your life to God when you received the word of God and His grace at the revival meeting. But after the revival meeting, you don’t keep your vow to God because when you think about it again, you cannot dedicate your life to Him. Look at Deuteronomy 23:21-23: “If you make a vow to the LORD your God, do not be slow to pay it, for the LORD your God will certainly demand it of you and you will be guilty of sin. But if you refrain from making a vow, you will not be guilty. Whatever your lips utter you must be sure to do, because you made your vow freely to the LORD your God with your own mouth.” Look at Numbers 30:2 – “When a man makes a vow to the LORD or takes an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word but must do everything he said.”
Then who are the Christians who have the right perspective of devotion?
(1) The Christians who have the right perspective of devotion are the ones who faithfully fulfills their vows to God and don’t think twice.
(2) The Christians who have the right perspective of devotion are the ones who devote to God joyfully.
Look at Psalms 110:3 – “Your people will volunteer freely in the day of Your power; In holy array, from the womb of the dawn, Your youth are to You as the dew.” The Christians who have the right perspective of devotion are willing to devote themselves and their hearts are honest. This is because they know that God searches their hearts and delights in honesty. Look at 1 Chronicles 29:17 – “Since I know, O my God, that You try the heart and delight in uprightness, I, in the integrity of my heart, have willingly offered all these things; so now with joy I have seen Your people, who are present here, make their offerings willingly to You.”
(3) The Christians who have the right perspective of devotion humbly offer what they have to God.
Look at 1 Chronicles 29:14 – “But who am I and who are my people that we should be able to offer as generously as this? For all things come from You, and from Your hand we have given You.”
We should not be devoted to God rashly. We should not dedicate ourselves to God with impure motives. And we should not dedicate ourselves to God only in words. Rather, we must keep our vows carefully to God. And we should devote to God humbly and joyfully.
Today we have five lessons about the upright Christian life. We learned about the right relationship between Christians, the right view of inheritance, the right view of business, the right view of the future, and the right view of devotion. May we all practice and live a righteous life as a Christian and give glory to God.