Fear the Lord by Turning from Foolishness to the Lord’s Reproofs
God graciously calls sinners (vv. 20-21) to repent of their foolish character, desires, and direction in life (v. 22). When there is genuine repentance, there is a God-given love and acceptance of His truth and the ability to rightly apply it to life (v. 23). Right living is only possible with right repentance. Every aspect of life should be lived for God and according to God’s character and commands. That is the aim of salvation in Christ (Rom 8:29) and the work of the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:1-17).
- Do you evaluate the character of your life by your standards or God’s?
- God graciously and mercifully invites us to follow him. How are you responding? How should this affect your prayers and efforts toward those who don’t know the Lord Jesus?
- Your spiritual “temperature” is evidenced by your attitude and response to sin and foolishness (v. 22) and the things of the Lord (v. 23). What are your attitudes and responses to these?
- Why do we have the tendency to stubbornly resist the Lord’s reproofs and keep going our own way?