"20 Wisdom calls aloud outside; She raises her voice in the open squares. 21 She cries out in the chief concourses, At the openings of the gates in the city She speaks her words: 22 "How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? For scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge. 23 Turn at my rebuke; surely I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you."-Prov. 1:20-23
Commentary: "...How he calls to us, and in what manner. 1. Very publicly, that whosoever hath ears to hear may hear, since all are welcome to take the benefit of what is said and all are concerned to heed it. The rules of wisdom are published without in the streets, not in the schools only, or in the palaces of princes, but in the chief places of concourse, among the common people that pass and repass in the opening of the gates and in the city. It is comfortable casting the net of the gospel where there is a multitude of fish, in hopes that then some will be enclosed. This was fulfilled in our Lord Jesus, who taught openly in the temple, in crowds of people, and in secret said nothing (Jn. 18:20), and charged his ministers to proclaim his gospel on the housetop, Mt. 10:27. God says (Isa. 45:19), I have not spoken in secret. There is no speech or language where Wisdom's voice is not heard. Truth seeks not corners, nor is virtue ashamed of itself. 2. Very pathetically; she cries, and again she cries, as one in earnest. Jesus stood and cried. She utters her voice, she utters her words with all possible clearness and affection. God is desirous to be heard and heeded."
My comments: God calls His people to be bold in sharing their faith with the lost. The gospel was not meant to be confined to church buildings or stadiums. Too often evangelism is seen as something done only during church services or at crusade events. It is God’s will that His truth go out publically in the outdoors as well as indoors. Charles Spurgeon said, "No sort of defense is needed for preaching outdoors, but it would take a very strong argument to prove that a man who has never preached beyond the walls of his meetinghouse has done his duty. A defense is required for services within buildings rather than for worship outside of them.” Spurgeon also stated, “We are not to preach merely to those who come to listen. We must carry the Gospel to where men do not desire it. We should consider it our business to be generously impertinent—thrusting the Gospel into men’s way—whether they will hear or whether they will not. Let us hunt for souls.” Jesus said, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."-Matt.9:37-38 “Do you not say, 'There are still four months and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!”-John 4:35
Commentary: "III. What the call of God and Christ is. 1. He reproves sinners for their folly and their obstinately persisting in it, v. 22…How the reproof is expressed: "How long will you do so?'' This implies that the God of heaven desires the conversion and reformation of sinners and not their ruin, that he is much displeased with their obstinacy and dilatoriness (slowness), that he waits to be gracious, and is willing to reason the case with them.”
My comments: God uses us to reprove and reason with the lost concerning their need for Christ. In 2Tim.4:2 Paul writes, “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching." This reproving must be done in a spirit of concern for the welfare of the lost, not out of spite or hatred toward them, as some “street preachers” display when they preach on the streets. Our reproofs may be very sharp and hard as long as our motive is pure. Our motive should be to reason with them out of a sincere concern for their salvation.
Commentary: “2. He invites them to repent and become wise, v. 23. And here, (1.) The precept is plain: Turn you at my reproof. We do not make a right use of the reproofs that are given us for that which is evil if we do not turn from it to that which is good; for to this end the reproof was given. Turn, that is, return to your right mind, turn to God, turn to your duty, turn and live.”
My comments: The message of repentance is one that is desperately needed in our day. That is because, sadly to say, many evangelical churches have forsaken the preaching of repentance and replaced it with a softer message that does not offend any. Joseph Parker, a famous minister from the 1800s said, "The man whose little sermon is "repent" sets himself against his age, and will for the time being be battered mercilessly by the age whose moral tone he challenges. There is but one end for such a man - "off with his head!" You had better not try to preach repentance until you have pledged your head to heaven."
Commentary: "The promises are very encouraging. Those that love simplicity find themselves under a moral impotency to change their own mind and way; they cannot turn by any power of their own. To this God answers, "Behold, I will pour out my Spirit unto you; set yourselves to do what you can, and the grace of God shall set in with you, and work in you both to will and to do that good which, without that grace, you could not do.'' Help thyself, and God will help thee; stretch forth thy withered hand, and Christ will strengthen and heal it. [1.] The author of this grace is the Spirit, and that is promised: I will pour out my Spirit unto you, as oil, as water; you shall have the Spirit in abundance, rivers of living water, Jn. 7:38. Our heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to those that ask him. [2.] The means of this grace is the word, which, if we take it aright, will turn us; it is therefore promised, "I will make known my words unto you, not only speak them to you, but make them known, give you to understand them.'' Note, Special grace is necessary to a sincere conversion. But that grace shall never be denied to any that honestly seek it and submit to it."
My comments: That brings a balanced view concerning the sovereignty of God in salvation on the one hand (the work of God’s Spirit on a human soul), and on the other hand, the responsibility people have to turn to Christ and live. We must acknowledge and keep in mind both truths since they are both set in stone as clear as day. There are many who fall in the trap of emphasizing one in the place of the other.