My dear readers,

Do You Eat Well?

Proverbs 13:2: “A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth: but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence.”

Many people make a living by what they say. The life of lecturers is characterized by what they say or write. If they speak well, they can have job security. Businessmen who speak well make good money. Lawyers are well known for their ability to argue their cases. Eloquence is a great talent many people have, and many more long to have it but cannot get it. The former eat “good” by the fruit of their mouth! They can buy the best and most nutritious food. They eat in the best restaurants. They can afford to taste all kinds of cuisine worldwide.

But we know the Bible is a spiritual book. Proverbs 13:2 touches on “eating well” from a spiritual perspective. The literal translation is, “By the fruit of his mouth, a man shall eat good, but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence.”

How to Eat Well – The Christian's life is to manifest Christ's name. If he lives a holy life, he manifests a holy Christ. His words are like the lights that light up a dark room. If he lives in sin, he manifests a sinful Christ. What he says reveals what is within him. If the Holy Spirit dwells in him, “holiness” will come forth from his mouth. His words will be holy, which means they will be according to the Holy Bible. Proverbs 13:2 says that his words are like fruit, i.e. the impact on himself and others by what he says. He will eat well, based on what he says.

The Word of God is the only word that comes out of his mouth that can have such a blessed impact of goodness. It is not merely quoting the Word of God; no one goes around quoting Scripture when conversing with people. The Christian converses with people, gives his opinions, and sometimes even advises others to change and improve their lives. His “words” must be based on the teachings and doctrines of the Bible. He must understand the Word of God correctly so that when he says certain things, they are within the teaching of God. He must be truthful because the Bible has taught him to mean what he says and say what he means. Matthew 5:37: “But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.” He is honest and trustworthy and will not cheat. He is diligent and will always give his best in all he does.

If he is teaching or preaching God’s Word, he must correctly explain God’s Word so that the hearers can understand. When God’s Word is explained and received, the Holy Spirit will take the Word and bring understanding and convict hearts and minds. God can use the power of the fruit of his mouth to transform lives. For example, when the gospel is explained according to the Holy Scriptures, the Holy Spirit takes the gospel message and convicts the sinner of his sins, turning him to Christ in sincere repentance and to seek forgiveness from God by believing in Christ. He will be given a new mind and heart in Christ. The Holy Spirit will dwell within him when Christ baptises him with the Holy Spirit. The love of God will reside in his new heart. His new heart is no longer motivated by the love of self or mammon.

When it pertains to sanctifying believers’ lives through the Word of God, the Holy Spirit will work through the Word of God in every believer’s heart. This results in the spiritual blessing of mind and heart that will conform more to the Saviour’s holy image. God’s Word will sanctify and purge every believer’s heart of every wrong thinking, reasoning and conduct. Ephesians 4:11-13: “¹¹ And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; ¹² For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: ¹³ Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.” The man who speaks such Bible-based wonderful words will surely eat well, not measured in terms of the physical but the spiritual. His life in Christ is rich. He walks intimately with God. God’s peace keeps his heart and mind from all the troubles and adversities of life. His life pleases God, which makes him very happy. People’s lives are blessed by God because of his words. This is the spiritual goodness Proverbs 13:2 teaches.

The speaker's heart must be right with God according to the teaching of the Holy Scriptures. If he preaches or teaches with a sinful ulterior motive other than the love of Christ, such as for self-gratification, his words, though from the Bible, will in the long run end in devastation. How many have been stumbled by so-called good preachers and teachers with their eloquence and correct teaching who sin grievously against God and God’s people. Many of God’s people have “thrown away the baby with the bath water” when they reject the eloquent preacher or teacher they once adored! The latter’s own salvation will come into question if he is not even convicted by what he says, though, according to the Holy Scriptures. He does not believe in what he teaches! He will eat violence!

How to Eat Violence – Proverbs 13:2b does not say the fruit of the mouth but the soul of the transgressors will eat violence. The word “transgressor” describes someone who speaks or acts deceitfully or treacherously. Lies and deceptions are marks of the devil, the father of lies. When lies and deception characterise the soul of a professing believer, Christ’s blood has not washed away his sins. He manipulates people. He deceives by speaking half-truths. He slanders and gossips. He cheats. He does not even know that he speaks half-truths because he has been speaking half-truths all his life. To him, the concept of truth is half-truths. To him, lying is like breathing. His soul is as dead as a door knob.

By his lying, he might have made millions. His ill-gotten gains may seem like a good thing. The fruit of his deceitful soul allows him to eat very well in his huge house. Fine dining is the only dining he knows and likes. He rubs shoulders with all the elites in high societies. Yet the Bible says he will eat violence.

These wicked men will face the judgment of men. Anyone who lives a life of deception will soon reap what he has sown. His sins will catch up with him. If he faces man's judgment today, perhaps there is time for him to repent and turn to God in Christ. He is a fool if he thinks he has escaped man’s judgment and, therefore, has escaped justice. He fails to realise that a greater judgment from the Judge of all judges in the person of Jesus Christ awaits him. Christ will judge him and sentence him to hell and ultimately to the Lake of Fire, where there is only gnashing of teeth and unending torment and pain. There is no more repentance after death!