Understanding and Trust - Week 3

Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.

If there is one thing in the world men want, perhaps even besides riches, it is understanding. Think of this, if men did not want understanding, there would be no discovery, no exploration, and none of the striving for knowledge that is the hallmark of human achievement. Yet here we have Solomon's words commanding his son NOT to lean on his own understanding. This statement could probably have many different interpretations. One could emphasize YOUR understanding, as if to say, "Do not simply think your own thoughts, but consider the thoughts of others." One might also say that because the heart is mentioned, Solomon may be pitting intellectual knowledge against feelings and emotions that often sway the understanding. These may be possible interpretations, but the key lies in the phrase, "Trust in the LORD."

When we think of trust, we think of that which sways our thoughts and opinions towards a certain side, sort of like a line in the sand. What we trust becomes the side we take. It is a firm choice that informs our decisions both great and small. The issue of trust really goes to the matter of what we may call a world view. Whatever you put your trust in, that is the lens by which you look at everything around you. If you put your trust in science, you may see everything empirically, that is, you must seek facts, hypotheses, experiments, conclusions, and proofs for everything you see. You could put your trust in riches. Men who do this, usually horde all they can for themselves so that they will always be financially secure. You could put your trust in some governmental or religious body. Men who do this are looking for these groups of people to think for them and help them make their decisions.

In the end, a world view that puts trust in anything but God, particularly the God of the Holy Scriptures, will always end up at themselves. They either see themselves as the ultimate knowledge being able to judge the truth of everything they see, or they give that place to someone or something else they deem to be worthy to be the final judge. We know from other passages of Scripture that all men know their creator and that He is God, but they suppress that truth in their unrighteousness (Rom 1:18-25). In other words, they know who they should trust in, but they reject God and replace Him with themselves.

But the wisest man who ever lived tells us to, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart." The LORD God Who made all things, Who is the fountain of all being, Who is all wise, Who is all knowing, and Who has condescended to reveal Himself to us; surely He is the basis of all understanding. And this is the One Solomon commands us to put our trust in. The LORD and His wisdom and understanding should be our world view and the lens by which we see everything around us. But it is not merely the intellect by which we embrace God for ultimate understanding. We must trust with our whole heart. With the heart we see by faith, not simply with our eyes.

Faith informs our understanding. Faith puts in motion what we believe. Imagine what your life would be like if you knew how to walk, but did not have the ability? You would know in your mind how to stand to your feet and address them to motion. But if the strength were not in your legs, or your muscles; your nerves, and bones were not formed, then you would have the knowledge, but not the ability. Trusting the LORD with your whole heart means that you understand with your mind and you are enabled by the Holy Spirit to do as your understanding dictates. Faith gives you the ability to walk in the way of the LORD.

That brings us to verse 6. These 'ways' are surely only speaking of THE way. Some may interpret this as simply putting God first in everything. But that interpretation leaves many things open that are probably not intended. The business man may think that if he puts God first, his business will prosper. That is not necessary wrong thinking. But if the man only gives lip service to God, or does things in his business that do not really reflect the clear teaching of the Bible, then this verse is misapplied and the man is deceived. However, if we look at these ways as being the one true way, that is, living according to the clear teaching of Scripture - that teaching by which Christ commands us to make disciples - then it really makes a vast improvement on life this side of heaven. The way is not a formula for success in business. The way is not a means to achieve all we want in life. The way is a life of service to God, to learn of Him, to live in godly fear of Him, and to worship and glorify Him; in a word, to live your life for Him.

And surely by living for Him, He will make your paths straight. This does not mean that your path will always be smooth, or that it will be easy, but that He will show you the clear path your life is to take. One of the most frustrating things about being lost in the forest, or in the desert, or in any other place in which you could be lost, is that you cannot see the path to take to the place you need to be. This brings fear, doubt, and desperation. When God makes our paths straight, we may not always know where we are going, or how long it will take to get there. But we always know that we are where God wants us. Instead of fear, we have safety. Instead of doubt, we have certainty. Instead of desperation, we have hope.

In our most dire of circumstances we face as men, if we put our trust in God, and lean upon Him for understanding, and live in His way, He will make our path one of hope and perfect peace.

Assignment:

1.  Memorize Proverbs 3:5-6.
2.  Journal about what it means to acknowledge God. Start with the dictionary definition of acknowledge and then expand that to sermons or teachings you have heard.
3.  Journal about trust. You may jot down people, places, or things in which you put some measure of trust.
4.  Follow this link: Look for some verses that talk about "the way," referencing the way of the LORD, or the way of Christianity. Jot down the ones that you find meaningful.

Do Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly - Week 2

Micah 6:8
He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

The first question of the Westminster Shorter Catechism states, "What is the chief end of man?" This small verse from the prophet Micah answers that question quite simply. Do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly. Simple right? The only problem with this is that it is impossible to do as Adam's sons. We know that we cannot do justly, our hearts are bent on sinning. We also know that our hearts love everything but mercy, especially towards the ones we should love above all. And humility is never near the heart of a man. The field of the heart grows nothing but egocentricity like thicket overgrowing an old forest.

This behavior before God has been put to men in different ways, but always with the same view in mind - blameless. When Abram was first given his promise, the Lord prefaced the covenantal relationship with the command to walk before Him and be blameless (Gen 17:1-2). Doing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly is all part of that concept of blamelessness.

Of course we know that only Jesus could fulfill this type of obedience and behavior. The man Jesus was perfectly just, doing all the will of His Father. He was the soul of compassion and mercy towards those He was sent to seek and to save. And His meekness and humility was unmatched because His heart was perfect towards God.

So if Jesus is the only man who can fulfill this command, what are we to do as men? We are to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly, knowing that it is not we who do it, but Christ in us. Because He saves us fully, not only do we know the righteousness of Christ, by which we are justified, but His power to save also sanctifies us, and enables us, as the catechism puts it, to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness. The perfect salvation through Christ in God enables the man of God to do what the Lord requires.

Is any one of these more important than the other? Men can fall into the trap of making it more important to do justly than to love mercy. This was the problem of the Pharisees and Jesus chastised them for it. They would go out of their way to appear just, but neglected the mercy they should have shown to their fellow man and particularly, to the widows and the orphans, and the strangers within their gates. But men should also not reverse these precepts so that they believe themselves to be merciful, but at the same time forgetting the law of God. These two traps are called legalism and antinomianism. One puts the law above grace and mercy, and the other elevates grace and mercy and neglects the law. A man must fall into neither of these traps, but must remain on the straight path to enter into the straight and narrow gate.

There is also a great mystery in the phrase, "to love kindness," or one could also use mercy, or lovingkindness, or God's covenant love. Because this is the same Hebrew word for God's covenant love, we might say that it is not enough to desire to be kind to those who show us kindness. Jesus told us that if we love only those who love us we are really no better than sinners and tax collectors. But this goes deeper. To love or desire God's covenant love means that we love others in the same way He has loved us. And how has He loved us? He loved us even when we were dead in our trespasses and sins, and sent His Son to redeem us from the pit and to make us alive so that we can live forever. How much lovingkindness have we been shown? Paul says that we were once alienated from the commonwealth of Israel (Eph 2:12), meaning, that we were outside God's covenant. But He has brought us in and given us sonship through adoption (Eph 1:5), so that we may be part of His family, and have Jesus as our brother (Heb 2:11). Therefore, we should be all the more willing to share that love with everyone. Although we cannot bring anyone into covenant with God, or make them part of God's family, we can allow them into our lives and share with them the bread of life so that they may taste and see that the Lord is good. Not all will come, but it is not in our power to save. We can only point the way to Christ.

This is the great design of the Christian life. Men are to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly. By doing this we not only show our love and gratitude to Christ who saves us, but we also shine His light before men so that they may turn to Him for their salvation.

Assignment:

1.  Memorize this short verse over the week.

2.  Journal all the ways you can think of how God has been merciful to you.

3.  Read Romans 3:21-31. Jot down some ideas about how that passage relates Micah 6:8. Hint: look for words like just, justified, justifier, redemption, and boasting.

Blessed is the Man - Week 1

Psalm 1
1 Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

3 He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6 for the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.

Blessed is the man. There are two points of emphasis in this sentence. The word blessed is the first and the word man is the second. Looking at the second one first, the Hebrew word for man has different meanings. For instance, it can simply refer to a man, or it can also be used for husband, which would denote a married man. But the word is never used to describe a boy or a young child, so it would seem to refer only to a male of a certain age. Although it would be correct to say that the teaching of this Psalm is for all men, women, boys, and girls, there is nothing wrong with saying that a man would need to pay particular attention to these words.

In the emphasis on the word blessed, we see at least two things of importance. First, that blessing in this Psalm is juxtaposed to cursing. The blessed man does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers. This implies that the cursed man does do the things a blessed man does not. Later on we see that the blessed man is like a firmly planted tree, whereas the cursed man is like the chaff the wind drives away. Most importantly, we see that the cursed man will not stand in judgment and will be condemned with all the unrighteous, but the blessed man will be acquitted in judgment and have his dwelling among the righteous. These two comparisons will be the end of all men. Either they will be counted among the righteous and live, or be counted among the sinners and be sentenced to death.

The second thing we see about the word blessed is that there are particular things a man does when he is blessed. Some would say that the man who is blessed does these things to obtain the blessings described. But the pattern of Scripture shows that the man is blessed of God because of grace, not because he has done something to earn God’s favor. So, the man who is blessed of God by grace will not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, will not stand in the way of sinners, or be seated with the scoffers, but his delight will be in the law of God. These things he does, not to obtain the blessing of God, but rather because he is blessed of God already. God firmly establishes him like a tree planted by streams of water, bearing fruit in season. And never seeing his leaves wither, he prospers in everything he does. The man is well known by the Lord because he has been justified by His grace. His sinful self has been redeemed by the sinless Savior. His unrighteousness has been graciously exchanged through imputation, for the righteousness of Christ. And because of that, because of being known by Christ and being the recipient of all His benefits, the man may walk uprightly in the way of the righteous and receive the ultimate blessing of eternal life with God in Christ.

Therefore a man should walk uprightly, and seek the wisdom of the righteous. He should walk humbly, as one blessed already. He should walk as one whose path has already been firmly planted by streams of living water in the city of the righteous.

Examine your ways and think about how you walk. Do you walk as one who is already blessed? Or, do you seek the blessings of the world? Do you listen to ungodly people? Do they help you frame your opinions? Do you find yourself scoffing or doubting or being cynical of the way of the Lord? Do you think about the law of God and try to obey it? Is your conscience pricked when you sin? Are you bearing fruit? Do you seek the forgiveness of the Lord for your sins? Is your knowledge of the Lord increasing?

All of these things will be searched and explored in the contemplations before us. We will endeavor to learn how this Psalm will form the basis of our lives as men before God.

Assignment:

1.  Take the week to memorize Psalm 1. Hint: Memorize one verse at a time, each day adding one more.
2.  Journal about things you hear during the week and categorize them into godly and ungodly counsel. Also note how they may form your opinions about your life, relationships, hobbies, career choices, etc.
3.  Journal about how you believe God has blessed you.