Proverbs 1:24: Don’t turn away

[Wisdom says:] “Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,”
-Proverbs 1:24

There are some churches in this country, some big important churches, that refuse to speak of sin. They say they want to be “positive,” and so they only speak of love. They probably would have spent some time in verse 23 and skipped right over this next section, as though God put this part in by accident.

The promise of verse 23 is a wonderful one, which is why I spent four blog entries talking about it. If you don’t remember, they precede this one. It is a promise that is, in all honesty, the hope of my life, and it is a hope that will be fulfilled.

But if you remember verse 23 at all, you will remember that the promise is contingent on repentance. What happens if someone ignores the call of the Lord and keeps walking by his own counsel?

The next few verses will tell us. It’s not pretty.

At the start, let us be clear. It is a choice to turn away from God. It is your choice, and you cannot blame it on anything else. People from all circumstances, all walks of life, all families have this choice. On the day you meet God (and you will), you will have to answer for that choice.

Romans 1:19-20 says this:

For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

Like Wisdom of Proverbs 1 stands in the streets and calls, God has made Himself known to all. He has given all of us a chance to repent.

Repent from what? See, a lot of pastors will tell you that you’re okay, and that everything’s alright. But the Bible tells us differently, and, if you think about it, you’ll know differently too. This world is not okay, and you’re not either. This world is filled with hatred, greed, lust, and ambition, and you are too. Face it, the same terror that dictators cause on a large scale exists in your heart too.

You may be thinking, “Hey, I’m a good person!” Maybe you are, but only compared to others. By God’s Holy standard, you are not. Have you lied? James tells us that if you have broken one part of the Law, you are guilty of the whole thing (2:10). Have you looked at a woman lustfully? Then you are an adulterer (Matthew 5:28). Have you used the Lord’s name in vain?

Let us not fool ourselves. God’s standard is perfection, and not a one of us has not sinned.

Depressed yet? Go back to verse 23, for there is hope. Repent, and you will be forgiven. Turn to Christ, who has the power to grant you eternal life. There’s no scorecard in heaven to tell you if you have passed the test or not. We all failed, except for Jesus, who lived a perfect life. But in His death He is able to take your sin upon Himself and give His own righteousness to you.

The alternative to eternal life is eternal death. There is a Hell, and people will go there. You don’t just cease to exist. Every sin will be punished. The question is whether you will take the punishment yourself, or if you will take Christ’s offer to pay the price for you.

Repent, my friends. Go to God and see for yourself how good He is.