V Rapture Christ Newsletter
July 1, 2017

Here is a case of two men. The first one, known as Jacob, was wise. However, his twin brother Esau was a fool. In fact, Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of beans because he was hungry.

Genesis 25
29When Jacob had cooked stew, Esau came in from the field and he was famished; 

30and Esau said to Jacob, “Please let me have a swallow of that red stuff there, for I am famished.” Therefore his name was called Edom. 

31But Jacob said, “First sell me your birthright.” 

32Esau said, “Behold, I am about to die; so of what use then is the birthright to me?” 

33And Jacob said, “First swear to me”; so he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. 

34Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew; and he ate and drank, and rose and went on his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

Esau is a classic example of a fool who makes decisions that are poor. God hated Esau before he was born. This is because God knows that morons do not become wise.

Romans 9:13
Even as it is written, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."

Christians wonder why God hated Esau when he was still in his mother's womb before he did anything wrong. This is because God knew that Esau was stupid and would make the kind of decisions that lead to failure instead of success.

Let us look at another example of people who are fools versus those who are wise. 

This story is about the ten virgins:

Matthew 25:1-2
Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.

Let us find out what happened to the fools, in contrast to the wise ones.

Matthew 25:3-2
Those who were foolish, when they took their lamps, took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. Now while the bridegroom delayed, they all slumbered and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Behold! The bridegroom is coming! Come out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘What if there isn’t enough for us and you? You go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ While they went away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Most certainly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ 

Notice that the fools did not go. They made a bad decision.

The question is why? God lets us make decisions, and He is not constantly telling us what to do; this is because He wants us to grow up. God does not want us to remain with the mentality of a five year old child forever.

His goal is for us to mature, and that implies learning from our previous mistakes and past experiences. The five wise virgins might have given the five foolish ones a little oil, but if they did, it would enable dependant behavior for all eternity.

Please imagine spending your entire eternity caring for people who do not learn from previous experiences. Certainly, this is not what we want to see.

Ephesians 5:15
Therefore watch carefully how you walk, not as fools, but as wise;

God wants us to be wise.

Remember that Christ says we are to be wise as serpents.

Matthew 10:16
Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

Jesus wants us to become wise because if we are not, we will not have the wisdom to confront the wiles of the devil. Not only the devil, but evil men will try to trick us. Then we will not enter the Kingdom of heaven.

Ephesians 6:11
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

The answer is no. Fools believe that they are already wise. This explains why they do not like it when you reprove them.

1. Once a fool is identified, don’t provoke him, or you will bring grief on youself. 

Proverbs 27:3
“A stone is heavy and the sand weighty, but the provocation of a fool is heavier than both of them.” 

Avoidance is the best policy in dealing with those who lack-discernment.

2. Make the conscious decision to leave the presence of the fool, or you will become like him.

Proverbs 14:7
“Leave the presence of a fool, or you will not discern words of knowledge”

Proverbs 14:8
The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way, but the folly of fools is deceiving.

Proverbs 14:9
Fools mock at sin, but among the upright there is favor.

Proverbs 23:9
Do not speak to fools, for they will scorn your prudent words.

Notice that fools do not appreciate the guidance that you give. Instead, they get angry. Most feel that their way is the only way. Often, a fool is "wise" in his own eyes.

Admitting you are wrong is not easy. However, that helps you to change and to grow. Sadly, fools do not admit they are wrong.

3. Fools do not benefit from life's experiences.

Fact is, they make the same mistake again and again.

Proverbs 26:11
As a dog returns to his vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.

Dogs that eat something bad often throw up. Returning to eat it again will only result in more discomfort, as they do not learn that the food is bad.

Expect a fool to keep on making the same errors. He does not learn, and if you give him a warning, he will only hate you more.

Realize that this explains why fools cannot become wise. 

Proverbs 27:22
Though you grind a fool in a mortar, grinding them like grain with a pestle, you will not remove their folly from them.

It is because they do not learn from past experiences.

In contrast, wise men do learn from past experiences. Also, they do listen to advice when you give it to them, and they will be grateful for it.

Proverbs 9:8
Do not reprove a scorner, lest he hate you, Reprove a wise man, and he will love you.

4. Fools are scorners.

Actually, one type of fool is known as a scorner. They openly reject God's way.

Proverbs 15:12
A scorner loves not one that reproves him: neither will he go unto the wise.

Proverbs 9:7
He who corrects a scoffer gets dishonor for himself, And he who reproves a wicked man gets insults for himself.

If you try to explain the truth to a fool, he will deeply hate you. In fact, you will get insults from him. It has been my experience that you need to refrain from trying to tell any "truth" to those who are unwise. They will not believe you. It is not that they are misguided, it is much deeper than that. They are not even interested in looking at the facts.

The people that God can save must be willing to look at the facts, and correct themselves if they have been misguided.

Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of knowledge: [but] fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Proverbs 9:9
Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.

Asking questions can help us become more wise. Often people will not do so, fearing to appear as a fool in front of their colleagues, but listen to this ancient Chinese saying:

"He who asks is a fool for five minutes, but he who does not ask remains a fool forever."

Keep the company of wise men. Basically, you will learn their ways.

Proverbs 13:20
He that walks with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.