Building a Strong Life and Home: Proverbs 24:1-34

You're listening to The Bible Guys, a podcast where a couple of friends talk about the Bible in fun, in practical ways. Hey, everybody, if this is your very first time joining, you have stumbled onto a wonderful podcast. What an amazing experience for you. Yes, we are so excited for you. Yes, it's going to be incredible if this is your first time. Wow, fuck up. We have the Bible guys, and uh, we're gonna jump into Proverbs that we'll continuing on with. And by the way, we haven't mentioned this in a long time, but we are walking through the highlights or the milestones of the Old Testament. That's correct, right, And and Proverbs is such you know, it is such a unique book of the Bible because it's not story driven, right, it's not. It's not like event driven or even you know, it's just a bunch of wisdom. It's a wise saying. That's what I like to call them, why saying. Yes, yes, So anyway, before we jump into that, we have. Like they're like ancient poster themes. Yes right, right, yes, yes, I agree, And they would chisel them in rock and then hang them on the walls maybe just like our posters. This is a segment that Desiree has put together called stump the pastor. Don't don't don't, don't don dom And this is from Alisha L. Hi, Alicia L. There you go. Okay, so nice whenever whenever people write notes to us, Yes, we were so Alicia. Sincerely, Alicia, thank you for trusting us with this question. We actually really mean that, sincerely. If you have any questions at all, you can email us at info at the Bible guys dot com and uh or you know, just respond on YouTube or you know, throw it in the comments somewhere and we will be glad to consider your question. So here's Alicia L's question. Can someone who has never been baptized still go to heaven? Oh? Good question. And by the way, this is a very common question. And wouldn't you say that this is one of the more debated questions among the different religions. Yeah, there's several denominations that would say, no, you can't go to heaven without being baptist, right, because that is what saves you, right. Yeah. Yeah, So and by the way, where would that belief come in? Well, I mean I know where I grew up, right, so I grew up in a denomination where they baptize infants, right, a very very traditional and. This is where it comes from, okay, right, right right, yeah, yeah, from Catholicism. Ancient Catholicism is what has driven the idea of baptism is required for salvation. Yeah. And so so if you if you wonder where that came from, you really sort of have to back up, and you you really have to zoom out to thirty thousand foot view. And it really comes down to who do you believe carries the authority. So when I grew up, we were sort of non practicing Catholics, and and and I and I would pop in and out of these you know, CCD classes and and uh, you know these different things that at my Catholic church, and and and we would you know, show up every once in a while, you know, to to to the church. But what I learned is is that uh, and if you google this you can find out find this out. Many Catholics actually don't even know this. But the Catholic Church decrees that if the Pope uh declares something is true, the actual verbiage is something like this. It is the same as if God himself speaks. The phrase is if he speaks ex cathedral. Well, so when the when the pope speaks about, hey, good mornings, sonny outside, that's not from God, that's just his opinion. But when he announces I'm speaking ex cathedral, which is rare, But when he speaks ex cathedra, that means this is the doctrine of the Church and is from God. Okay, and so the ex cathedra is what he would say is equivalent or equal to. Just the same as the Bible. That right, And it's because that's by the way, that stems from the belief of they would say Peter was the first pope. You know, the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven was given to nobody except for Peter. And then there's been, you know, a lineage of popes, and so our pope is connected to you know, he's the X, you know, whatever number in line he is something like that, and that's that's where that theory comes from. So so therefore we bet we zoom out, and we asked this question. It depends on who you believe has the authority. If you believe the Church has the authority, then you know that's a that's a more difficult question. If you believe the Bible has the authority, then then you know, you can take the Bible. And we always say the Bible is its own best commentary, right, take every single verse that we know about baptism. And so if if mankind comes along, instance, somebody like the pope and says, hey, we heard from God and this is what it is. So there's a difference between the uh, you know, the modern church and the postmodern church, right and and and so the modern church would say, hey, we have to we have to know everything there is to know. There's no mystery of God. We have to figure out all things. And they had they had to answer this question, which is do babies go to heaven? And that's where this doctrine came from. And they were trying to answer the question what happens if it infant dies? And I think this, I think this was I think this didn't come into like I mean, it was hundreds and hundreds of years. And it was a. Constantine for Constantine sid like three hundred three twelve. I think. Okay, yeah, so hundreds of years later, after Christianity began, after Christianity began, they came up with this theory. Yeah, so that wouldn't be the modern church by the way. Oh yeah, that's right. I actually thought it was like sixteen hundred years later. Oh yeah, yeah, no, it was. So Constantine was getting ready. It was right before Constantine became emperor. He was getting ready to go up in a war. He had about twenty five thousand soldiers. He's going up against his arch rival as they were competing to take over Rome and the Roman Empire. And he was going up against an army that was more than twice his size. And he had a dream that he heard Jesus speak. It was the night before the war, the battle. He had a dream and he saw in the sky a flaming sword and a cross, and he heard in his dream Jesus say, with these symbols, go and conquer. So up to that point, Christianity was illegal in the Roman Empire to the point of death. And then he announces, Jesus told me that if we go with the cross and the sword, we're going to win. We're all Christians now, And so he had the entire army baptized. Yeah, because he didn't know how he became a Christian, right, he had no idea alls he knew was that we were executing people because they got baptized. And so now everybody gets baptized, all in the same day. And then they went out and they won. They won the war. That's how he became emperor. Yeah, and so then he gets back to Rome and he goes, guess what, we're all Christians now, and they started baptizing, but that baptism for infants. Then they began to because they didn't have a solid doctrinal understanding. They began to say, well, if you get if you go to heaven because of being baptized, which isn't true, then we better baptize our babies because we need to. And of course at that point you can't dunk a baby. And so they took the Jewish tradition of sprinkling of anointing with oil and they use that as their process. So that's how it happened. So, yeah, it was in the three hundreds. Okay, well, first of all, I didn't know that's when baptism was connected to it. I did know that story. In fact, do you know the part of the story where the Roman soldiers get baptized without. The right arm? Do you know that? Yeah? So The rest of that story is he had baptized the entire Roman army at the time, but had them. Oh oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. He had them hold their right arm above the. Water because that's the fighting army. He didn't want that sanctified where they'd feel guilty about Yeah yeah fighting. Baptized the entire army except for the right arms, which is crazy. So yeah, but I did not know. So that's the time when the church shifted was because at that point then Christianity became legal and he began appointing his own bishops and stuff. Right, So then it just kind of it faded after that, that's when it began to be embraced as that's the mainstream is baptism is essential. But let's go back to her question. Alicia asked about is it possible to go to heaven without being baptized. The answer is emphatically yes. Correct. The way we know that that's true is in Luke chapter twenty three, Jesus is on the cross and there's a criminal on either side of Jesus, and the one criminal mocks Jesus, but the other criminal says this, if it's possible, would you take me to paradise with you, and Jesus said today you'll be with me in paradise. So there's no record of them both hopping off the cross and Jesus baptizing this guy. He didn't do it. It was a belief component. Right, there's this thing, and this is consistent as you read through the Book of Romans. The Book of Romans is the strongest I believe doctrinal book in the Bible, and maybe Romans and Hebrews, right, but in Romans it's very very clear. Like in Romans chapter ten, it mentions you have to believe in your heart and confess with your mouth. So you confess your sins, you confess that Jesus's Lord says there he's the King. And then you believe in your heart that God raising from and you will be safe. And whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. That's right. And it doesn't say plus all these other things. So there are passages where sometimes it gets a little confusing. The Book of Mark, for instance, the Book of Acts when they say what do we need to do in Acts chapter one or two, and Peter says, you need to repent of your sins and be baptized. Right, and he wasn't and he wasn't right, because you could read that as both are required. Right, right. Baptism comes after repentance always, right, right. Baptism comes after salvation always, every single time they declare I do I have trusted Christ, I am trusting Christ, then they get baptized. So baptism is the outward symbol of that internal right. And by the way, that's that's another thing too. So I mean, so what I was trying to originally get at is the belief of. A child being baptized. But by the way, I'm saying this because I was baptized as an infant, right were you? You weren't, Yeah, you weren't. I was. I was born to a committed family of pagans. That's right, that's right, that's right. So, yeah, you're dad didn't get saved till he's what forty Yeah, yeah, something like that. So anyway, my so, my family had had them all baptized, and in most most people that I know, that one you know, hey, will you baptize my infant? My baby? You know, my grandchild was born. I told my daughter, we have to hurry up and get this child baptized. Well, they don't even really understand like what that really means. So the doctrine of the church and this is this is maybe where I'm getting confused. I think maybe this came later, right, because because there was an explanation of how there is an actual they the Catholic Church would decree that there's an original there's a removal of the original sin of Adam during baptism. Maybe that was qualified later. Maybe that's why I'm getting confused. But anyway, or maybe not, but anyway, the uh, but that's what they would say, it happens. But most people who are my friends, they're like, what, like, they don't know that. All they know is I have a baby. It's emotional. Let me hurry up and get a baptized because I want to make sure they're okay that they go to heaven. But the Bible says every verse about salvation, every single instance about baptism, every single one takes place after a person, it's their faith and trust in Jesus Christ. There is not a single incident in the Bible where somebody gets baptized before that happens, right, or an instruction. It's not even it's not even it's not even that we're looking for examples. We're talking about even instruction and so and so. It is pretty clear that baptism is meant after a person trusts Christ. And so therefore we believe. That if if an infant dies, you know, let's just say an infant, you know, is eight months old or something and has this tragic thing happen or something like that, we would come up with the doctrine of there's an agent of accountability, right, yes, where if the child is not old enough to reject Christ, then then then that child has not rejected Christ and therefore would be protected and under the care. And love of God. It is. It is, there's an accountability age where a person has a chance to either reject the truth of Christ or not pursue the truth of Christ or you know, or those types of things. They have to be old enough to wrestle with that decision. So there you go. Thank you. I've said all that I need to say. Thank you. And that's that's the longest response we've given to anybody so far. Oh wow, we're at thirteen minutes. Yeah, by the way, that's not true. We have actually gone longer. We've gone just as long. Okay, yeah, because doesn't say do we need to extend it out so that she gets the longest sale time record? Yeah, so there you go, l thank you, thank you for asking. That's fantastic. Yes, there's so much more to say about that, but we should stop there. Yep. Okay, So we continue in Proverbs chapter twenty four, and I have no transition on this one. I looked off through this one I could. Yeah. Yeah, So twenty four verse one is where we're at, and uh, we're going to read through this whole passage is kind of long, so we're just going to jump on it here. Okay. It says don't envy people. By the way that. That question that Alicia asked us, it felt like there was a lot of pressure to it, but vers uver ten and proverb says if you fail under pressure, your strength is too small. Oh there we didn't yeah, and so standing strong yeah in their Yeah, good job, Chris. Let me try this again. First one, Readers don't envy evil people or desire their company for their hearts plot violence and their words always stir up trouble. A house is built by wisdom and becomes strong through good sense, through knowledge. Its rooms are filled with all sorts of precious riches and valuables. The wise are mightier than the strong, and those with knowledge grow stronger and stronger. So don't go to war without wise guidance. Victory depends on having many advisors. Wisdom is too lofty for fools. Among leaders at the city gate, they have nothing to say. A person who plans evil will get a reputation as a troublemaker. The schemes of a fool are sinful. Everyone to test a mocker. If you fail under pressure, your strength is too small. Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to die. Save them as they stagger to their death. Don't excuse yourself by saying, look, we didn't know. For God understands all hearts, and he sees you. He who guards your soul knows you well er knows you knew. Oh, there you go. He will repay all people as their actions deserve. My child, eat honey, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to the taste, And the same way wisdom is sweet to your soul. If you find it, you'll have a bright future and your hopes will not be cut short. Don't wait in ambush at the home of the godly, and don't raid the house where the godly live. The godly may trips seven times, but they will get up again. But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked. Don't rejoice when your enemies fall. Don't be happy when they stumble, for the Lord will be displeased with you, will turn his anger away from them. Don't fret because of evildoers. Don't envy the wicked for people. For evil people have no future. The light of the wicked will be snuffed out. My child. Fear the Lord, Lord and the King. Don't associate with rebels, for a disaster will hit them suddenly. Who knows what punishment will come from the Lord and the King. Here are some further sayings of the wise. It is wrong to show favoritism when passing judgment. A judge who says to the wicked you are innocent will be cursed by many people and denounced by the nations. But it will go well for those who convict the guilty. Rich blessings will be showered on them. An honest answer is like a kiss of friendship. Do your planning and prepare your fields before building your house don't testify against your neighbors without cause, don't lie about them, don't say, now I can pay them back for what they've done to me, I'll get even with them. I walked by the fields of a lazy person, the vineyard of one with no common sense. I saw that it was overgrown with nettles, and it was covered with weeds, and its walls were broken down. And then as I looked and thought about it, I learned this lesson. A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit. Scared city would attack you like an armed robber. Wow, scarcity will attack you like an armed robber. Yeah. Again, very poetic, very very visual. And wow, a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest. Yeah. You know, Solomon really talks a lot about laziness, doesn't he. Yeah. There's a lot of verses in there that say, hey, work hard. Yeah, And you. Know, it just goes back to the fact that we have to realize we are made to work well. The verse we read a verse was it yesterday or the day before? Where the guy goes, oh, there might be a lion in the street. You know, I better stay home, right, Yeah, I'm not going to go to work today. There might be something bad out there. Right. There's all kinds of excuses not to work here. It's I'm a little sleepy, I need to not work whatever. He has this belief. Solomon has this very strong belief hard work is going to pay off and you're going to have a house full of riches at some point. Yeah. And laziness is always going to cause everything to fall apart. Yeah. And then he says that a wise man, a godly man, is going to work hard and then if he's wise, his house will be full of wealth. He ties wealth and hard work with wisdom. And then he says this passage, I'm glad you what's up? Because he says, where's the verse that says that they'll fall seven times and they get back up again? The righteous man falls seven times and gets back up. I know you read it. I know I read it, But you also read thirty four verses. Yes, it's in here. Yeah. Anyways, I always read that because wealth takes risk, right, right, and so a lot of us we don't build the kind of wealth we could build because we're afraid to make the kind of investment it takes to get there. But it's interesting. A wise person will have the ability to try and try and try and try, and even if they fail a few times, they're going to get back up and keep going. A foolish person, oftentimes, he says, there's crooked people and they get out and take advantage of others and that's how they get wealthy, or foolish people and lazy people just won't even take the steps necessary to build wealth. Right, and so there is this wisdom will carry you through and help you beyond. Just it's verse sixteen sixteen. I just know. The godly may trip seven times, but they'll get up again. And so there is this idea that if you're godly and you're wise. Sure, now he's not guaranteeing that life is going to be smooth and easy, but he is saying that you're going to be able to have the wisdom and the strength and the discernment to stand back up and try again, and then stand back up and try again. So if you've hit a wall financially, there's a path out of this problem. And then if you're a godly person, and you're doing things the way God says to do. There's a path forward for you to maybe build wealth in the future where you couldn't build it prior. Right, But it's that lazy person who just he contrasts that with a little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding the hands of the rest, and poverty pounds on you like a bandit. Right. So there's the lazy person goes Nope, I give up. I'm not going to try anymore, versus the person who says, no, I'm going to keep working and I'm going to lean into it. And with that, along with that, if you if you compound that with wisdom, that's going to be like a multiplier for you. And then that's why he says a house is built by wisdom and becomes strong through good sense, through knowledge. Its rooms are filled with all sorts of pressures, riches, and valuables. In verse three and four, Yeah right, yeah, you know there's another thing in here. He indicates it twice. I think maybe more so. Don't go to war with that wise guidance. Victory depends on many advisors. And then he says, where's the verse where he says, don't build your house. Oh, verse twenty seven, do your planning and prepare your fields before building your house. Yeah, and so you know there's a there's a component. Of of like, hey, do your due diligence right, like plan get it, get get godly advice. Uh, you know, plan ahead. Doesn't Jesus say the same thing. Nobody builds a tower without first counting the cost. Nobody takes thirty thousand warriors against one hundred thousand, Right, you got to you got to count the cost before you before you move forward. And that's what you have to do. And of course Jesus was talking about counting the cost of following him, right, But so you got to count the cost of what. It really means. And and so you know, there is a definite hard work theme here. There's definite planning, but it also points to to your point, prosperity and h and uh. It's not a guarantee, but this is how life typically works. That's that's what he's doing. I love that verse. I was going to comment on it. It's I think my favorite verse in the passage in this whole chapter is do your planning and prepare your fields before you build, build your house? Yeah, he's saying, there's a logical order to your work. Right, duties don't conflict, so there's going to be a logical order your fields, preparing your fields, especially in those days. If you didn't plant during planting season, you're not going to have anything to eat in harvest season, you're gonna be in trouble. So, yes, shelter will provide comfort, but preparing your fields and preparing for the future is more important than your immediate comfort. So if you have to sleep outside for a month while you're plowing your field and planting your harvest, then that's a short bit of suffering for long term returns. And so you do the things, the hard things first, and then you go ahead and build a house. Not that the house isn't hard to build, but the house is a comfort issue. There's a safety component to it, but it's a comfort issue mostly, whereas the food thing is stay alive, and so don't hurry up. If you spend the spring building your house, then you're going to have a big house, and everybody's gonna be hungry in the fall and winter. Right, have anything, right, and so there is always an order to wise living, and you want to do the right thing at the right time, and that that's a big part of that wisdom. Hey, speaking of you know, wisdom phrases, you mentioned this just a few seconds ago. You said, duty is never conflict. So that is one of your wise phrases that you always mentioned. He never conflicts? Do you never go? Yeah, So explain that. What do you mean when you say those things? There's always a priority, There's always something more important. You know, if you're confronted with an issue and you have seemingly three or four responsibilities, three or four duties, there's always one that's most important, and you have to do that one first. I've told the story before. I was getting ready to go to Tanzania. I had a meeting of our directional leadership team and I found out my daughter on her very first day she could have a customer as an esthetician, her customers canceled. She was alone, So my daughter she was sad. My wife said, Jeff, duties never conflict, man, right, because she hates that phrase, And I said, you know, you're right. My daughter is more important than this meeting, and so I'm gonna There were other very competent people in the room that are more than capable of leading that meeting and making good decisions. But my daughter will only ever have her first customer one time, right, And so I was her first customer right that day, and I chose that I walked away from a very important meeting because my daughter's more important duties and never conflict there, you go, right, that's what that is. And so there's a right order. There's a right order to life. And if you if you figure that out, So my wife feels conflict because she feels like both of those are equally important, right, right, Both of those are important. But when you really dig in and go which one's most important one? My daughter's most important meetings are going to happen again next week and the week after that and the week after that. But my daughter is only ever going to have a customer first customer one time. And so that was the thing there that when you begin to sort life out that way, what is the most important thing? Do the most important thing, then do the next most important thing, then do the And that's what he's saying here, prepare your fields first, plan first, prepare your fields next, then build a house. There's an order. All three of those things are important. But you do them, You do them in the right order, and life is going to make more sense. You're gonna have a lot more peace because I can't do everything, so I'm always going to disappoint somebody. I'm always going to have a thing that's unfinished because they can't do everything, so I have to do the most important things. Yeah. Well, it says a house is versionumber three. A house is built by wisdom and becomes strong through good sense. Good sense. Yep, yeah, it's it's awesome. That's great. Well, that's a good way to wrap up our thoughts and hopefully we will see you tomorrow on the Bible. Guys,