Proverbs 12:2
A good man obtaineth favour of the LORD:
But a man of wicked devices will He condemn.
A good man obtaineth favour of the LORD:
But a man of wicked devices will He condemn.
Literal translation: the man of wicked devices, He declares wrong.
Yahweh loves to teach us through contrasts. In this statement, the ‘good man’ is contrasted with the ‘man of wicked devices’, and the ‘favour of the Lord’ is contrasted with one whom ‘He condemns’, ‘declares wrong’.
In Exodus and Leviticus, we learn that before we approach God, our sin needs to be atoned through the death of an innocent soul. This concept is confirmed in the Gospels that teach us that Jesus was that innocent soul through which we approach God. This teaches us that none of us are good; that none in this world is good enough to incur God’s favour, but that though Jesus we have it.
In the end, when the books are opened, when truth is revealed, when games are over, we will look around us and see who truly was ‘good’, who truly had Jesus in them because we will hear the words of favour God will impart to them; in the end, when games are over.
It will also be declared at that time who was the hypocrite; who pretended; who had a form of godliness while denying the power thereof. We will see who did the motions of obedience; whose lips worshipped Him while their hearts was far away from Him. In the end, when games are over, all will be declared because we will also see who He declares wrong.
The apostle admonished us with, it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. Hebrews 9:27-28.
It is not on our deathbed that we need to take stock of our life; it is too late then. We may not even have a deathbed; we may die suddenly without even having the time to think about it. It is now that we need to get prepared.
Yahweh loves to teach us through contrasts. In this statement, the ‘good man’ is contrasted with the ‘man of wicked devices’, and the ‘favour of the Lord’ is contrasted with one whom ‘He condemns’, ‘declares wrong’.
In Exodus and Leviticus, we learn that before we approach God, our sin needs to be atoned through the death of an innocent soul. This concept is confirmed in the Gospels that teach us that Jesus was that innocent soul through which we approach God. This teaches us that none of us are good; that none in this world is good enough to incur God’s favour, but that though Jesus we have it.
In the end, when the books are opened, when truth is revealed, when games are over, we will look around us and see who truly was ‘good’, who truly had Jesus in them because we will hear the words of favour God will impart to them; in the end, when games are over.
It will also be declared at that time who was the hypocrite; who pretended; who had a form of godliness while denying the power thereof. We will see who did the motions of obedience; whose lips worshipped Him while their hearts was far away from Him. In the end, when games are over, all will be declared because we will also see who He declares wrong.
The apostle admonished us with, it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. Hebrews 9:27-28.
It is not on our deathbed that we need to take stock of our life; it is too late then. We may not even have a deathbed; we may die suddenly without even having the time to think about it. It is now that we need to get prepared.
It is now that we need to look at our life and compare it with the life He would have us live according to the commandments He gave us in His beloved Toratic Instructions.
It is now that we need to ask ourselves if we truly live in obedience to His Words or if we follow the easy road of the traditions and interpretations of man.
It is now that we need to take a look at our personal creed and see how we may have rationalized His words to fit our own comfort.
It is now that we need to ask ourselves the hard questions: Have I changed the image of God from what He is to what I want Him to be? Is my love for Him only in lip worship, or is it from a heart that dictates every motion of my body and of my mind? What if I lived with my spouse that same way I live with God, how would he/she feel?
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