The Fool (Part 6)

The Fool

The next (6^th) occurrence of the word fool is found in Proverbs 9:6.

Proverbs 9:6 (KJV) ⁶ Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.

The teaching here is straight forward.  Those who desire to live wisely must break close association with those who live as if there is no God and live contrary to the teachings of the Word of God.  Notice, I said close association.  It does not mean you will never talk to them again, it means your relationship changes.  You no longer go where they go, do what they do, talk like they talk, and think like they think.  When I first came to Jesus, I had many friends who lived foolishly.  Did I never talk to them again?  No, I tried to bring them into my new life in Christ.  I witnessed to them about what God had done in my life.  I invited them to church. I spoke openly of my new relationship with Christ.  In most cases it ended up being their decision not to associate with me.  The wise Christian must forsake the foolish while have compassion making a difference Jude 22.

Matthew Henry said; The first step towards virtue is to shun vice, and therefore to shun the vicious.

In Reformers Unanimous, principle #6 teaches; Those who do not love the Lord will not help me serve the Lord.  Clearly if a person desires change in their live, they must forsake the foolish.  Steve Curington said; If you do what you have always done, then you will be what you have always been.

The Bible says it clearly in I Corinthians:

1 Corinthians 15:33 (KJV) ³³ Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.

The principle being taught is clear, bad company corrupts good morals.  All of us know this is true.  Our life experiences teach us this truth of God’s Word.  The fool values the company of the corrupt more than the fellowship with the Savior.  You cannot have both.  You cannot enjoy the presence of God in your life while you are associating with people who live as if there is no God.  God’s Word says:

James 4:4 (KJV) ⁴ Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

This is a good time to examine the relationships in our lives.  Are we in close association with people who live foolishly?  Are we allowing those without Christ to lead us?  Do we value our friendships with fools more than our relationship with Christ? 

2 Corinthians 6:17 (KJV) ¹⁷ Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

6.         The Fools best friend is another fool.