Wednesday – Proverbs – Lesson 10 – Proverbs 3-1-4 – Wisdom Transforms God’s Image Bearers
Proverbs – Lesson 10 – Proverbs 3.1-4 – Wisdom Transforms Us
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Wisdom Equips God’s Image Bearers
Transformation
1 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: 2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. 3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: 4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
Transformation
Explain the following questions using the word or concept of “TRANSFORMATION”
- What is God’s biggest goal for your life?
- What is God actively doing in your life?
- What is the purpose and work of the Holy Spirit in your life?
We have assigned a subtitle to the book of Proverbs: What is that subtitle?
God’s Handbook for His Image Bearers
Consider what the Bible says about God transforming us into His image:
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Transformation
Each of these verses teach that God’s goal for our life is transformation. He is actively transforming us into His image and likeness.
God equips believers with the Holy Spirit, who is actively working to transform us into the image of God.
Consider how Solomon speaks to his son about transformation.
1 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
There are two commands in this verse:
- Forget not my law
- Keep my commandments
Solomon is calling for his son to be both responsible and intentional about transformation. That is the work of wisdom it transforms us into God’s image.
He starts with a call to be intentional
What does Solomon mean by the command “forget not my law”?
The word forget means more than mental lapse. In the Bible this term refers to the practice of abandoning or rejecting instruction or laws.
When the nation of Israel forsook God’s command and started following pagan gods they were accused of forgetting God.
It never implied they had lost the memory of God, but that they had rejected God and or His law.
Application: Solomon was not telling his son to do something so he would remember his commands, rather he was telling him not to reject or abandon them.
What does this look like in the life of a person who associates as a Christian, attends church, and believes in God? – what sins might that person practice that would equal forgetting God’s commands?
Application: – Solomon is challenging his son to be transformed by the commands. To be intentionally molded by them from the inside out.
The outward obedience of Wisdom is the result of inward ownership of Wisdom. What is kept hidden in the heart will be visibly lived out in life.
Reward
2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
In this vers Solomon names three benefits that come from Wisdom.
- Length of days
- Long life
- Peace
Is there a difference between length of days and long life? – yes
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
How does this verse help us understand what Solomon may be describing.
- The Bible makes a distinction between long life and quality of life.
- Jesus is the New Testament counterpart to Wisdom.
- Both wisdom and Jesus are vital living a long and full life.
The third element is connected to the first two.
Notice the word “Peace” in verse 2.
This peace is a wholeness of mind and soul. In the previous lesson we learned wisdom acts as our security detail.
Application: when we put all three together, Solomon is saying, wisdom (fear of and obedience to God) leads to a long, full, peaceful life. But again this does not mean our life is free from problems, it means in the dark, sad, or scary times, our heart and mind is at peace knowing God is protecting us.
What would this look like in your life right now?
What situations are you facing that verse 2 could make all the difference?
Transformation
3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
How would Solomons son understand this?
What are the two subjects of the verse?
- Mercy & Truth.
What did those word mean in the Hebrew?
God’s mercy toward us comes from His character.
Truth means more than tell the truth, it means to be trustworthy
Solomon is saying be as trustworthy as God.
- People must count on us to do what we say.
- But more than that they must count on us to be what we are supposed to be.
This is more difficult than telling the truth.
Wisdom guards us from the temptation to act in a manner that is less than God’s character.
Your church family counts on you to be image bearers of God.
Two Steps that transform us
- Bind them about thy neck?
- Both Joseph and Daniel were given gold chains to wear around their necks when they were promoted to high places of honor and authority.
Solomon is saying people will see your mercy and truth; or your character and it will define who you are.
Tables of the heart:
When Solomon told his son to write them on the table of his heart, he was painting a picture of the two tables of stone the 10 commandments were written on.
To write on a table of stone was a permanent record.
Application: The heart is hidden. People can not see what is there until it is revealed through our words and actions.
When this happens, what is in our heart is revealed to the world and it honors us in their sight.
Question:
In what ways do people sometimes hide who they really are?
Transformation
4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
Solomon provides more positive results from wisdom transforming us into God’s image.
First he describes favor: this is where we get the word grace.
Second, he mentions good understanding.
Solomon is describing a person who’s character is shaped by God’s word and they are highly respected by both people and God.
Conclusion:
Solomon urges his son to be transformed from the inside out with God’s law.
Consider these truths:
- Transformation is God’s work but we are responsible for allowing it in our life
- Transformation is intentional work that we must participate in by pursuing wisdom and taking hold of God’s wor
- Transformation is an ongoing process that leads to evident and consistent shaping into the image of God.