A Lamp Unto My Feet Bible Study Website
PROVERBS 13:14-25
Lesson #21
THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE
- Memory verse: Pro 13:14
- We continue to see that Proverbs tells us about the qualities of life that please God and those qualities that do not. What is the difference?
- The qualities that do not please God spring from man’s human sinful nature based in man’s ego.
- The qualities that please God spring from the new nature that the believer in Jesus Christ has after receiving Jesus Christ into the heart. These characteristics are Spirit produced that glorify God.
- The first verse in our study gives us the title for our lesson.
- “The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.” (14)
- Key words: law (list of rules); wise (the believer in Jesus Christ).
- The list of commands given by God to the believer in Jesus Christ, are God’s guidance for living the Christian life.
- While Solomon lived during a period of law under the covenant of the Law of Moses, the believer today lives in a period of grace under a new covenant.
- Therefore, the legalistic rules do not apply to the New Testament believer. The Law of Moses was given to the Jews of the Old Testament.
- However, Jesus Christ, the disciples, and the Apostle Paul taught every one of the Ten Commandments from the Law of Moses except one…the command to keep the Sabbath day of rest.
- Read Mat 5:17-48
- “The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.” (14)
| The Ten Commandments from Exo 20 | Corresponding declarations in the New Testament |
| #1 God restricts belief to one God. (3) | Joh 14:6 Act 4:12 |
| #2 God forbid the making and worship of idols and other gods. (4-5) | Mat 22:36-38 2Cor 6:16 1The 1:9 |
| #3 God forbids blasphemy of His name (7) | Act 4:12 |
| #4 God commands the keeping of the Sabbath day of rest (8) | Jesus never commanded that the believer in the New Testament should keep the Sabbath day of rest. Joh 5:2-18 |
| #5 Honor your parents (12) | Mar 7:10-13 |
| #6 You shall not commit murder (13) | Rom 13:9-10 Mat 22:38-40 |
| #7 You shall not commit adultery (14) | Rom 13:9-10 Mat 22:38-40 |
| #8 You shall not steal (15) | Rom 13:9-10 Mat 22:38-40 |
| #9 You shall not give false testimony (16) | Rom 13:9-10 Mat 22:38-40 |
| #10 You shall not covet (17) | Rom 13:9-10 Mat 22:38-40 |
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- “a fountain of life…” or “…the snares of death”
- Eternal life with God comes by means of a fulfilled Law.
- The New Testament tells us that man cannot keep the Law.
- However, in Jesus Christ is all the Law fulfilled so that in this New Testament age of grace, man is not told to keep the Law, but to receive Jesus Christ who already fulfilled it for us.
- When Jesus said, “…I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.” (Joh11:25)
- Jesus Christ is the fountain of life in Proverbs. As we follow God’s plan for our life, he guides us away from sin to give us a successful life on earth and in heaven.
- Without Jesus Christ in your life, you are caught in “…the snares of death.”
- If a person does not have Jesus Christ in his life, he will experience eternal death.
- Eternal death is the separation from God for eternity in the lake of fire. The Bible calls this the “second death” (Rev 2:11 Rev 20:6, 14 Rev 21:8)
- Eternal life with God comes by means of a fulfilled Law.
- “a fountain of life…” or “…the snares of death”
- “Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard.” (15)
- Key words: understanding (discernment of good from evil); transgressor (lawbreaker).
- The Christian that understands God’s moral law is able to discern good from evil so as to make Godly decisions in his life.
- The carnal believer in Christ, that does not live a moral life but instead lives like a non-believer, and the non-believer, that has no concept of the moral laws of God that he breaks, these two types of individuals live a difficult life. Why?
- The carnal believer:
- The carnal believer will discover that he constantly makes bad moral decisions that lead to all kinds of legal complications in his life and personal relationship conflicts.
- The carnal believer struggles with the conviction of sin by the Holy Spirit for which he does not repent. The struggle between the Spirit within him and his old flesh nature is a constant battle. (Rom 7)
- The non-believer:
- The non-believer has no promise of help through difficult times in his life, through times of danger, or through the consequences of his bad decisions.
- Because his decisions are made to fulfill the desires of his flesh nature, he knows in his heart that one day he will answer to God for his decisions and his lifestyle.
- The carnal believer:
- “Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge: but a fool layeth open his folly.” (16)
- Key words: prudent (caution); knowledge (power to know truth); fool (no God for me); folly (wrong way).
- The believer in Jesus Christ has the Holy Spirit living in him (having received Jesus Christ in his heart and life).
- The Holy Spirit reveals to the believer the consequences of certain actions and decisions that he makes. He enables believers to evaluate decisions in the light of truth.
- The Holy Spirit guides the believer away from sin. This produces “caution” in the believer and giving him the character quality of prudence.
- The Holy Spirit gives the believer the power to know the truth of God.
- As the believer lives the Christian life, making decisions and making mistakes, he learns how to walk with God in truth.
- As the believer is guided by the Holy Spirit, he matures in his faith, and he matures in his knowledge of God’s truth.
- The non-believer who wants nothing to do with God or the things of God, will live his life as he desires.
- His lifestyle will openly reveal his mistakes as he constantly goes the wrong way.
- He remains a “fool” when he does not learn that he needs God in his life.
- “A wicked messenger falleth into mischief: but a faithful ambassador is health.” (17)
- Key words: wicked (lawless evil).
- Every person’s life portrays a message. In other words, your life is a testimony of what you believe in your heart.
- The non-believer that lives without the law of God mediating his behavior walks in lawless evil. That evil in his life is his message to those around him.
- You can determine his message by the fruit it produces in his life….mischief.
- His evil lifestyle will produce evil results called “mischief” in this proverb.
- The believer in Jesus Christ will be a faithful ambassador. (Gal 2:20)
- Read 2Cor 5:18-20
- An ambassador is the representative of the government that sent him.
- The non-believer that lives without the law of God mediating his behavior walks in lawless evil. That evil in his life is his message to those around him.
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The believer represents Jesus Christ to other people in his words and in his actions.
His lifestyle is his testimony of the person and power of Christ in his life.
His Godly lifestyle will produce health and salvation to all those around him.
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- “Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.” (18)
- Key words: instruction (moral discipline for discernment); reproof (correction).
- The parallels:
- Poverty and shame/honored
- Refuseth/regardeth
- Instruction/reproof
- The person that refuses God’s moral discipline will come to poverty and shame. What is meant by poverty and shame?
- Poverty of spirit and a reputation of shame.
- The Holy Spirit in the carnal believer is quenched when the believer does not listen to the correction that the Holy Spirit wants to make in a person’s life. (1The 5:18-23)
- The believer that listens to the Holy Spirit’s conviction of sin will be honored by God if he does the following:
- Repent of the sin that the Holy Spirit has revealed to you.
- Be obedient to God’s correction by making changes in your life so as to avoid this sin in the future.
- “The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but it is abomination to fools to depart from evil.” (19)
- Key words: soul (the part that includes emotions, will, and reasoning); abomination (hated); fools (no God for me).
- When a believer does something that fulfills his desire to serve the Lord, the inner satisfaction is so sweet that it makes him want to do more for the Lord.
- The non-believer that does not want anything of God in his life is motivated by his own evil selfishness. To leave his selfish lifestyle is something he would hate to do because he is motivated by evil.
- “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.” (20)
- Key words: wise (the person that lives skillfully); fools (no God for me).
- The wise believer in Jesus Christ will stay in fellowship with other believers. Why?
- Read Heb 10:25
- This proverb tells us that the power of our associations shapes our own character.
- It is through Christian fellowship that the believer grows in his relationship with God.
- Believers encourage and challenge each other, pray for each others, and permit the Holy Spirit to sharpen character qualities in their relationships.
- As we get closer to the second coming of Christ, believers’ survival will depend on helping each other through persecution.
- The non-believer that has nothing to do with God, will choose to fellowship with people who have the same kind of lifestyle as he, a lifestyle of evil, sin, and selfishness, that encourage him to greater sin and selfishness.
- “Evil pursueth sinners: but to the righteous good shall be repayed.” (21)
- Key words: righteous (pure life).
- As the last proverb showed us, we become like that with which we associate, and what we sow we will reap.
- Through the Old Testament God gave the Israelites many promises if they were obedient to follow God’s ways and curses if they did not.
- This conditional aspect of God’s Old Testament Law is changed in the New Testament covenant with Christ
- God promises that even the bad things will turn out for good to those that love God. (Rom 8:28)
- “A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.” (22)
- Key words: just (righteous believer).
- What is the greatest wealth that a believer can leave his children and grandchildren?
- The righteous believer has an eternal perspective of the true riches of life.
- Therefore, his life’s testimony of his relationship with the Lord is the best thing to pass on to our children and your grandchildren.
- How is the wealth of the sinner laid up for the righteous believer?
- The righteous believer will inherit the kingdom of God and all worldly wealth in the millennial kingdom when Christ returns to establish his kingdom on earth.
- “Much food is in the tillage of the poor: but there is that is destroyed for want of judgment.” (23)
- Key words: tillage (farming); judgment (discernment).
- A poor man can find provision for his life if he works in the opportunities that God gives him.
- However, the person that has no discernment of opportunity will not take advantage of God’s guidance but will struggle on his own.
- In the eternal concept of things, the person that does not follow God will suffer destruction of everything he thinks is important. Too late he will discover that worldliness is temporary.
- “He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.” (24)
- Key words: chasteneth (correction).
- The parent that loves his child will correct him so as to guide him into living like an expert. (Eph 6:1,4)
- This proverb tells us that corporal punishment is necessary in a child’s development when it is balanced with unconditional love.
- Spanking with a rod is legitimate even though modern psychology tells us the opposite.
- In the same way, God corrects all believers by means of the conviction of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God because of God’s love for every believer. (Heb 12:6-8) Like every parent God wants believers to walk in holiness and obedience.
- “The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul: but the belly of the wicked shall want.” (25)
- Key words: righteous (pure life); soul (man’s emotions, will, and reasoning); wicked (lawless evil).
- Read Psa 37:25 God’s promise of provision.
- Unconditional love and goodness to others are the only things that truly satisfy the man’s soul.
- The non-believer finds nothing that fully satisfies his inner being because selfishness is never fully satisfied.
- “Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.” (18)
Homework
Proverbs 14:1-18
- Application of Pro 13:14-25
- Why is the law of the wise a fountain of life? (14)
- The Old Testament Law was to point man to Christ. As the Law showed man that he is a sinner that cannot live up to God’s standard, he would come to realize he needs a Savior.
- Why do you think the way of the transgressor is a hard way to live? (15)
- The transgressor knows in his heart there is an eventual judgment. Therefore he is always looking over his shoulder with guilt.
- No one is in control of everything in his life. The transgressor will find out one day that God is the one in control.
- Why is it important to leave an inheritance to your grandchildren? (22)
- The most important wealth a believer can leave to this children and grandchildren is his Christian testimony of how God has changed him and how God works in his life.
- In this modern day we are told not to spank our children because it damages their psyche. Why do you think the Bible tells us to spank our children with a rod? (24)
- A spanking reinforces physically the importance of the moral lesson we are trying to teach them.
- Why is the law of the wise a fountain of life? (14)
- Preparation for Pro 14:1-18
- Read Pro 14:1-18
- How do you think a wise woman builds her house and a foolish one tears it down? (1)
- Use your Proverbs dictionary to explain verse 6.
- Why do you think we cannot trust our own thinking? (12)
- What causes backsliding? (14)
- Explain verse 17.
- Read Pro 14:1-18
- Memory verse: Pro 14:12
