Short Thoughts

“For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again:
but the wicked shall fall into mischief.”
~ Proverbs 24:16

Probably nothing manifests the fact of our frail frame more than the stumblings we suffer. This is no teaching that we ought to fall, but we do sometimes. It is a mark of the righteous that when they fall, they rise up again. This remarkable resilience confounds the wicked. “They lie in wait” for the righteous and rejoice when they fall, thinking that it is the end. The righteous “riseth up again.” It is not so with the wicked, they “fall into mischief.” Their stumbling and fall is ultimately their destruction. They are never recovered out of the snare. In truth, both are susceptible to falling, but it is the righteous that “riseth up again.”

Now the wicked may be glad at the fall of the righteous but the word to the righteous concerning the fall of the wicked is, “Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth” (Proverbs 24:17). Never let just men assume the posture of the ungodly. Never let them sing the same songs of mirth over one that is fallen. Yes, the standard is higher for the child of God. We are not to rejoice at the fall of the wicked, and we should not rejoice at the fall of our brother. Let us have the “spirit of meekness” and restore one who is “overtaken in a fault.” Now let us turn to our text and consider the falling of the righteous and their subsequent rising again.

Firstly, we observe that the saints do fall. The narrow way is not without its difficulties. Though we sometimes walk with joy, we many times tread in sadness. We believe in the absolute sovereignty of God, which affords us comfort. We might be perplexed if not for the good providence of our Father. Paul knew that “bonds and afflictions” were abiding for him wherever he went. We also know “that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.” Suffering is the peculiar lot of God’s people in the earth. However, these sufferings are temporal, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (I Corinthians 4:17). Often through trials and perils we stumble and fall. But the good man of God will rise up again.

Many times our greatest occasion of stumbling is the flesh. No matter how hard we strive, we have not escaped the body of sin just yet. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (I John 1:8). Only the Holy Lord Jesus lived a life completely without sin. No one of us can match His impeccability. We have not reached the mark. When sin has laid us low we must go to the Father, confessing our guilt for “He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9).

We have not fallen to where the Lord cannot reach us. He told Israel that His arm was not shortened. Have faith. He can reach all the way. Sometimes we have confessed and felt God’s forgiveness, but the fall lingers in our memories. Our own frailty and inadequacy mock us. They seem as a great weight that holds us down. Christian, “Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here?” (Numbers 32:6). How long shall you wallow in the mire of self-pity and use your past failure as an excuse for your present inactivity? We have an advocate with the Father. Do not question His ability to forgive sins. In the name of Jesus Christ, rise up! Simon Peter stumbled, as did John Mark, to name a couple. But they were restored to greater service. Our verse says, “For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again.”

Secondly, we see that the righteous fall “seven times.” Our first trial is sure not to be our last. Having begun on the way, let us hold on without wavering. We can be certain that trials wait, so long as we tabernacle in this body. There is warfare within and the battle shall not be over until we leave this world. There is hope in our verse. No matter how oft we stumble, the righteous “riseth up again.” We sing the glad song of the righteous:

They may on the main of temptation be toss’d,
Their sorrow may swell as the sea;
But none of the ransomed shall ever be lost;
The righteous shall hold on his way.

Surrounded with sorrows, temptations and cares,
This truth with delight we survey;
And sing, as we pass thru this valley of tears;
The righteous shall hold on his way.

On Saturday morning October 6, 2007 God permitted the safe and healthy birth of twins to our family. Jubilee Illa was born at 5:20 AM weighing 6 lbs. 3 oz. She had dark hair and looked remarkably like one of her older sisters. Judah Thomas followed at 5:30 AM weighing 6 lbs. 14 oz. He had lighter hair and resembled his mother and older brother. Each child is a blessed gift from God and to receive two in this manner humbles us and fills us with wonder at the glory and wisdom of God. Mother and babies are doing very well. Judah is on the left and Jubilee on the right in the attached photo.

“Wisdom is better than weapons of war:
but one sinner destroyeth much good.”
~ Ecclesiastes 9:18

Solomon has highly esteemed wisdom in the book of Proverbs as well as in the book of Ecclesiastes. He has deemed it the choicest of treasures, more worthy to be diligently sought after than gold and silver hidden in a field. Solomon states, “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding” (Proverbs 4:7). Of all pursuits to consume our time, wisdom is by far the greatest. We should strive to acquire wisdom above all else.

Wisdom can accomplish much good. It is “an ornament of grace” to them that possess it. The preacher says in our text, “Wisdom is better than weapons of war.” The greatness and safety of a city does not lie only in their machinery of defense. “There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength. An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength” (Psalm 33:16-17). He tells us that the race is not always won by the fastest, nor is it always the strongest that prevail in battle. Wisdom far excels all these carnal things. However, in our text, Solomon contrasts the good of wisdom with the destruction of sin for “one sinner destroyeth much good.” Let us consider briefly some of the destructions of sin.

Firstly, a sinner destroys himself. Countless millions live lives of sin, “Whose end is destruction.” They have never repented. They have never believed in Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins,” and “he that believeth not is condemned already.” In some cases, they have gained the whole world and lost their own souls.

A life of sin is a wasted life that ultimately destroys itself. Do you realize the ruinous power of sin? Whatever good may be done is destroyed by the sin in your life. Outside of Christ, you cannot do any good works, no matter what your intentions might be. The Bible says, “So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God” (Romans 8:8). The Word tells us “without faith it is impossible to please him” and “whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” You may be kind to your family and neighbors. You may be benevolent toward the downcast. You may volunteer your time to help the sick and needy. You may attend church and even give offerings. With all your good works, you may think that you are building up a good account, but you are going to find that “But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds” (Romans 2:5-6). All your works that seemed good are destroyed.

Secondly, a sinner destroys others. There may be much good intended and attempted by many of the righteous, “but one sinner destroyeth much good.” “A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends. A violent man enticeth his neighbour, and leadeth him into the way that is not good” (Proverbs 16:28-29). A sinner in the congregation destroys and hinders the good efforts of all. A sinner in the church will sew discord, tale-bear, and lead many astray. They are an ungodly example with their fleshly lives. They are always causing divisions and thwart the good desires of God’s people. They bring reproach on the body and her head, Christ. They are much like Achan of old who brought wrath on all Israel. “Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the accursed thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? and that man perished not alone in his iniquity” (Joshua 22:20).

The church is required to cleanse itself of iniquity by purging out the old leaven. “But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person” (I Corinthians 5:13). The Lord’s church must practice discipline and exclusion if necessary. The carnal Christians that are only interested in “nickels and noses” will shy away from such doctrine. Carnal reasoning says, “This one puts much money into the church. This one has the largest family. This one has a lot of influence in the community. Can we not just tolerate them and not rock the boat?” The answer is, “No!”

The truth is, the church cannot afford to keep such a one in the body for “one sinner destroyeth much good.” Do not suffer Jezebel to teach others to sin. Put her out. One sinner in the body will destroy the good name of the Church and erode your good influence by their bad example. The church cannot be just like the world. How much sin is in the world? “And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness” (I John 5:19). We cannot run with the world and hope to influence them for good for “one sinner destroyeth much good.” We must follow the Word, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate” (II Corinthians 6:17). The world needs to see a holy church with holy Christians that are dedicated to give Christ glory with their lives. “Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen” (Ephesians 3:21).