For this command is a lamp,
this teaching is a light,
and correction and instruction
are the way to life...
Summary: God’s Word is a complete whole. We cannot separate the Old Testament God from the New. Both are one.
This passage is nestled in amongst Solomon’s teachings on adultery, yet I can’t help but think that it has a broader application. Can one part of God’s Word not apply to the others? Does any one truth stand apart from all of God’s Truth?
One thing I find fascinating about God’s Word is how it holds together. Like a massive jigsaw puzzle or an elaborate set of Russian nesting dolls, each piece of God’s Word fits with every other piece. There is a consistency in God’s Word that is both comforting and marvelous.
Looked at in this light, today’s passage not only describes the teachings of Solomon to his sons but also God’s teachings for us today (2 Timothy 3: 16–17; 2 Peter 1: 20–21 (Thanks Rich! 🙂 ).
People sometimes ask, “If I’m a New Testament Christian, why do I need to bother reading the Old Testament?”
The answer is that both the Old and New Testaments shed light on God’s will for us. The New Testament does not suggest that God has changed his mind about adultery. What the New Testament does offer that is different is a path to forgiveness for sins of all types.
This leads us back to our discussion about troublemakers. Does being forgiven through the blood of Christ mean we tolerate troublemakers?
Throughout the Old Testament, God equates Israel’s worship of foreign gods with adultery. In Deuteronomy 13: 12-18 Moses instructs the Israelites on how to deal with “troublemakers have arisen among you.” For the crime of worshipping other gods, the penalty is the total destruction of the town and everything in it.
In John 8:1-11, we read a story about Jesus being challenged by the Pharisees. The Old Testament says that someone caught in adultery must be stoned. Then they ask Jesus, “What do you say?” Jesus’ response is classic. “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”
Oh.
No one felt qualified to throw that first stone. No one, that is, except Jesus. He could have. He was without sin. He would have been completely within his rights to hit her in the head with a stone as a punishment for sin. But he didn’t. Instead, he says, “Then neither do I condemn you,” and then he adds, “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
This brings us back to today’s passage. The answer to the question, “How do we avoid sin?” is often found in the Old Testament. God’s command is a lamp. His teaching is a light. His correction and instruction are the way to life.
Amen.
Application: Study God’s Word every day.
Food for Thought: What does the “way to life” mean?
Side comment about the OT and NT. ( I’m using Christian lingo) it’s like a spiderweb how everything is linked together. The more you study it and understand it your able to see how it unfolds yo a bigger picture, how everything is connected how the OT has things that will happen and how the NT talks about the OT. The Old T isn’t forgotten or useless, and the New T doesn’t mean everything is all easy and full of prosperity.
The spiderweb was from a friend that was explaining things to me.
T –
Absolutely! Everything IS connected. Everything. God’s Word is not only interconnected between Old and New Testaments, but interconnects to all of reality as well. Amazing!
What does the “way to life” mean?
I think the simplest way to answer this is to say we are all born on the way to death…emotional, physical, and spiritual. I add emotional because I can see in myself and others that sin will ultimately eat up your peace of mind and heart, and your relationships with others. We are born self-centered and sinful, and incapable of saving ourselves.
Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way that appears to be right,
but in the end it leads to death.”
Proverbs 27:19 “As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.”
God offers a way to life.
John 10:10 (NKJV) “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
John 14:6 “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'”
Proverbs 21:21 “Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity, and honor.”
Chris,
Great synopsis! Absolutely true, too. Thank you!
03-17-2022, Proverbs 6:23, What does the “way to life” mean?
Our Bibles have OT and NT total of 66 books. All point to Jesus Christ as the path to the Father. The One Light available to all mankind.
John 14:6, Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Thank you, Ron!
“Jesus” is the answer. 🙂
Very good devotion as usual brother. And very good responses as usual.
I don’t have much to add.
I think that “the way of life” here has two meanings. It has a temporal earthly meaning in that if we follow God’s instructions it will lead to a more pleasant, fruitful and meaningful life on this earth. Then of course, there is the eternal meaning that comes with trusting Christ and His work on the cross, as we are told in Scripture.
Mmmm…
I’m not sure I agree with the “not much to add” thing. Your point about two meanings to “way of life” is a good one. In fact, it is so good it may be crucial to understand. We walk in two worlds at the same time. Our spiritual life is the one that is eternal. Our walk in this world determines what kind of eternity we end up with.
Right on!!!!
Way to life…
Like a map…
Or a recipe…
Correction and instruction…. Well, this is convicting. I like the scenic route, usually not the most efficient way. And when I cook or bake, I don’t exactly follow the directions. But I think the “way to life” is a bit more important than cookies…. Or burnt soup….
As it was mentioned before
“I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father, except through Me.” – Jesus
There isn’t really a scenic route, unless that’s the part before Jesus. Where some are more direct in their path and meet Him sooner, and some drive in circles for a while before asking Him for directions. Or maybe He’s trying to show me the scenic route, because His way has the best view….. And the others are the kind of short cuts that leave one lost.
A –
I think you are on to something. We tell ourselves that the path we choose ourselves is better because it is “scenic” or something similar. In reality, the scenery on the path that leads through Jesus is unbeatable. In fact, every aspect of “The Way” is more amazing than we could ever hope to imagine.