He
layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous (Prov 2:7)
Responsible Living: Respect The Word’s
Warnings Against Sin: Prov 6:23-26
23) For the commandment [is]
a lamp; and the law [is] light; and
reproofs of instruction [are] the way
of life:
24) To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue
of a strange woman.
25) Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee
with her eyelids.
26) For by means of a whorish woman [a man is brought] to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt
for the precious life.
INTRODUCTION:
Throughout the entirety
of God’s Word we find warnings to keep us away from sin. In EVERY case, these warnings are given to us
for our good, intended to keep us from the devastating results of the wicked
that is found in the world today. Solomon
gives a series of Proverbs to emphasize the need for each of us to take these
warnings very seriously and seek, by God’s grace, to keep ourselves from sin
safe from its devastating effects.
EXPOSITION:
23) For the commandment [is]
a lamp; and the law [is] light; and
reproofs of instruction [are] the way
of life:
The
Word is described using three different titles:
1.
commandment – it is a responsibility that God has given to us to keep
2.
law – it is written as a part of God’s standard for which we are to strive
3.
reproofs of instruction – it is knowledge that is meant to warn, and to correct
error that is in our lives.
The
purpose of the Word is described in three was as well:
1. a lamp – meant to guide us on our walk of
life (showing us the path to take)
2. light – meant to clearly reveal the dark
areas that could not be clearly seen otherwise (revealing the true nature and
results of sin)
3. way of life – meant to reveal the way that
leads to life and joy (spiritual life and extended fruitful physical life on
earth)
“Through thy precepts I get
understanding: therefore I hate every false way. NUN. Thy word [is] a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Psalms 119:104-105)
24) To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue
of a strange woman.
In
this proverb, sin’s temptation is pictured as the temptation that proceeds from
a wicked woman who desires an illicit relationship with a man. The principle behind this proverb goes far
beyond an illicit physical relationship between a man and a woman, as it gives
us a general picture of our need to abstain from any type of sin by resisting temptation.
The
traits of sin is shown to us through the use of two descriptions:
1.
the evil woman – teaches us that sin is morally corrupt and, therefore, harmful
to us.
2.
the strange woman – teaches us that sin is foreign to (does not belong, should
not be a part of) the Christian life.
The
manner in which the Word accomplishes it’s three purposes (see previous verse) is
now described…
1. The Word puts a hedge between us and sin (the
evil woman)
2. The Word puts a hedge between us and sin’s allurement
that uses our pride to seduce us. We
know what is good for our life, we do not need the Lord’s instructions for us
etc etc (flattery of the tongue)
“And I find more bitter than death the woman,
whose heart [is] snares and nets, [and] her hands [as] bands: whoso pleaseth
God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.” (Ecclesiastes 7:26)
25) Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee
with her eyelids.
The
way to avoid sin’s enticements is expressed here:
1. Lust not - control our fleshly desires – see
the true harmful nature of the sin through the teachings of God’s Word, develop
a burning desire to keep His Word and have a closer walk with the Lord.
2. Neither let her take thee - do not give the
temptation our attention – do not dwell on it, avoid it whenever possible. In other words, DO NOT PLAY WITH TEMPTATION, realize
how dangerous it is and flee from it.
“But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away
of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath
conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth
death.” (James 1:14-15)
26) For by means of a whorish woman [a man is brought] to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt
for the precious life.
A
final warning against sin’s attraction is shown to us through the titles and
actions of sin …
1.
whorish woman – sin is a selfish seeking of the fulfillment of fleshly
desires. It is compromising our standard
of Godliness for purely physical, carnal pleasure.
2.
adulteress – sin is unfaithfulness. It
is turning on back on the One we have promised to put first in our life in an
effort to receive earthly pleasure. It
is counting the value of our spiritual relationship with God of less value that
that of physical indulgences.
3.
man is brought to a piece of bread - the end result of following sin’s
inducement is extreme spiritual poverty, and in many cases loss of earthly
possessions as well. Sin CAN ruin a
person’s family, business, health, nest egg; anything that he counts of value
in this life. Sin WILL ruin a person spiritually and bring him to spiritual
shipwreck.
4.
will hunt for the precious life - the end result of sin is death. If a person is dominated by sin it is a sign
that they are spiritually dead and many times can lead to a shortened physical life
and eternal spiritual death.
It
is this very end that the prodigal son experienced as he gave himself over to
temptation which brought his life to
extreme want…
“And not many days after the younger son
gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there
wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and
he began to be in want. And he went and joined
himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed
swine. And he would fain have
filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto
him. And when he came to
himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and
to spare, and I perish with hunger! (Luke 15:13-17)
SUMMARY:
Solomon
has presented to us irrefutable teaching that gives us many reasons to abstain
from submitting to the allure of sin.
The greatest of these is one simple principle: Sin will ruin us. May the Lord grant us the grace we need to
reject the way of sin and renew within us a greater desire to serve the Lord.
By
God’s grace, let us all study these proverbs diligently, giving them the value
that they deserve.
May the
Lord bless us as we receive this sound wisdom and then “Think On These Things”.
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