The Cost of Immorality

Introduction

God has a wonderful and beautiful design for sexual intimacy that the world has been trying to improve for thousands of years and they have miserably failed. The rebellion against God’s plan has led to unbelievable heartache, regret, guilt, shame, broken homes, shattered lives, scarred children, and in some cases, even death.

All of this leads to a haunting, vital question: Why does the very thing that promises us so much freedom so often end up costing us everything?"

Some of us in this room, I dare say many of us in this room, look back with regret of in some way regarding how we chose to use or misuse God’s good gift of sex. Truth be told, there are probably some among us today that are struggling with these issues at this very moment.

I want to say to you at the outset that the intent of this message is not to shame you, belittle you, or drive you away, but the intent of this message is to tell the TRUTH to all of us about the COST of IMMORALITY and then through the Scriptures show us what we can do to remedy this problem and enjoy God’s better way.

There are some among us today that have paid the price, maybe are still paying the price, but today they have found FREEDOM and FORGIVENESS in Christ. That is the intent of this message. To demonstrate that FREEDOM and FORGIVENESS are available and God can take can give you “beauty for ashes” and restore the years that the “locusts have eaten.”

The intent of this message is to give you a message to share with your family and friends that may be caught in this web of deceit and show you how they can be free as well.

If you once struggled in this area and God has set you free, become a testimony of His grace, His power, and His forgiveness! While we do not celebrate our past sin, neither should we act as if we had a perfect past, but use our past to point others for the freedom we have found in Christ and point them to a glorious future in Jesus!

With that said, let’s look at the “COST OF IMMORALITY” and we will begin our journey in Proverbs 5...

The first cost we see is the...

Mental Cost

In Proverbs 5 Solomon begins by warning his son of the immoral woman. When we started this series I reminded us that much of what Solomon would say would be directed toward his son, but the application can be made from the female perspective as well. We know that both men and women can play the part of the seducer. Both men and women can use flattering words to get what they want.

So please keep this in mind as we go along...make the application to your own life. But let’s begin by noticing what Solomon says in

Proverbs 5:1–5 “My son, pay attention to my wisdom; Lend your ear to my understanding, That you may preserve discretion, And your lips may keep knowledge. For the lips of an immoral woman drip honey, And her mouth is smoother than oil; But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death, Her steps lay hold of hell.”

Solomon warns his son, that part of the mental cost involved in getting involved with the “immoral woman” is

Regret and Remorse

Although the woman’s lips dripped with honey (the sweetest thing in ancient culture) and were smoother than oil (the smoothest item in the Israelite household) in the end he will experience tasting “gall/wormwood” which was the bitterest thing one could imagine.

We have to admit the allure to seduction is sweet. God’s Word says that there is PLEASURE IN SIN, but only for a season.

What began as LUST to try to satisfy the desires of one’s body will end in GROANING in the regret heard in

Proverbs 5:12–14 “And say: “How I have hated instruction, And my heart despised correction! I have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, Nor inclined my ear to those who instructed me! I was on the verge of total ruin, In the midst of the assembly and congregation.””

A second potential cost to one’s mental health is that of a

Darkened Mind

A DARKENED MIND is one that “LOSES TOUCH WITH REALITY AND TRUTH.”

It is CRYSTAL CLEAR that the sexual revolution that has taken place in our society over the last several decades has SPIRALED into a society that HAS LOST TOUCH WITH REALITY AND TRUTH.

We have people that are highly educated that are brought before congress and cannot give the definition of woman. They cannot even explain the basic biology of male and female who can and cannot get pregnant.

The videos are available for all to see. This shouldn’t surprise us, however. Paul warned us in Romans 1 what happens when people ignore and deny God, refuse to glorify God...Notice what he says in...

Romans 1:20–25 NKJV

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

One commentary noted this about this passage:

...confusion about God breeds confusion about man, which breeds confusion about sexuality, which produces sexual confusion and chaos.

THAT IS 2026 AMERICA!

Another mental cost associated with immorality is...

A Loss of Freedom

Isn’t that ironic?

The mentality of “free love” has brought devastating enslavement.

Just ask the man trying to stop pornography.

Studies have shown that viewing pornography releases chemicals in your brain like dopamine, endorphins, serotonin that create intense cravings. Studies have also shown that prolonged pornography use leads to BRAIN SHRINKAGE in the frontal lobe, which affects decision-making, which often leads to COMPULSIVE VIEWING HABITS.

Porn addiction contributes to depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, ADHD, and people use it as a way to “self-medicate,” and while it promises and may bring some temporary relief, it leads to SHAME and worsening symptoms, which leads to a continued, devastating cycle.

The sexual revolution has promised FREEDOM but it has delivered MENTAL ENSLAVEMENT—a people enslaved by guilt, regret, and even addiction!

The wonderful news is that the power of Christ can give us strength to deal with the mental costs that immorality can bring, but Proverbs also reveals that there can be a PHYSICAL COST to immorality as well...

Physical Cost

Notice again Proverbs 5 and this time look at

Proverbs 5:8–11 “Remove your way far from her, And do not go near the door of her house, Lest you give your honor to others, And your years to the cruel one; Lest aliens be filled with your wealth, And your labors go to the house of a foreigner; And you mourn at last, When your flesh and your body are consumed,”

In this passage we are reminded of the physical cost some people endure as a result of immorality.

Physical consequences can be very real and very devastating. How many young ladies have bought the lie of some romantic Casanova only to find out later he has infected her with an STD. This isn’t something I’ve just heard about...I had a young lady in my own family that dealt with this very issue...

Besides the physical risk of STD’s, studies have also shown that living a high risk or deceptive lifestyle can contribute to things such as insomnia, elevated cortisol levels, high blood pressure, hypertension, weakened immune system, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic fatigue, and the list goes on...

Solomon warns his son in

Proverbs 6:27–28 “Can a man take fire to his bosom, And his clothes not be burned? Can one walk on hot coals, And his feet not be seared?”

Playing with fire can sometimes lead to lifelong scars.

As we will see the power of Christ, His Word and the Gospel can turn things around!

A third cost Solomon mentions is the

Financial Cost

The context of Chapter 5, Solomon is warning his son to stay away from the immoral woman. He is warning his son of the consequences that can come by getting caught in the web of immorality and one of those consequences can be FINANCIAL.

Notice what he says in Proverbs 5:8 “Remove your way far from her, And do not go near the door of her house,” and then Proverbs 5:10 “Lest aliens be filled with your wealth, And your labors go to the house of a foreigner;”

There are many men, and rightly so, who have had to pay alimony, child support, and divorce lawyers as a result of their sexual indiscretions.

Some men become so enamored with immorality, it’s as if they would spend the last dime they have on another fling...

Proverbs 6:26 “For by means of a harlot A man is reduced to a crust of bread; And an adulteress will prey upon his precious life.”

Proverbs 29:3 “Whoever loves wisdom makes his father rejoice, But a companion of harlots wastes his wealth.”

But as we will see, the Gospel and Scripture has the power to RESTORE a person and give them a much brighter future!

Immorality also brings a...

Relational Cost

There is a relational cost that comes with immorality as well.

Proverbs 5:9 “Lest you give your honor to others, And your years to the cruel one;”

I have known those whom I used to look up to with honor and respect that have walked away from their wives, from their husbands, and from their children because they were so blinded with lust and self-centeredness and now the honor is gone and their reputation lies in ruins.

Notice Proverbs 5:13–14 “I have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, Nor inclined my ear to those who instructed me! I was on the verge of total ruin, In the midst of the assembly and congregation.””

Guzik says these verses refer to the man who has been exposed as an adulterer. He is a spectacle in front of the congregation. He has been taught better, but now his sin has been exposed for all to see. His relationship with those who had tried to help him has been damaged.

Proverbs 6 discusses something similar. Notice Proverbs 6:29–35 “So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife; Whoever touches her shall not be innocent. People do not despise a thief If he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving. Yet when he is found, he must restore sevenfold; He may have to give up all the substance of his house. Whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding; He who does so destroys his own soul. Wounds and dishonor he will get, And his reproach will not be wiped away. For jealousy is a husband’s fury; Therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance. He will accept no recompense, Nor will he be appeased though you give many gifts.”

Think about how many relationships have been DEVASTATED...literally DEVASTATED because of immorality! Marriages have been destroyed, children struggle with trust issues and shame, people in leadership positions and positions of authority now are questioned because of their immoral decisions. Pastors, missionaries, and church leaders not only lose their positions, but many lose their livelihood...all for a moment of pleasurable sin that cost them FAR MORE THAN THEY EVER WANTED TO PAY!

But I’ve also seen the Gospel mend broken relationships and restore families!

I want to look at one more cost, and that is the SPIRITUAL COST that comes with immorality...

Spiritual Cost

If left unchecked, if left unrepented, SIN, regardless of whether it is tied to immorality or not, will always have a SPIRITUAL cost.

The Apostle Paul reminds us of this in Romans 6:23a

Romans 6:23 NKJV

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The wages of sin is DEATH. Sin always SEPARATES us from God and the enemy of our soul works overtime to ensure that sin KEEPS us separated from God.

In a moment we are going to look at some GOOD NEWS about how Jesus has already paid these wages for us, but before we look at what makes the GOOD NEWS so good I want to remind you why the BAD NEWS is so bad.

Let’s go back to our text in Proverbs 5:3-5 and notice with me the spiritual cost of sin...while this passage is in the context of immorality, it can apply to sin in general...

Proverbs 5:3–5 “For the lips of an immoral woman drip honey, And her mouth is smoother than oil; But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death, Her steps lay hold of hell.”

Notice where the PATH of sin leads...DEATH and HELL...

There are three types of DEATH that this passage may be alluding to:

Physical Death

If you don’t believe love triangles, adultery, and similar things lead to death just watch a few episodes of 48 hours and Dateline.

Throughout history innumerable people have lost their lives due to jealous lovers, enraged spouses, and broken family members. PHYSICAL DEATH can be a real result.

But there’s also an aspect of

Metaphorical Death

A death of peace, a death of harmony, the death of a marriage...all types of death can take place due to immorality.

Third, there is the

Spiritual Death

That I was referring to earlier. While the SIN OF IMMORALITY specifically does not condemn a person, the sin of IMMORALITY often contributes to the BLINDNESS of a person who continues down that path. Knowing that they will have to CONFESS and REPENT of that sin in order to EMBRACE Christ and receive His forgiveness often leads to people PERSISTING in their sin, rather than confessing it and repenting of it.

The Apostle Paul spoke of this in Romans 1:18

Romans 1:18 NKJV

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,

Notice people “SUPPRESS THE TRUTH IN UNRIGHTEOUSNESS.”

Let’s go back to Proverbs 6 and ask the question again...

Proverbs 6:27 “Can a man take fire to his bosom, And his clothes not be burned?”

WHEN A PERSON CHOOSES TO PLAY WITH THE FIRE OF SUPPRESSING TRUTH, THEY ARE GOING TO GET BURNED...AND IF THEY ARE NOT CAREFUL THEY ARE GOING TO GET SCARRED FOR LIFE.

You cannot then turn around and blame God for getting burned. He warned you not to play with the fire. He’s shown you examples of others who are scarred who chose to play with the fire. If we choose to play with the fire anyway, we are just ASKING for scars!

So What is the Solution? Is There Any Hope?

Put Down the Fire and RUN to the Water of Life

If you are “playing with fire” this morning I beg you to get help. It may be the fire of adultery, it may be the fire of pornography, it may be the fire of sleeping together outside of marriage...I beg you in Jesus name PUT DOWN THE FIRE and RUN to the Water of Life to quench that fire and begin the healing process.

God’s guidelines regarding this area of our lives are not prison walls designed to keep us in and hinder us from enjoying freedom, but rather they are like a guardrail on a high bridge. The guardrail isn’t there to stop you from having fun, it’s there to keep you from plummeting into the rocks below...

GOD LOVES THE TRAVELER and He puts up guardrails and warning signs because He loves you and cares for your soul!

You aren’t called to “manage” the fire, to “control” the fire, to “keep the fire” under control...YOU ARE CALLED TO RUN FROM THE FIRE!

1 Corinthians 6:18 NKJV

Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.

After you put down the fire and run to the water of life, you need to...

Find Healing in the Soothing Oil of the Word and the Spirit

If you’ve ever had a sunburn or another type of burn you know that ALOE helps soothe the pain.

The wonderful news is that even if immorality has left you burned and scarred their is HEALING, HOPE, and FORGIVENESS in the name of Jesus and in the pages of His Word!

In 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Paul is talking to the believers in the Corinthian church. He mentions that those who were believers at the time of his writing used to be involved in fornication, idolatry, homosexuality, theft, drunkenness, and extortion.

But these same people “dropped the fire” they were playing with, ran to the water of life, and were finding healing and new life in the power of the Holy Spirit and the pages of God’s Word.

After we do those two things we need to...

Enter into Spiritual Rehab and then be Available to Help Others

One other thing I want to mention about scars. Scars aren’t just a reminder of where we’ve been burned, BUT THEY ARE ALSO EVIDENCE OF WHERE WE HAVE BEEN HEALED!

God specializes at MAKING BEAUTY FROM ASHES. He doesn’t want to just forgive you of your past, He wants to use your scars to point others to Him.

God has set you free. God has used others to set you free.

NOW HE WANTS TO USE YOU TO HELP OTHERS FIND FREEDOM IN CHRIST!

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