17/04/2012 - An awfully dangerous situation

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I was on the verge of total ruin, in the midst of the assembly and congregation.

Proverbs 5:14

The holy writer of Proverbs was bold in revealing something very important: he made his “mea culpa” to teach us how to be delivered from hellish tricks. In these days many people have been deceived and so they are away from the presence of God on account of their having taken the same steps towards their fall just like those in our writer’s list. Well, we need to learn from our mistakes so we will be delivered from the devil whose sole purpose is to steal our salvation (John 10: 10 a).

It is interesting to notice that the verse above tells us about something that happened in the midst of the assembly and the congregation. That makes us believe that some turn away from the divine presence to fall into error, but there are others who, even being where The Lord is operating, are tempted to take the way of sin. Notice that Peter was walking with Jesus when he allowed Satan to fill his heart up with human piety, but it turns out that he was delivered by our Master (Matthew 16:22, 23).

In the previous verses of Proverbs 5: 14 the author unveils the reason of his being on the verge of total ruin: hating the instruction of The Lord. And that goes against our own will because if God allowed us to do whatever we please, even being incorporated in His work, our fall could end up being massive and recurrent. Whenever we are corrected by The Most High it signals that He has accepted us as His children and that He loves us. After all, our Father corrects His children because He loves them (Hebrew 12: 6).

Our writer’s heart despises that reprimand. Now, you must never do such a thing considering that those who do not refute instructions will be wise in their last days (Proverbs 15: 32). Every time The Lord closes you a door, and also whenever He shows you what your mistake was, tell Him right away that you are repented, then stop calling to your mind the memories of your wrongdoings and stop practicing them. The corrections and reprimands of The Holy Spirit are for our own good.

The author did not even listen to the voice of his teachers. Many people might have been used to teach him how to tell right from wrong, but he would not pay any notice to it. Likewise, some brothers of ours come up to us on occasion and, unaware, as they talk to us, they give us a warning over something they cannot even grasp themselves. Well, actually that is The Spirit of God speaking through them. It is a mistake not to listen to them because those who are wise are obedient to the voice of God.

Finally, he did not pay any notice to his masters. The Lord has been raising masters in His Church, consecrated men and, with humility and wisdom they lead us into pondering over what our doom would be like. That is why we must praise The Most High for all those people that are sent to us and not refuse any of their counselling. However, it is our duty to check everything out with The Word, and then once you are sure that that did come from The Lord, you are to pay heed to those men and women.

It is good to learn from those who were on the verge of complete ruin, thus, aiming at being able to keep away from the devil’s tricks. The enemy walks about us, like a roaring lion, and seeking those he may devour (I Peter 5: 8). Assuming the warnings of The Lord you will find a way out of all danger.

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares