Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb20000709.htm

PROVERBS: ALIGNING TO GOD'S FIXED MORAL ORDER
Part III: Displaying God's Fixed Moral Order
F. Viewing Specific Proverbs Of God's Fixed Moral Order
(Proverbs 15:1-33)
  1. Introduction
    1. After motivating a young man to heed an observed fixed moral order, the literary genre of the Egyptian sboyet that the Book of Proverbs uses works to supply actual proverbs to reveal that order, cf. Bruce Waltke, "The Bood of Proverbs and Ancient Wisdom Literature," Bibliotheca Sacra, 136:543, p. 221-238.
    2. Solomon reveals that order to be God's order for his son to heed. We continue our study of that order:
  2. Viewing Specific Proverbs Of God's Fixed Moral Order From Proverbs 15:1-33.
    1. A son must learn a gentle answer calms another's wrath where hurtful words stirr up another party's anger: hence, he must learn that how he conveys his ideas is as important as what he says, Proverbs 15:1.
    2. A son must see that how pleasantly he says what he knows is true affects how well it is accepted, 15:2.
    3. A son must learn that being upright and not evil is always worthwhile as God is omniscient, Prov. 15:3.
    4. A son must see that to the degree he speaks the truth and not deceit will he heal and not hurt others, 15:4.
    5. A son must learn that it is in his own final best interests to heed his parents' correction, Proverbs 15:5.
    6. A son must be aware that to the degree he is righteous will he generally enjoy keeping what he has earned and not losing it due to legal or interpersonal problems, Proverbs 15:6.
    7. A son must learn the degree he submits to God's moral order will his heart and its words help others, 7.
    8. A son must see that the degree he is upright will God delight and not detest in his life's efforts, Prov. 15:8.
    9. A son must know the degree he tries to improve the uprightness of his path will God delight in him, 15:9.
    10. A son must learn that forsaking the upright pathway will produce stern discipline and even death, 15:10.
    11. A son must learn he cannot deceive God, and since God controls his eternal destiny, he shouldn't try, 11!
    12. A son should view mockery as an evil to shun, for it rejects correction and resists seeking advice, 15:12.
    13. A son must learn his adjustment to God's fixed moral order, not his environment, impact his emotions, 13
    14. A son must see the upright (unlike fools) are not content with what they know, but seek more insight, 14.
    15. A son must see the degree he protects the spiritual health of his heart will he be happy in life, 15:15, 13.
    16. A son should learn to value respecting God over possessing wealth as the former alone brings peace, 16.
    17. A son must see that he will be happier possessing love in relationships than wealth if he must choose, 17.
    18. A son must learn that to the degree he is patient in expressing his anger will he preserve relationships, 18.
    19. A son must see that to the degree he is industrious in life will he make headway toward his goals, 15:19.
    20. A son should learn the degree he is upright will he both bless his parents and find them a blessing, 15:20.
    21. A son must see to the degree he is upright and understanding will he keep an upright course in his life, 21.
    22. A son must learn that to the degree he exposes himself to wise advice will he achieve his life's goals, 22.
    23. A son must see that beyond just giving the right answer is the value of his giving it when others seek it, 23
    24. A son must learn that the value of prudence is its tendency to minimize dangerous, costly risks in life, 24.
    25. A son must see that it is very wise seeking to be humble as God liberally rewards humility over pride, 25.
    26. A son must learn that it is very wise to guard his thoughts as God, Who is omniscient, reacts to them, 26!
    27. A son should know it is to his and his family's welfare to watch how uprightly he earns his living, 15:27.
    28. A son must learn that being upright will lead him to think before speaking to avoid causing harm, 15:28.
    29. A son should learn the degree he is upright will he enjoy God's fellowship and answered prayer, 15:29.
    30. A son must see the degree even his body language and words cheer others will he help their health, 30.
    31. A son must learn all wise people must sometime heed rebukes; so to join them, he must heed rebukes, 31
    32. A son must see that to the degree he attends to discipline will he gain understanding and save his life, 32.
    33. A son must see he must humble himself to fear God to gain the wisdom that makes him honored, 15:33.
Lesson: From these proverbs, we learn that a youth is much better off learning from his parents that heeding God's ways is to his own distinct advantage in the adult world.

Application: (1) We parents must have the courage under God's leading to inform our maturing sons and daughters on the VALUE of heeding God's fixed moral order. (2) As maturing children or as adults ourselves, we can apply these truths to our own lives for eventual blessings.