Lost Treasures

“LOST TREASURES” OR “THE TERRIBLE SIN OF FORNICATION”

TEXT: Proverbs 4:23-27, 5:1-23, 6:20-26 W. Max Alderman

INTRODUCTION: These Scriptures Warn! They warn of the high cost of sexual impurity and sexual sin. It warns of the sin of fornication and the sin of adultery. Marriages and homes have been destroyed because of this sin. Spouses are devastated by this sin and children are scarred. This sin creates a state of distrust where it becomes most difficult, if not impossible to be open and honest with your marriage mate. Real lasting happiness comes when we discover and agree that God’s way, as it pertains to sexual purity and marriage fidelity - as given to us in His Word, is the best way.

DEFINITIONS AND DISCUSSION:

1. FORNICATION- Sexual impurity (KJV Dictionary)

2. ADULTERY- conjugal infidelity. An adulterer was a man who had illicit intercourse with a married or a betrothed woman, and such a woman was an adulteress. Intercourse between a married man and an unmarried woman was fornication. Adultery was regarded as a great social wrong, as well as a great sin. (Easton’s Bible Dictionary)

In this study, we will not be looking at the specific ways that fornication and adultery are the same and are different; we instead will look at the two as being a sexual sin against one’s purity and also how this sin affects the lives of others. We also will show how this sin will rob one of his life treasures. For the next few minutes, we will look at: “LOST TREASURES” or “THE TERRIBLE SIN OF FORNICATION”.

I. THE POSSIBILITY OF FORNICATION AS IT APPLIES TO ADULTERY. (Proverbs 6:23-24a)

“To keep thee from the evil woman” implies that one may fornicate by pursuing after the evil woman, and with that being so the Word of God gives instructions on how to be protected from the adulteress. Notice ways that fornication and adultery happens:

A. When You Degrade Your Spouse. (Malachi 2:14)

The Book of Malachi warns against such when it says,”Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.”

1. You degrade her when you criticize her… (1 Peter 3:7)

Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with [them] according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

The wife is to be honored. You should exercise Godly chivalry and kindness towards your wife. Know her needs and minister to them. Be constantly trying to be a blessing to “your bride” rather than pretend that you have “another bride” somewhere…

2. You degrade her when you compare her… (Proverbs 5:19-20)

“Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love. And why will thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?”

One of the wicked aspects of pornography is that it causes you to make comparisons. This is the reason that pornography is a multi-billion dollar business because so many are comparing what they have to some pornographic harlot. God help us!

B. When You Disregard the Scriptures (Proverbs 7:1-5)

“My son, keeps my words, and lay up my commandments with thee. Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye. Bind them upon thy fingers; write them upon the table of thine heart. Say unto wisdom. Thou are my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman: That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattered with her words.

1. By not recognizing the Scriptures. (7:1-2a)

Please notice in the above verses that the emphasis’ is upon “My words”; “my commandments”; “my law”. The father was emphasizing that it was the father’s words that his son were to recognize and follow. Today, in our secular humanistic society, which is involved in a cultural war with its politically correct teachings, a believer would have no sense of direction or purpose if it were not for the Holy Scriptures. Just as we have been taught last week in our “prayer revival”, it is very important that the father teaches the Scriptures and that the children recognize what is being taught and do them.

2. By not responding to the Scriptures. (7:2b.-5)

“Bind them upon thy fingers”; “write them upon the table of thine heart”. To bind on the fingers means that the warnings of the Scriptures ought to be readily available just as a ring on ones finger. We have used the expression, “tie a string around your finger to remind you” as a means of not forgetting. Also, the truths of God’s Word regarding this subject should be memorized and not forgotten. Our attitude towards the Truth should also be as having a close relationship to someone. The father said that wisdom is to be called “a sister” and understanding is to be called “thy kinswoman”. Our relationship to Truth should carry that kind of great respect. When it is so, there will be greater protection in the marriage.