# Proverbs 1:7 and the knowledge of unbelievers



## Monergism (Jul 30, 2004)

[i:b3048e009b]The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction. [/i:b3048e009b]

This might have a simple answer, but if the beginning of knowledge is fearing the Lord, and if unbelievers do in fact know things, does this mean they are in some way fearing the Lord?


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## Monergism (Jul 30, 2004)

[quote:d6273ba0b9][b:d6273ba0b9]yes[/b:d6273ba0b9], in the Romans 1 sense. ALL men know God. ALL men have the imageo deo. But(!) they know these things DESPITE their *professed* epistemology. 
[/quote:d6273ba0b9]

So the suppression of the knowledge of God in unrighteousness is an instance of fearing the Lord? I guess we would have to say that this is case, however, because such an individual does not keep His commandments he is left without understanding (Psalm 111:10), he is left with foolishness (Romans 1:22), and he is under the wrath of God for such disobedience (Romans 1:18).

I guess this means there are different kinds of "fear" of the Lord. On the one hand, all unregenerate individuals fear the Lord (Proverbs 1:7), but on the other hand, no unregenerate individual fears the Lord (Psalm 36:1; Romans 3:18).

Would we also say that, in addition to an unbeliever having knowledge, he also has wisdom (Proverbs 9:10)? If this is the case, then in one sense, he has wisdom (Proverbs 9:10), and in another sense, he does not (Psalm 36:3).


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## JohnV (Jul 30, 2004)

[quote:8f571b8648="Monergism"][i:8f571b8648]The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction. [/i:8f571b8648]

This might have a simple answer, but if the beginning of knowledge is fearing the Lord, and if unbelievers do in fact know things, does this mean they are in some way fearing the Lord?[/quote:8f571b8648]

Brett:

I agree with Paul, in part. All men fear God to the degree that they have to. They cannot live in a chaotic world, and this world is much worse than chaotic without God, even in their reasonings. 

All men know God, as it says in Romans 1. But not all men acknowledge God. All men fear God, the godless more than the godly in some respects. They fear God so much they avoid Him altogether, even in their reasonings. They shun the accusations laid upon them by the contemplation of God alone, never mind considering His Word. The gospel of John says they flee from the light. That is fear. This fear is completely unavoidable, inescapable. But that does not mean that men fear God, or know God, or acknowledge God as they should in order to know things as they should know things. 

I don't think that there really exists any other epistemology than one. There is only one, and each man holds it as he must to maintain what he wants to believe. That is the "grain of truth" in every lie. But I also think that it is impossible to live any part of life without the knowledge of God. It is part of man's makeup, whether or not he acknowledges that; and there is only this temporal life, which has been created and sustained by God. There is no other temporal life. A fish cannot live in the ocean without being in the water; a man cannot live in this life without being under the governance of God in every detail of life. He is wet through and through, whether or not he will admit it.

And that is what this text directs us to. Admitting our dependence on God in our knowledge, our understanding, and our wisdom, is the true root of understanding the vicissitudes of life, the mysteries and the conundrums. I don't think this text is directing us to figure out how to get to Mars by contemplating Prov. 1:7. It is asserting, rather, that in order to understand to the point of having wisdom, we need to acquiesce to truth in every respect and way. One goes the way of foolishness by evading or denying any one truth. And the knowledge of God, and that the Word is His Word, are fundamental truths on this planet. Only the fool would cast it aside. And fools we all are, indeed, but for the saving work of Christ, and the sanctifying work of the Spirit, and the governance of the Father over all things.


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