The Nugget:
Proverbs 1:10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
My Comment:
For those of you who make New Year’s resolutions, Proverbs 1:10 would be a good one!
This verse impressed me when I first read it at the start of my Christian life. It is a good guide. Its message is clear. Don’t give in to what the “crowd” or even so-called “friends” want you to do if what they want you to do is against what the Bible teaches.
Now just what does the Bible teach?
The best way to figure that out is to read the Bible for yourself. That would be another good resolution to make. And if you are not into making resolutions, that is fine. Just start reading the Bible for yourself on a regular, even daily basis. Some days you may have more time to devote to reading the Bible than others. But always you should be able to do some Bible reading, even if it is just for five minutes. Twenty minutes would be better, and that is the time I set when I was a teenager who had a lot of homework to do each night. I carefully watched the big green wind-up alarm clock with its two external bells and read until the time was up. Then I did my homework. Reading the Bible changed my life. As a result I came to know Christ as my Savior.
Now, just where should you read in the Bible to find out how you should live?
Read a chapter a day every day from the book of Proverbs. Also, in the New Testament, read the books of James, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians. Read the book of 1 John also. Read the four Gospels. Matthew has the fullest account of the Sermon on the Mount. Mark is the shortest gospel, so it might be the easiest. Luke might be the longest gospel. John is the fourth gospel, and it is a book you should read over and over regularly. In one paragraph, I’ve laid out a simple Bible reading plan anyone can follow.
But back to the main message: If sinners entice you, do not go along, don’t go in their wrong direction. Instead, ask the Lord to help you find the right kind of friends, and to help you discover where to find them. For Christian young people, such friends can most easily be found in a strong, Bible-believing, Bible teaching church that has a youth group as well as a Sunday school class for your age.
For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:
(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 649 for Proverbs 1:10.
(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 692 or in Logos 5 or 6 Bible software for Proverbs 1:10.
(3) Consult the cross references given in the original Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 407 for Proverbs 1:10.
(3) Most people today do not have access to those three resources, so I have posted cross references for this passage as I have developed them even more completely for your study as given below:
Proverbs 1:10. My son. Pr 1:8. 23:15. 1 Th 2:11. if sinners. Pr 2:12. **Pr 4:14. *Pr 7:21-23. **Pr 12:11. *Pr 13:20. *Pr 16:29. 20:19. Ge 3:6. 11:4. *Ge 39:7-13. *Dt 13:6-8. *Jg 16:16-21. 1 Ch 21:1. **Ps 1:1. 50:18. +**Ps 119:63, 101. Is 41:6. Mk 14:11. Ro 16:18. +*1 Cor 15:33. 2 Cor 2:11. *Ep 5:11. **James 1:13-15. 3:6. consent thou not. Ge 39:8-10. +*Ex 23:2. Dt 13:8. 1 K 13:8, 9. 21:15. 22:49. %2 Ch 18:2. +**2 Ch 19:2. %2 Ch 20:35-37. *2 Ch 22:4. 24:17, 18. +*Est 1:12. Jb 21:16. +*Ps 119:9. *Lk 23:51. Ro 7:14-17, 20, 23. *Ep 5:7.