“Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out” (vs5).

Understanding the gospel of God’s grace enables us to understand people, because the bible reveals their hearts to be like our own, dead and depraved, totally in need of grace from Christ. We know what it’s like by personal experience to fear God, to be helpless, and to be the slave of sin. We can hear the cries of others, as we experience the gospel ourselves, and thus we’re able to comfort by the comfort that we’ve received. Paul says, “Blessed be the God ad Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Cor 1:3-4). I don’t know the exact problem that you’re dealing with, but ultimately I know that you need strength from Christ in the gospel.

I am not blind to you, and if you know God, then you also know me. You know my weaknesses and falls and you know my shame, because you know yourself, and there is no one different. “For there is no difference; for all have sinned and [continually] fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:22-23). Bless God that by the gospel we enter the understanding, love, and fellowship of brethren. I know what it’s like to rejoice in Christ and be free, and I can preach the same gospel to you that saved me. Bless God that you know the sinners on the street, how they hate God naturally, how they refuse to believe, and yet you also know the gospel is powerful to make them see (Eph 3:8-9). Knowing God, you know people, because the bible unfolds EVERYTHING exactly as it is, without one paragraph or letter ever being proven inaccurate. We know man’s fears, hopes, and difficulties. We know Christ is what every man needs, so that he can obey, honor God, and be at peace.

Secondly, we see the King, our Lord Jesus Christ, and we believe that He has authority over us, so we tremble. We read, “A king who sits on the throne of judgment scatters all evil with his eyes” (vs8). We are not unwise to who rules us, and we see His power. What good does it do to fight Him? Let us SURRENDER to His rule, lest we anger Him and go down to the pit. Pharaoh challenged Christ, but he drowned and lost his soul (Rom 9:17). Esau said, “What is this birthright to me”, but he didn’t see the King (Gen 25:32). You and I know by faith that one thing is needful; it is to honor the All Powerful God, lest He hurt me. He is gracious to warn us ahead of time, so that we don’t laugh and play in His presence. We esteem Him highly, and we recognize that His authority and power must be pleased, or He will damn us and destroy us with fury. This fear of God, which is the fear of offending Him, makes us change our character. A god with no bite is worthless, but the mighty fierceness of God All-Powerful makes me thankful for the holiness and grace that He gives. He is not to be played or mocked, but He will give grace to please Him to everyone who needs it, and His fear drives us to our wise and humble need. We will do what He says, because of God given reverence and humility.

Finally, we will be judged by our deeds, so what kind of a son do you want to be (vs11)? He says, “Even a child is known by his deeds, whether what he does is pure and right”. What kind of a child are you? Abraham had two sons, one good and the other bad, and they were not equals in the kingdom, “for they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, ‘In Isaac your seed shall be called. That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed” (Rom 9:6-9). You can say, “I’m a son of God by creation”, but are you a son be regeneration, faith, and experience? Are you one who pleases God?

We must be obedience children by grace. Peter says, “as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct” (1 Pet 1:14-15). We must be adopted into the family by faith, so that we can walk as children in nearness to God. We must be made good, and this is what grace is all about: it is the FREE gift of holiness, whereby God saves us based upon the obedience and power of His Son.