How To Answer A Fool?

I. EXORDIUM:

Do you answer a fool?

Yes, if they approach me, I answer them with GOD's WORDS.

II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:

Believers

III. OBJECTIVES:

To show how to answer a fool.

IV. TEXT:

Proverbs 26:4-5 (Amplified Bible)

26:4 Answer not a [self-confident] fool according to his folly, lest you also be like him.

26:5 Answer a [self-confident] fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes and conceit.

V. THESIS:

Praise, worship and thank You very much LORD JESUS, for You taught us how to answer a fool and the HOLY SPIRIT uses our tongue to speak GOD's WORDS.

Mark 13:11 (Amplified Bible)

13:11 Now when they take you [to court] and put you under arrest, do not be anxious beforehand about what you are to say nor [even ] meditate about it; but say whatever is given you in that hour and at the moment, for it is not you who will be speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

VI. TITLE:

How to answer a fool?

VII. EXPLICATION:

A. Authors: Credited generally to King Solomon before his character downfall/decline.

B. Date written: from 931 to 686 B.C.

C. Purpose: To give moral instruction

D. Main Theme: Fear of the LORD

VIII. MAIN BODY:

A. Don't use the same language as the fool does or you will be like him

Don't answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be like him

"26:4 Answer not a [self-confident] fool according to his folly, lest you also be like him."

When the bible say fools it means unbelievers.

Psalms 14:1 (Amplified Bible)

14:1 To the Chief Musician. [A Psalm] of David. THE [empty-headed] fool has said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable deeds; there is none that does good or right.

These unbelievers are self-opinionated or wise in their own conceits.

Romans 11:25 (Amplified Bible)

11:25 Lest you be self-opinionated (wise in your own conceits), I do not want you to miss this hidden truth and mystery, brethren: a hardening (insensibility) has [temporarily] befallen a part of Israel [to last] until the full number of the ingathering of the Gentiles has come in,

Proverbs 26:12 (Amplified Bible)

26:12 Do you see a man wise in his own eyes and conceit? There is more hope for a [self-confident] fool than for him.

Proverbs 29:20 (Amplified Bible)

29:20 Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a [self-confident] fool than for him.

Illustration:

I've talked with a foolish woman, she is now rich before she can't even buy slippers for her foot but she's hungry and thirsty for GOD's WORDS before she's rich. Now she can't even leave her station while manning the realty company, she can but she won't, and she keeps on staying on her belief that GOD stays with her even if she gives GOD her own time (not GOD's time), it's a Sunday, and obviously according to GOD's WORDS she needs to be in church (GOD's house) but she prefers another schedule for GOD.

I answered her by rebuking her from GOD's WORDS that it's not works that can save her and not religion but only the name of JESUS.

Ephesians 2:8-9 (Amplified Bible)

2:8 For it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God;

2:9 Not because of works [not the fulfillment of the Law’s demands], lest any man should boast. [It is not the result of what anyone can possibly do, so no one can pride himself in it or take glory to himself.]

Acts 4:12 (Amplified Bible)

4:12 And there is salvation in and through no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by and in which we must be saved.

Illustration:

Perfect example is the LORD JESUS CHRIST.

Matthew 15:1-3 (Amplified Bible)

15:1 THEN FROM Jerusalem came scribes and Pharisees and said,

15:2 Why do Your disciples transgress and violate the rules handed down by the elders of the past? For they do not practice [ceremonially] washing their hands before they eat.

15:3 He replied to them, And why also do you transgress and violate the commandment of God for the sake of the rules handed down to you by your forefathers (the elders)?

The LORD JESUS knew that Pharisees and scribes were self-confident fools because they rejected the LORD JESUS and stayed on their own belief, but the LORD JESUS rebuked them. The LORD JESUS rebuked them according to GOD's WORDS so that they will be saved by grace through faith.