(TLB)” Where there is ignorance of God, crime runs wild; but what a wonderful thing it is for a nation to know and keep His laws.”
(NIV)”Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; But blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction”.
(KJV) “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.”
Proverbs 29: 18
At first glance, you may be wondering if I am engaging in redundancy by using three biblical translations, but hear me out; I am not, and it is intentional. This brings me to a passion of mine, which is reading the bible, meditating on the word, and applying the bible in a practical way to everyday living, and I would briefly explain how some of the above scriptures applies to today.
In the modern-day western church, one cannot help but notice that Christians are going through a transition and they have to choose either to stand firm on God’s word or succumb to the world’s pressures.
Looking at the first part, it states that ‘when there is ignorance of God’; we see that this is a perfect description of our world today. You only need to see the news and see what’s happening in other nations or even in your surroundings, and see that the world has no real understanding of God. Whether in the things accepted as being righteous in secular standards or the laws put in place to enforce them, it is not difficult to see that God is being ignored in some of these things. For example, abortion was widely accepted as illegal in line with the scriptures in the earlier times, but it is now a norm in our world today, and shockingly enough till a baby is born. This is a clear example of willful contempt or indifference towards the law of God.
Looking at the next two translations together with the first, there is no revelation (from God) in a place where people disregard God and are ignorant of Him. As such, there is no vision. Putting those two verses together, the gravity of how depraved and sinful our world is becomes apparent.
Furthermore, if there is no revelation, people cast off restraint, people lose their self-control and godly restraint. It is no wonder that those who genuinely delight in the law of the Lord are few and far between. When we look around us today, crime is running wild! In fact, in some parts of the world, some things known to be “criminal” by human standards under the law of God have become legal according to human authorities’ desires. The law of God is being ignored, and crimes run wild because they are now “legal.” Referring to the above example on abortions, it is clear that restraint is being cast off. Initially, people abort foetuses only at the early stages of pregnancy; but currently, murdering full-term babies and leaving babies who survive abortion to die in pain is legal in some places.
It shows the slippery slope of sinful behaviours and how easy it can be to cast off restraint once one loses regard for God and His word. Can you see how this scripture matches our world perfectly?
What does this mean for us?
Firstly, it is already written in the Bible, so nothing catches God by surprise. He is still God and in control. Secondly, it means that we need to be aware. The bible was written for our instruction. Thirdly, the bible has a solution. “Blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.” It means that as Christians, we know or we should know that there is a solution. We have the answer, and we can boldly opt for the solution in God’s word. If we heed the instruction of Godly wisdom, we are blessed. A nation or a people that keeps God’s law has a beautiful inheritance, and happy is the person who keeps the law of God.
So, yes, we need to be aware of our present world and not be surprised at the turn of events. However, rather than lose heart, we are called to live as Christians and use biblical solutions to change the world. If we, as Christians, do not show the world the way, then who will? Therefore, let us take heed of the law of God above all else, keep Godly wisdom, and we will see the turnaround individually and as a nation.
