We got a kitten this week. It is the most energetic, curious thing I have ever seen. As some of you know, our little Yorkie is almost blind now. It only took this kitten a couple of days to figure this out. She knows if she doesn’t move he can’t find her. So she lies real still until he gets past her and then bolts knowing he will not catch her. It is a cat playing chicken with a dog. It is something to see.
Sometimes we play chicken with the world. We want to see how close we can get to being worldly without being burnt by the world. To us it maybe just playing a game but to God its adultery.
Most of us would define adultery as voluntary sexual relationship between a married person and someone other than his or her lawful spouse. The Hebrews spoke plainly for those who would engage in a relationship with a married person. They were called prostitutes.
However, God referred to the nation of Israel as adulterers around 30 times. See, in the eyes of God, adultery is being unfaithful to him by having illicit relationships with other Gods. The nation of Israel was guilty of this and so we can be at times if we are not careful. The world offers us so many alternatives to serving God. We would do well to heed the wisdom that I am sharing today.
1) Adultery begins as a stroll.
Proverbs 7: 6-9 “While I was at the window of my house,
looking through the curtain, I saw some naive young men, and one in particular who lacked common sense.
He was crossing the street near the house of an immoral woman, strolling down the path by her house. It was at twilight, in the evening, as deep darkness fell.”
The writer is watching a group of young men when one catches his attention. There was a house where a woman with a bad reputation lived. It’s dark. He feels that no one is watching him. He’s just going to stroll by her house to see if anything happens.
This is the enticement of the world. The world offers us all types of temptations that God finds displeasing. Proverbs 6:17-19 lists those things.
“haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that kill the innocent,
a heart that plots evil,
feet that race to do wrong,
a false witness who pours out lies,
a person who sows discord in a family.”
Anyone watch “Big Brother” on TV? As I was preparing this picture of the world, I came to realize the parallel between this “reality” show and the world.
The world tells us we must look a certain way. We can become in constant pursuit of dressing, styling, and even smelling the way world projects success in commercials. We can begin to imitate those stars and sports figures that radiate a certain look. As we do so we can be haughty, another word for prideful, and look down at others who have not achieved our standard of dress.
The world tells us it’s okay to lie in order to benefit ourselves. We can lie about our possessions, our jobs, our knowledge, and the list goes on and on. The world says it’s okay to lie to promote yourself. After all, a little white lie never hurt anyone.
The world tells us it’s okay to stomp on and destroy others as we climb the corporate ladder to success. We are taught that its how all truly successful people get to the top. It’s necessary for success.
The world tells us its okay to plot evil in our hearts. We prepare ourselves to extract justice on for those who snub us, lie to us, and stomp on us. We set yourselves to be the executioners of those who have done us wrong. Most movie dramas promote this get even scheme highly.
The world says it’s profitable to follow the crowd. We don’t want to be the one who stands out from the crowd. It’s easier to go along with the crowd but not necessarily participate in their endeavors. That way we don’t really have any dirt on our hands.
The world says it’s okay to taint someone’s image by telling a falsehood as long as they don’t find out and we profit from it. In fact, maybe we know the truth but it’s for our benefit for people to believe what they want to believe.
The world says it’s okay to create problems within a group if by doing so it will promote our cause for advancement. When it happens, we can casually set back and watch others destroy each other.
The world declares these acceptable. God says their not. But we must be on guard that we do not carelessly stroll toward the things that the world offers. We must not open those doors to temptation. We must realize that what we do in darkness will one day be exposed in the light.
2) Adultery will approach you.
Proverbs 7:10-12
“The woman approached him,
seductively dressed and sly of heart.
She was the brash, rebellious type,
never content to stay at home.
She is often in the streets and markets,
soliciting at every corner”
The world system is everywhere we turn. It’s in the streets, the stores, the jobs, constantly pulling us toward the allure of what it offers and away from morality. The TV shows we watch, the movies we see, the books we read; all can contribute to our minds being clouded by its seduction and slyness. We laugh at shows that promote immorality. We watch as hundred of thousands are slaughtered in movies and cheer because the good guys won.
Allow me to share the list of the top nine best selling books, aside from the Bible and the Koran, and the year they were written.
A Tale of Two Cities 1859
The Lord of the Rings 1954
Le Petite Prince 1943
And Then They Were None 1939
Dream of the Red Chamber 1791
The Hobbit 1937
She- A History of Adventure 1887
Fifty Shades of Grey 2011
A novel based on sexual bondage and torture by a willing participant. Within less than three years, it has sold over 100 million copies worldwide. The book it topped?
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. 1950
Is it not ironic that a book about worldly desires would overtake a book about our relationship with Jesus?
3) Adultery will tempt you.
Proverbs 7:13-17
“She threw her arms around him and kissed him,
and with a brazen look she said,
“I’ve just made my peace offerings
and fulfilled my vows.
You’re the one I was looking for!
I came out to find you, and here you are!
My bed is spread with beautiful blankets,
with colored sheets of Egyptian linen.
I’ve perfumed my bed
with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
The world’s system will embrace you. It will accept us as we are without any desire to see us change. Whatever sinful lifestyle we are engaged in the world will say, “It’s alright. Everybody is doing it.” Even if it is displeasing to God.
In fact, the world will tell us that we are at peace with God. Jesus fulfilled the vows necessary for us to have forgiveness, therefore there really is no such thing as sin. Sin is relative to each individual. What is sin for you might not be sin for me. That reasoning cast aside the very holiness of God and cheapens it to a worldly standard that allows us the opportunity to decide what holiness is. We elevate ourselves to be God.
We, the church, become what the world is looking for. A place that does not challenge anyone to live a life pleasing to God. And the world welcomes us warmly because we tickle their ears and tell them what they want to hear.
4) Adultery will take away your fear
Proverbs 7:18-20
“Come, let’s drink our fill of love until morning.
Let’s enjoy each other’s caresses,
for my husband is not home.
He’s away on a long trip.
He has taken a wallet full of money with him
and won’t return until later this month.”
The world’s system has no fear of the return of Jesus. Here is the world’s viewpoint on that subject. “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created.” (2 Peter 3:4) Jesus warned that He would come like a thief in the night. He warned that He would be like the bridegroom who comes at midnight and those who are not prepared will not be allowed to enter into the wedding feast.
The world would tell us not to fear his return. We should enjoy our relationship with the world. We should embrace and caress all the pleasures that the world offers. He’s gone away and is not coming back anytime soon. So let’s have fun.
5) Adultery will cost you everything
Proverbs 7:21-23
“So she seduced him with her pretty speech
and enticed him with her flattery.
He followed her at once,
like an ox going to the slaughter.
He was like a stag caught in a trap,
awaiting the arrow that would pierce its heart.
He was like a bird flying into a snare,
little knowing it would cost him his life.”
The world’s system will tell us there are no consequences to our actions. Those who want to use us flatter us. We are seduced by glowing words of praise.
However, when we are caught in our lies, when our pride is exposed, when those we have stepped on has the ability to retaliate, when the crowd we followed abandons us, when the problems we created are exposed, we face destruction.
Let’s revisit “Big Brother.” The secret to winning the show is by forming alliances. There is usually one alliance that dominates all others. People who are not apart of that alliance are targeted to be voted out each week. The alliance is prideful people, skilled at lying about themselves and others. They step on the reputations and feelings of those targeted. They follow the alliance in all decisions until finally only the alliance is left. Then someone begins to stir dissention within the alliance against someone else by tainting their actions or words with more lies. This creates problems within the alliance and they turn on each other. One by one, they leave until only one remains. That loner is the winner.
Again, reality can be like that. It can be depressing and stressful. The biggest danger can come from a strained relationship with God.
Let’s look at the story of Samson. Samson was judge over Israel at the time and had been taking out great vengeance on the Philistines. When Samson fell for Delilah, it marked the beginning of his downfall and eventual demise.
It didn't take long for the rich and powerful Philistine rulers to learn of the affair and immediately pay a visit to Delilah. Hoping to capture him, the Philistine leaders each offered Delilah a sum of money to collaborate with them in a scheme to uncover the secret of Samson's great strength.Using her powers of seduction and deception, Delilah persistently wore down Samson with her repeated requests, until he finally divulged the crucial information. Having taken the Nazirite vow at birth, Samson had been set apart to God. As part of that vow, his hair was never to be cut. When Samson told Delilah that his strength would leave him if a razor were to be used on his head, she cunningly constructed her plan with the Philistine rulers. While Samson slept on her lap, Delilah called in a co-conspirator to shave off the seven braids of his hair. Then we read what I think is one of the saddest lines of scripture in the Bible. “When he woke up, he thought, “I will do as before and shake myself free.” But he didn’t realize the Lord had left him.” (Judges 16: 20) Subdued and weak, Samson was captured.
We can be so deluded and enticed by the world that the Lord may leave us and we not even know it. I do not want to take that risk.
Proverbs 7:4-5
“Love wisdom like a sister;
make insight a beloved member of your family.
Let them protect you from an affair with an immoral woman,
from listening to the flattery of a promiscuous woman.”
We are instructed to embrace a skillful, wisdom-filled life and live by the understanding of God’s principals. This is the only way we can be ensured of not falling into the trap on the immorality of this world’s system. Let God boast about you based on your relationship with him instead of listening to the boastful flattery of the world.
Finally these last words on the world’s system.
Proverbs 7:24-27
“So listen to me, my sons, and pay attention to my words.
Don’t let your hearts stray away toward her.
Don’t wander down her wayward path.
For she has been the ruin of many; many men have been her victims. Her house is the road to the grave. Her bedroom is the den of death.”
