Introduction

Hello everyone! Do you remember why we started studying the book of Proverbs in the first place? Because I wanted to share something with you about philosophy, and I wanted you to learn to be smart. Then later I found if someone wants to be wise, they have to read the book of Proverbs.

In Proverbs chapter 6, it is very difficult to sum up the theme because it talks about one thing, and jumps straight to the next. It would be very difficult to sum it up in just one sentence. But if I talk about it section by section, I don't feel very satisfied. Apart from creating confusion for everyone, it doesn't help much.

I like to build systematic things. I don't believe that the author of Proverbs is unsystematic and writes things randomly. I believe he wanted to express a very important theme. The things described in chapter 6 which appear to be irrelevant, are describing a theme. I found that this chapter is all about carnal things. For example, laziness is a carnal problem, and adultery is also a carnal problem. Carnality is what people are born with, and it is not good, it only makes a person worse.

I'm going to explain this now so that you can understand how I summed it up. The first part is about making friends; the second part is about laziness; the third part is about a perverted heart, strife, and a scoundrel, and the fourth part is about the things that the LORD hates, then it talks about adultery.

My son, keep the commandments of your father; do not forsake your mother's law, which is always on your heart, on your neck. When you walk, it will guide you; when you lie down, it will keep you; when you awake, it will talk to you. For the commandment is the lamp, the law (or translation: instruction) is the light, and the reproof of the instruction is the word of life. (Proverbs 6:2-23, NIV)

All these things are carnal. Why we should keep command in our minds? Because if a person is not careful, he will become a carnal person. I want to string together all the things in this chapter. Through my abstraction, induction, sorting, and summarization, the theme of this chapter is "Do not submit to the vices of your flesh".

Everyone needs to know that as long as you don't do anything, you are already obeying the evil habits of the flesh. The pleasures of the flesh are stated in every passage of this chapter. I often say this: there are few things that people are born with that are useful, only what they learn is useful. What were the things you were born with? For example, you will notice that children are born with some knowledge in their heads. Not long after a child is born, as soon as you touch his toy, he will take it back from you. What a person is born with is the most perfect expression when he has not learned. For example, when a person becomes three years old, you can probably see what his attitude is like. Some kids are hard to discipline from a young age, and when they grow up they will become even more stupid. Some kids are easier to raise, when they grow up they will be respectful children.

Vice of your flesh （1）: Making Friends

A rich man asked: Do you know how to write friends in Chinese? I think it's a really good question! Friends are just 2 months put together! If you look up and see two moons, you are probably crazy. This word is very mysterious because there are no real “friends” in this world! A naturally carnal person is stupid. How can there be real friends in this world? If you are a carnal person, you will be easily deceived.

Why do people try to make friends? Because they feel lonely, in the end, all they do is eat, drink and play. Are these real friends? No! Do proper things, don’t do random useless things. I’ve always hated this since I was a kid. Even though I was also a carnal person, I defeated my problems. I can do a lot of useful things, how can I find time to chat all day? I need to increase my value, I need to do things worth my time.

I hate it when people disturb their teachers at night. Someone always called his pastor in the middle of the night. Because he couldn't sleep and wanted to talk with somebody. Then he called his pastor. Some pastors were fooled by this and thought it was to pay the price for the Gospel. But they forgot that they need also to be smart to shepherd. Then they chatted a lot.

When I knew this, I taught the pastors that this wasn’t paying price for the Gospel, it was called being tricked. I told them that if they were awakened by their sheep, you tell them, “Did you do the homework I assigned you?” Then they won’t call you again. In this section, we are talking about friends, but worldly friends will turn you into a horrible person.

Vice of your flesh （2）: Laziness

It is a serious problem, people are lazy and have nothing to do, and that’s why they find things to waste time with. Lazy people are carnal.If you are hard-working and increase your worth day by day, you will not try to make friends and you will not be deceived either.

We should learn from ants. They are hard-working, they don’t need a supervisor, they just do it proactively. Carnal people aren’t even as good as ants, it's very disturbing. I found out that humans have some kind of energy. If they don’t put those kinds of strength towards doing good, they will use it on boring and useless things all day long. Use this energy to create value.

Some people can’t do any proper things and yet they say they are very busy. Our lives are so convenient. We have washing machines, rice cookers, heaters, and other machines to work for us. How can they be busy all day? It is an excuse for laziness. Lazy people don’t think that they are lazy. If they did, life would be much easier. People here are always sitting, waiting for me to serve them. Then building a church will be an empty talk.

Let me tell you, I won’t help these kinds of people if they are lazy. They will become even more painful if they have nothing to do every day. In our church, I found lots of ways to make people busy. You will have lots of work to do. After they finish their job. Then they are all very happy!

For a carnal person, laziness is normal. Laziness is the cause of all problems, they will become poor, and then they will start thinking wicked things and saying wicked things.

A scoundrel, a wicked man, acts with a perverse mouth. Expressing spirit with eyes, beckoning with feet, delineating with pointers, perverse in heart, perpetually scheming, spreading strife. Therefore, disasters will suddenly come upon him, and he will be instantly corrupted and incurable.”(Proverbs 6:12-15, NIV)

Aren't carnal people just like that? Through my serving I realized that if a person got diagnosed with serious diseases, then they are full of garbage in their heads, they don’t say anything that builds up people. I lectured these people very harshly, I want to save them from the world of carnality. Their illness is gained from them doing useless things.

Perverted in heart, perpetually scheming, spreading strife. (Proverbs 6:14， NIV)

Some women like to chat a lot with their friends, but when they go home, they start quarreling with their husbands. I never care about quarrels between husband and wife. Instead, I teach them how to do proper things, I teach them how to correctly manage their things, so they all thanked me.

The LORD hates six things, and even his heart hates seven things: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that plots evil, feet that run away to do evil, and tell lies false witnesses, and those who sow discord among the brethren. (Proverbs 6:16-19, NIV)

These are all worldly things, why should we do these things? For money? If you have some money, why would you need to do these things? If you can create value and create useful things, why do you need to do these things?

Then we need to follow commands and instructions to deal with these things. According to statistics, if a country's economy is developed and the people have more freedom, more kids have learning disabilities and ADHD. Why? If people won't follow instructions and keep commands, how can they be wise?

Vice of your flesh （3）: adultery

You must keep yourself away from the adulteress. What is adulteress? It means someone's wife who commits adultery.

Don't fall in love with her beauty in your heart, and don't be seduced by her eyelids. For a prostitute can make one piece of bread left; a whore hunts a man's precious life. (Proverbs 6:25-26)

Where's the problem? If you can not look away from a woman, it is your fault. Why did you follow your carnality? This is a very simple truth.

If a man has a fire in his arms, how can his clothes not burn? If people walk on hot coals, how can their feet not get hot? (Proverbs 6:27-28)

Be careful, if someone is lazy and has nothing to do, he will be poor. If he steals for food, nobody will despise him. But if a person has some money but doesn't do proper things, he will commit adultery. Then he will be ignorant and wicked.

Whoever commits adultery with a woman is ignorant; whoever does it will lose his life. He shall be wounded, he shall be reproached; his shame shall not be blotted out. (Proverbs 6:32-33)

Why? If a woman has relations with 2 men, her husband's anger will rise, when he lets it out, nothing can stop it. Even if you give gifts, he won’t accept them. If you don't give gifts, he will be even more furious.

Adulterous people are worldly and have nothing good to do. If someone doesn’t have anything to do, his mind will go astray. The first thing that will go astray is their mouth, they will say random things, and the second thing is their private parts. So don’t follow your worldly logic, it will make you stupid. Listen to God and live up to the life he wants.

Summary

Do things that build people up, create value, and have active hands and a mind. Then you will not be poor. You can do offering and bless others. If you have the power to do things, do proper things with all your strength and become a wise person.

May God bless you!