Forget Not My Law Prov. 3:1-4 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

This proverb has to do with a son receiving the law given to him by his father who shows him the benefit of keeping it. If a child receives no instruction or has a father and mother who do not exercise the authority to instruct him from the words of God then that child will grow up as a lawless individual. Children are no longer exposed to the commandments of God in schools and that is a great tragedy.

Following the Ten Commandments of God is of great benefit to an individual and to society as a whole. However, college campus instructors and counselors encourage students to forget about their parents’ ways of doing things and to figure out how to function without their advice. As a result students usually end up doing things that they will later be ashamed to tell their own children. This is why it is so important to teach the Bible to your children when they are young.  When they go out into the world on their own, God’s words will be hidden in their hearts (Jer 35:2-10, 35:19).

In verse 2 we see a promise of the benefit of adhering to the father’s commandment. Keeping his law will bring good health, long life and peace (Ps 91:16). When you get the Lord Jesus Christ in your heart and follow Him you then have peace because the fruit of the Spirit is peace (Gal 5:22-23, Phil 4:6-7).

Verse 3 tells us not to let mercy and truth forsake us. Mercy and truth must be kept in balance. When people are hyper-liberal they are all mercy and no truth and they let people keep getting away with trouble. When people are hyper-conservative they are all truth and no mercy and they want to build a fence around you so tight that you don’t have room to move. The truth is the word of God (John 17:17). Mercy is compassion that you get from God when you’ve broken the truth, allowing you, through the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, to repent of your transgression. By his mercy and truth you continue to live a better life for the Lord (John 8:3-11).

Verse 4 lets us know that following the commandments will bring us into favor with God and men (John 8:29, 1Sam 2:26, Acts 24:16). We enjoy God’s favor, mercy and truth because Jesus Christ forgave his accusers and died willingly on the cross for us.

Conclusion: We must be instructed in the law at a young age.  We must memorize it and plant it in our hearts and minds and rely upon it to give us length of days and long life.  We must be guided by mercy and truth. Then we’ll be in good favor in the sight of God and man.