In our introduction we named
four lifestyle principles distilled from the concept of the fear of the Lord,
as articulated by kings David and Solomon, found in the wisdom literature. Together
they constitute a way of life that God loves. Their antithesis, we are told in
the Scriptures, are actions that God hates. This concept seems to have great
importance. Here are representative scripture references for each concept to
underscore their importance. First, of all:
THE TRUTH
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THE LIE
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“Finally
brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is
pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or
praiseworthy - think about such things" (Phil. 4:8-9).
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“The
Lord hates a lying tongue and a false witness who pours out lies” (Prov.
6:16-19).
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Loving the truth is not just
answering questions truthfully. It means doing the right and truthful thing,
even when you know no one is watching, particularly when you know you will not
be caught. It means living your life with absolute integrity, promoting truth
in every aspect of public life, and shunning rationalization in all of its
forms. This is, obviously a short list, but it is essentially an abhorrence of
all things deceptive. Secondly, we see:
PURSUING PEACE
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SOWING STRIFE
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“Blessed
are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” (Matt. 5:9).
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“The
Lord hates…a man who stirs up dissension among brothers" (Pro. 6:16, 19).
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In the Old Testament the word
for peace is shalom. It does not mean
only the absence of fighting. It is harmony and wholeness in every aspect of
life, which flows from promoting reconciliation between God, people, and the world.
It connotes an attitude of giving so that other people can experience unity,
abundance, and success in material prosperity, bodily health, and happiness in
relationships. Thirdly:
HUMILITY
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PRIDE
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"God
opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (I Peter 5:6).
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"Woe
to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight"
(Isaiah 5:21).
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Humility is not talked about,
but lived out. It includes being a servant to those lower than yourself,
sharing the burdens of others, considering others first, and giving God and
others the credit for any success you may have. It specifies the need to have
nothing to do with pride and arrogance. Finally:
GOOD
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EVIL
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“Trust
in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou
shalt be fed” (Psa. 34:3).
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"Woe
to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness before light and
light before darkness, who put sweet for bitter and bitter before sweet"
(Isa. 5:20).
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One synonym for goodness is
kindness. It means forgiving those who harm you, seeking justice for the poor,
demonstrating a gentle spirit toward the disadvantaged, and acting for the good
of all people, showing mercy, and working for the common good of society. It
also means having absolutely nothing to do with evil of all kinds.
In our next post, we will take
a closer look at the concepts of the truth and the lie.
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