1/7/2024
Turn with me to Proverbs 16:25-30. These are our verses to continue studying and memorizing.
Proverbs 16:25-30 There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. 26 A worker’s appetite works for him, For his hunger urges him on. 27 A worthless man digs up evil, While his words are like scorching fire. 28 A perverse man spreads strife, And a slanderer separates intimate friends. 29 A man of violence entices his neighbor And leads him in a way that is not good. 30 He who winks his eyes does so to devise perverse things; He who compresses his lips brings evil to pass.
Introduction
Here in Proverbs 16:16-17:6 we are looking at wisdom for living on the highway of the righteous. Proverbs 16:20 succinctly expressed the positive side of that for us: “He who gives attention to the word will find good, And blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.” Knowing and living out God’s Word by faith should be the central focus of our lives. As we make it our central focus God’s Word warns us to be aware of dangerous pitfalls that exist. Proverbs 16:25 tells us that generally. Then the following verses give us several examples of ways of life that can seem right to people but in reality are ways of death.
Last time, in verse 26, we saw the dangers of following what our physical desires tell us to do. Then, in verse 27, we examined the way of life of the one who uses words as weapons to attack others. Now we will look at verses 28-30. In verse 28 we see the dangers of truth perverted. Then verses 29-30 deal with the dangers of violence and those determined to carry out evil.
28 A perverse man spreads strife, And a slanderer separates intimate friends.
The one who lives opposite of God’s standard of right and wrong leaves conflict in his wake, and one who vilifies people destroys even close relationships.
This dangerous way of life is expressed in two parts. In the first part we see the person who is perverse. In the second we see someone who characteristically slanders others. In both cases the truth is the casualty of their behavior. The first person causes problems wherever they go because they habitually speak and do what is wrong and evil. They do not live doing what is right and good. That wickedness leaves a trail of problems behind it wherever they go.
The second person tries to gain significance and attention by cutting other people down. They like feeling important as they gossip about others. They like the pretend intimacy and camaraderie of sharing their secrets and what they supposedly know about others along with their interpretation or version of it. They like feeling that they are better than other people so they depict others in a bad light while exalting themselves. Or perhaps they envy the friendships or relationships others have and try to get them for themselves regardless of truth.
In both cases these sinful ways of living end up driving wedges between people and causing conflict. Sin always harms or breaks one’s relationship between people or God because it is against the right way that God designed things to be. By their perverted actions and words people end up alienating themselves from others. Strife and conflict abounds. It is a destructive way of life that lies and twists the truth to get one’s way. In the short run it may lead to pleasure and success, but when it is uncovered and reaps its natural results it will bring great harm.
This way of life has some similarities to the previous one with the dangerous use of words. But the main difference seems to be that in verse 27 the worthless man is intentionally focused on digging up evil and hurting others with his words. While for the perverse man and the slanderer the strife and separation of friends is more a by-product of their way of life and words. With their way of life they are trying to get what they want out of situations. So their focus may be more selfish oriented than vengeance oriented. Strife and broken relationships then just naturally result—even if that was not the goal of their behavior.
Nonetheless, there is probably not a hard and fast distinction between these dangerous ways of life. It definitely makes sense to also see some overlap here, as slandering can very much include scorching words that burn like fire, and the intentional rupturing of relationships.
Scriptural Example: When we look to Scripture for an example of this proverb we see one in Deuteronomy 32:20. It is the only place outside of the book of Proverbs in the Old Testament where this specific word for “perverse” occurs. This chapter in Deuteronomy occurs near the end of Moses’ life and records the song of Moses. It was to be known and sung by every generation of Israel as a witness, warning, and reminder to them of their relationship with God.
Deuteronomy 32:20 “Then He [God] said, ‘I will hide My face from them, I will see what their end shall be; For they are a perverse generation, Sons in whom is no faithfulness.
This was speaking about the disobedient generation who defied God and died in the wilderness wanderings. They were a “perverse generation” who did not trust God. They turned from Him to their idols and immorality. They wanted to return to Egypt rather than follow God. They grumbled, complained, lied, and slandered God and Moses. They were not faithful and true. The following verses in Deuteronomy 32:21-25 record God’s intense anger and judgment against that generation. All of this was to be a warning to all generations of Israel that none were to forget: God’s fiery anger is kindled against those who pervert the way of righteousness and turn from it to evil. It is a pathway of death. That is what a life of perversity leads to.
Perversity is twisting something from the way it ought to be. It is turning things against the purpose God created them to have. It is a lie against reality and the truth. The wilderness wandering generation was a perverse one because they did the opposite of what they should have done. They were not faithful to God. They did not trust Him. They did not worship Him alone. They often complained and spoke against what God commanded.
Here then in Proverbs we are being warned about a way of life that twists things from what God has commanded and declared to be right. People who have similar mindsets as the wilderness wandering generation are on a pathway leading to death. No matter how reasonable what they say might sound, if it contradicts and opposes what God has said, it will not lead to what is truly good. Instead, it will lead to strife.
Someone who lives in such a way as to be characterized by perverting the truth leaves a wake of strife behind them. Their marriages and relationships reflect this strife. They twist God’s intention for marriage, the family, sexuality, and even biological gender. They are cavalier about the marital union and divorce. Pornography, fornication, adultery, homosexuality, children out of wedlock, abortion, abandonment, lies, deceptions, embezzlement, theft, and a host of other perversions can characterize their lives depending on their particular predilections. The inevitable result is that they leave lifelong scars on the lives of their family, on themselves, and on others they are involved with.
Their work and business dealings similarly reflect this strife. They are not afraid to cut corners on what is right as long as it benefits them. Honesty and being true to their word only go as far as it benefits them. Others end up being caught up in the wake of their behavior. Those associated with them often end up with ruined reputations and saddled with the debts and responsibilities of their actions.
Their day to day conversations and behavior also reflect this strife. Their words are cutting and destructive towards those who annoy them, get in their way, or oppose them. They twist the words of other people. Their goal is getting what they want. So they say and do whatever is necessary to get it. How that affects other people does not matter as long as it does not hurt themselves. All in all, that is a recipe for disaster.
Proverb in Comparison: When we compare this proverb with the rest of Scripture we see what God’s wisdom has to say about how we should respond to this kind of way of life. Acts 2:40 is quite blunt. This comes at the end of Peter’s message on the day of Pentecost to Israel.
Acts 2:40 And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!”
The religious leaders and Israel as a nation had rejected their Messiah Jesus. Now, after Jesus’ resurrection, Peter warns them. He uses the same label that God did in Deuteronomy 32:20 and tells them their only hope is to be saved from this “perverse generation.” They needed to turn from their rejection of their Messiah. They needed to turn from their sin and twisting of God’s Word. They needed to turn to trusting in Jesus as their Lord. They needed to trust in Him as Savior from their sin and from God’s judgment. That is the only way of being protected and preserved from God’s judgment of the perversions of sin. The way of perversity—defying God’s righteousness design of our lives and of the rest of His creation—always results in death. As Romans 6:23 unequivocally declares, “the wages of sin is death.”
If you have not turned in faith to Jesus, then that is what God calls you to do today as well. “Be saved from this perverse generation!” Do not put it off until you fully reap what you have sown.
If you have been forgiven, cleansed, redeemed, and reconciled to God through what Jesus did on your behalf on the cross, then His word gives us further guidance on how we are to then live. It reiterates what we are seeing here in Proverbs 16. Philippians 2:14-16 adds this:
Philippians 2:14-16a Do all things without grumbling or disputing; 15 so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life….
We are not to allow ourselves to go back to our old ways of living. We are not to grumble or dispute. We are to trust that God’s way is best, even when it is hard. We are to be blameless and innocent, walking in the truth. We are to hold fast to the wisdom of God’s Word. 1 Peter 2:1-3 puts it this way:
1 Peter 2:1-3 Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, 2 like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, 3 if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.
The perversity of deceit, hypocrisy, and slander are not to be a part of our lives on the pathway of righteousness. Instead, we are to long for the pure milk of the Word of God. It is what will help us grow into the kinds of people that God intends us to be. (cf. also Leviticus 19:16-18, Proverbs 10:18, Mark 7:14-23, Ephesians 4:30-32, and Colossians 3:8-10)
Truth in Connection: The perverse way of life, with its lies twisting things from the way that God designed them to be in harmony and righteousness, will lead to strife. It ruins relationships. Ultimately its sinfulness leads one to eternal separation from God in judgment. It leads to death, separation from God, the source of life. Do not let lies, deception, hypocrisy, and slander become your way of life. It does not matter how much it might seem to help in the moment. If you build your life on lies it will all be ruined when the truth comes to light. Commit yourself to walking in the truth. Trust God that His way is always right and best.
Proverbs 16:29 gives us another way that can seem right, but in reality is also a way of death.
29 A man of violence entices his neighbor And leads him in a way that is not good.
Warlike people try to get others to join them in their violent way of solving problems and getting what they want, but it is a way of life with dreadful consequences.
This proverb warns us against the enticements of violence. Most people are not looking to just engage in violence to get what they want whenever they want something. But they are very often susceptible to being enticed into it. When emotions are inflamed or feelings of injustice are stoked normally calm people can be led into actions they never would have imagined themselves pursuing. Certain people have chosen this as their default way of life, and are good at persuading others to follow them. Sometimes it might be asking someone to specifically come along and join them in dangerous or violent activities, but it can also be much more subtle. People can be drawn into bad situations by simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong person who provokes situations. However it is done, allowing oneself to be associated with a violent person and drawn into violence will end up being disastrous. The last part of the verse here uses an understatement to make its point. He “leads him in a way that is not good.” Not only will it not be good, but it will be quite horrible.
Scriptural Example: In Scripture we see an example of this with David’s son Absalom and the people of Israel. He was a man of violence. He took justice into his own hands when his sister was wronged by his half-brother. He found a way to have him murdered. Later on, after returning from his exile, he had his men burn Joab’s barley field so that he could get him to help him be fully reconciled to David. Unfortunately, even that reconciliation did not curb his violent ways.
As 2 Samuel 15:1-6 says, he spent years winning over the heart of Israel’s people by his deceptive words. He used to sit outside the city gate buttering up the people who were coming to David for judgment in lawsuits. Eventually, after all those enticing words, Absalom got Israel to follow him in a coup. He led them into a violent war against David. But in it, he and more than 20,000 Israelites in his army died because they followed his enticements to violence (2 Samuel 18:7). The people thought that following him would prove good for them. But it did not. It led to civil war and many of their deaths.
Another example can be seen in the invitation of wicked King Ahab to godly King Jehoshaphat. He wanted help in a war against the king of Aram. A prophet of God foretold Ahab’s death, but in disbelief they both went out to battle anyway. Jehoshaphat himself survived, but it still was a losing venture. No doubt some of his soldiers died in the battle. Beyond that, when Jehoshaphat returned to Jerusalem he ended up being rebuked by another prophet for helping the wicked (2 Chronicles 18:1-19:2).
Following a wicked man of violence like Ahab did not lead Jehoshaphat or Judah anywhere good. The later results of this alliance with Ahab turned out much worse. While it did not cause his own death, in his affiliations with Ahab he had his eldest son Jehoram marry Ahab’s daughter Athaliah. The idol worship of Ahab’s wife Jezebel ended up infiltrating Jehoshaphat’s court in that way and led to much trouble. When Jehoram became king he killed all of his brothers, some of his own rulers, and did much evil in the sight of the Lord. It was so bad that God allowed the Philistines and Arabs to overrun the country, and destroy most of his family. God then ended up personally striking Jehoram with an incurable sickness of the bowels that killed him in a very gruesome way. His eight year reign was a miserable failure. When he died it says in 2 Chronicles 21:20 that “he departed with no one’s regret, and they buried him in the city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.”
Jehoram’s wife Athaliah ended up outliving their son’s very short reign and then she took over the kingdom—after killing all the other royal offspring that she could. Only one little baby boy, Joash, was secretly rescued and hidden. It was a horrific, dark time in Judah’s history when the male line of David was almost exterminated. Much of that probably would have been avoided if Jehoshaphat had not allowed himself and his family to be allied with the wicked, violent Ahab and Jezebel. Violence and idolatry were welcomed in and it almost destroyed them all.
Proverb in Comparison: When we compare this proverb with the rest of Scripture Jesus’ words to Peter after he cut off the ear of Malchus, the High Priest’s servant, quickly come to mind.
Matthew 26:52-53 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. 53 “Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?
Jesus did not need His disciples to fight for Him when the guards came to arrest Him. He was going voluntarily to the cross. He did not need to be defended. Rather, they needed to be protected from being caught up in His arrest. So Jesus defused the situation and took a moment to teach them. God’s people are not to be taking up the sword for His kingdom. He will institute it Himself when He comes back with His rod of iron to rule the nations. Christians are not to be characterized as people of violence. Romans 12:17-21 further clarifies God’s expectations for us in this current age:
Romans 12:17-21 Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. 19 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord. 20 “BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Self-defense, or a just war is one thing, but allowing ourselves to be enticed to violence, or to become people who characteristically handle things by force is completely inconsistent with God’s commands to us as Christians. It is so important that being that being quick-tempered, pugnacious (Titus 1:7) or not being peaceable (1 Timothy 3:3) disqualifies someone from being an elder in God’s church.
Truth in Connection: We must not allow ourselves to be enticed towards violence. We must not become people of violence. The gospel calls us to peace. First God reconciles us to Himself through what Jesus did on the cross in our behalf. Then He calls us to proclaim the gospel of peace, to be examples of peace, to live at peace with others as much as is possible, and to be willing to suffer patiently.
If we fail at this we will end up misrepresenting Jesus and the gospel. We will end up missing God’s purpose for us as ambassadors of reconciliation. We will not accomplish God’s purpose in making disciples of all nations, nor teaching all that Jesus taught. We must let God take care of vengeance and ultimate justice. Yes, we should pray for and encourage justice within the God ordained systems of government, but when that fails we are not to become vigilantes. We are to trust God’s perfect timing and justice. We are to keep our eyes on His peace-making purposes for our lives. We are to remember how He suffered and endured injustices to accomplish His God-ordained mission. Then we are to follow Him in being willing to suffer injustices to accomplish His God-ordained purposes for us.
1 Peter 2:19-24 For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. 21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, 22 WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; 23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.
Since Jesus patiently suffered and bore our sins so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness, and since He is the example we are to follow in patiently enduring, then we ought not to return evil for evil. We ought to return good for evil. We ought to resist the enticements to violence and continue proclaiming the gospel of peace that can overcome evil with good.
Anything else is the world’s pathway of sin and death. Violence begets violence and swallows up the ones following the path of vengeance. Do not be deceived by it. It may feel so right and necessary in the moment to hold onto our rights and to strike back. But it is not God’s pathway of righteousness. God’s way of peace is counter-cultural and diametrically opposite of our sin nature. Yet, it is a path that God calls us to in following in the footsteps of Jesus.
For those of us who have trusted in Jesus as our Lord and Savior to forgive us of our own sins and to reconcile us to God we are now called to show that same undeserved love, forgiveness, and goodness to others. We are to be living, visible examples of the life-changing reality of Jesus’ work on the cross. This is what we are called to be as His ambassadors of reconciliation. We are to faithfully represent Him to the world. To do that we will need to continually ask ourselves how we are doing following Him. Our eyes and minds will need to be set on Jesus as our example and model in every area of life. We must see His way of response and living more clearly than the world’s way of doing things. May we seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness and not be deceived by the enticements to violence and vengeance.
Matthew 5:9-12 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 10 “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12 “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
May we be peacemakers and not allow ourselves to be enticed into the deadly way of violence.
Our last verse is connected to this verse which we have just studied. It gives us a picture of the countenance and focus of the person who is on these wicked ways of death. It shows us the mindset of the man of violence.
30 He who winks his eyes does so to devise perverse things; He who compresses his lips brings evil to pass.
The one who sets his face to get what he wants regardless of God’s standard of right and wrong makes wicked plans. The one who determines to do evil makes it happen.
This is a very interesting verse, because it seems to be trying to describe the facial expressions and outward looks of someone devising “perverse things” and bringing “evil to pass.” To make the understanding a bit more challenging, this specific word for “winks” is only used this one time in Scripture. While winking does have negative connotations in Proverbs for one who is trying to deceive and is plausible here, the premier biblical Hebrew dictionary gives this word a slightly different definition. It pictures this word as meaning “to screw up the eyes.”1
Thus this seems to be describing more of a glare, and not so much a winking of the eyes. Usually when someone screws up their eyes, or narrows them, and then compresses their lips the emotion conveyed is an idea of anger, revenge, plotting to get even, hostility, or determination to cause trouble. That makes more sense in light of the violent person in verse 29. We are being given a pictures of how this violent person works and what they look like.
Their violent ways end up being visible in their face. They are the quintessential “angry man.” Whenever something crosses them they become the person whose plotting revenge and evil can be seen in the expressions of their face. You know right away when you have wronged them because the fiery darts can be seen coming from their eyes. And you know that behind that face they are plotting their revenge and your downfall. They are stubbornly determined to bring evil to pass.
Scriptural Example: In Scripture we see an interesting example of this angry determination to carry out violence being visible on one’s face in the book of Esther. In Esther 7:3-7 Queen Esther is making her final petition to King Ahasuerus to have her people spared from destruction.
Esther 7:3-7 Then Queen Esther replied, “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me as my petition, and my people as my request; 4 for we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be killed and to be annihilated. Now if we had only been sold as slaves, men and women, I would have remained silent, for the trouble would not be commensurate with the annoyance to the king.” 5 Then King Ahasuerus asked Queen Esther, “Who is he, and where is he, who would presume to do thus?” 6 Esther said, “A foe and an enemy is this wicked Haman!” Then Haman became terrified before the king and queen. 7 The king arose in his anger from drinking wine and went into the palace garden; but Haman stayed to beg for his life from Queen Esther, for he saw that harm had been determined against him by the king.
When we look at what we know about King Ahasuerus from the book of Esther he seems to have been quite a violent man. First, he was fine with Haman’s plan to despoil and destroy a whole section of his people without even really seeming to look into it. Then we find out that he had a policy that unless his scepter was extended to those who approached his throne they would be put to death. Finally, his solution to the unalterable law about the despoiling of the Jews was to make a new law allowing them to preemptively fight back, kill, and despoil their enemies. He definitely had no problem with violence.
Given all that, when Haman saw the narrowed eyes and compressed lips—or whatever demeanor that the king’s face expressed—he knew he was doomed. The king would be doing only one thing. He would be devising perverse, evil plans for Haman’s death which he would bring to pass. So Haman stayed to beg for his own life from Esther, hoping that her influence would change things. In actuality it only made things worse as his begging was interpreted by the king as Haman trying to assault Esther the queen. At the king’s command Haman then ended up being hung on the very gallows that he had made for Mordecai.
Now, in this case justice was occurring, but the reality was that Ahasuerus was a man of violence. It seems to have been his way of dealing with problems. It was fitting in this case because it was also Haman’s way of dealing with things. We can see that from his way of dealing with the Jewish people and Mordecai. In both cases the anger in their hearts was expressed in their demeanors (Esther 5:9; 7:7). It was then exhibited in the determination of their hearts to destroy their respective enemies.
Proverb in Comparison: When we compare this proverb with the rest of Scripture we see that this kind of demeanor and behavior does not characterize the way of righteousness. As James 1:20 says,
James 1:20 …the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.
Ephesians 4:26 and 31 similarly highlight how we are not to be controlled by our anger and the violence it produces.
Ephesians 4:26, 31 BE ANGRY, AND yet DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger, … 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
This violence, plotting evil, and carrying it out is really the work of the sinful flesh. Galatians 5 is straight-forward in warning that people living in these ways will not inherit the kingdom of God. Listen to what it says:
Galatians 5:19-26 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. 26 Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.
Truth in Connection: This kind of violence, plotting, and carrying out evil has no place on the pathway of righteousness. No matter what injustices we experience, no matter how nice it feels to get even, no matter the circumstances we must not allow ourselves to be enticed into vengeful violence. We must not allow ourselves to become bitter, hold grudges, and plot evil. If we do, it will only be another pathway to death.
Instead, we are to follow God’s pathway of righteousness. We are to trust His justice and vengeance. We are to trust Him. We are to remember His going to the cross for us while we were yet His enemies. We are to remember our treason against Him through our sin. We are to remember our inability to make restitution and earn forgiveness. We are to remember His amazing, undeserved love in Jesus Christ which He has bestowed upon all those who believe in Him. Then we are to become peacemakers. We are to show some of the forgiveness and mercy that He has shown to us, to others. We are to return good for the evil they have given to us. We are to be ambassadors of reconciliation pointing them to the forgiveness and redemption that is found in Jesus Christ alone. We are to be examples to them of Christ’s love. In these ways we will overcome evil with good. By our love we will prove to all men that we are truly disciples of Jesus.
Conclusion
From these verses we see quite a number of ways that lead to death. And perhaps in them you see seeds of those pathways in your own heart. Or perhaps you are already well along one of these pathways. If so, I would urge you to surrender to the convicting work of the Holy Spirit. Do not hold onto your sin and these pathways leading to death. Recognize them for what they are and turn from them to Jesus Christ. Trust in Him as your Lord and Savior to rescue you from your slavery to sin, to reconcile you to God, and to give you the free gift of forgiveness and life. Trust Him in what He says about these pathways and their outcome. Trust Him for His right way of life. No, it will not be easy. But the difference is that He is with you. When God is with us, then it does not matter who or what the enemy is that is arrayed against us. Yes, in the big picture it can be overwhelming. But as we trust Him each step of the way He will get us through everything. He is faithful. Trust Him. Trust His way of life. Trust Him for the power and ability to walk in it. He is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). That means His is not just our Savior and Life. After that start He is also the way of life in an ongoing day by day way to lead us home to the Father. And, He is the truth in the midst of a world full of lying, deceptive paths. Trust Him.
If you have any questions on any of this or want help in coming to know Jesus as your Lord and Savior please come talk with us. We are available. Let’s pray.
© 2024, Kevin A. Dodge, All rights reserved.
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB),Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org
1 HALOT, עצה. See also NET Bible Note 101TN.
English (US) · 