What things?
Well, the first was to walk in the counsel of the wicked.
Well, the first was to walk in the counsel of the wicked.
The next is that we leave God out of our lives by standing in the path of sinners.
The commentaries say this means being involved with sinners in sinful behavior. The "path" refers to their way of life or their behavior. Many people have heard in a sermon that "sinner" comes from a Hebrew word that means to "miss the mark." To stray from the standard of God --that's revealed in His Word. Now, in that sense, we are all sinners. We have all missed the mark by deviating from His standards of holiness. But believers have trusted in Christ as Savior and we are converted sinners. Instead of living to please self, the converted sinner strives to please God:
that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; (Colossians 1:10)
In addition to pleasing God, we learn how to deny ourselves and love God and others.
And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and will all your strength. This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. (Mark 12:30-31a)
The Bible teaches us that the objective our our friendships with unbelievers needs to change after we begin a relationship with Christ. If we run with worldly people in their ungodly way of life, we may be tempted to copy or accompany them in their sinful behaviors. It's easy, especially when we are new Christians, to be wrongly influenced by our old friends. That is why a new believer needs to look closely at many of the old friendships and cut off relationships with some former friends, before they draw us back into the old sinful ways.
On the other hand, we aren't supposed to cut ourselves off completely from sinners! Instead, our purpose changes. . . . Instead of going with them and joining in their sinful deeds, now we associate with them as a sinner saved by grace -- someone who wants to tell them about Jesus Christ and bring them to repentance.
and relationship with Him! Oh, how happy is the person who does not stand in the path of sinners!
So, we have talked about walking in the counsel of the wicked and standing in the path of sinners . . . what else does the psalmist say we should avoid? What is the third way we leave God on the outside of our lives?
"Sitting in the seat of scoffers." (v. 1)
Some translations use the word "scornful."
Scoffer? That's not a word we hear much anymore -- it means (according to my handy dandy dictionary) some one who speaks mockingly, derisively, who jeers at someone or something. I bet you and I have known some scoffers. They have rejected God and His Word. They openly mock what they have rejected. Scoffers think they know more than believers do. They even think they know more than God. They're WAY too smart to believe in the Bible, they say. It's too rigid. Too repressive. Too straight-laced. Sometimes they hide under an intellectual smoke screen: they are too well educated and too intelligent to believe what we do. At the end of the day, scoffers don't want to read the Bible because they want to be their own gods. That way, they can do what they want, and follow their lusts.
Does that seem too harsh?
I'm sorry.
It's true.
They don't want to have anything to do with God because He would interfere in their life. They instinctively know they would have to change their sinful ways! And that is something they are not willing to do . . .
The psalmist mentions the "seat" of scoffers - one commentary I read told me that this refers to the assembly or the gate, where such men could gather and talk about their godless philosophy. They get together because there is strength, they think, in numbers. I'm thinking they also get comfort in numbers. Kind of an "everybody is doing it" type of mentality! So, to sit in their seat means to belong to that crowd.
Oh, how happy is the person who does not sit in the seat of scoffers!
Before we flip the coin over and look at the positive side of things, let's look at one more important point. I don't mean to pound on a deceased equine, but do you recall The Screwtape Letters that we've talked about before? Where a demon is instructing the new demon on the block in how to tempt and pull astray "his" human? (Gotta love the dry humor of C. S. Lewis . . . anyway, the older, more experienced demon says to make things gradual. Cause the person to fall away from God little by little by little.
Can you see that in verse one?
How about this: walk, stand, sit. First you walk. Yes, you are still moving, but it's in the wrong direction and in the wrong company. Next, you stand. You are lingering in sinful places or in compromising behaviors. Last, you sit. You are at ease and comfortable with those who reject God.
Ready for some more gradual slides?
Here is the next progression: wicked, sinners, scoffers. Your first step - you are with the wicked, the ones who are casual and "hang loose" about godly things. Second, you are with sinners, the ones who openly violate God's commands and miss the mark. Lastly, you are with scoffers, who openly reject God and His truth.
One last slippery slope here: counsel, path, and seat. First you listen and begin to think wrong thoughts. Then you stand in the path; your behavior is wrong. Then, you sit with the scoffers; your crowd and your attitude is wrong!
Oh, believer, if we want to be happy, to be blessed, then we must guard our minds and compare things we hear and think with the Word of God. Then we must choose our friends wisely, since they can just as easily influence us as we can influence them.
We've looked now at the "negative" . . . the "don't do these."
Next time, we will look at the "positive" . . . . the "yes, do this!"
I bet we will find the key to contentment and happiness!
OH this was so good. Sharing.
ReplyDelete