How To Lose Your Health, Wealth, And Reputation All At Once

Islington Baptist Church February 19, 2006

Proverbs 5 Proverbs 6:20-35

How to lose your health, wealth, and reputation all at once

On Wednesday Keith dropped by my office. In the midst of our conversation he asked me what I was doing to protect myself from sexual immorality. In case you are wondering what “sexual immorality” is, it is sexual sin. Sexual immorality involves a violation of how God intends us to express ourselves sexually. Sexual immorality includes such things as: Pornography, adultery, pedophilia, lustful thinking, rape, swinging, flirting, pre marital sex, homosexuality, phone sex, internet affairs, etc. The reason Keith asked me this was because in the last 2 months two pastors who I personally know have been caught cheating on their wives. This is tragic. It has hurt them and their churches.

In the book of Proverbs, which I hope you started to read this week the topic of sexual purity and faithfulness in marriage comes up in a big way. i.e parts of chapter 2, all of chapter 5, the majority of chapter 6, all of chapter 7 all focus on sexual purity.

The portion of God’s word that we are going to consider this morning is Proverbs 5.

Proverbs 5 is all about adultery and how the committing of this sin can quickly wreck a persons life. Hence the sermon title.

Info on adultery

Statistics would seem to indicate that up to 1/3 of those who are married will or have committed adultery.

Only about 3 percent of those who get divorced for their “lovers sake” actually marry the person they were cheating with. The divorce rate amongst these people is 75%

READ PROVERBS 5

Introductory comments

-the intention of this text is not to pin the blame for all affairs on women. This is simply not true.

-The reason for the particular perspective of this text is because it is the words of a father to his son—hence the warning to watch out for seductresses.

The consequences of adultery

Divorce

Cheating on one’s spouse will most likely ruin the marriage. In the Bible, sexual immorality is one of the very few acceptable grounds for divorce. Matthew 5:31-32.

Regret

In Proverbs 5:10-14 it says ….. What’s the dominant feeling? Regret at such foolishness and lack of wisdom.

Impoverishment v.10

Sex is not cheap. The sex industry rakes in billions of dollars a year. It empties people’s pockets.

One of the quickest ways to become poor is to have an affair. The affair will most likely lead to divorce. Divorce is the quickest way for 2 people to get poor.

Illness

If you go through life and remain sexually pure and then get married to someone who has had the same commitment before God, the odds of you contracting a sexual disease are virtually zero. Now, on the other hand, if you view sex as a bargaining chip and are keen on sowing your wild oats and experiencing all sorts of things, you might as well book an appointment with your Doctor now.

Sexual immorality makes people sick physically, mentally, spiritually.

Embarrassment and shame

Once the word is out that a person has cheated on their spouse their “stock” drops. Their kids, parents, relatives, co workers, etc all look at that person in a different light—and rightfully so.

Note Proverbs 5:14

Heartbreak

-of your own heart, your spouse’s, your children, your parents, etc

You become a target

If the person you are cheating with is married, how do you think their spouse is going to respond? In Proverbs 6:27-35 it says ‘Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned? Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched? So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished. Men do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger when he is starving. Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold, though it costs him all the wealth of his house. But a man who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself. Blows and disgrace are his lot, and his shame will never be wiped away; for jealousy arouses a husband’s fury, and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge. He will not accept any compensation; he will refuse the bribe, however great it is.

Judgment

“For a man’s ways are in full view of the LORD, and he examines all his paths. The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him; the cords of his sin hold him fast. He will die for lack of discipline, led astray by his own great folly.” Proverbs 5:21-23

Do you want to get in trouble with God? A quick way to do so is to disobey the rules He has laid down as it regards one’s sexuality.