Let’s continue our study of Proverbs chapter three wherein Solomon is pointing us to the real treasure that’s at our fingertips: “Blessed is the one who finds wisdom”, he says, “for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold” and “She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her.”3 While people scramble to stockpile material wealth, hit the jackpot, or win the lotto, the Lord extends the very thing that will make us truly rich–His wisdom. Not rich in the “I’m gonna make it rain Benjys” sense, but rich in peace and honor and life.

In offering His Son, God is both just and the justifier of those who obey Him (Rom. 3:26). God cannot sin, it is against His very nature and He cannot be reconciled to it (1 Jn. 1:5), and it is also the nature of God to love sinners and seek reconciliation with them (2 Cor. 5:20-21), yet we are powerless to cleanse our souls from sin. No one but God could resolve the problem, only God Himself could be faithful to both aspects of His being (i.e. be just and merciful), and He did so by sending His Son to the cross, thus becoming the justifier of those who submit to Him in faith (Heb. 5:9).

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”1 These words comfort me now as much as when I first read them. These verses are one of six pieces of instruction contained in the first twelve verses of chapter three. Let’s go back to the beginning, shall we?

Paul takes hypocritical Jews to task just as he did hypocritical Gentiles. Herein is a warning for us also: just because we have been instructed in the will of God–the embodiment of knowledge and truth (Rom. 2:20)–and may be confident, capable instructors ourselves, doesn’t necessarily mean we have applied His teaching to our own hearts (v. 21).

Previously Lady Wisdom was pictured as one crying out, imploring the naive to come and learn in order to save themselves. Solomon will now picture wisdom as something to be sought after in this second speech beginning in chapter two. This speech–which fills all of chapter two–can be broken down into four parts: a call to pursue wisdom (vv. 1-4), the benefits of wisdom (vv. 5-11), two dangers that wisdom guards against (vv. 12-19), and a final summary of consequences (vv. 20-22). Let’s dive in.

The second half of Paul’s discourse of Romans 1 diagnoses the cause for all the evil, corruption, and social decay observed in the world: it is man’s refusal to acknowledge and worship God, the Creator of all things and source of every good and perfect gift (Jas. 1:17). That’s it. There’s more to say, but the big take away here (as Paul begins to prove that all men are guilty of sin) that people are to blame for everything wrong in the world: political, moral, social ills and corruption can all be traced to prideful humans pursuing perverted desires because they refuse to humble themselves before Almighty God and submit to His authority and laws.

Wisdom is more like a skill that the Bible is calling us to attain and use. Using wisdom and pursuing wisdom involves mental activity, but it goes beyond that, and is seen all of one’s conduct, not just in the way one thinks or what someone may say. “Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.”1 So in the Book of Proverbs, those who live with integrity and uphold justice in the fear of the Lord are the very same ones who heed Lady Wisdom.

There are so many points to be taken from the opening of the Roman letter as Paul lays out his thesis: The Gospel is the power of God to bring salvation to all who believe (Rom. 1:16-17). Let's dive and see how he goes about it, and what implications there are for us.

Last week we saw a sweeping, bird’s-eye view of the Book of Proverbs. In beginning with the overall big picture of Proverbs, my hope is that we’ll not lose sight of the forest as we consider the various trees of the book. The first of those trees is a series of ten speeches from a father to a son, with four interludes thrown in from Lady Wisdom. The main thrust here is that the son should listen to wisdom and cultivate the fear of the Lord, while living a life that honors God, bringing forth success and peace.

The Book of Romans has been called the Mount Everest of the New Testament. It's difficult to discuss any biblical subject without bringing some point from Romans into the conversation. I'd like to begin a weekly study of this book with you and welcome and comments or questions you may have.