Sovereign Grace Baptist Church

Free Grace Media

Of Princeton, New Jersey

 

AuthorClay Curtis
TitleIncline Thine Ear and Apply Thine Heart
Bible TextProverbs 2:1-6
Date05-Jun-2018
Article Type Article
PDF Format pdf
Word Format doc
 

INCLINE THINE EAR AND APPLY THINE HEART

 

Proverbs 2: 1: My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; 2: So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; 3: Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; 4: If thou horough her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; 5: Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. 6: For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.

 

         As I behold our children growing older time becomes more precious to me.  I am reminded that I have a short time to teach you the gospel of Christ!  The world is waiting to swallow you up.  The young think they have plenty of time to prepare for eternity. But no one has guarantee of tomorrow. In the time it takes to take our last breathe those without Christ can come into judgment, with no righteousness in which to stand, before God who is angry with the wicked every day. (Ps 7: 11) God says that if you incline your ear to hear the gospel of Christ preached from his word and apply your heart in studying and seeking Christ like you would seek treasure, God promises to give you an understanding of the fear of the LORD and knowledge of God.

     Read Provers 1: 1-4.  Christ declares that through the preaching of his word, God makes us know Wisdom. (1 Cor 1: 24, 30)  Christ is that Wisdom who gives “instruction” (correction), turning us from the vain ways of our imagination to Christ the Way and the Truth. Through the preaching and study of God’s word the Holy Spirit makes us “perceive the words of understanding,” (1 Cor 2: 6-10), revealing the mystery of the gospel to us that even the princes of this world do not know. 

    With Christ as our Wisdom we receive the very best understanding: “the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity.”  The message of God’s word is God’s “wisdom” in establishing “the justice (righteousness) of God.” (Rom 3: 19-31) Christ alone is that Righteousness who fulfilled God’s law for his people. He established “judgment” (justice) so that by the finished work of Christ, God is just and equitable (right) to shower the believer in mercy.

     Through the preaching and study of the word Christ is able “to give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.”  He makes the new believer know what is true and false for every situation in life.  He gives the young believer the highest wisdom, knowledge and instruction that can be given.  The apostle Paul was probably paraphrasing our text when he told young Timothy, “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, horoughly furnished unto all good works.” (2 Tim 3: 15-17)

   To every young person who reads this I ask, “Will you hear this word and do it?”  Let nothing stop you from coming to hear the word of God preached. Then go home and make time to study what you heard in the scriptures. God makes good on all his promises.  You will have found the greatest of all treasures if you are one who God makes to “understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.”