Flee From Evil

7-Flee From Evil-5 1-23

Proverbs 5:1-23

I do not think there has been a time when sexual immorality has been as prevalent and as public as it is today

And as we grow closer to the return of Christ this will only worsen

2 Tim. 3:1-13—“

Opportunities for sexual sin are available everywhere and many who indulge in it are proud of their ways, I think even sometimes boastful

They try to justify their lifestyle and insist that their conduct is only natural and normal.

I said this a few weeks ago on a Sunday night.

Saying that you were born homosexual is the dumbest thing I have ever hear

That is like saying I was born a murderer

I was born a rapist

I was born to be a pedophile

I was born to be a drug addict

I was born to be an alcoholic

I was born to be a…..fill that in with anything you want

What you are trying to say is that your choice to be immoral needs to be justified because you want everyone to accept it

But all the excuses in the world do not change this reality

When God’s moral standards are rejected and ignored, people, societies, and nations will suffer the consequences

Although times and people change, moral absolutes do not

What was morally wrong in Solomon’s day is morally wrong today

Ex. 20:14—DO not commit adultery

1 Thess. 4:3-5—“For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; ‎4 that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, ‎5 not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God;

1) Do Not Commit Adultery-vs. 1-6

a) Remember this part of Proverbs is a father giving instructions to his son, but even though the wording is specific the application applies to women as well as men

b) These warnings deal with the enticements of an immoral woman

1) This is not to say that women are always to blame in a sinful relationship

2) If these were warnings of a father to a daughter, they would present the man as a threat

c) Listen closely to Solomon’s insight-vs. 1-2

1) He continues the repeat of listening closely

2) He wants to caution his son and us to protect ourselves with discretion and good judgment

3) But he talks about the lips keeping knowledge

4) We need to carry that mouth full of knowledge with us

5) ILL-do you ever talk to yourself, it is okay if you do, but when you start arguing then we worry. I think the idea is that when we are faced with enticement the wisdom of God’s Words are ready on our lips to help fight off an attack

6) But this idea is made clear in the next verses

d) Know the seducer’s (his or her) enticement and end-vs. 3-6

e) We see the warnings of the enticing ways of the seductress and the painful end of an illicit affair

1) We do not know who the woman is some think she was a prostitute, or a married woman

f) But a person who is attempting to entice another person will usually begin with flirtatious looks and suggestive speech-vs. 3

1) Love the picture here: her lips drip honey like a honeycomb

2) Honey was the sweetest substance known in ancient Israel

3) So the words that are being heard are some of the sweetest you will ever hear

4) A person whether young or old needs to be prepared, in the Lord, when a seductress crosses his path

g) Two OT examples: Joseph and Samson-Gen. 39:8-9, Jud. 16

1) Joseph saved his life when he refused the seductive lips of Potipher’s wife

2) Think about the words he used and lets commit that to memory

3) Gen. 39:8-9—“But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Behold, with me here, my master does not concern himself with anything in the house, and he has put all that he owns in my charge. ‎9 “There is no one greater in this house than I, and he has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?”

4) Samson lost his life because of his weak and foolish surrender to the deceitful young Delilah

h) The seductress is also a smooth talker—smooth as oil

1) Olive oil is the smoothest substance in ancient Israel

2) They smooth, and soften every moral objection that may arise in opposition to the evil plan

i) Other images: wormwood and double-edged sword

1) The idea of the sword is that it not only pierces but cuts both ways doing terrible damage

2) Immorality does terrible damage to ones self but also ends up hurting those around

j) Watch her feet

1) The feet may be leading to the bedroom but they are actually headed toward death

k) The seductress does not think

1) The idea in vs. 6 is that she does not think about the path she is on

2) And she is unstable, not in the mental way, but the footing is unstable

3) Following people who do not think about the consequences is dangerous

l) Practical application

1) We need to teach our children and grand-children about the dangers of immorality

(1) TLW and dating

2) We as a church need to teach about the dangers of immorality in our society

3) We need to be aware of our personal dangers and when it comes to immorality and remove ourselves from temptation

2) Avoid Immoral Ruin And Regret-vs. 7-14

a) Sin demands an awful and inflated pricefor the brief benefit it gives

1) Sin is like credit, buy now and benefit now but you will pay for it later

b) Do not turn away from Solomon’s warning-vs. 7

1) Maybe Solomon is talking to a group of people

2) But most likely he is speaking to his children, grandchildren

c) Flee the immoral person-vs. 8-13

1) Do not even go by the door

2) Do not go near the house

3) ILL-ever watch a scary movie, and you know the killer is heading behind a door, and you might be screaming at the TV do not go near the door.

4) The crux of Solomon’s teaching is simply to flee temptation

5) If you do not go near temptation you will not have to face the temptation

6) I know this passage is talking about immorality

7) But lets think about how that applies to other areas of temptation

d) These verses give us the taxcollected on immorality

1) Vs. 9-reputation ruined

2) Vs. 10-material wealth gone

3) Vs. 11-lifetime of regret

4) Vs. 12-13-unending remorse

5) Vs. 14-public disgrace and humiliation

e) Even in a day when immorality is prevalent and socially acceptable those caught in adultery pay a public price-Gal. 6:7-8

1) Gal. 6:7-8—“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. ‎8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

3) Be Faithful To Your Spouse-vs. 15-23

a) God has a wonderful plan for joy and fulfillment and that is in the confines of marriage

b) It is the path of life, the way of wisdom, it is a safe road, it leads to…

1) Joy, not sorrow

2) Laughter, not tears

3) Health, not disease

4) Honor, not shame

5) Life, not death

6) God’s blessing, not His judgment

c) Share your love only with your wife-vs. 15-17

1) Solomon is going to give vivid pictures

2) Better to drink from the relationship with your wife than to try to drink from someone else’s cup

d) Seek satisfaction with your own spouse-vs. 18-19

1) God’s blessings and favor are upon the sexual relationship when it is within the boundary of marriage

2) The idea is the same from Gen. when Adam and Eve were one flesh

e) Consider the consequences of immorality-vs. 20-23

1) A sinful relationship with an immoral person cannot compare to God’s design for a pure relationship of a husband and wife

2) Vs. 20 stands in direct contrast to vs. 19

f) After the dangers are laid out, Solomon reminds his sons of the most important reason of all to avoid the immoral woman

g) God is watching-vs. 21-Heb. 4:13

1) Heb. 4:13—“ And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

2) Even if individuals succeed in keeping their sinful affairs secret-if nobody ever finds out—God knows.

h) Solomon ends this lesson with these sober warnings-vs. 22-23

i) People are captured in a pit by their own sins

j) People die physically and eternally because they reject instruction and discipline