Day 9 – Despising the Word
(Pro 13:13) Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded. When I read that God’s Word is forever and never to fail, I think of His creation and the stability some of it has. For example, Mount Everest stands tall and seemingly appears to be eternal because of its grandeur.
I also look at stalagtites and stalagmites as a good example of God’s Word. The initial Word is the same but we, spiritually, continue to grow as we read and apply the Word to our hearts. Conviction, meditation, and application are how the Holy Spirit uses the Word to grow us to be more Christ-like.
The Word of God is ever lasting. It was in the beginning according to (Joh 1:1) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Today’s Proverb is a simple Proverb but one that is packed with punch. There is no misintepreting this verse! You can try, but God will have His say in the matter. Let’s look at a couple of definitions from Noah Webster:
DESPISE, .v.t.
1. To contemn; to scorn; to disdain; to have the lowest opinion of.
Fools despise wisdom and instruction. Prov 1.
Else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Mat 6.
2. To abhor.
and
FEAR, n. [See the Verb.]
6. In scripture, fear is used to express a filial or a slavish passion. In good men, the fear of God is a holy awe or reverence of God and his laws, which springs from a just view and real love of the divine character, leading the subjects of it to hate and shun every thing that can offend such a holy being, and inclining them to aim at perfect obedience. This is filial fear.
I will put my fear in their hearts. Jer 32.
Slavish fear is the effect or consequence of guilt; it is the painful apprehension of merited punishment. Rom 8.
The love of God casteth out fear. 1 John 4.
7. The worship of God.
I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Psa 34.
8. The law and word of God.
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever. Psa 19.
9. Reverence; respect; due regard.
Render to all their dues; fear to whom fear. Rom 13.
How could a person hate the word with such passion as described in Noah Webster’s definition? This person disdains the Word. This is the epitome of hatred. How can one hate the Word in such a way that God’s wrath would be upon him? I truly believe that the answer can be found in the second half of that Proverb: “but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.” When one fears God’s Word, he has such a love for it that it changes him. This part of Noah’s definition blessed me totally: “In good men, the fear of God is a holy awe or reverence of God and his laws, which springs from a just view and real love of the divine character, leading the subjects of it to hate and shun every thing that can offend such a holy being, and inclining them to aim at perfect obedience. This is filial fear”.
Therefore, the one who loves God to the point that he keeps his commandments (His Word), will be rewarded. How can we totally keep His Word? If anything, God has taught us through the Old Testament that we cannot keep the entire law without sinning. If the Ten Commandments taught us anything, it was that we could not keep the whole law on our own. That is why Christ had to come. When we are born again, we are a new creation – having the Holy Spirit of God residing within us, teaching us all things. It is this Holy Spirit and His teaching that separates us from the unsaved. God’s law is imprinted on our hearts and through our Bibles we commit it to memory. We also imprint it on our hearts when we meditate on it and grow from it. (Col 3:16) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
(Eze 36:26) A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. (Eze 36:27) And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. (emphasis mine) God has promised that He will put His Spirit in our hearts and it is because of His Spirit (who glorifies Christ, the Word) that we are able to walk in God’s statutes and keep His judgments and do as He commands because the Spirit will convict us. We cannot do it on our own or else Christ would not have needed to shed His precious blood! That is the whole purpose of His coming.
Is is any wonder that Jesus said, (Mat 5:8 ) Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. We cannot be pure on our own because our sins are putred in God’s eyes. (Isa 64:6) But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. Therefore, the unsaved despise God’s Holy Word by denying that Christ alone can save. (Pro 19:16) He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul; but he that despiseth his ways shall die. Again, the unsaved despises God’s commandment. And, yet again, one cannot enter Heaven’s gates without the shed blood of Jesus Christ alone covering those sins. (1 Th 4:7) For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. We cannot be holy on our own, but only through the righteous blood of the Lamb of God!
So, are you despising the Word by denying its reliability? Are despising the Word by saying that it cannot be found in its original writings today? Are you despising the Word by simply just denying that it exists. Do you even care? If not, you are despising the Word. Are you despising the Word by adding to it with traditions? Does your church say that there is more to salvation in Jesus Christ than His blood’s atonement alone? Or does your church say that you must be baptized to be saved; or you must go to purgatory after you die then you can enter Heaven? In saying such things, you are despising the Word of God. You are adding to it – adding to the simple plan of salvation. The Passover of the Old Testament did not have anything added to it but the blood of a lamb shed and painted over the door posts. Christ’s blood has been painted on the door post of our hearts when we accept Him as our Saviour. It is this salvation that brings a new heart – a new life – a changed life. You can “live the religious life” all you want. But can you truly say that you “live” the following verses?
(2Co 5:17) Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
(2Co 5:18 ) And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
(2Co 5:19) To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
(2Co 5:20) Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
(2Co 5:21) For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
The new creature (the born again believer), is reconciled to God (verse 18 ) and our sins are no longer on our account but onto Christ (verse 19)! Why would purgatory be necessary if our sins are on Christ’s account? Purgatory’s doctrine can only support the theory that the sins of the sinner are on his own account and, therefore, must be purged. Yes, the unbeliever’s sins are most surely on his own account because he has not trusted in the One true way to Heaven – through Jesus Christ alone.
The born again Christian has the righteousness of God within him – the Father sees the Son’s righteousness covering us – a beautiful depiction of the first Passover! Christ’s blood over us causes the Father’s judgment to pass over us. Not just for a moment or a time, but for eternity. Nothing more – nothing less! Don’t despise God’s Word – He loves us and, therefore, has left His Word with us so we would not have to be like the blind leading the blind. Run to it – turn to it – read it in faith and God will speak to you through it.
Leave a Reply