Trey Knowles: Risala 25 - Fire & Purification

Trey Knowles: Risala 25 - Fire & Purification

A false witness will perish, but one who listens carefully will speak with truth and endure.

Distinguish yourself from the wicked, even from those whom society calls “privileged.”

The power behind the work of the wicked is rooted in corruption. Though they appear industrious, their labor is often unjust and cruel—built upon exploitation. They seize land, extract wealth through gold, oil, and other resources, and accumulate fortunes not through honest wages but through systems that oppress the vulnerable. They enslave the poor in various forms, yet accuse others of laziness.

They pass down the benefits of wrongdoing to their families, shaping stolen gain into legitimate-looking enterprises. What was taken unjustly becomes normalized, and their households prosper from what is, in essence, dishonesty. In this way, the so-called “privilege” of the wicked is often constructed on foundations that lack integrity.

Yet such wealth is empty. It is wealth that appears to come from something, but is rooted in nothing of lasting value.

For this reason, our Lord teaches not to store up treasures on earth, where they are temporary, subject to decay, and vulnerable to loss. Instead, we are called to focus on the kingdom of heaven—to cultivate what is within. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

A man is the head of his household; yet when his queen turns her devotion toward other idols, she degrades herself in pursuit of her desires. This is why it is said, “My mother, who was my mother, was a prostitute.” She has birthed sin into the world with her price.

As it is written in Genesis 3:15: “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”

A wise person examines themselves carefully, ensuring they are not disqualified, so that they may be set apart from the wicked. Therefore, distinguish yourself from the wicked.

Those who abuse their wives act as colonizers who plunder what is precious; their hearts are hardened and filled with hatred.

The speech of the wicked is used to mislead, manipulate, and conceal harmful intentions.

The wicked are marked by pride and arrogance, yet the only harvest they produce is sin.


There is no reverence for God before their eyes, and their hearts are of little worth. Yet the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.

A person who is not content can easily become jealous, and with jealousy comes strife.

Evil people want to do wrong, even to their friends; revenge is always on their minds.

If your heart is wicked, why not replace it? If your eye is full of darkness, how great is that darkness?

All crooks are liars.

A person who is devoted to spiritual idolatry commits robbery against their own soul and is willing to kill for what they are devoted to.

A person who drinks alcohol hates their spirit and forgets their need for the Spirit of God.