Lesson 3: Faith 37
Interpreting the Scriptures
Trusting God’s Wisdom by Faith (Proverbs 3:5–6)
3:5. The Old Testament books of Job, Ecclesiastes, and Proverbs are
referred to as the “Wisdom Literature” of the Bible. Proverbs was written
to teach and encourage wise personal behaviors. The truths come from
God and the results of obedience or disobedience can be measured.
“This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones”
(3:8) is the reward for trusting God.
Wisdom instructs us to “trust in the Lord.” Faith begins with belief
and then leads to a trusting and confident relationship with God. Used
here, “trust” means to fully and completely put our whole weight on
God’s wisdom, care, and compassion. Trust requires “all your heart”
(with nothing held back.) God’s wisdom is more than a body of truth.
God’s wisdom is his loving application of truth to our individual lives.
Faith is learning to put our full weight on God’s superior wisdom and
unlimited love.
3:6. To “acknowledge” God means to give him the respect, reverence,
and love due him. Our acknowledgement of God produces “straight
paths” as God removes the obstacles which harm our relationship with
him and adds those things which bless us. This is not a promise of an
easy life, but a blessed life. Faith such as this comes from a trust rela-
tionship with God built over time and experience. Faith in God brings
specific blessings (3:1–4). Crooked paths are evil and harmful.
Receiving God’s Salvation by Faith (Galatians 2:15–21)
2:15 –16. Earlier in this chapter Paul challenged Simon Peter because of
Peter’s behavior at Antioch that caused confusion regarding the require-
ments of salvation. Peter had been openly associating with Gentile
Christians (a violation of his Jewish beliefs) until a group of Jewish
church leaders arrived from Jerusalem. He then “withdrew” himself
from the Gentiles and began behaving as a Jew again. His hypocrisy was
obvious and confusing to the churches of Galatia. Was something other
than faith necessary for salvation? How can someone be saved?