Scripture Reading: Proverbs 8:1-11
Don't be a Fool!
Intro.
1. No one thinks himself a fool; yet many fools exist.
2. Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, Prov. 9:10.
3. Thus, not fearing God is the beginning of foolishness, Rom. 1:20-23.
4. Wisdom brings blessings, and foolishness will not go unpunished, Prov. 9:11-12.
5. God knows and identifies the fool, Lk. 12:20-21.
1) The fool despises wisdom and knowledge, Prov. 1:7 (22).
a. Does so by not learning wise instruction, Prov. 1:1-2— (5).
b. Does so by not receiving (accepting) wisdom, Prov. 1:3-4— (5); 10:8.
c. Does so by rejecting parental teaching, Prov. 1:8-9 (10:1).
d. It is a deadly choice to hate knowledge instead of fearing God, Prov. 1:28-33.
2) The fool’s heart is darkened in unbelief, Psa. 14:1 (Eph. 4:17-19).
a. Fool does not seek God, Psa. 14:2-3; 10:4; Matt. 6:33.
b. Fool does not consider God in his affairs, Psa. 10:11.
c. Fool is not rich toward God, Lk. 12:20-21.
3) The fool is self-deceived, 1 Cor. 3:18.
a. Fool relies on human wisdom (self), 1 Cor. 3:19-23.
b. Pride is the fool’s downfall.
c. Blinded by pride, his way is right, regardless of truthful, wise, scriptural counsel, Prov. 12:15; cf. 1 Kgs. 12:8.
4) The fool would rather take the beating, than admit sin and correct it, Prov. 19:29-20:1 (26:3).
a. He “takes the beating” instead of correcting himself, to avoid it.
b. Sees personal vindication, even virtue, in evil, Isa. 5:20-25.
c. Fool takes pride in challenging the truthfulness of God’s warnings against sin and error (cf. drinking; lusting after woman, 6:25-29).
5) The fool repeats his sin, and expects different results, Prov. 26:10-12.
a. God returns to the fool his due; yet he does not recognize his foolishness, 26:10.
b. Fool entrenches himself in his foolishness, when wisdom and truth could free him, 26:11-12.
c. The fool keeps digging, even when he knows he has dug himself a hole! cf. King Saul, 1 Sam. 24:6-7, 17-20; 26:2.
6) The fool does not prepare for the Lord’s return, Matt. 25:1-13.
a. Fool values self-reliance more than reliance on God, Prov. 28:26; Jer. 10:23.
b. Fool fails to watch (prepare) for danger, Eph. 5:15-18 (1 Pet. 5:8).
7) The fool hears Christ, but does not obey Him, Matt. 7:26-27.
a. Often, fools know the truth (what they should do), but they choose not to obey it.
b. Often, fools know the judgment of God against sin, yet they sin, and approve of others who practice sin, Rom. 1:32.
Conclusion
1. God’s ways are infinitely wiser than ours, Rom. 11:33-35.
2. A call to cast aside foolishness, and be wise, Psa. 94:8-15.
3. We must fear God, and submit to the wisdom of God revealed in the gospel of Jesus Christ, 1 Cor. 1:18-25.
By: Joe R. Price
Posted: November 13, 2017