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Proverbs 19:2

Two Ways to Sin

 

Sin

 

  1. Sin defined:
    1. To miss the way, to miss the intended mark; to go wrong, to err; to fail;
    2. The term is the one most often used of sin against God.
    3. However, the purest meaning of the term simply means to miss a mark.  
    4. Judges 20:16 – Here is an example of the purest meaning of the term.
    5. The context has to determine what that missed MARK is.

 

  1. Various translations:
    1. Darby: maketh false steps
    2. misses his way
    3. makes poor choices
    4. errs
    5. to sin

 

  1. In this context, as a proverb, it seems best to take this term in its most basic meaning: missing the mark.
    1. Often times missing the mark is ALSO sin against a holy God, but not always.
    2. Sometimes it may speak of an earthly failure of one sort or another.
    3. The two are not mutually exclusive.

                                         i.    Because this is a proverb, and it was intended to have MANY practical applications, it is best to understand it in the broad sense… applicable in EVERY realm or situation.

                                        ii.    Solomon is speaking about failure… error…

                                      iii.    From an earthly practical sense, they are seen as failures.

                                      iv.    Those same earthly failures from God’s perspective are often the result of sin… failure to follow the principles found in God’s Word… namely, the principle in this very verse!

                                       v.    The two shades of meaning are not unrelated.

    1. The proverb ought to be related to both realms: good practical principles for life on earth AND principles dealing with our relationship to God. 

 

 

The First Way to Sin:

Also, that the soul be without knowledge, it is not good;

 

A.  A Soul Without Knowledge

 

  1. Soul: nephesh  (lit = breath) – the breath of life
    1. This term has a broad range of meaning.
    2. Self, life, living being, person,
    3. It can also refer to appetites, mind, desire, emotion, passion…. inner drive…
    4. It speaks of his liveliness, vigor, vitality, how spirited he is
    5. In several translations, the term speaks of soul in the sense of the emotions or passions of the soul.

                                         i.    Desire without knowledge is not good

                                        ii.    Enthusiasm without knowledge is not good

                                      iii.    Even zeal is not good without knowledge

    1. Some of the commentators have understood “soul” in the sense of zeal or enthusiasm because of the second part of the proverb… where he speaks about haste… rushing into things.
    2. It is probably best to understand the term soul in the broadest sense – the whole inner life of the PERSON: his thoughts and emotions; his inner drive…
    3. In every possible way – ignorance is dangerous!

 

  1. Without knowledge.
    1. Here Solomon speaks about ignorance.
    2. KNOWLEDGE: information, skill, understanding, wisdom.
    3. He speaks about a man who may have a lot of inner passion… a lot of enthusiasm and zeal – but not much knowledge… not much understanding…
    4. That can be dangerous.
    5. When a person operates on pure soulishness… emotion… zeal… and he is IGNORANT… look out.
    6. He is an accident waiting to happen! He is on a collision course with disaster.
    7. And when he willfully remains on that course… it is SIN.
    8. In other words, the first sure way to miss the mark & fail is IGNORANCE.

 

  1. This leads to failure (and sin!) in MANY different areas.
    1. Consider Israel’s failure  (Rom.10:1-4)

                                         i.    They had lots of zeal for God, but not knowledge.

                                        ii.    Hence, they went about trying to please God by diligent keeping of the law…

                                      iii.    Their ignorance of God’s ways led the nation to failure – sin against God.

                                      iv.    Zeal and good intentions are not enough.

 

    1. In your career

                                         i.    Young men have lots of enthusiasm, zeal, ambition, etc.

                                        ii.    However, they don’t have the wisdom that comes with hands on experience, practice, and even failure.

                                      iii.    When you put a young enthusiastic man in a position of authority… his inner zeal and drive to DO THINGS often results in failure…

 

    1. In one’s walk with God.

                                         i.    A new believer often thinks that if he is going to get busy and DO something for God… and often before he really has the understanding to know what it is that pleases God!

                                        ii.    The believer who has no knowledge of HOW to have victory over sin… will end up in failure… and sin!

                                      iii.    Rom.7:18 – Paul was a failure early on in his Christian life because of IGNORANCE of how to have victory. He was zealous for the law… (vs.22-23)  but ignorant of God’s grace.

 

  1. Acting without knowledge leads to failure.
    1. This verse tells us that careful, diligent planning is necessary for success.
    2. A failure to plan and think things through leads to failure.
    3. And willful ignorance is SIN against God.
    4. To rush into a decision… to rush into a course of action… to rush into anything without thinking it through leads to failure.
    5. Zeal and good intentions will not compensate for poor choices… foolish behavior.
    6. If we rush into action because we REFUSE to listen to advice… refuse to seek counsel… refuse to think about the consequences… or to refuse to take the necessary precautions…. is SIN.
    7. For a doctor to behave this way is negligence. It is considered a crime!
    8. If an architect or engineer makes haste to finish the project in order to make more money… and does a sloppy job… without doing his homework… that leads to failure.

                                         i.    Before the law it is a crime and he could be held liable before the courts.

                                        ii.    Before God it is sin.

    1. It’s one thing to act in ignorance if you are genuinely ignorant… if no information was available… or the information you did have was faulty.
    2. It is far worse to act in ignorance because you were too lazy to think about the consequences… or didn’t care about the consequences… or you didn’t really WANT to hear about the consequences…
    3. That is sin.  This is serious consideration.

 

  1. By stating that ignorance leads to failure and sin, Solomon speaks of the importance of knowledge!
    1. Knowledge is so vital in EVERY area of life.
    2. Ignorance is dangerous… and deadly.
    3. How much MORE important then is the knowledge of God!
    4. For that reason, we should FEAR ignorance of God, His will and His Word… it leads to failure and sin!
    5. Hos.4:1 – God had a controversy with Israel: there was no knowledge of God in the land. They were ignorant of God and His ways… It didn’t matter how much energy they put into religion and service… they lacked the MOST important thing.
    6. Hos.4:6 – the SIN of a lack of knowledge of God resulted in their failure… and judgment.

 

 

The Second Way to Sin:

And he that hasteth with his feet sinneth.

 

  1. Haste leads to failure too.
    1. We have another proverb that speaks to one error that haste leads to: haste makes waste.
    2. Here Solomon says that haste leads to failure.
  2. Haste Defined:
    1. press, be pressed, make haste, urge
    2. be eager, energetic… perhaps overly eager
    3. It speaks of being in a HURRY to see things done.

 

  1. Haste here speaks of the urgency and PRESSURE put on people to DO something… to perform… to accomplish… to produce…
    1. There are times when it is urgent to act right away.

                                         i.    This term was used in Gen. 19:15 of the urgency the angels placed on Lot to get himself and his family out of the city of Sodom.

                                        ii.    Sometimes pressure and urgency is good…

                                      iii.    But usually it is NOT good.

    1. Ex. 5:13 – pressure was put on the Jews to do more and more…

                                         i.    Pressure was put on them to produce… to make more bricks with less…

                                        ii.    This is the kind of pressure many companies put on their employees… be more productive… do more with less…

 

  1. Solomon says that HURRYING things along leads to missing the mark… failure… sin…
    1. It is our nature to be in a hurry… but God isn’t. He has all the time in eternity!
    2. It is part of our American culture to want everything done yesterday…
    3. But regardless of what our culture tells us – or what our nature tells us… God’s Word tells us that haste is dangerous…
    4. Prov. 21:5 – haste without the necessary diligence and planning leads not to success but to poverty… want.
    5. Haste is NOT the best way to accomplish a goal.
    6. I think of Joshua who was in a hurry and failed to take the matter of the Gibeonites to the  Lord in prayer.

 

  1. Applications:
    1. Cooking food – food cooked hastily is not usually the best food.
    2. Training a man for the ministry – school can crank out graduates year after year… like a sausage factory. A diploma does not necessarily mean a young man is trained and ready for the ministry.
    3. Choosing a mate – I suppose you could fill out an electronic form on the internet and have a computer select a mate for you in twelve seconds. But haste could lead to disaster.
    4. Church growth – Young ambitious men in the ministry want the church to grow fast… and if it doesn’t grow fast enough – they resort to fleshly schemes to hasten the pace. That often leads to failure in God’s sight… even if it looks successful from man’s perspective.
    5. In making a product – haste often decreases the quality… more imperfections… more defects… more failures…
    6. Young couples – think they need an instant house with all the amenities… it often leads to financial failure!
    7. Abraham and Sarah – God made a promise of a son, but they were in a hurry and God wasn’t. To hasten things along, Sarah encouraged Abraham to go in unto Hagar. While it seemed to work… it was sin… and ultimately a disaster.
    8. Relocating… a job offer comes along that you can’t resist… and in haste you agree to move. If you waited, did some research, you might not have made that choice. Is there a good church there?
    9. Rushing into serving God without waiting to know His will is sin! Acting out of pure emotion… soulishly instead of spiritually… many young people have sought to become missionaries or pastors when God never called them. It can lead to disaster.

 

  1. The Bible emphasizes WAITING on the Lord.
    1. This is the opposite of our human nature.
    2. A refusal to WAIT often leads to failure… even sin.
    3. Isa.28:16 = “He that believeth shall not make haste.” Haste is often the opposite of faith… waiting and resting in the Lord.

 

  1. Being in a hurry to get things done leads to failure… being in a hurry to see fruit… being in a hurry to produce leads to failure, and often into sin!
    1. Mindless activity is not what God is looking for.
    2. Constant, hurried business without having thought about a specific goal is a waste of energy… misses the mark.
    3. This proverb teaches us the importance of walking in the Light… seeking wisdom, guidance, and counsel before acting… thinking things through before choosing… think about the consequences of your action before you act…
    4. There are countless other applications of this gem of divine wisdom!
    5. Jumping off a cliff is usually the quickest way down… but not the most thoughtful.
    6. We have ALL made decisions that turned out disastrous… because of these two reasons: either we acted ignorantly (without doing our homework) or we acted hastily (without thinking things through).
    7. And we have all paid a price for it.
    8. This proverb reminds us to be CAREFUL… look before you leap… think before you act. Failure to do so can be catastrophic… and sinful.