Solomon Teaches a Young Man Wisdomby emmanuel_higgins

Proverbs 4:2

For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.

The verse is a father's gift of good doctrine to his child, joined to the charge not to forsake his law, with sound instruction given by parents to be held fast and not abandoned by children. It reflects the careful instruction Solomon received from his father, which laid a foundation for virtuous character. A father's ongoing instruction is an important means of passing practical Bible truth to children. For adolescence, this parental instruction includes clear teaching about physical development, the sacred value of the body, and the dangers of ignorance, so that young people can meet this stage wisely.

The same words describe God's instruction as good and not to be forsaken. Its instruction and reproof call the person to choose wisdom as the path of life, while refusing them leads to spiritual disease and death. Holding this sound doctrine matters for salvation and for teaching others.

The instruction in Proverbs is good teaching and law that should not be abandoned, offering valuable moral guidance especially for practical matters of life. The verse belongs to the Proverbs 1-4 portion assigned for a week's systematic reading.