The Words of Life

I. V. 20 "My son, cause yourself to listen carefully to my words; extend your ear to my sayings." The exhortation of the father here is to his son to make effort at listening to him. Make yourself do this! This is not easy. It is work.

a. Solomon, again, speaking to his son.

i. Cf. vv. 4:10; 5:1, 7, 6:1, 20 etc…

ii. This is direct address to the son from the father.

b. Instructions to both father and son:

i. A father must teach/instruct his son(s) with all seriousness. He must be willing to speak concerning the things that are difficult and uncomfortable because of the need to avoid evil in the world.

ii. Sons need to make every effort to listen!

1)

2) A hypocrite is one who listens with the ear, speaks with the mouth, but whose heart is far from the speaker.

a) Sons, when they have other interests, have distant hearts.

b)

26  Give me your heart, my son,

And let your eyes delight in my ways.

3) He needs to want to listen to the instructions of his father.

iii. How?

1) He sees his need.

a) Foolishness, sin, depravity, judgment ().

b) He sees/begins to see what is inside of him.

2) He sees his father's life --> wisdom.

a) His father loves like God does.

b) His father repents from his sins.

c) His father avoids evil.

d) His father rejects error and holds tight to truth.

I. V. 21 "Do cause them to lose sight from your springs/eyes; keep them in the middle of your heart."

a. The use of the word here "eyes" is also used in reference to a "spring," which is also the source of water.

i.

28  When He made firm the skies above,

When the springs of the deep became fixed,

29  When He set for the sea its boundary

So that the water would not transgress His command,

When He marked out the foundations of the earth;

ii. The term "the springs" = this same word "eyes" here in 4:21.

1) It indicates the source of something.

2) It indicates the place where the commandments of the father, which are the commandments of God (that is, the father simply repeats the Torah-Proverbs 28:4,7,9; 29:18), are to ever be placed-in his eyes.

a) See = how can you judge righteously if you are looking at sin?

b) See = what you look at you are interested in. What you are interested in will either produce light, or darkness. Some will even be so arrogant as to think that they are full of light when in fact, against God's light, he is truly full of darkness.

c)

iii.Put the Law in your heart:

i. ; .

ii. The call to do this is that of reading, listening, and doing.

I. V. 22 "Because they are life to those who a reaching for them/finding them after reaching for them, and (they are) calmness/composure to the entire flesh/all the flesh."

a. Begins with the explanation as to why a son should not let the Law depart from his eyes and heart - the Law is life.

b. .

c. Because, God gives life.

i. Obedience = life

ii. Disobedience = death

iii. In the garden, to remain obedient continued access to all that God provided for Adam, including God Himself, who is the source of life. To disobey meant the ending of that life and fellowship and that is summed up in the word "death."

d. Thus, a clear conscience results from obedience and that is calmness to the flesh.

18  This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight,

19  keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith.

8  Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain,

9  but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.

3  I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day,

4  longing to see you, even as I recall your tears, so that I may be filled with joy.

5  For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well.

16  and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.

18  Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a good conscience, desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in all things.

e. A good conscience comes from having done all that is required of you to your utmost.

V. 23

I. V. 23 "Consecrate your heart from all guard (with all diligence), because life (duration of life) emanates from it."

a. The starting point of life is the heart.

i. The heart = where the will is.

ii. It is the beginning of all that:

1) Interests us

2) Impassions us

3) Irritates us

iii. Everything that constitutes life is directly related to a tied to the heart.

b.

c. .

d. Guard it by keeping the Law deep within it.

i. Be filled with the Word of the Holy Spirit.

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