Proverbs 5:3-5 “For the lips of an immoral woman are as sweet as honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil. But in the end she is bitter as poison, as dangerous as a double-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave.”
One of the characteristics I love about the book of Proverbs is how it dishes out wisdom in a fairly obvious way.
We don’t have to dig deep into the original language or grapple with complex metaphors to understand the message. That doesn’t mean we can simply gloss over those parts of the text. An important part of learning from another’s wisdom is figuring out how this nugget of knowledge applies to us.
Proverbs chapter five is a warning from King Solomon to his sons. Like any good parent, Solomon wanted to pass down wisdom to his children, especially wisdom he gleaned the hard way. This bit of insight was an important lesson about staying away from the “immoral woman.” If there was anyone who knew about the pitfalls of sexual entanglement, it was the man who had 700 wives and 300 concubines.
For many Christian women, it would be easy to skim over this chapter because it seems to be a message for men.
After all, Solomon is talking to his sons and not his daughters. In addition to this, many Christian circles view sexual sins, such as adultery and pornography, as “men’s sin.” We haven’t always associated women with sexual sin inside the church. However, the truth is Christian women are just as susceptible to this pitfall as our brothers in Christ. The number of women taking in pornography has exploded in the last few years, including in the church.
Solomon seems to be quite sincere in this lesson as he admonishes his sons, and therefore us, twice to pay attention and take his teaching to heart. Solomon warns straying away from the marital bed (physically or visually) will bring damage and destruction to you emotionally, relationally, financially, and possibly even physically as well.
The wise king teaches us to choose to find satisfaction in our spouse.
The passion and intimacy which comes easily at the beginning of a marriage can fade over time. It takes intention and choice to continue finding sexual fulfillment with each other, but it is genuinely worth it. God designed our bodies for sex. It is one of the good (many may argue greatest) gifts He has given us. But like many good things, when not used as intended, it can be harmful.
His message is not just for married couples.
Waiting until marriage to engage with someone sexually can be very challenging, especially in our oversexualized world. However, the rewards for waiting are extensive. The level of physical, emotional, and relational health you will bring to a marital relationship begins with abstinence and is irreplaceable. Even if you never get the chance to get married, the intimacy you can have with God is also on the line. Sexual sin always puts a strain on our relationship with God, married or not!
No matter how strong we consider ourselves to be, we are all susceptible to sexual immorality.
One of the Devil’s most effective tactics is to get us to drop our guard because we feel like a certain temptation is a “non-issue” for us. When we lower our defenses, we increase the likelihood of finding ourselves somewhere we never thought we would be.
If sexual purity is something you do or have struggled with, don’t worry; you are not alone! We can be encouraged that God will give us the strength we need to overcome these challenges–not by our strength, but by His (Ephesians 6:10). Sexual purity is possible with God’s help! If you have already made mistakes in this area, take heart; God’s grace and forgiveness covers all sins and gives you a clean slate to start again.
Is there a type of sexual immorality you have or are currently struggling with? One of the greatest ways to overcome sins done in secret is to bring them into the light. Who in your life would be a safe person to share your struggles with and would be willing to help you live a life of sexual purity?
