Don't Cast Off Restraint, Have Faith In Christ, Proverb 29:18

Through the years, many have misunderstood today's verse. They have come to believe that since the people perish due to a lack of vision what they need to survive is to have a pastor who casts visions or a prophet who shares visions. Thus we end up with many of the false teachers on television who take advantage of young Christians by playing upon their ignorance of the Scriptures. This particular proverb is taken out of context so often, because they fail to understand how this Proverb is constructed.

Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint;
But happy is he who keeps the law. Proverb 29:18

To truly understand the Proverbs, you must know that most of them present a dualistic thought. If a verse starts out doomed, you don’t have to guess what the opposite is, just keep reading. The opposite of “perish/unrestrained” is to keep the law and be “blessed/happy”.  What is the law? Well in the Old testament times the law was the Law of Moses, but we all know that Christ abolished the Law by defeating death. So then you are left to wonder, what is this particular Proverb good for in a Christian's life?

Let me begin by saying that the explanation I present to you comes from my heart of hearts. It is my desire that it will help shed some light upon what this Proverbs speaks about. As Christians, we all live under the knowledge that Christ died for us to be cleansed from all our sins. We know that we must strive to do what is right in the eyes of God, and that as long as we look upon Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are assured of a perpetual cleansing for our sins. Should we stumble in our walk with Christ, we must take our sin to Him and have faith in our hearts that He has forgiven us for any and all transgressions committed in the past, present and future. Key phrase being, "Taking it to Him when we stumble". So we do not look to the Law, we look to Christ.

Also know this, there is no new prophecy coming down to us from God, since Christ is the fulfillment of 99% of all prophecy given in the Old testament. All other prophecy has to do with the return of Christ, His final defeat of evil unleashed in the world when Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, the promise of a new heavens and a new earth. I know this is a bit simplistic, but I don't want this to be a 10,000 page commentary.

So since all prophecy points to Christ's physical dealings in the world we live in. Then we can assume that the first part of Proverb 29:18, "Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint", has to do with those who refuse to accept the prophecies that Christ promised will come to pass. Thus those who reject these prophecies, then begin living a life outside of the way Christ showed and told us we should live. Thus we end up with societies that live as they did in the last days before the flood, as Jesus Himself told His Disciples;

"They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.".......Luke 17:27-30

Paul expounded upon this warning in his second epistle to Timothy;

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was. .......2Timothy 3:2-9

This is what happens when man casts off all restraint. They not only believe nothing that comes from God, they actually believe that they themselves are God. So they have no fear of the warnings given about the punishment for such behavior.

What is striking is that although they are disbelievers, they make movies and write books about the way things will be in the End Times. However, their motivation is to gain profit, not to share the prophecy as a warning. It is truly sad that so many actually believe it will cool to see the things that the ancients have spoken of. The truth is, we Christians understand and believe the truth spoken to us in the Scriptures. We know that those days are not something any one should wish to see, let alone experience first hand.

Those of us who are getting older, know that we may be gone when the end comes. So we will know nothing of what transpires since we will be in the very presence of our Lord. Yet, we now see where the world is going, and our hearts are saddened at the things those left behind must endure. Like me, many of you feel anguish when we look into the eyes of our children and grandchildren. Knowing what they may endure. We know there is nothing we can do but raise them to Love Christ Jesus, but we cannot make them love Him. We are even more disheartened by the fact that the world is doing all it can to lure them away to an eternal death. Separated from GOD for eternity.

Imagine the moments of anguish those of Noah's day must have felt as they tried in vain to get on board the only vessel that could save them from the tumultuous events that transpired. Consider those who lived their last futile moments as they tried to escape the fire and brimstone the LORD sent to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. This is where we come to the second part of Proverb 29:18, "But happy is he who keeps the law."

Now we know that no one can keep the law. That's why God sent His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16) However, there are rules Christ gave us to follow. All of which can be found in His Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapters 5-7. In His sermon we are given all of what Christ tells us we must strive to follow. At the this Proverb was written, id did mean the Mosaic Law, but Christ had not arrived, and the Israelites were still learning that they could not follow the Law and thus needed something more. That more is Christ Jesus. For those who believe they are following the teachings of Christ admonishes those who do not even try to follow His teachings, while warning us of the consequences;

"But why do you call Me "Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say? Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.".......Luke 6:46

So we know that those who do not even try to follow the One they claim to put their faith and trust in, are like a house built upon sand. For Christians, this is what Proverb 29:18 speaks to. However, we know we cannot follow the Law of Moses. Paul tells us that the Law was just meant to be a tutor that leads us to Christ, who Himself fulfilled the Law and thus became the Lamb sacrificed from the beginning of time for us to have eternal life;

Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor........Galatians 3:24-25

So be happy if you are one of the few on this planet of over seven billion humans, who hears the sayings of Christ and does them, listened keeps the law. Yet at the same time we are truly saddened that so many will be lost. Yes, many will be lost, just as all but eight perished before the flood, and only three were saved when Sodom and Gomorrah was destroyed, the vast majority alive when the time draws nigh will be lost. Thus I implore you of all, if you have not done so yet, ask Christ to come into your life He will give you a new heart;

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them........Ezekiel 36:26-27

Give your life to Him and your salvation and eternal life will be assured. I also plead, that if you truly love your friends and relatives, then share the Gospel of Christ with them so they too can have the chance at salvation. They may not accept, but once you plant that seed, Christ will start watering it and begin a good thing in their hearts.

I pray that those who have ears to hear will hear His
voice and call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen

Proverb 29 (NKJV)

01 He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck,
00 Will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.

02 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice;
00 But when a wicked man rules, the people groan.

03 Whoever loves wisdom makes his father rejoice,
00 But a companion of harlots wastes his wealth.

04 The king establishes the land by justice,
00 But he who receives bribes overthrows it.

05 A man who flatters his neighbor
00 Spreads a net for his feet.

06 By transgression an evil man is snared,
00 But the righteous sings and rejoices.

07 The righteous considers the cause of the poor,
00 But the wicked does not understand such knowledge.

08 Scoffers set a city aflame,
00 But wise men turn away wrath.

09 If a wise man contends with a foolish man,
00 Whether the fool rages or laughs, there is no peace.

10 The bloodthirsty hate the blameless,
00 But the upright seek his well-being.

11 A fool vents all his feelings,
00 But a wise man holds them back.

12 If a ruler pays attention to lies,
00 All his servants become wicked.

13 The poor man and the oppressor have this in common:
00 The LORD gives light to the eyes of both.

14 The king who judges the poor with truth,
00 His throne will be established forever.

15 The rod and rebuke give wisdom,
00 But a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.

16 When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increases;
00 But the righteous will see their fall.

17 Correct your son, and he will give you rest;
00 Yes, he will give delight to your soul.

18 Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint;
00 But happy is he who keeps the law.

19 A servant will not be corrected by mere words;
00 For though he understands, he will not respond.

20 Do you see a man hasty in his words?
00 There is more hope for a fool than for him.

21 He who pampers his servant from childhood
00 Will have him as a son in the end.

22 An angry man stirs up strife,
00 And a furious man abounds in transgression.

23 A man's pride will bring him low,
00 But the humble in spirit will retain honor.

24 Whoever is a partner with a thief hates his own life;
00 He swears to tell the truth, but reveals nothing.

25 The fear of man brings a snare,
00 But whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.

26 Many seek the ruler's favor,
00 But justice for man comes from the LORD.

27 An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous,
00 And he who is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked.
God bless you all