Bible Quiz The answers are at the end of the blog. Have fun!! According to the Bible, are these statements true or false?
1. Mary remained a virgin all her life. 2. Mary ascended to heaven at death.
Dear Prayer Warriors,
I have enjoyed reading through Proverbs this past week as part of my Daily Reading Program. Proverbs has a number of passages which are "classics" in terms of usage in our Family Discipleship Seminars and Marriage Covenant Seminars and rediscovering them in their context has been especially enjoyable. This experience comes to mind as the Book of Proverbs has come under attack of late. Mainly, it is disparaged because of its clear teaching on the use of the rod in child-raising and the role of the wife in marriage. Because of the strong wording of many of the passages in Proverbs on these two subjects, many wives and mothers who resist Biblical authority over their decisions question whether Proverbs really has authority. These women speculate that instead of being outright commands, such passages are more like “wise sayings” or “good ideas” on the level of Aesop’s Fables and that these verses are just stories to teach broad "life lessons." I always want to ask these women if the passages in Proverbs which they question in terms of Biblical authority and literal application include such statements by God the Holy Spirit as "For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching is light; And reproofs for discipline are the way of life To keep you from the evil woman, From the smooth tongue of the adulteress. Do not desire her beauty in your heart, Nor let her capture you with her eyelids. For on account of a harlot one is reduced to a loaf of bread, And an adulteress hunts for the precious life. Can a man take fire in his bosom And his clothes not be burned? (Proverbs 6:23-27)"
or
"And behold, a woman comes to meet him, Dressed as a harlot and cunning of heart. (Proverbs 7:10)"
or
"Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, And pay attention to the words of my mouth. Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways, Do not stray into her paths. For many are the victims she has cast down, And numerous are all her slain. Her house is the way to Sheol, Descending to the chambers of death. (Proverbs 7:24-27)"
In my experience, these same women want their husbands to take literally the commands by God the Holy Spirit concerning prostitution, harlotry and adultery. They only want those passages on spanking children and the wife as a homemaker to be “generalities” or “life lessons” not to be taken too literally. Very convenient, but also very inconsistent.
If the passages on marriage and child-raising are not to be taken literally, then (to be consistent) the passages on fornication, prostitution, harlotry and adultery fall in this same category. We know, though, that all of Proverbs consists of direct teachings from God the Holy Spirit and fall under the authority of Scripture as given by God the Holy Spirit in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 which exhorts us that "all Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work."
Also, every once in a while, not often but still every once in a while, I hear a pastor from the pulpit downplay the authority of the Book of Proverbs by reminding the listeners that “Proverbs are not to be taken too literally. Rather they are truisms…” or some such blather. My feelings on statements such as the above are, “You show me a pastor who downplays the authority of Proverbs, and I will show you a pastor who has trouble at home.”
I say this by way of introduction as I share with you some of my “Marriage and Family Classics” from Proverbs.
Some Classics From Proverbs On Marriage
"An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, But she who shames him is like rottenness in his bones." (Proverbs 12:4)
"He who finds a wife finds a good thing And obtains favor from the LORD." (Proverbs 18:22)
"A foolish son is destruction to his father, And the contentions of a wife are a constant dripping." (Proverbs 19:13)
"House and wealth are an inheritance from fathers, But a prudent wife is from the LORD." (Proverbs 19:14)
"An excellent wife , who can find? For her worth is far above jewels." (Proverbs 31:10)
"She rises also while it is still night And gives food to her household And portions to her maidens." (Proverbs 31:15)
"Strength and dignity are her clothing, And she smiles at the future. She opens her mouth in wisdom, And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue." (Proverbs 31:25-26)
"She looks well to the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and bless her; Her husband also, and he praises her, saying: 'Many daughters have done nobly, But you excel them all.' Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised. Give her the product of her hands, And let her works praise her in the gates." (Proverbs 31:27-31)
Some Classics From Proverbs On The Family
"My son, observe the commandment of your father And do not forsake the teaching of your mother;" (Proverbs 6:20)
"The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son makes a father glad, But a foolish son is a grief to his mother." (Proverbs 10:1)
"A wise son accepts his father's discipline, But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke." (Proverbs 13:1)
"He who withholds his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him diligently." (Proverbs 13:24)
"In the mouth of the foolish is a rod for his back, But the lips of the wise will protect them." (Proverbs 14:3)
"Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of discipline will remove it far from him." (Proverbs 22:15)
"Do not hold back discipline from the child, Although you strike him with the rod, he will not die. You shall strike him with the rod And rescue his soul from Sheol." (Proverbs 23:13-14)
"The rod and reproof give wisdom, But a child who gets his own way brings shame to his mother." (Proverbs 29:15)
"Her children rise up and bless her; Her husband also, and he praises her, saying:" (Proverbs 31:28)
We here at Grace Community International are committed to the eternal, inerrant written Word of God in its entirety. We hold the Book of Proverbs as inspired by God the Holy Spirit, given by God the Holy Spirit and so to be revered and obeyed. It is not ours to judge the Book of Proverbs but rather ours to be judged by this holy work of God. May God grant us grace to read, study, memorize and meditate upon it for the purpose of obedience.
Answers to this week’s Bible quiz 1. False – The historical accounts of the Gospels are full of references to Jesus’ brothers and sisters by his mother Mary. It is therefore impossible that Mary remained a virgin all her life. (See Matthew 12:46-47; Matthew 13:55-56; John 2:12; John 7:2-5; John 7:10; Acts 1:14)
2. False – There are no Biblical passages that refer to this event. There exists no primary source, first century Christian or secular writings referring to this event. To say the Bible teaches this or to say that there are secondary records of that time period referring to such an event is false.
Older
Top
