The Beginning of Knowledge

1 The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:

2 To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight,

3 to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity;

4 to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth—

5 Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance,

6 to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles.

7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

. To walk as Christ walked is to love you brother as He has loved us. You are your brother’s keeper as Christ is to His brothers and sisters. - John 13:34-35

- 1 John 2:7-11 - “Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. 8 At the same time, it is a new commandment (John 13:34) that I am writing to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true (real, genuine) light (light of Christ) is already shining. (continues to give light) 9 Whoever says he is (exist) in the light (light of Christ) and hates (regard as ill-will, abhor) his brother (fellow-believer) is still in darkness. (remains in wickedness and misery) 10 Whoever loves his brother abides (to be held or kept continually) in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. (stumbling block, obstacle) 11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, (live in wickedness and misery) and does not know where he is going, (be led away in life) because the darkness has blinded his eyes.” (John 11:10)

• In Pilgrim’s Progress - Christian states concerning Talkative: "For my part, I am of opinion that he (Talkative) has, by his wicked life, caused many to stumble and fall; and will be, if God prevents not, the ruin of many more" - John Bunyan

Have you ever asked why God gave us His word and why Jesus is the Logos? - 2 Peter 1:3-4

- 1 John 2:12-14 - “I am writing to you, little children, because your sins (harmatia) are forgiven (to send away) for His name's sake. (on account of His name we have obtained something - John 1:12 ; Acts 10:43 ) 13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. (1 John 1:1) I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. (Ephesians 6:10) I write to you, children, because you know the Father. (John 14:7) 14 I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.”

Christ is our Advocate and Propitiation for our sin. The Advocate is the one who speaks on your behalf that you are not guilty; the Propitiation is the one who has paid the cost of your guilt.

- Hebrews 7:25 - “Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.”

- 1 John 2:1-2 - “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate (parakletos: one who pleads another’s cause, intercessor) with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation (the means of appeasing) for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”

• Moses as Advocate and to make Propitiation: Exodus 32:30-33
• Jesus the Advocate: Luke 23:34
• Jesus the Propitiation: Romans 3:21-26

You know that you know Christ not by a prayer spoken but by your life being changed. To know Him is to Love His word, to Love His word is to do His word.

- John 14:15-17 - “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.”

- 1 John 2:3-4 - “And by this we know (ginosko: to know God expressed in action) that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him,”

You know that you are eternal HIs because He lives in you and you in Him. If you abide in Him you will and must live as He lived.

- John 14:23-24 - “Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me.”

- 1 John 2:5-6 - “...but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know * that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.”