Final answer:
Proverbs are generally accepted as general truths offering wisdom from collective human experience, not as specific divine promises. They should be understood as rules of thumb, which provide guidance rather than guarantees.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that proverbs are general truths, not specific promises or guarantees from God, is generally considered to be true. Proverbs are succinct and often metaphorical sayings that are used to convey lessons, common sense, or folk wisdom. However, they are not to be taken as specific promises or guarantees from a deity. They offer guidance based on collective human experience and observations which means they can be very valuable, but they might not apply to every individual situation.
Belief, on the other hand, does not necessarily equate to knowledge. Beliefs can be held without evidence or certitude of their truth. This does not detract from the fact that a statement about the external world has a certain truth value that isn't altered by individual belief. Whether one is able to ascertain that truth is another matter.
Therefore, while proverbs contain wisdom that has stood the test of time, they should not be confused with factual promises. They act more as a rule of thumb—general principles that guide behavior but are not accurate for every situation.