Lesson 2    

Theology Proper

Who is God?

Review:

 

 

Ø     In the first 9 verses of Proverbs 2 Solomon describes for us the steps to acquiring wisdom or how to discern the fear of the Lord.

2:1-5 Discerning the fear of the Lord.

 

Intro:

   > These verses 2:1-9 are structured around "if  -  then" which is readily seen.

 

> Now in chapter 2 a very nice follow on; have the student or the learner crying out to be taught.

 

Four Steps Leading to Wisdom

1. 2:1a "If you will receive my sayings." 

 

 

The wisdom to be inculcated, to be received is God's wisdom, just as the wisdom crying in the streets in ch-1 was God's wisdom. [dvpt]

 

Step #1 is reception:  xql 

 

The goal and objective of the context as given in vs:5 is "knowledge of God."

 

True wisdom, an understanding of God's truth is not based on speculation at all but by examination of the written word, His revelation to us.

 

 

The way that man thinks, apart from the Bible is totally opposite and contradictory to what the Scriptures communicate. 

 

 

We can see this chasm between God's thinking/viewpoint and man's in Isa 55:8.

 

 

 

    God's vpt        man's speculations

 


                                      1. Huvpt does not supplement God's vpt

                                      2. man's opinions are opposite of God's

 

       volition - choices

 

 

May operate from either vpt (what we think or what God thinks) your choice.

 

 

Basic Prin:

We are either looking at the world around us, and evaluating or interpreting all input apart from the Word of God or we are looking at the world thru the lens of Scripture and therefore on the basis of DVPT, interpreting life by the WOG.

 

 

2.  Step two to wisdom 2:1b  "treasure my commandments within you."

- Step #2 then is to memorize Scripture!

treasure =  !pc  zaphan;  the idea of the word is to store up, to get a lot of; to stock pile

 

 

  ** Reasons for memory!!

1.  How can you put into practice what you don't know, what's not in your minds?

 

2.  Always act out of memory;  for the majority of decisions that we need to make.  true some are reflex; hot stove; hit finger w/hammer; 

 

3. You just don't have time to study, to look things up in the heat of a real life situations.

 

4. There are times when you will have the opportunity to seek council or to do some study of Scripture for major issues but not for most.

 

 

Psa. 119:11  Points to the importance of memory in our ongoing relationship to the Word.

 

   > The emphasis here is not on the Word itself but on the heart (bl).

 

 

- Other passages for documentation;  Ps 37:31; 40:8;  Prov 7:1-5;

 

Why is the heart/mind so important??  The foundation or basis of one's thinking comes out of what is stored!  And ones conduct follows.  Mt 12:34 (Prin);  Mk. 7:14-23;  Mt. 15:17-20

 

 

What do we all do regularly??  Eating!

- Job 23:12  relates this priority of eating with the Word.