Proverbs 4:14-19

Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. 15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. 16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall. 17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. 18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. 19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.

I used to think that when I was a lost person, I had no direction at all, but in fact I was on a path and headed somewhere, I was just going the wrong way.

The Bible says the wicked have a path and a direction that they are moving toward.

Outline

1. The Path of the Wicked

Manditory Order v.14-15

Mission Objective v.16-17

Miserable Obscurity v.19

2. The Path of the Just

Shining Path v.18a

Superior Path v.18b

The Path of the Wicked

Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. 15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.

Manditory Order

v.14, “Enter not”

“the way of evil men”

v.15, “Avoid it”

We must see the danger

Obedience - Obey the Order

We can save ourself from trouble by simply obeying God’s Word.

Simple Obedience.

The Nature

Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.

Just do it. Just do what God says!

What can lead us down the Path of the Wicked?

1. Beware of ungodly friends - “go not in the way of evil men”

1. Ungodly Friends

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

2. Beware of your own lust!

But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

The lust comes from the flesh

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

Faith - Take God’s Word Seriously

Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.

In the Christian life we must learn to walk by faith, but too often we only walk by sight.

Question: What does it mean to walk by sight?

Answer: it means we do what we can see or have experienced before, instead of just taking God at His Word

Example: God’s Word may tell us that something is wrong:

“ Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.”

but we say, “I don’t see anything wrong”…so we ignore what God said.

Genesis 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

Illustration:

If Ms April were to tell our daughter Alyx, sweetie don’t touch the hot curling iron; Alyx might not understand why, but just do what she is told believing what her Mom said. David may be told the same thing by Ms April, but he already knows he will get burned so he wont touch it because he has been burned before.

A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.

Point: whether you for see the evil or not, you should obey and believe God by faith

Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. 15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.

Mission Objective

For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.

This verse begs the question:

Why? Why does a wicked man stay up at night longing to sin?

Folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom: but a man of understanding walketh uprightly.

He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.

Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Fools get pleasure from sin

But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; 13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; 14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: 15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

Philippians 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.

Miserable Obscurity

The metaphor “Darkness” has two meanings

The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.

The path of the wicked gets worse and worse (opposite of the just/righteous)

Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard.

The Path of the Just

But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

Shining Path

“But the path of the just is as the shining light...”

The Path of the Just is lit by God’s Word

NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Light shows us things

We can know what to do and how to live (Practical)

We can know future things - (Prophetical)

Superior Path

But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

What is the perfect day?

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

For the path of the just, it just gets better!

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Verses:

My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.

My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:

For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

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