We have recently looked at the distinction between Christ's commands for believers and his descriptions of believers. This distinction between the imperative (command) and indicative (description) mood is an important one for understanding the Scripture. Look at the reading from Proverbs today, flagging verses as imperative or indicative (It's so sad that the letter "i" won't serve as an adequate abbreviation. Sometimes in notes I'll use "m" or "n" to indicate iMperative or iNdicative.).
Time after time, the Scripture uses indicatives while many preachers will use those indicatives as if they are imperatives. I'll just illustrate one instance. Try Proverbs 14.16. In the ESV it says, "One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless." What will we say about this? Does it indicate that if we are to be wise we must be cautious and turn away from evil? Not at all. It describes wise people in that way. Do you want to know if you are wise? If you tend to be cautious and if you avoid evil you are probably wise. How about the fool? Does being reckless and careless make the person a fool? Not at all. Those are attributes which characterize a fool. We can recognize ourselves as fools when we are reckless and careless.
These indicatives help us see what our state is. They help us see our need for repentance and forgiveness. They clarify to us who we are, just as the indicatives we read about God clarify to use who He is. May we receive God's blessing today as we see ourselves rightly as the branches which abide in Christ, bearing fruit.
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