Thursday, 28 May 2020

Proverbs 28:4-5

Imagine having a friend who has supposedly known you for many years and claims to be your good friend. Then all of a sudden, that friend of yours would ask you to do something that you dislike doing. What would be the thought that comes to your mind? The first thought would definitely be “wait I thought you should know this since you’ve been my friend for so long?” In a sense, you would start wondering about his effort, because that action seems to indicate something. Likewise, it is with our Christian wisdom, the manner in which we act indicates certain things, especially how much we know about God.

Here in verse 4a, we are told that “Those who forsake the law praise the wicked.” This verse is indicating a certain aspect of our lives and certain indications that it makes. It specifically speaks about our attitude towards God’s law. This verse mentions that those who praise the wicked, is in a sense, the result of forsaking the law.

We all know what forsaking the law is. However, the line becomes a bit more blurred when it comes to praising the wicked. Praising the wicked comes in many different forms, such as indirectly condoning of certain willful sinful acts (i.e. buying pirated digital products or counterfeit goods) or even directly doing it (i.e. bribing the police/officials for certain business requirements).

Then in verse 4b, it draws a contrast by stating “but those who keep the law strive against them.” The contrast is that those who go against praising the wicked are those who keep the law or those who uphold the laws in which God has given or placed above us. As God’s people, we ought to exercise wisdom by keeping the law, lest we are praising the wicked directly or directly with our subtle actions.

Moving further down into verse 5a, the author tells us that “evil men do not understand justice.” This is the natural outcome and outlook of those who forsake God’s law, they do not understand justice because they are blinded by their own sinful ways. More specifically, they do not understand what true justice is.

BUT those who seek the Lord understand it completely, as indicated as a contrast in verse 5b. The only reason why we are able to understand justice is due to the fact that we seek God through obeying His laws, where God’s holy character is revealed to us. If we want to truly know and understand justice, we have to go to God’s revealed law. Because God’s law is the only law that is perfectly righteous and just, that shows no partiality. Whereby our justice is imperfect.

So, what do all these mean to us today? It is important to note that we as Christians ought to exercise wisdom by upholding God’s law in our own personal lives. Not in the manner where we obey God to earn our way to heaven, but in such a way where we, as God’s subject, submit ourselves to Him (and His laws), who is the King who saved and called us to be His own people.

Secondly, we as humans all want perfect justice. The only way for us, as God’s people, to truly know perfect justice is to exercise wisdom by upholding and the obeying God’s law. This calls us to examine our lives, especially our actions. Are there any actions in our lives that praise the wicked? Have we truly understood justice by seeking God’s law? If we claim to love and know God, may we be quick to act in ways that are pleasing towards God, by obeying His laws. Lest our lives indicate otherwise.

As we come to the Lord in prayer, may we ask God’s Spirit to work in us, so that we can exercise the God-given wisdom to us in our lives, by seeking to please Him in every way we live. Let us think and look through every areas and action of our lives, and ask God’s Spirit to change our hearts to exercise wisdom by keeping and upholding God’s revealed laws.

Hon Sir Neng

箴言28:4-5
韩思能

想象一下，有一个朋友据称已经认识您很多年，并声称自己是您的好朋友。然后突然，您的那个朋友会要求您做您不喜欢做的事情。您会想到什么？首先想到的肯定是“我以为您应该知道这一点，因为您已经成为我的朋友很久了？” 从某种意义上讲，您会开始怀疑他的努力，因为这种行动似乎表明了某些事情。同样，以我们的基督徒智慧来说，我们的行事方式可以表明某些事情，尤其是我们对上帝的了解程度。

在第4a节，我们被告知“离弃律法的，称赞恶人。” 这节经文表明了我们生活的某些方面，并表明了这一点。它专门谈到我们对上帝律法的态度。这节经文提到，赞美恶人的人在某种意义上是放弃法律的结果。

我们都知道放弃法律是什么。但是，当赞美邪恶的人时，这条线变得更加模糊。赞美邪恶的人有多种形式，例如间接纵容某些故意的犯罪行为（例如即购买盗版数字产品或假冒商品）甚至直接做（例如即为某些业务要求贿赂警察/官员）。

然后在第4b节中，通过陈述“遵守律法的，却与恶人相争。” 相比之下，反对称赞恶人的是遵守法律的人，或者是奉行上帝赋予我们或高于我们的法律的人。作为神的子民，我们应该通过遵守法律来行使智慧，以免我们直接或直接以微妙的行动来赞美邪恶的人。

进一步讲到第5a节，作者告诉我们“坏人不知公正是什么。” 这是那些放弃上帝律法的人的自然结果和看法，他们不了解正义，因为他们对自己的犯罪方式视而不见。更具体地说，他们不了解什么是真正的正义。

但寻求主的人完全理解它，如第5b节中的对比所示。我们能够理解正义的唯一原因是因为我们通过遵守上帝的律法来寻求上帝，上帝的圣洁性格向我们彰显了出来。如果我们想真正地了解和理解正义，就必须遵循上帝所启示的律法。因为上帝的律法是唯一完全公义，公正的律法，所以没有偏见。 因此，我们的正义是不完善的。

那么，所有这些对今天如何适用？重要的是要注意，我们基督徒应该通过在自己的个人生活中维护上帝的律法来行使智慧。并非以我们服从上帝去通往天堂的方式，而是以我们作为上帝的臣民服从于他（和他的律法）的方式，他是拯救并称呼我们为他自己的国王 人。

其次，我们所有人都希望拥有完全的正义。作为上帝的子民，我们真正了解完美正义的唯一方法是通过坚持和遵守上帝的律法来行使智慧。这要求我们审视我们的生活，尤其是我们的行动。我们的生活中有没有什么举动赞美恶人？我们通过寻求上帝的律法真正了解正义吗？如果我们声称爱并认识神，那么我们可以通过服从神的律法而迅速采取使神喜悦的方式行事。以免我们的生活另有说明。

当我们向主祈祷时，我们可以祈求上帝的灵在我们里面工作，以便我们可以通过说谎的各种方式取悦上帝，从而在生活中运用上帝赋予我们的智慧。让我们思考并审视我们生活中的各个方面和行动，并要求上帝的灵改变我们的心，通过遵守和遵守上帝所揭示的律法来行使智慧。