Tonight, my hope is that God gives us grace and delivers us. For if left to ourself, even in studying, my fear is that I would complicate it. I would overcomplicate the gospel, and the gospel is not complicated. It's simple. We know this to be so because the Lord, he told us that he's hid it from the wise and prudent, and he's revealed it unto babes, unto babes. And that's how, that's why he said, suffer you little children and forbid them not to come unto me for such is of the kingdom of heaven.

What he meant was you want to come to Christ, you don't have to be a baby. You have to be a baby confessing. I know nothing. I know nothing to him. That's the confession. Scripture says in Proverbs 14, 12, there is a way that seemeth right unto man. but the end thereof are the ways of death. That tells me that the ways of man are the ways of death, but here in our text, it tells us the way of life, the way of life.

Turn with me if you would to Proverbs chapter 15. The way of life is what I've titled this message. That's God's way, the way of life. Proverbs 15, we're gonna read verses 24 all the way to the end of the chapter. And this is the very first four verses is the title. In verse 24, the way of life is above to the wise that he may depart from hell beneath. The Lord will destroy the house of the proud, but he will establish the border of the widow. The thoughts of the wicked are abomination to the Lord, but the words of the pure are pleasant words. He that is greedy of gain troubleth his house, but he that hateth gifts shall live. The heart of the righteous studieth the answer, but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things. The Lord is far from the wicked, but he heareth the prayer of the righteous. The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart, and a good report maketh the bones fat. The ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise. He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul, but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding. The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom, and before honor is humility.

The way of life, the way of life. John 14, the Lord tells his disciples, let your hearts, let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In my father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. He said, I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am there, you may be also. Because you know the way. That's what he told him. He said, whether I go, you know, and the way you know. Thomas speaks up and says, Lord, we don't know where you're going and how can we know the way? He said, I am the way. I am the truth. I am the life. No man cometh to the father, but by me. He is not a way. He is the way. He's God's way. He is salvation.

Turn with me to Hebrews chapter 10. Look at verse 16 through 23. This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts and their minds while I write them, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. Now where the remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. having therefore brethren boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way. He calls it a new and living way here. which he hath consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say his flesh. And having an high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart and full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast to profession of our faith without wavering, for he is faithful that promised.

This is a new and living way. This isn't the old way of the law. This isn't the old way of death. This is the new covenant, the everlasting covenant of grace. That's what this way is. This is God's way.

You notice it says by his flesh or by the sacrifice thereby. Well, that's how he is the new way. That's how he's the living a new way. This is the way that God is just and justifier. This is the way whereby God's elect are purged from their sin, where they're saved by his grace. This is his way. This is what he ordained for it to be. This is where we have forgiveness of our sins, remission for our iniquity. Just as he said here, their sin, for their sins and iniquities. Well, I remember no more. Why? Because it's a new and living way. Old things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new.

Psalm 25, eight says, good and upright is the Lord. Therefore he, will he teach sinners in the way. He'll teach sinners in the way. Are you a sinner? Has the Lord made you a sinner? Yes. He showed me I was sinner. Good news. Christ Jesus came to save sinners. He'll teach sinners in the way. He said, I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. People that don't want Christ, they don't want the way, the only way that there is to God. No man cometh to the Father, but by me. We've already heard that. This is the way of life.

Now go back to our text, Proverbs chapter 15. I want you to notice verse 24, 32, and then 33. The way of life is above the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath. He that refuses instruction despises his own soul, but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding. The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom, and before honor is humility.

For the remainder of our time tonight, I would like to answer this question What does wisdom teach God's chosen people? What does wisdom teach? And it's not two different messages because the answer is the way of life. That's the answer. So the answer is the title of the message. What does wisdom teach the Lord's people? The way of life. The way of life.

There's a way that seemeth right unto man, but the end thereof is the way of death. But right here it says, the way of life is above to the wise that he may depart from hell. In John 17, one through three, the Lord said, these words spake Jesus and lifted his eyes to heaven and said, Father, the hour has come, glorify thy son, that thy son also may glorify thee, as thou has given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou has given him. And this is life eternal. This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou sent.

He is the way. He is the way. We often say it's not what we know, it's whom we have believed. It's whom we've been taught by. It's whom we've been made to trust in. It's whom we've been given faith to believe. It's not what. It's not what. It's not biblical principles. It's not just doctrines and theology. It's him. That I may know him and the free pardon of sin, the power of his resurrection. That I might know him

Here's the good news, because we're sinners and have been revealed that we're sinners and we are taught of God, we've been given the way, the Lord Jesus Christ. That's the good news, that's the good news. And this way that the Lord has revealed unto us, he's given us three glorious truths about the way that the Lord revealed to me. that I hope to look at for the rest of the hour.

It's all about His glorious salvation, whereby He saved His people. The way of life are these three, okay? The way of life is the way of truth, the way of peace, and the way of righteousness. Now, this can only be revealed by the Spirit of God. We're gonna turn to these passages and read them, but if the Lord don't reveal it to us, we won't understand. So, I pray the Lord will reveal it to our hearts.

So let's turn first to 2 Peter chapter 2 for the way of truth. 2 Peter chapter 2, I'm just going to read the first three verses. Now, because I've already told you this is the way of truth, what's the opposite of the way of truth? That'd be the way of the lie, right? So that's what he's talking about here.

But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privilege shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that brought them and bring up on themselves swift destruction. Many shall follow their pernicious ways by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. The way of truth. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not and their damnation slumbereth not. The way of truth.

Pilate was speaking to the Lord in John 18, and he said unto him, art thou the king? And the Lord said to him, thou sayest I am. To this end was I born, and for this cause came unto the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Everyone that is of the truth heareth my voice.

Pilate said unto him, what is truth? What is truth? If we find the answer to that, we'll have some understanding about the Lord, won't we? Because he is the way, and he is the truth. Pilot said, oh, I find no fault in this, man. You know why, don't you? There was none to find. They'd all made it up on him. He couldn't find something that's not there. And so he goes out and says, who would you have me release into you? And they said, Barabbas, let this man's blood be upon us and on our children.

Why? Because he was speaking the truth to them. That's why. Why are we hated of the world? Because we speak the truth that we are sinners and God is sovereign and holy and he demands justice. He will not acquit the guilty. His justice won't allow it. His holiness won't allow it. He won't compromise his person, his character for anyone, anyone.

He alone was the embodiment of truth. He alone, John chapter one tells us, he was full of truth and full of grace. He was the embodiment of truth. Yet they cried, give us Barabbas. Why is that? Well, John 3, 19 says, and this is the condemnation that light has come into the world and men love darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. Those that are the Lord's love his light. They love his truth because they're in the way of truth. We are in the way.

Think about it like a journey. We used to be on the path of destruction. Now we're on the path of life. We're on the path of truth. We're on the path of rest. We're on the path of hope. We're no longer on the path of destruction. Why? The Lord put us there. We're in the way of truth. As a matter of fact, the only thing An elect sheep wants to hear is more about his truth. More about his truth. Tell me more about him. Tell me more about what he accomplished. Tell me more about what he's done. Don't make me feel good. Don't tickle my ears. That's what the apostle said, that there'll be sounding brass and tinkling cymbals. Men pleasers, tickling, there'll be teachers having itching ears. That's what he's talking about here in 2 Peter where they're making merchandise of people. He's literally, they're playing with souls. They're telling the lie and people's buying into it by the groves because they hate the truth. They hate the way of truth.

We've been made to see that we're false and full of sin. He is full of truth and full of righteousness because he's revealed his truth. He's put us in the way of life, the way of truth. We have been given the only way. which is the second one. Romans chapter five says, therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, whom by also we have access by faith into his grace, wherein we stand and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Because of his truth, because he was a successful redeemer of his people, because he did not fail. You know, men talk about if God didn't accomplish what he wanted to on the cross, he's a failure. If salvation wasn't absolutely 100% finished on the cross, something else has to be done. He's a failure as a God. And he's not God then. I am. If he's relying on me, I'm God. Oh, you tell some people that they get really mad. Why? Because it's the truth.

But here's the thing, the Lord said, you shall know the truth. My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me and I give unto them eternal life. We have ears to hear by his grace alone. You're gonna know the truth and the truth's gonna do what? It's the only thing that does this, it sets you free. It sets you free from your sin, it sets you free from yourself, it sets you free from the obligation that you had to the law because Christ Jesus is the end of the law for righteousness. Because of his truth, that he was successful, we have been given the only peace that's real, eternal peace with God. It's the way of peace. I wanna show you that.

Turn with me to Romans chapter three. Because we've been given the way of life, we've been given the way of truth, we've been given the way of peace as well. Romans chapter three. Look at verse 11 through 18.

There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. Actually, I should have put verse 10 down as the first one. Let's read that. As it is written, there is none righteous, no not one.

Now when the Lord says none, what do you think he means? He means none, doesn't he? And you say, well, why even say that? That's an obvious statement because for some reason, our fleshly brains will see that word and we'll try to slither around it somehow and make it something that's not. None righteous, there's none righteous. But God, that's it, that's all, that's it. We start right there, we'll have a little bit of understanding of our depravity, our need for him.

There is none righteous, no not one. There is none that understandeth. There is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way. They are all together, they are together become unprofitable. There is none that doeth good, no not one. Their throat is an open sepulcher with their tongues. They have used deceit. The poison of asps is under their lips, whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. This is the ones that are of the lie, isn't it? Ain't that what he's talking about here?

Their feet are swift to shed blood. Destruction and misery are in their ways. In the way of peace have they not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes. In the way of peace they have not known.

Brethren, if we could enter into this thought for a moment, that we have peace with God, the creator of this universe. The one that made all things for his glory and his honor. His people have peace with him. When I lay my head on my pillow tonight, I don't have to fear death or dying. I don't have to fear hell. I don't have to fear the grave. Why? Because the Lord Jesus Christ conquered those for his people. And we're gonna sing the song at the end. My faith has found a resting place. Lord gave faith to look to him and it rests on the same thing that God rests on, the Sabbath, the Sabbath. Oh, that's the way of peace, isn't it? Just to look to him and see that it's finished. He's broken down the middle wall of partition. Our sin that separated us from our God has been cast as far as the east is from the west. He has wrought peace by putting away our sin, washing them in his own blood.

Galatians chapter three said he was made a curse for us. For curse is everyone that hangs on the tree so that you and I would be what? The righteousness of God. in Him. That's peace. You can't buy that. You can't merit it. You can't earn it. You can't find it. It's bestowed by grace alone. This is the peace that scripture talks about that surpasses all understanding. All understanding. What a thought that the law demanded death. God demanded justice, but our Redeemer Because of our Redeemer, we have nothing but grace and mercy and peace with God. What did the angels of the Lord say whenever they were announcing the birth of Christ? They said, peace on earth, goodwill towards men, didn't they? Peace on earth. That was the whole purpose of him coming. He's the prince of peace, the scripture tells us. This is the way of peace, it's all about him.

Look at what the way of peace looks like here in verse 21 through 26. But now, so it's an interjection there. We understand. So we had all this before, but now we're changing it. He's saying, look at verse 20. Therefore, by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight for by the laws and all gifts. And now if we are stuck right there until the Lord Jesus Christ does something, Because that's all we have is the law of God. We can't do anything to obtain righteousness. We can't do anything to merit salvation. So we're stuck. We won't be justified by the deeds of the law, but here's the good news. This is what the way of peace did, what it looks like.

But now, and you might as well just put, but God who is rich in mercy right there before that too. It's the same thing. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe. For there is no difference, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are passed through the forbearance of God to declare, I say at this time, his righteousness, not my righteousness, his righteousness, that he might be just and the justifier, that he might be just and the justifier of his chosen people.

We have been justified. We have been sanctified. We have been made the righteousness of God in him all because of our substitute, all because he is the way of life. He's not just the way to eternal life. He is the way of eternal life. He's not just the way of peace. He is the way of peace. And truth was the other one. I was trying to think of the other one we were saying. Truth. He's not just some truth. He is all truth. He's the embodiment of truth. He's the way of truth.

Now, lastly, I want us to look at the way of righteousness. And I don't know if I've ever said this before, but I felt like I saved the best for last. You know what I mean? The way of righteousness. Turn with me to Matthew chapter 21. Not to diminish anything that's been said, it's all glorious, it's just that to see the work that our Lord did, making us his people, the righteousness of God in him, we stand in awe because it is beautiful, it's glorious in our eyes, our sight.

Matthew 21, 28 through 32. But what think ye? A certain man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, Son, go work today in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not. But afterward he repented and went. And he came to the second son, said likewise, and he answered and said, I go, sir, and went, and went not. Whether the twain did the will of his father. Then say they unto him the first, Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, that the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness and you believed him not. But the publicans and harlots believed him and ye when ye had seen it, repented not afterward that ye might believe him."

Because God's people have been given repentance and faith to believe God, then we have been given the way of righteousness by his grace alone. Christ Jesus is the one that conquered self, conquered death, conquered hell, conquered the grave, and provided everything necessary for us to be made that which God would accept, righteous, perfectly righteous. We've been given the way of righteousness, the righteousness which is by His faithfulness, not my faith and your faith, His faithfulness. That verse that says being justified by faith, it's not our faith, I wrote an article on this Sunday, it's not our faith that justifies us, faith is the evidence of justification. That's not complicated, is it? Faith is evidence. It's not my faith anyways, it's his. This is perfect faith, perfect righteousness.

What does the scripture say about Abraham? Abraham believed God and it was accounted unto him for righteousness. Do you know what that means? That means because righteousness had been reckoned to him by God, Abraham was given faith to believe God. Do we see the cause and effect? That's what the Lord does for his people. He makes me believe. Thank you, Lord, because I wouldn't have believed if you hadn't have. Isn't that the truth? Because Christ was made sin for his people, we've been made the righteousness of God in him, the way of life to the Lord's chosen people.

In closing, let's go back to our text. Verse 24, 32, 33. The way of life is above to the wise, but he may depart from hell beneath. The Lord will destroy the house of the proud, but he will establish the border of the widow. 32, I'm sorry. He that refuses instruction, despises his own soul, but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding. The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom. and before honor is humility.

If God has shut you up to the Lord Jesus Christ, you're blessed indeed. It means you've escaped hell. It's what it says, verse 24, the way of life is above to the wise that he may depart from hell beneath. How did you escape it? Christ conquered it.

There's a story about Samson. He goes down to, well, I think they're gonna lock him in a city. You don't lock Samson up in a city, right? Well, you don't have the key to get out. So what's he do? He takes the gate and the entire frame, and he carries it miles, puts it on top of a hill. What's that a picture of? That's our Lord conquering hell, taking the gates of hell with him back to glory, having the keys of death, hell, and the grave in his hand on his person. That's what that's a picture of.

And because he did that, we have perfect righteousness in his eyes. Perfect righteousness in his eyes. We don't have to fear these things. We've been given the way of life, not the way of death. It's an inheritance. Scripture says, Lord saved us, called us to an inheritance, incorruptible, undefiled, which fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you.

Did you know that you don't do anything to earn an inheritance? Do you? It's who you are as a person. You're my son or you're my daughter. That's who's going to get the inheritance, right? That's exactly what the Lord did, is he made us that which he was pleased with and adopted us unto an inheritance. And that inheritance is eternal life, salvation. It's the way of life. It's the way of truth. It's the way of peace. Thanks be to God. the way of righteousness. This is his way. This is his way. This is the way of life.

Let's pray. Father, we ask that you would take these words and bless them to our understanding for your glory. In Christ's name, amen.