For jealousy enrages a man, And he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
Proverbs 6:34 Adultery is always stupid. This is never more clearly seen than in the reality of the reaction of the husband who has learned that his wife has committed adultery with another man. His reaction toward that man is predictable. He reacts with jealousy - in fact what is written here is that he reacts with enraged jealousy. Jealousy, which is referred to in this proverb, is the Hebrew word "qinah." This word means zeal or jealousy. It describes an intense passion and fervor. It describes an emotion that is greater than wrath or anger. Scripture calls this jealousy a rottenness in a man's bones (Prov. 14:30). It is used to speak of a spirit of jealousy that comes upon a man in Numbers 25:11. But the frightening description of this word is that it is used of God's zeal which He has toward his own people - and which He has for accomplishing His own will and purpose. The word is used six different times to speak of the way God's wrath is expressed in judgment. This is a strong word - and is made even stronger by the fact that it is used in connection with the word, "enrages." This word is the Hebrew word "hemah" and it means wrath or heat. It signifies great fury, anger, indignation, poison , or rage. When put together these two words create quite a terrifying description of the emotions that come over a man who learns of an adulterer seeking to destroy his relationship with his wife. This enraged jealousy moves this man to seek the maximum penalty for adultery. I've watched this in court battles and divorces. The injured party, when given over to this enraged jealousy, wants to make the other person pay everything possible. There is a desire for them to truly pay the highest price possible for their indiscretion. They want a "day of vengeance." That is why adultery is always stupid. It always injures someone - and makes for emotions that rival any in life. The wise man sees this and realizes that no promise of sexual pleasure will ever match the release of rage, anger, and wrath that will come when their deeds become known.
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Men do not despise a thief if he steals To satisfy himself when he is hungry; But when he is found, he must repay sevenfold; He must give all the substance of his house. Proverbs 6:30-31
Adultery is always stupid. In fact adultery here is being called dumber than stealing. We are offered a comparison between these two sins - and in the end, adultery is considered the worse of the two. This passage is interesting, because although it does compare stealing and adultery, it does not condone either. The comparison is to how the theif is viewed vs. the view of the adulterer. The thief is actually shown compassion, especially if his stealing is due to being hungry. The passage tells us that a thief is not despised if he steals to satisfy his own hunger. We all understand hunger and the drive to satisfy our appetite when we have not eaten in a while. The thing about this proverb though is that after saying this - we are brought back to justice. If caught though, the thief will have to repay sevenfold for what he has stolen. This is the case even if the thief has to given everything in his house to pay that debt. There is mercy toward his situation - but not mercy toward the actions he took to remedy it. But the adulterer is by default NOT given the same grace. We all probably know lust as well - but to actually go out and take another man's wife to satisfy it is wickedness. The adultery is also guilty of stealing - stealing the sanctity of another man's marriage. He is stealing another man's wife - taking her affections - and taking from him the vows that were made to him in the sight of God. This is not viewed with a gracious attitude here. Whereas a thief is not despised for his actions to alleviate his hunger - the adultery IS despised for taking another man's wife. If justice falls on the hungry man for his stolen food, how much more will God's justice fall on the adultery for stealing the sacredness of marriage and a home? There is going to be a cost - and that cost is high. Ask David and Bathsheba what that cost involves. They will tell you that the cost far outweighs the pleasure of the moment. Ask David's family who also paid a high price for the attitude toward marriage and sexuality that was unfortunately passed in that family? Ask Samson if it was worthy his two eyes to commit sexual sin and satisfy his lusts in ungodly ways? Ask the people of Sodom and Gomorrah whether it was worth it to despise God's plan for marriage and go their own way? These are all examples of those who had to pay - and some pay with the very substance of their house. Adultery costs - and to think that we can get around that cost is ignorant. That is why dear saints, "Adultery is always stupid." Wounds and disgrace he will find, And his reproach will not be blotted out.
Proverbs 6:33 Adultery is always stupid. That is the premise we are following in these last verses of Proverbs chapter 6. Here we see that adultery is stupid because it will eventually yield punishment. This refers to a day when adultery was a punishable offense in a nation. In some nations it still is a punishable offense. Where it is, the rates of adultery and divorce are far lower than in nations where marriage is no longer protected by law. The wounds, disgrace, and reproach that are spoken of here are all due in part to the public punishment that came with adultery in biblical times. A simple review of the laws against adultery help us to see that this was considered a very serious sin. First we have God stating that this particular sin was part of the 10 commandments. "You shall not commit adultery," is found in Exodus 20 where God gives the commandments to Moses. Later in Leviticus 20 we see where God makes it clear that adultery was considered a capital offensein Israel (and in God's sight). "If there is a man who commits adultery with another man's wife, one who commits adultery with his friend's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death." If we were to trace the damage done to not just the marriage but to families and societies through adultery, we might not look at this as too strict. There used to be a time when adultery was seen as a very disgraceful thing. It was easy to see that what God said here is true. The reproach from being and adultery would not be able to be blotted out. There is a stigma to those who break their marriage vows by having sex with someone who is not their wife. This stigma is natural - and it is only as we have turned from God and from His truth that we have decided to try our best to erase that stigma from our society. Jeremiah's prophecy is filled with rebuke for the adultery that was rampant in the land. In Jeremiah 23:14 we read this prophetic word to God's people, "Also among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing: The committing of adultery and walking in falsehood; And they strengthen the hands of evildoers, So that no one has turned back from his wickedness. All of them have become to Me like Sodom, And her inhabitants like Gomorrah." This sin, when it was ignored by God's people and by their prophets, would "strengthen the hands of evildoers." When adultery is tolerated by a society and treated as no big deal, we read that no one turns back from their wickedness. We find a soceity where the most basic bonds of relationship break down - and thus any kind of trustworthiness also breaks down with it. In recent years we've heard a chorus of those who tell us that it does not matter if one of our elected officials has committed adultery and divorced their partner. We view it as part of the normal landscape that this happens, and in so doing, destroy the foundation upon which the home - and thereby society in general is built. The complete lack of character in our elected officials is a testimony to the truth of the Scriptures when it comes to adultery and being faithful to your vows in your marriage. We've watched as again and again that if these men and women won't be faithful to the closest bond and promise that they have made, why would we think that would be faithful to a vow to adhere to and defend the principles in the Constitution? Some may say that this is too harsh. Jesus Himself forgave the woman who was caught in the very act of adultery. To this I would say a hearty, "Amen!" He did forgive her - and He forgives those who commit adultery today. But our problem is that we've degenerated to a point where we question if adultery should even be classified as sin. We've come to the point where we want to give the forgiveness without also stating the other thing Jesus said that day, "Go and sin no more." We watch as elected officials lie to our faces on televison that they did not have sex with that woman - and then expect the forgiveness and absolution without any repentance and confession. What we should realize is that whether we embrace it or not - adultery is going to cause very serious problems for an individual - and for a society that seeks to sweep it under the proverbial moral rug. Adultery is always stupid. It always has consequences. It always will involve disgrace and reproach - at least in the eyes of God (and that is what counts in the end). The wise man sets a very clear boundary in his life when it comes to adultery. He not only sets a boundary, but he also sets a reminder that crossing this boundary will result in bad consequences. And since our society no longer sees fit to protect marriage in this way - we will have to do even more on the personal level to have reminders, boundaries, and warnings in our hearts to protect us from it. The one who commits adultery with a woman is lacking sense; He who would destroy himself does it. Proverbs 6:32
This passage deals with the stupidity of committing adultery, plain and simple. Several years ago Randy Alcorn wrote a book called, "The Purity Principle." In it I felt that Alcorn made a statement that is one for the ages. "Purity is always smart, impurity is always stupid." That is what the Holy Spirit is trying to tell us today in Proverbs. "The one who commits adultery with a woman is lacking sense." This is a very genteel way of saying what Alcorn said. We could restate his principle by saying that faithfulness in marriage is always good, adultery is always stupid. The actual words used here are the ones that are used often in Proverbs. The one who commits adultery with a woman lacks heart. We are being told that adultery shows that we have a heart problem more than anything else. We've allowed our hearts to be captured by lust and sexual immorality rather than by God. While reading a series of purity prayers I've run into the statement again and again where the puritans asked God to capture their heart so that they would not be satisfied by trifling affections. The heart can be captured in this way - and given to things that are so far less than what God wants to give us. The truth is what He wants to give us in Himself. We settle for so much less and so less fulfilling things than Him. And that is what the fool has done - he has settled for adultery rather than finding in God and in His provision of his wife true fulfillment. We are also warned in this passage that, ". . . he who would destroy himself does it." The literal Hebrew says that the destruction is in this man's soul. He finds his mind strangely drawn and lied to by the enticements of the adulterous woman. He finds his emotions stimulated by a false love and false promises of intimacy and pleasure. As he foolishly begins to embrace these thoughts and these concepts he also begins to lose the war within his will to continue in God's ways and in God's path. Soon he gives in to the onslaught that is coming toward his soul. He no longer lives out of his spirit - where the Spirit of God would give him strength to resist and overcome temptation - but instead allows himself to be taken over by his body and its lusts. As he does this He submits himself to the adultery - and in so doing he "destroys" himself in the process and the sinful choice. Destroy here is the Hebrew word, "sahat" and it means to spoil, ruin, destroy, pervert, or corrupt. When you look at these ways of translating this word they all fit this passage - and all take place as this man acts foolishly by committing adultery. For the next several days we will look at the terrible consequences and the wise warnings that God gives us in this area. Remember that this entire conversation is one that takes place between a man and his sons. How wise we would be to have this kind of conversation with our sons as they get older and begin to face the temptations of this present world. How wise we would be to also have these kinds of conversations with our adult sons who are married, as well as with our brothers in Christ with whom we share fellowship in God's church. Since these things are written about so many times in Proverbs - it is a reminder that the wise also warn one another with the very warnings given to us by God. The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; He who is cursed of the LORD will fall into it. Proverbs 22:14
Here is a take in Proverbs that turns conventional wisdom on its ear. It has to do with the adulteress - and with the man who seems to be having all the so-called success with the ladies. Whereas the world wants us to think that this ladies man has it made - the Word of God here in Proverbs has a much different take on his status. The adulteress, as we've learned in previous verses (5:3 and 7:5) catches men with her mouth. Her enticing words draws them in - and prevents them from seeing that they are not stepping into pure pleasure - but rather a trap. Here, in keeping with the previous warnings, is another statement that her mouth is a deep pit. Such pits where used for capturing animals and killing or making them slaves of the one who caught them. These pits were usually covered with camouflage to make their presence unknown until the animal stepped into them. By that time it was too late - they were either caught or dead. The same is true of the adulteress. She will hide her real intent with compliments and appeals to the ego of the fool she is trying to catch. He, being a fool, does not see the danger in another man's wife giving him praise. In the end, he falls for the deception and later falls into the trap. This is not new to us - but the fact that now for at least the third time a warning is given about this should make us very cautious when a woman other than our wife begins giving us compliments and starts stroking our ego. What I find shocking about this passage is the second statement made here. "He who is cursed of Jehovah will fall there." The reason that this is shocking is because we are told that one of the ways we can know that God has cursed someone - is that they are involved in sexual immorality - and even more so - that they are so involved in an adulterous affair. The world shows us the quintisential ladies man - and then says to us that this man is blessed. He has the ladies lining up for him. We are told that he can have any woman he wants - and that this is a sign of being blessed. The truth is much different - as it always is when it comes to the lies of the world and of Satan. Contrary to this worldly view - the man who is involved in sexual immorality with someone else's wife - is cursed of God. This is one of the ways that God brings His curse upon men. He allows them to enter into such foolish sexual sin. Think about this for a moment. Since this is true - then we should consider the sexual studs of the world - stupid. We should look at the playboys that are held up for honor and respect - men who are worthy only of shame and disgrace. We should see men like High Hefner not as models for us - but as morons. This are not men of honor - but examples of horror! The man who falls into sexual immorality is CURSED OF GOD! Wow! There is a turn of things for all of humanity. The wise man does not follow the world in its estimation of who is to be counted as worthy and who is worthless. These things are ultimately decided by God - Who has given us His estimation of things in His Word. If therefore the Word tells us those whom the world calls blessed are cursed - know that they are cursed indeed. Therefore the best thing we can do is reject the worldly ideas of manhood and a life worth living, and give ourselves to how our God views this world. To keep you from the evil woman, From the smooth tongue of the adulteress. Proverbs 6:24
Why do we need additional light by which to see in life? Why is it that we need to be reproved and disciplined so that we choose life? The answer to these questions and to the reason the Bible spends so much time warning us about sin, is found in the worldview of the Bible when it comes to the basic nature of man. The Bible teaches that man is fallen and sinful. Our basic nature is to turn from God and His ways. If left to ourselves, we will NOT choose life. If left to ourselves, we will by the very evil in our nature, go in a direction that is contrary to God's way. That is why we need the light of God's Word to light our way. That is why we need reproofs and corrections to move us into the path of God's commandments. Here, after making that clear, the writer of Proverbs then reminds us that one of the ways that we will choose to our detriment, is the way of the evil woman. The word evil here is the Hebrew "ra" which means an active, pernicious evil. This is an evil that cannot rest unless it is acting out evil - and encouraging others to do the same. The woman who is abandoning her vows to her husband - and encouraging other men to do the same - is an evil woman. But unless you are wise, you will not detect her as such. The father who is speaking here warns his son to turn to wisdom and the commandments and reproofs of God, so that he will not be led astray by the smooth tongue of this adulteress. Her smooth tongue is her weapon of choice. She uses it to flatter a man and use his natural tendency toward pride and a bloated ego as a trap. That is why we are warned against her smooth, flattering tongue. And it is also why we need God's commandments to direct us where our egos and our sinful nature will not. Finally, it is why we also need the Word of God to rebuke and reprove us when we begin to make unwise decisions concerning sexuality and the kind of company we keep with the opposite sex. And you groan at your final end, When your flesh and your body are consumed; Proverbs 5:11
Here we find our old friend, the word "acharith," used in connection with the latter stages of sexual sin - and the diseases that area associated with it. It is truly amazing that the Bible speaks of the latter end of sexual sin in these terms. Long before the medical community could even test for these things - and all knowing and loving God warned us against lifestyles that would consume our flesh and our body. What is truly sad is that men and women simply ignore such warnings generation after generation. The result is that sexually transmitted diseases continue to run rampant in society with the same disastrous consequences to men. We are warned that if we engage in sexual immorality we will 'growl' at our latter end. The word used here speaks of a deep gutteral groan -a despairing sound that comes because someone has discovered too late that their sexual choices have come to destroy them. This groaning happens also because their glesh and body are consumed. The world mocks the church and the Word of God when we walk about such things. I remember when a Christian teacher said that AIDS was a judgment of God upon homosexuality. He was torn to shreds by the media - and honestly - by too many Christians as well. In a way, I too, think he should not have said this. What he should have said was that AIDS, syphillis, gonnorhea, clamydia, and some 30+ other sexually transmitted diseases are the consequences of sexual immorality, whether heterosexual or homosexual. These are God's judgments on godless sexual choices. He promises them not just in Romans chapter 1, but also here in Proverbs 5 and elsewhere in Scripture. These consequences are inescapable if we choose to walk in rebellion to God in the area of our sexuality. I took some time before I wrote this post to go to various websites that gave information on the latter stages of STD's. This is what STD's will do to us over time - they destroy our bodies. Let me take a couple of moments to give you some examples of what happen when STD's reach their latter stages. AIDS does its damage by attacking our immune system - making us weak and unable to fight disease. It's final stages make us prone to having numerous different cancers, pneumonia, skin diseases, as well as other diseases that attack various organs in our body. Syphillis in its final stages causes paralysis, numbness in our bodies, blindness, as well as involuntary muscle movements that we cannot control. Worst of all is insanity which comes as our brains are systematically attacked by the disease. Just looking at these two consequential diseases that attend sexual immorality should help us to see that God was very serious when He warned that this type of rebellion will cost us our health. Oh that we would learn from these things, from these warnings concerning the medical consequences of walking contrary to God's ways when it comes to our sexuality. For her house sinks down to death And her tracks lead to the dead; None who go to her return again, Nor do they reach the paths of life. Proverbs 2:18-19
Where does sexual immorality get you in the end? We all realize that it promises pleasure in the short term - but where do we wind up when the pleasure subsides and a life course reaches its end? That is what today's proverb tells us. It informs us of this through the destination of the harlot - the "strange woman" - the adulteress. First, we learn of her "house." This speaks of the place where someone dwells. The word was used to indicate the building in which a family or household lives. Here, though, it speaks metaphorically of where she will take you - as she encourages you to enter into adultery with her. Her house sinks down to death. There is no solid ground upon which to stand - or upon which to found a house with this woman. How could there be - she is trashing her marital vows - ignoring God's Word - and striking out into her own desires for sex and for unbiblical companionship. Her house will collapse - and sink like one built on sand. Christ spoke of this in Matthew 7:24-27. A person whose life is not built upon obedience to Christ's Word - is a life built upon sand. The adulteress may promise passion and pleasure for a night - but when the storm of the adultery is known - the house will collapse because it was built on the sand foundation of sexual desires. Her house sinks like sand - down to death. Her tracks or steps also lead to the dead. Her house here is sinking toward being dead. The term death here refers to more than just physical death. When this term is used figuratively it expresses the idea of ruin and destruction. It is most often contrasted with the opposite ideas of life, prosperity, and happiness. Can you imagine walking into a buildling - a home - where you are guaranteed that any desires for life, prosperity, and happiness are going to be dashed upon the rocks of your own strong sexual urges. What the father is trying to get the son to see here is that embracing God's Word will instruct him and help deliver him from such things - and from such women. He is also telling his son that to follow her steps toward the bedroom - is to follow in a path that leads to the spirits of the dead. I am not a fan of horror movies - but I can imagine a scene where seduction is taking place - and a man chooses to follow an adulteress into the bedroom. But what I see as a result of the Scriptures is not a hot and heavy sex scene - but a transformation of those steps from following a sultry seductress to following an evil spirit. Each step renders the former beauty that was leading me to the bed of adultery into a hideous, horrific creature that would make any horror film antagonist look like little bo peep in comparison. That is the picture that is being painted for us. But there is more in the next verse. As this fool follows the adulteress into her bedroom - the door behind them begins to shut. Movie producers would have us to believe the shutting of that door closes the two of them in a room of ecstacy and a night of sexual pleasure that the two of them will never forget. That is not the picture that the Word of God wants us to see though. As the door closes - it is not with a gentle click of the doorknob hitting the plate. What we hear is a slamming sound - and the sound we hear reverberates throughout all of eternity. We read in the proverb that none who go to her return again, nor to they reach the paths of life. What we need to hear is not a gentle door closing - but a snapping of a trap which ends with the crushing sound of our spiritual life being snuffed out. If we go this way - we are closing ourselves into a prison cell - into a torture chamber. We are locking ourselves into a sin the likes of which we may never escape. This is not a pleasure palace. It is a poisoned pit that will captivate us forever. The poison is released when the flesh has secured our devotion to sexual immorality. We become addicted to the high of sexual release - especially the kind of release that involves secret, unlawful, hidden, wicked actions. That kind of high has enslaved men and women since the entrance of sin into this world. I realize in reading this some will accuse me of resorting to extremes to prove a point. But consider the lengths the movie and television industry goes to in order to supposedly entertain us. They are capturing us with pictures - with scenes that they want to etch into our minds. The vast majority of the time these pictures and scenes are promoting the very things that the Scriptures warn against. Yet we do not accuse them of something elicit. God understood the power of pictures long before the idea of cinema ever entered the mind of man. That is why His Word is filled with some of the most expressive language ever written. That is why He uses word picture after word picture to warn us of the pitfalls and dangers of sin. Rather than discourage a child from seeing the ones God gives us - maybe as fathers we should paint them in the most vivid colors imaginable for our sons and daughters. I know that if we do we will find ourselves in the company of some very wise and godly men who knew how to use them for the glory of God and the protection of their children - rather than for a gold statue handed out at an awards show. Remember dads, the only awards show that matters is the one at the end of the age - where the ONLY presenter will be God Himself. And you groan at your final end, When your flesh and your body are consumed; Proverbs 5:11
The latter end of our days. The consequences of our actions not after a few moments - but a week later, a month later, a year later, a lifetime later. This is what verse 11 of our proverb today is calling out to us today. It is a challenge to think beyond the moment when we make choices. It is a challenge to think longer in to our future and consider where our choices are going to take us. This chapter of Proverbs deals primarily with the adulterous woman and what she will do to the poor schlub who decides to engage in sexual immorality with her. So far this proverb has told us of some very harsh consequences that will come to the one who does this. We've seen so far that we will give our vigor to others (11), we will give our years to the cruel one which is a reference to the devil (11), the divorce that will likely come will end up having us send our goods to the house of someone else (12), and we will watch strangers be given the money we've earned with our strength (12). These are pretty difficult things to handle - but now we see that the latter end of our lives will be bad. The term "final end" is only one word in the Hebrew. It is the word "acharith" which means to the end of the matter. It has to do with having the wisdom to see what the final end of something is going to be. According to today's proverb, our latter end - our acharith will be that we will groan as our flesh and body are consumed. Let's take a look at what that may mean for us. The rabbis speak about this passage and beleive it speaks to a problem with disease. When you engage in sexual immorality it opens you up to the world of STD's that run rampant among the sexually active crowd. I just took a few minutes to peruse the CDC website on sexually transmitted diseases and it was frightening to consider how many in our society are infected already. What is even more frightening is that these are statistics from those who report that they have STD's. Some experts believe that these numbers would at least triple or quadruple if we knew everyone who is truly infected. Most of these diseases do not have an immediate effect on someone, but just about every one of them have devastating long-term problems that come with being infected. This is what we would expect when we read what God has to say about sexual immorality here in Proverbs. It is at the latter end of your days that you find your flesh and body consumed by the consequences of your actions. It is a sad reality though that when these things begin to strike, we will groan because of them. The groan mentioned here refers to a groan or a growl - even a roar could be the meaning. What is being communicated to us is that the pain involved here is pretty excruciating. If you've ever seen or heard of how someone dies of AIDS or syphilis, it is not pretty. But this is what awaits those who indulge in sexual immorality very often. Wisdom is this - God's way in sexuality. He desires for us to reserve ourselves for our husband or wife. He desires abstinence in singleness and faithfulness in marriage. If our society were to adopt these practices we would watch STD's plummet in number - and eventually be gone from our world. But the truth is that fallen men and women engage in sexual immorality. The result therefore is that we have a world that is unfortunately running wild in a very dangerous area - and that the infection rates will continue to rise. May God give us wisdom to avoid being one of the statistics and hold fast to God's way. May we also be wise as fathers in instructing our children - especially our sons as to the true dangers that are out there for the sexually immoral one. That leaves the companion of her youth And forgets the covenant of her God; Proverbs 2:17
Many folk may not realize this, but it is a very healthy thing for your marriage to spend time in the Word each day reading it and listening to God through it. It is this very Word that counsels us in a way that will deliver us from a woman or man who would forget their marriage covenant - and leave their spouse. Today's proverb of the day takes us back to a promise that was made in verse 11. As we get into the Word of God and learn wisdom from it, we will find that the discretion it gives us will guard and watch over us. After telling us how it will guard us from the way or evil and the man who would speak perverse things to us (by perverse it is speaking of one who would pervert God's ways and replace them with his own, the worlds, or the devil's ways) it then turns to the adulteress and the strange woman. We are told that the adulteress leaves the companion of her youth. The idea here is not that she leaves a boyfriend - but that she is leaving her husband. If that is not clear in the first part of the verse, it becomes very clear when we are told that she "forgets the covenant of her God." Some might argue that this refers to God's Law - more than any kind of marriage covenant. I would agree whole-heartedly on this point of Scripture, but I would also add that God's covenant is what teaches us to honor marriage and remain committed to our spouse. As a pastor I find it kind of funny that some people think that the traditional marriage ceremony is out of Scripture. It is often treated as if it is just as authoritative as Scripture. With no desire to lay waste to the ceremony itself, I have to state that the ceremony is not in the Bible. Having said that, I do believe that the principles behind it are absolutely supported by the Word of God - but the word for word ceremony is not. The only thing we have close to a ceremony for marriage is the words God inspired in Adam and God's commentary on it afterward in Genesis 2:23-25 when He brought Adam and Eve together. Some, seizing upon this, assert that there is no need for marriage or any kind of marriage ceremony. Whether or not this is true (the ceremony part), there is one thing that I can absolutely assure you of that is Scriptural. Mmarriage between a man and woman - is called a covenant twice in the Scriptures. Here in Proverbs chatper 2 we see that the adulteress leaves her husband and disregards the covenant made with her God. Again in Malachi 2:14 we see that marriage is considered a covenant with God. Therefore, whether you have a ceremony like the traditional one or not - you are not married until you enter into a covenant with God - and God takes covenants very seriously. That is why we are warned to be delivered from such a woman. It is wisdom to know to stay away from an adulteress woman who forgets a covenant with God to love her husband exclusively (and just so there is no doubt - we should stay away from an adulterer or whoremonger too for the same reasons.) Wisdom honors covenants and appreciates those who remain true to their word - whether given in a covenant or not. Jesus makes that clear when He tells us to let our yes be yes and our no be no. One who disregards their word when their sensual desires rise up within them is not a wise companion. When this is the case with someone of the opposite sex - it turns out to be more than just unwise - it is deadly! The Word of God will counsel and admonish us to walk in a way that will honor our word - and especially honor God's Word. That is why it is so important for your marriage that you get into the Word every day and make sure that the Word gets into you. |
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