Proverbs 5: Love God. If married, Love Your Spouse Now. The theme of Proverbs 5 is very simple: The danger of immorality. The Bible is very clear concerning any form of physical, or sexual, immorality. It is sin. The only relationship that is approved by God is the physical relationship found in the marriage relationship.
At the time of this article on Proverbs 5, this writer has been married almost 46 years. While there are others that have been married longer (one couple was married almost 72 years before he passed away), this experience gives this writer a good insight into the truth and wisdom of God’s Word when it comes to marriage, infidelity, adultery, and sexual immorality.
In verses 3-4, Solomon wrote, “For the lips of an adulteress drip honey and smoother than oil is her speech; but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.”
Proverbs 5: Love God. If married, Love Your Spouse Now
A common saying is “the grass is always greener on the other side”. A cow will stretch its neck through a fence to try to reach a clump of grass that is no different from the grass that is on the same side.
Marriage involves a man and a woman. After the honeymoon period of excitement fades, life begins to settle into a routine. Sometimes, for one or both partners, that routine may seem to become boring. There will be disagreements at times between the husband and wife.
Then the devil plants the thought, “I want…no I deserve…something better than this.” The man, or woman, may meet a person at work, or somewhere else, who is interesting, funny, and a little exciting. Other thoughts come to mind such as, “He/she doesn’t understand or appreciate me.” “He/she is no longer as attractive/handsome as before.”
Proverbs 5: Love God. If married, Love Your Spouse Now
But nothing can justify sin! James wrote in James 1:13-15, “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.” Once a spouse commits adultery, there is no going back to what was before.
The unfaithful person’s actions will often lead to an end of his/her marriage. The family unit will end. If the husband is unfaithful, it will cause great pain for his wife, because much of her self-esteem comes from the love of her husband.
In Genesis 1:3, God proclaimed the following judgement on the woman Eve, “To the woman He said, ‘I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth, in pain you will bring forth children; yet your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.’” The children will often blame themselves for the breakup. Sadly, as all this begins to occur, the unfaithful member will realize what he/she is losing. But it is too late.
Solomon wrote, “Drink water from your own cistern and fresh water from your own well. Should your springs be dispersed abroad, streams of water in the streets? Let them be yours alone and not for strangers with you. Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth.
Proverbs 5: Love God. If married, Love Your Spouse Now
As a loving hind and a graceful doe, let her breasts satisfy you at all times; be exhilarated always with her love. For why should you, my son, be exhilarated with an adulteress and embrace the bosom of a foreigner?”
The great blessing of a Godly marriage is that the love and respect that the husband and wife have for one another will grow stronger and richer. Will there be problems and trials in a marriage? Of course! But when a man and woman have made the commitment to one another, those trials will be overcome.
A couple that have been married for 40, 50, 60 years will still see the beauty and handsomeness of that spouse. Through God two truly become one flesh in spirit and in love.
Proverbs 5: Love God. If married, Love Your Spouse Now
There is another great danger in a life of immorality, and that danger is disease. Solomon made several references to this in chapter 5. Verses 5-6 state, “Her feet go down to death, her steps take hold of Sheol. She does not ponder the path of life; her ways are unstable, she does not know it.”
Verses 11-13 state, “And you groan at your final end, when your flesh and your body are consumed; and you say, ‘How I have hated instruction! And my heart spurned reproof! I have not listened to the voice of my teachers, nor inclined my ear to my instructors!’”
Sexually transmitted diseases result from physical sex that occurs outside of the marriage. But within a faithful marriage, a husband and wife can enjoy the physical intimacies of sex with no fear of disease. Sin leads to death.
Proverbs 5: Love God. If married, Love Your Spouse Now
Solomon warned in verse 21, “For the ways of a man are before the eyes of the Lord,
And He watches all his paths.” God knows. Actions may be hidden from others, but God sees all actions, and there will be an accounting for sin.
How many highly respected and honored men have been brought down by the acts of immorality? What could have been a life of honor was destroyed by sin.
The final verses show the inevitable result, “His own iniquities will capture the wicked, and he will be held with the cords of his sin. He will die for lack of instruction, and in the greatness of his folly he will go astray.”
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