Through the Word in 2020 #116 - Sep. 14 /

Have you ever had someone call you out on a trait of your that really needs correcting? It happened to me at my ordination council. One of the wise men there to examine me said his biggest concern about me was that I was formulating answers before questions had even been fully asked. He was right. And his wise rebuke has stuck with me the nearly 40 years since. Positively I trust.

Based on that one would think our key passage today would be Prov. 27:6 - “Faithful are the wounds of a friend”. Instead it comes out of our reading in Proverbs 18 and specifically vs. 13: “If one gives and answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame. And while that verse fits the scenario above, it also has another very important application.

I’m Reid Ferguson and we’ll think on that a bit more in a moment on Through the Word in 2020.

Luke 17:1–4; Song of Solomon 8:8–Isaiah 2:5; Hebrews 5:11–6:12 and Proverbs 18 are before us today. And I had a tough time deciding which passage to go to today. But seeing it is all God’s Word and provision for us, I guess we can’t go too far wrong no matter we choose. He is so good!

Now as I already mentioned, I have often been guilty of giving answers before I hear other parties out fully. It is a tendency in me - and I’m pretty sure I’m not alone. We can want to be heard and understood, rather than to hear others and fully understand them.

Thinking about it even now makes me want to pray: “Father - Help me to Listen, listen, LISTEN! And forgive me for the way I do this.”

But we can err even here too. There is a flip side we dare not ignore. It comes home to us in our evangelism. And in this case, we need to guard those who hear us from giving and answer before THEY

How we need to listen to this in our evangelism. Let us be sure those we speak to on behalf of Christ, understand as fully as we can make it - just what exactly is being discussed. Let us tell them:

a. The reality of their condition in light of creation and the Fall.

b. God's just judgment upon mankind.

c. The nature grace and mercy being extended in this call to pardon: Reconciliation, regeneration, sanctification and glorification.

d. Jesus' substitutionary atonement.

e. Justification by faith.

f. The implications of following Christ Jesus.

g. The coming Kingdom in contrast to this present world.

If they "believe" too quickly - without knowing the facts, it will end in shame.