A Solomon Warning
A Solomon Warning
Today I read Proverbs 7. In Proverbs 7 Solomon is urging his son to listen to his words of wisdom. Today’s wisdom was concerning the dangers of being seduced by the adulteress woman. I suppose that I should give Solomon the benefit of the doubt. He had hundreds of wives and concubines but maybe he did not have an adulteress woman. Or maybe, he learned from his mistakes. Either way, he gives solid advice to his son. Avoid the seductress, adulteress woman. The last verse of the chapter reads, “Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the chambers of death”. I do not think the warning in chapter 7 is simply reserved for getting involved with someone who is married. While that kind of relationship certainly brings destruction, any sexual relationship, outside of marriage is fraught with danger. Emotional, physical, and spiritual consequences follow any sin.
Jesus takes this kind of warning to a whole new level in the Sermon on the Mount. He warns us that mental adultery is just as dangerous. Fantasizing is not an innocent pastime. It brings the destruction of intimacy and breeds dissatisfaction in relationships. How wise is Jesus to give such a warning when the internet wasn’t on anyone’s radar? Visiting sites or chatting up old friends can bring hours of daydreaming that can scratch itches your current relationship is not reaching. We can find ourselves justifying our actions and trying our hardest to believe that we are not hurting anyone. These kind of thoughts lead the way to Sheol and go down to the chambers of death.
How do you stop? You cannot simply stop. You must stop and then start obeying Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” If you struggle with understanding this, then ask yourself what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worth of praise? Jesus is! Learn and think about Jesus. After you have done well with that, then follow verse 9, “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me – practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”
Here is what I conclude from verse 9 and Proverbs 7. If you are stuck in a trap of wrong thinking or doing – then you are not in peace. God is not providing you with his presence that brings peace. So while you may be chasing temporary pleasures, isn’t true peace what you really desire?
Today I read Proverbs 7. In Proverbs 7 Solomon is urging his son to listen to his words of wisdom. Today’s wisdom was concerning the dangers of being seduced by the adulteress woman. I suppose that I should give Solomon the benefit of the doubt. He had hundreds of wives and concubines but maybe he did not have an adulteress woman. Or maybe, he learned from his mistakes. Either way, he gives solid advice to his son. Avoid the seductress, adulteress woman. The last verse of the chapter reads, “Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the chambers of death”. I do not think the warning in chapter 7 is simply reserved for getting involved with someone who is married. While that kind of relationship certainly brings destruction, any sexual relationship, outside of marriage is fraught with danger. Emotional, physical, and spiritual consequences follow any sin.
Jesus takes this kind of warning to a whole new level in the Sermon on the Mount. He warns us that mental adultery is just as dangerous. Fantasizing is not an innocent pastime. It brings the destruction of intimacy and breeds dissatisfaction in relationships. How wise is Jesus to give such a warning when the internet wasn’t on anyone’s radar? Visiting sites or chatting up old friends can bring hours of daydreaming that can scratch itches your current relationship is not reaching. We can find ourselves justifying our actions and trying our hardest to believe that we are not hurting anyone. These kind of thoughts lead the way to Sheol and go down to the chambers of death.
How do you stop? You cannot simply stop. You must stop and then start obeying Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” If you struggle with understanding this, then ask yourself what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worth of praise? Jesus is! Learn and think about Jesus. After you have done well with that, then follow verse 9, “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me – practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”
Here is what I conclude from verse 9 and Proverbs 7. If you are stuck in a trap of wrong thinking or doing – then you are not in peace. God is not providing you with his presence that brings peace. So while you may be chasing temporary pleasures, isn’t true peace what you really desire?
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