God's call to wisdom, as depicted in Proverbs 1, is universally refused by sinful humanity due to a lack of the fear of God. It illustrates this through the enticement of sinners to join in wicked gain, highlighting how sin is both self-delusive and self-destructive, ultimately leading to ruin. The message distinguishes between God's general call, which is rejected by all, and an effectual call, which is irresistible for the elect, emphasizing God's sovereign grace in salvation. The sermon concludes by stressing the necessity of this effectual call, as human nature inherently despises knowledge and refuses God's outstretched hand, urging listeners to recognize their lostness and the profound grace of God's saving call.
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We're turning tonight to the book of Proverbs chapter one. Last Wednesday night as we looked at Proverbs one, we looked at the cry of wisdom from verses one through verse seven, dealing in particular with the way in which wisdom cries to the sons of men. And multitudes despise wisdom because the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Romans chapter three verse eighteen tells us concerning those who are lost that there is no fear of God before their eyes and it's amazing as we begin with verse ten in that passage in Romans three that tells us that there is no fear of God before their eyes it also tells us that their feet are swift to shed blood so the wise father instructs his son in wisdom and in verse ten he says, My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
If they say, Come with us, let us lie and wait for blood. Let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause. Let us swallow them up alive as a grave and whole as those that go down into the pit. We shall find all precious substance. We shall fill our houses with spoil. Cast in thy lot among us. and let us all have one purse, my son. Walk not thou in the way with them, refrain thy foot from their path, for their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood. Surely in vain them that he spread in the sight of any bird, and they lay wait for their own blood.
They lurk cruelly for their own lives. So are the ways of everyone, that he's greedy of gain, which takeeth away the life, of the owners thereof. Here we find that the Father is speaking to his Son words of wisdom. You'll notice the plot of the enemy. He says in verse ten, If sinners entice thee, consent thou not. No one ever sins alone. No one is ever happy sinning alone. No one is ever happy. disagreeing with the commandments of God alone.
They usually have to get someone else involved in disagreeing or agreeing with them against the commandments of God. If sinners entice me. And then you'll notice how the plot is expounded. The enticement is the robbery and blood. The purpose of it all is to get spoiled. When you realize how great men have gotten spoiled, how the Rockefellers made their money, how the Gerard's who were famous in Philadelphia made their money in the slave trade.
Now the Rockefellers didn't, they made their money in oil. And the way in which if they wanted to increase their business and a man had a little gasoline station along the highway and he was doing well, they'd come along to buy it and offer him a good price. And if he wouldn't sell, well, they would simply open up a station nearby and lower the price until the man was just about out of business. And then when he said, I'd sell it at your price, no. He said, we wouldn't give you that for it now. And they lower the price. They practically killed the man for gain.
Oh, they did it in a nice way. They did it in an evil way. And I'm not saying anything that isn't on the record books of Congress. That's how they made it. And you see, it falls right into the category that we have here. And you and I, who belong to the Lord, are called, don't go along with them. If sinners entice me, consent or not. Now, how can the fruit of robbery be precious? He said, we'll get all kinds of precious things. We'll fill our houses with a spoil. How can it be precious if the curse of God is upon it? You see, in this passage, the curse of God is upon it, if you read the whole passage.
And in this passage, we have the restraint of good resolution. The invitation is in verse fourteen, where he says, where the sinners say, Cast in thy lot among us, let us all have one purse. This is the invitation that comes to the young man who would like to climb the ladder of success. You see. But now the warning is in verse fifteen. He says, My son, walk not in the way with them. The first psalm says, Blessed is the man who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord. My son, walk not in their way with them. And then he adds, Refrain thy foot. reframe thy foot from their path now the pathway may be strewn with flowers the pathway may be strewn with great advances but the word of God says don't and this is the command to the children of God when I was a young teenager I heard a man who walked who worked And he had his offices at one hundred twenty Wall Street in New York City.
Erling Olson. He wrote a great work on the Psalms. He wrote a book on walking with our Lord through the Gospel of John. Fine Bible teacher. He said every young man ought to read at least the first seven chapters of the book of Proverbs every month. And how true. However, something else happened when I was a young teenager. I was a junior in high school. Three preachers went bad in our area. A few preachers, let me say that, went bad in our area. And one that I liked very much. And it was over.
It was immorality was involved. And my science teacher was also a preacher. My science teacher was an Arminian. He knew that my father taught me the truths of grace at home, and therefore he always picked on me. I was picked on when I was young. And of course, this is what this science professor said to me. He said, you see, those people who believe in the security of the believer usually live that way. That's what he said.
And you want to know something. I didn't have an answer. It threw me as a young believer. I didn't have an answer for that preacher. Well, it really bothered me that this happened to the other preacher, though, that he went bad. But it did something good in my own soul. Because resolutions, when we talk about the restraint of a good resolution, resolutions that are made in secret with the Lord are the ones that count. And I secretly ask the Lord to keep me from ever bringing this honor to His name.
And I'm so thankful I did. So thankful for that what happened to me pressed me into having a definite dealing with the Lord. Consent are not. Now, you'll notice in verses seventeen to nineteen the judgment that is sure. There is a sure judgment to follow. And the judgment is always according to the sin. Now, when you put all this together, What do we learn? These men made a pact that thirsted for their neighbor's blood. In the end, they laid weight to their own blood.
For you see, they were like a bird that is going to be caught in the net. Be sure your sin will find you out. They wanted to lurk privately for the innocent without cause. but it proved that they lurked privately for their own lives. We learn two things here very quickly from the advice that the Father gives to the Son. Sin is self-delusive. Oh, how delusive it is. You think you're gaining something when all the while you're spreading a net for your own feet.
And sin is not only self-delusive, but sin is self-destructive. The Father's instruction has warned us against the enticement of Satan. Now that brings me down to verse twenty two, or really verse twenty, this section that deals with a general call of God. This is a very important section of the Word of God. It deals with God's general call, the call of the gospel that comes to everybody. There are two calls in the gospel.
Theologians call them the general call and the effectual call. Now, I had a sit one night with a group of men and they played a tape. And this tape was by a well-known preacher in this area. Brother McKay. And he says there is no such thing as a general call and as an effectual call. And of course, when the tape was finished, they said to me, do you accept that? I said, no. No, I don't accept that. I said, let's open the Scriptures and see what the Word of God says.
But the brethren said, we will not open the Scriptures with you. Now, I want you to notice, I'm going to make some strong statements concerning this, and you need to pay attention. When a person does not believe there is such a thing as a general call and an effectual call, that person is teaching universalism. Universalism teaches that Everybody is going to be saved, even the devil himself. Now, how do I know? Well, this call in Proverbs chapter one that we're going to read about comes to everybody.
And if there is but one call, Romans eight, verse twenty nine says, whom he calls he justifies, whom he justifies, he glorifies. So you see, friends, there must be an effectual call that comes to quote the elect whom I don't know who they are but there is an effectual call that comes to the elect of God whom God is determined to save because whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate whom he predestinated he called whom he called he justified and whom he justified he glorified We do not teach universalism.
I believe the Word of God teaches that those who believe not the gospel are going to perish eternally in the lake of fire. I believe that. We are commanded to preach the gospel to the whole world. God will save these people. And there's a great number that no man can number that he's going to save. You and I don't know who they are, and beloved, I believe there are going to be more people in heaven than in hell. There are twice as many angels, elect angels as none elect. We have that in Revelation chapter twelve.
When the angels chose to rebel against God, only one third of them chose to follow Satan. Two thirds remain faithful. In everything he has a preeminence, friends. And I believe there are going to be more people in heaven than in hell. Now you may not agree with that. You may think of that verse that says, Enter in at the straight gate. For straight is the gate and narrow is the way that lead us to life. And few there be that find it. Because wide is the gate and broad is the way that lead us unto destruction. and many there be that go in their act.
Now, how did that statement jive with the passage I just quoted? Well, I believe that the passage I just quoted is written to adults. And among adults, I believe that there are more people lost than saved. But throughout the world, friends, in the countries where Satan holds sway, More children die in infancy than ever grow up to become adults. And before their lives are ever messed up by the wickedness of the world where Satan holds sway, God reaches into his kingdom and he calls them to himself.
I tell you I believe when we get to the glory and we behold the wondrous ways of our God all we'll be able to do is fall down and worship and thank the blessed God of all grace now what makes the call of God that he's found here what I call the general call of God in Proverbs chapter one so serious is everybody refuses it. Let's read it. Let's read what the word says. It is refused by everybody. You refused it. And so did I.
And I'm so glad that there's that effectual call that comes. And we don't refuse it. And it becomes effectual in the life. It cannot be refused by God's people. Let's read. Verse twenty. Wisdom cryeth without. She uttereth her voice in the street. She cryeth in the chief place of concourse. In the openings of the gate. In the city she uttereth her words saying. How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity. And the scorners delight in their scorning.
And fools hate knowledge. Turn you at my reproof. Behold. I will pour out my spirit unto you. I will make known my words unto you. Because I have called and ye refused. I have stretched out my hand and... How many regarded? No man regarded. Do you see how bad man is at heart? Do you see how desperately wicked we are by nature? God says, I've called, and no man regarded. If God would have left us alone and have not effectually called us, no one would be saved.
Do you realize how gracious the grace of God is? If God hadn't chosen to save some, all would be lost. Do you grasp that? Instead of hating the doctrine of election, every child of God should say, Oh, praise God for it. Had God not worked in divine, sovereign, irresistible grace, none would ever be saved, friends. God says, I've called, I've stretched out my hand, but no man pays attention to me. That's what God's saying. This is declaring the lostness of man.
Now, In case you think, well, it isn't quite that bad, you're stretching it a little bit. I'd like you to turn very quickly to First Corinthians chapter two. And we'll just take a look at how bad off man is before we dismiss for the night. And while you're turning, let me say, I certainly thank God that we changed the order for prayer meeting. It's been a long time since I heard seven brethren pray in a prayer meeting. And I'm just thrilled over that change. First Corinthians chapter two, however, where we're dealing now with a revelation of God to the heart of man.
First Corinthians two, and we begin our reading at verse nine. But as it is written, I hath not seen, ear hath not heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him, but God hath revealed them unto us By his spirit, for the spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. Now notice the but there. What he's really saying is, I have not seen. You don't find out God by looking through the telescope. You don't find God looking through the microscope. And you don't find God sitting in a dark room listening to long-haired music.
I have not seen. Ear has not heard. Neither hath it entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them, the loving, but, but, now here's the change, but God hath revealed them unto us by his spirit, for the spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God. Verse eleven, for what man knoweth the things of a man, say the spirit of man which is in him, even so the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God.
Now get that. We, who's the we? Believers. Those who have been called by God. Now I'd like you to turn. I'm not finished here, but I am for tonight. But I want you to turn to one more passage. Now, we have received not the Spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God. Did you get that? We have received. Turn over to John. John chapter fourteen. And I'm going to begin reading at verse sixteen.
John fourteen, verse sixteen says, and I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another comforter, that he may abide with you forever. Even the spirit of truth, whom the world, what's the next word? It doesn't say they will not, it says they cannot. Whom the world cannot receive, for because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him, but you know him, for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you. Friends, we'll deal with the general call and the effectual call in the will of the Lord next week.
But examine that passage in the light of Romans chapter eight. There must be two calls. There must be two calls. We don't teach universalism. We don't believe everybody's going to be saved, but we do believe that anyone who will trust Christ and come to him in faith will be saved. For him that cometh to me, Jesus said, I will in no wise cast out. Now let's pray again. Father, we thank you for this time together. We thank you for the prayers of each one that have publicly participated tonight.
And we thank you for your word. Help us to make right resolutions. As we take thy word seriously. Knowing that you haven't spoken in vain. For wisdom cryeth unto us. And oh help us to teach wisdom to our children. For thy dear name's sake and glory. Amen.