“My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.” (Proverbs 1:10)

Solomon addresses his son the second time and gives the second “not” command – “consent thou not.” Solomon stands in type for the Father-aspect of God as He instructs His spiritual sons with truth.

These instructions by the Heavenly Father to the saved (or regenerated) sons are all-important for a successful daily journey in this life. By these instructions, the sons will know the Father’s Will; and by adherence to these instructions they will have success.

Solomon’s address in Proverbs 1:10-14 brings out four important facts:

First: The Son-Ship Relationship
Second: The Identification of the Sinners
Third: The Enticement by Sinners
Fourth: The Saved’s Resistance to the Temptation of Evil

First: Son-ship

1) First, “my son” relates ownership by natural generation.

God’s design is for man and wife to come together and beget children through sexual intercourse. The blood type and the physical make-up of the fetus come from the father and the mother. God set the order of rank in Creation: man, woman, and then children. The Bible is very plain as to the child’s subjection to the parents until the child is married. Even then, as revealed in Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; the father holds rank over his children, and their respect, until his death.

2) Second, “my son” denotes relationship. Not only ownership, but a relationship; which has to do with position, perception, and priority.

a) Son-ship is one of positon. Because of this position to the father, the son is an heir, he bears his father’s name, and he carries on the father’s business.

b) Son-ship is also one of perception by the son to his father. The son knows of his relationship and his positon to his father. He knows, as the first-born, he stands to inherit all his father has at his father’s death.

c) Son-ship is also one of priority. The son knows that he stands as a first-born to receive the birth-right and the blessing, and he stands as first in the family.

3) Third, “my son” denotes trusteeship by the father over the son. This trusteeship is twofold:

a) From birth to twenty years of age, or until the child leaves home, the father is responsible for the child’s provision (food, clothes, and shelter); protection (from all harm and danger); and training (the father is responsible to train his son for life’s journey, and the spiritual training to have success in the physical and eternal state):

“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)

“Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it: That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged. Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey. Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:” (Deuteronomy 6:1-4)

b) From the child’s birth until the death of the father, the father is due the child’s obedience, respect, and honor. (See Abraham’s, Isaac’s, and Jacob’s actions toward their fathers.)

Thus, the most important part of the father/son relationship is twofold:

1) The father’s teaching of God’s Word to the son; and
2) The son’s submission and obedience to the father.

The first part describes what Solomon is doing in the Book of Proverbs. Solomon is carrying out his primary role as a father to his son; Solomon is preparing his son with truth. The Truth will make you free; and will bring holiness and peace and power and provision in your daily life, and rewards in eternity.

It is in this area of fatherhood that most saved fathers fall short. Consequently, the children suffer. In today’s world, the system has placed an all-important burden on the father to give his child the “American Dream” (wealth, position, fame, and a secular education). In doing this for his children, the father is so busy, that God is left out of his walk, his work, and his witness.

Therefore, the children’s example has been to sacrifice all for fortune, fame, and even family; not to please God first, but to please family first.

The fruit of this action by many saved fathers has been disaster in their children’s lives; for the children sought after and gave all for gold. But, they found out that gold is only temporary, and will not last for eternity.

The father is to teach God’s Word – by his words and by his example. He is to do as Proverbs 22:6 instructs. The father is to teach his children the real success in life (Joshua 1:8-9), and what will last. He is to protect, provide, and give them joy unspeakable, even Eternal Life in Christ.

The father needs to teach his children what the benefits are of surrendering to God as Lord and Master; of submitting to His Word and Will; and of obeying God’s Word; and enduring in the same. You can’t buy salvation – it is a Gift of God (Ephesians 2:8-9). You can’t produce love, joy, peace (Galatians 5:22-23). You can’t work up love (or charity); it is worked out of the person by God (Philippians 2:13; 1 Corinthians 13:1-13).

Then the father needs to teach his children that “Wisdom (or Christ, Who is Love) is the principal thing“ (Proverbs 4:7a). And that to love Him is the First Commandment:

“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” (Matthew 22:37)

“This is the first and great commandment.” (Matthew 22:38)

“And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Matthew 22:39)

“On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22:40)

And the second commandment is to “love thy neighbor as thyself.” (Also see 1 John 3:11-24; 4:7-21.)

The father needs to teach his children that the most important thing in life is to please God in everything; not to please self. (See 1 Corinthians 10:31; Luke 14:26-33; etc.) The most important thing is not activity in Christ’s name; but love to Christ in body, soul, and spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

Therefore, this is the main reason to read and study the Book of Proverbs. And this is what Solomon is doing here in Chapter 1, verses 8-19.

Our text verse begins, “my son.” First in verse 8 and now in verse 10, Solomon repeats his ownership, his relationship, his trusteeship; which is all his responsibility as the father to his son.