Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Some time ago the CNN website featured a woman who lived a promiscuous lifestyle for many years. She had many illicit relationships over the years and reflected on them at 40 years of age. It is clear in the article that the woman who wrote the article isn’t a Christian. She doesn’t fully understand what God teaches about sexual purity. But we see in her words that one can’t violate God’s ways without consequences. The image of God is etched in us, and we can’t escape God’s world. If we transgress his norms, those norms catch up with us. This woman experienced the consequences of sexual relationships without commitment. She felt the vanity and futility of casual sex. She lived a dissolute life for many years, but she came to see that causal sex doesn’t really exist. It led to “a cold, mechanical exchange” that left her “lonely and depressed.” She came to see that casual sex is “hollow” and “heartless.” We see that her experiment with casual sex failed. It didn’t bring her joy. She didn’t find meaning. Her sexual encounters had become as meaningful as wolfing down McDonald’s hamburgers when one is in a hurry.
Secular people often talk as if their perspective on sex is freeing and liberating. They often say that the Christian view is repressive, rigid, and joy-denying. But it is exactly opposite. If you want to experience heartache, tears, loneliness, and frustration, follow the ways of the world. I am not just using words in saying this. I am talking about real stories I know, specific stories where people are moved to tears because they have given themselves to others and now regret it. It testifies to the truth that sexual relations bring joy within a committed relationship.
We see this very clearly in Proverbs 5. I don’t intend to exposit all of Proverbs 5, but I want to lift out four truths for our consideration. First, recognize that sexual sin is tantalizing. Second, realize that that sexual sin will destroy you. Third, repel the onset of sexual sin in your life. Fourth, rejoice in the wife of your youth. In Proverbs 5 a father is writing to his son, so the wording is directed to men, but clearly the admonitions apply to women as well.
Sexual sin is tantalizing
First, recognize that sexual sin is tantalizing. We see that it is tantalizing in v. 3. “For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil.” We almost certainly have a case of double entendre here. Honey and oil signify physical delights. The joys anticipated can draw us into sin. As one commentator says, “Honey is sweet, but the bee stings; and this lady has a sting in her tail.” Proverbs 6:25 tells us that a man can be attracted by a woman’s beauty or her stylish makeup (“her eyelashes”). Clearly, this woman is dressed to kill. Correspondingly, a woman may be attracted by a man who is handsome, kind, caring, humorous, and successful.
Sin promises rapturous pleasures. The woman in Prov. 7:18 says, “Come, let us take our fill of love till morning; let us delight ourselves with love.” Illicit experiences are often preceded by lies. We are not surprised, therefore, to read in Prov. 7:5 that a man may be persuaded by a woman’s flattery. Of course, the woman may be flattered by the man as well. The spouse at home is all too familiar with our faults, but the person at the office or the club or at school only sees the good side of us, and tells us how wonderful we are. The scriptures tell the truth. They are refreshingly honest. As Hebrews 11:25 says, there is pleasure and delight in sin. We wouldn’t be tempted by sexual sin if it didn’t promise joy. It lures us by promising happiness.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
by Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
