Good Morning,

The fifth chapter of Proverbs deals with one subject and that is the foolishness of sexual immorality. Contrary to society, fornication and adultery are morally wrong. There is only one sexual union that God endorses and allows, and that is the sexual union between a husband and wife. Hebrews 13:4 clearly states, "Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge."

My charge to you this morning is to read this fifth chapter very carefully on your own and determine if you are right with God or not. No one can justify fornication or adultery, and yet over my 41 years of ministry, I have heard many people futilely attempt to reason their way through this sin.

Proverbs 5:7-13 gives warning about staying as far away as possible from loose female acquaintances, and also about the economic consequences, and tarnished the reputation of such immoral activity. Certainly, every believer must agree that purity until marriage, and monogamy thereafter is not only morally right, but it will also prevent a garbage-truck load of problems later in life.

Solomon confesses in verse 14 there was a time when he himself almost fell into the very sin of which he was warning his son. News of such failure is rarely a secret and flies quickly to anyone with ears.

Solomon now turns his attention in a positive way, giving wholesome advice about maintaining fidelity in marriage as explained in verses 15-19, and the inherent joy that comes to individuals who practice such fidelity.

The chapter concludes with some final warnings. Verse 20, "And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman and embrace the bosom of a stranger?" Apart from whatever miserable consequences accrue from immorality in this life, there is a final consequence. God witnesses such sin and the guilty parties will someday answer to God (vs. 21). Sin, particularly of a sexual nature, weaves an entrapping web which snares the sinner. There is no escape or denial of such sin before God. Verse 23 "He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray." James 1:15 tells us, "...sin when it is finished bringeth forth death."

As so clearly stated, the point of this entire chapter is the folly, evil, and consequences of sexual sin both now and eternally.

May God keep us sane, and safe. May we avoid, and hate, the folly of sexual immorality.

God bless you as you meditate upon his word today.

Your Friend and His,

Pastor Abbott