Proverbs 6: Lessons Regarding Several Deadly Sins to Your Walk
Introduction: Solomon had just warned of the dangers of temptation and adultery (Prov. 5). Here, Solomon expanded upon his prior warning with several deadly sins to a person’s walk with Yahweh. These include: (1) voluntary bondage, (2) spiritual slothfulness, (3) a perverse tongue, (4) an evil heart, (5) disobedience, (6) sexual sins, and (7) failing to fear God’s judgment.
First, Solomon used the example of a person who takes on another person’s future debts to warn against placing yourself into bondage. Jesus wants you to be generous with His financial blessings in your life. But He wants you to guard yourself from any type of bondage. Second, Solomon warned against the dangers of slothfulness. Jesus also wants you to diligently pursue His calling with your spiritual gifts. Third, Solomon warned of the dangers of a perverse tongue. Jesus also warns that you should guard your tongue to avoid defiling yourself. Fourth, Solomon listed off multiple types of evil that God hates. Jesus also wants you to be holy and guard your heart from all forms of evil. Fifth, Solomon warned about the importance of obeying parental instruction to follow God’s Commandments. Jesus also wants you to obey His Commandments to guard your heart from evil. Sixth, for emphasis, Solomon repeated his prior warnings against sexual temptation and adultery. Jesus also warns that you must guard your heart from evil by avoiding all types of temptation and sexual sins. This includes, but is not limited to, adultery. Finally, Solomon warned of the consequences that follow for those who ignore God’s warnings. Jesus also wants you to guard your heart by fearing the consequences of following an evil path.
1. Voluntary Bondage: Guard Yourself from Any Type of Bondage. Prov. 6:1-5.
Jesus wants you to be generous without placing yourself into financial bondage. Using the example of a person who becomes a guarantor for future debts, Solomon warned his son against placing himself into bondage. “1 My son, if you have become a guarantor for your neighbor, or have given a handshake for a stranger, 2 if you have been ensnared by the words of your mouth, or caught by the words of your mouth, 3 then do this, my son, and save yourself: Since you have come into the hand of your neighbor, go, humble yourself, and be urgent with your neighbor to free yourself. 4 Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids; 5 save yourself like a gazelle from the hunter’s hand, and like a bird from the hand of the fowler.” (Prov. 6:1-5). The New Testament gives an example of this. Paul agreed to take on Onesimus’ past debts to help Onesimus become freed from bondage. But Paul did not offer to place himself into bondage by taking on Onesimus’ potential future liabilities (Philemon 1:18-19) (Derek Kidner on Prov. 6:1-5).1
Avoid circumstances where you take on financial obligations that you cannot afford. Solomon warned about the dangers of becoming a surety or guarantor of another person’s unknown future debts (Prov. 6:1-2). This is a warning that he would later repeat. “One who is a guarantor for a stranger will certainly suffer for it, but one who hates being a guarantor is secure.” (Prov. 11:15). “A person lacking in sense shakes hands and becomes guarantor in the presence of his neighbor.” (Prov. 17:18). “Do not be among those who shake hands, among those who become guarantors for debts. If you have nothing with which to repay, why should he take your bed from under you?” (Prov. 22:26-27). Paul also warned against unknown debts. “Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for the one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the Law.” (Ro. 13:8).
Jesus came to free you from in bondage. Jesus was born as a human to be a kinsman redeemer for us all. It is only through faith in His blood that your debts are forgiven (Heb. 9:22; 10:14; Lev. 17:11). On the first day of His public ministry, He entered the synagogue and read from Isaiah 61:1-2. He then declared that “He has come to proclaim release to the captives . . . to set free those who are oppressed,” Jesus proclaimed: “Today, this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (Lk. 4:14-21). But the devil will always try to enslave you. Taking on unknown, future debt obligations is one of many ways for the devil to do that. Jesus wants you to be free from all kinds of bondage. Thus, you should never place yourself in bondage through debts that are beyond what you can afford: “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.” (Gal. 5:1). “For you were called to freedom, . . .” (Gal. 5:13). “For you tolerate it if anyone enslaves you, anyone devours you, anyone takes advantage of you, anyone exalts himself, anyone hits you in the face.” (2 Cor. 11:2). “For you have not received a spirit of slavery ...” (Rom. 8:15). “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” (Jo. 8:36).
When you are in bondage, act with diligence and gentle speech to try to free yourself. If his son inadvertently placed himself into economic bondage as a surety, Solomon urged him to speak with gentleness but great urgency to free himself from bondage (Prov. 6:3-5). “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise makes knowledge pleasant, but the mouth of fools spouts foolishness… A soothing tongue is a tree of life, but perversion in it crushes the spirit.” (Prov. 15:1-2, 4). “Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” (Prov. 16:24). “Your speech must always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.” (Col. 4:6). Jesus also warns that every believer should act quickly to resolve any conflict with another person. “Come to good terms with your accuser quickly, while you are with him on the way to court, so that your accuser will not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you will not be thrown into prison. Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last quadrans.” (Matt. 5:25-26; Lk. 12:58-59).
Jesus also warns against placing others into bondage. God’s law prohibits persons from charging the poor interest-bearing loans that they cannot afford: “If you lend money to My people, to the poor among you, you are not to act as a creditor to him; you shall not charge him interest.” (Ex. 22:25; Lev. 25:36; Dt. 23:19-20;). “He who oppresses the poor taunts his Maker, but he who is gracious to the needy honors Him.” (Prov. 14:31). “He who oppresses the poor to make more for himself or who gives to the rich, will only come to poverty.” (Prov. 22:16). “The righteous is concerned for the rights of the poor, the wicked does not understand such concern.” (Prov. 29:7). “The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern.” (Prov. 31:9). In Nehemiah’s time, certain money lenders were forcing debtors to sell their sons and daughters into indentured servitude to pay off their parents’ debts. As an example for believers to follow, this was an abomination to God that Nehemiah worked to end (Neh. 5:1-6).
2. Spiritual Slothfulness: Diligently Pursue God’s Calling for You. Prov. 6:6-11.
Jesus does not want you to be slothful in using His gifts in your life. Solomon also urged his son to avoid spiritual slothfulness and worldly poverty by following the work example of the ant. “6 Go to the ant, you lazy one, observe its ways and be wise, 7 which, having no chief, officer, or ruler, 8 prepares its food in the summer and gathers its provision in the harvest. 9 How long will you lie down, you lazy one? When will you arise from your sleep? 10 ‘A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,’ 11 then your poverty will come in like a drifter, and your need like an armed man.” (Prov. 6:6-11). “The ant’s ways teach self-discipline, foresight, and (prudent) industry (cf. 30:25) … The ant has no overseer, officer, or ruler because it has no need for anyone to force it to work or to deal with disputes about timing, distribution, and division of labor. Instead of needing external control, God has endowed the ant with innate wisdom to work diligently at the right time. Hopefully, through this lesson, the sluggard will internalize this wisdom.” (Bruce Waltke and Ivan De Silva on Proverbs Prov. 6:6-11).2
Be diligent in using the gifts that Jesus has given you to serve His Kingdom3
Work diligently for Jesus. Solomon later repeated his warnings against being slothful. “Poor is one who works with a lazy hand, but the hand of the diligent makes rich. He who gathers in summer is a son who acts wisely, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who acts shamefully.” (Prov. 10:4-5). “The hand of the diligent will rule, but the lazy hand will be put to forced labor.” (Prov. 12:24). “The soul of the lazy one craves and gets nothing, but the soul of the diligent is made prosperous.” (Prov. 13:4). “Laziness casts one into a deep sleep, and a lazy person will suffer hunger.” (Prov. 19:15). “The lazy one does not plow after the autumn, so he begs during the harvest and has nothing.” (Prov. 20:4). “The desire of the lazy one puts him to death, for his hands refuse to work;” (Prov. 21:25). “Through extreme laziness the rafters sag, and through idleness the house leaks.” (Ecc. 10:18). Agur also used the example of the ant to repeat this warning. “Four things are small on the earth, but they are exceedingly wise: The ants are not a strong people, but they prepare their food in the summer;” (Prov. 30:24-25).
Don’t squander Jesus’ gifts. Jesus has given every person gifts or talents. He warns against failing to use His gifts or talents for His Kingdom. “But his master answered and said to him, ‘You worthless, lazy slave! Did you know that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter seed?’... For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. And throw the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matt. 25:26, 29-30).
3. A Perverse Tongue: Guard Your Tongue from Evil Words. Prov. 6:12-15.
Jesus wants you to guard your tongue to avoid defiling yourself. Solomon further warned that a sign of worthless person with a depraved heart is a person who speaks perverse things. “12 A worthless person, a wicked man, is one who walks with a perverse mouth, 13 who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet, who points with his fingers; 14 who, with perversion in his heart, continually devises evil, who spreads strife. 15 Therefore his disaster will come suddenly; instantly he will be broken and there will be no healing.” (Prov. 6:12-15). “If the slothful are to be condemned, who do nothing, much more those that do all the ill they can. Observe how such a man is described. He says and does every thing artfully, and with design. His ruin shall come without warning, and without relief. Here is a list of things hateful to God. Those sins are in a special manner provoking to God, which are hurtful to the comfort of human life. These things which God hates, we must hate in ourselves; it is nothing to hate them in others. Let us shun all such practices, and watch and pray against them; and avoid, with marked disapproval, all who are guilty of them, whatever may be their rank.” (Matthew Henry on Prov. 6:12-19).4
Perverse speech may be a sign of a depraved heart. Solomon warned that, “A worthless person, a wicked man, is one who walks with a perverse mouth,” (Prov. 6:12). “A soothing tongue is a tree of life, but perversion in it crushes the spirit.” (Prov. 15:4). “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” (Prov. 18:21). The psalms also warn of the evils of a perverse tongue. “His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and oppression; under his tongue is harm and injustice.” (Ps. 10:7; Ro. 3:14). “Your tongue devises destruction, like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit. You love evil more than good, lies more than speaking what is right. Selah You love all words that devour, you deceitful tongue.” (Ps. 52:2-4). Jesus also warned that perverse speech may defile you. “It is not what enters the mouth that defiles the person, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles the person … But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and those things defile the person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, acts of adultery, other immoral sexual acts, thefts, false testimonies, and slanderous statements.” (Matt. 15:11, 18-19). A believer who fails to guard his or her tongue practices a worthless religion. “If anyone thinks himself to be religious, yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this person’s religion is worthless.” (Jam. 1:26). A perverse mouth also causes great damage. “So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, the very world of unrighteousness; the tongue is set among our body’s parts as that which defiles the whole body and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell.” (Jam. 3:5-6).
Guard your tongue to avoid defiling yourself. Because a perverse mouth can defile a person, Solomon warned believers to guard their mouths. “One who guards his mouth protects his life; one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.” (Prov. 13:3). This warning is repeated in the New Testament. “Let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but if there is any good word for edification according to the need of the moment, say that, so that it will give grace to those who hear.” (Eph. 4:29). “But now you also, rid yourselves of all of them: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene speech from your mouth.” (Col. 3:8; 1 Pet. 3:10). Thus, every believer must work to restrain their tongues.
Those who fail to guard their tongues practice a “worthless” religion5
Those with unrepentant, perverse hearts have no inheritance in God. For the person who speaks evil with a perverse heart and fails to repent, Solomon warns that “his disaster will come suddenly; instantly he will be broken and there will be no healing.” (Prov. 6:15). “But the wicked will be eliminated from the land, and the treacherous will be torn away from it.” (Prov . 2:22). “But wrongdoers will altogether be destroyed; the future of the wicked will be eliminated.” (Ps. 37:38). Thus, every person should repent of their gossip, lies, slander, or other forms of hurtful speech that divides unnecessarily.
4. An Evil Heart: Guard Your Heart from All Forms of Evil. Prov. 6:16-19.
Jesus wants you to guard your heart by avoiding what He defines as evil. Solomon warned his son to fear Yahweh by avoiding what Yahweh defines as evil. “16 There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to Him: 17 Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil, 19 a false witness who declares lies, and one who spreads strife among brothers.” (Prov. 6:16-19). “These six things … Namely, above many other sins, which have a worse name in the world; a proud look — Pride of heart, which commonly discovers itself by a man’s looks and gestures; a lying tongue — Lying and deceit in his common conversation. A heart that deviseth wicked imaginations — Whose practice it is to design and contrive wickedness. Feet that be swift in running to mischief — Such as greedily and readily execute their wicked designs, without any restraint or delay. A false witness that speaketh lies — Namely, in judgment: whereby this differs from the former lying, Proverbs 6:17; and him that soweth discord among brethren — That is, dear relations or friends.” (Joseph Benson on Prov. 6:16-19).6
(1) Pride. The first sign of an evil heart is pride, “Haughty eyes,” (Prov. 6:17). Pride is an inflated view of yourself. Satan was blessed with great beauty as one of God’s angels. But his pride caused him to covet God’s power (Is. 14:12-15). Pride puts you in communion with Satan: “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.” (1 Jo. 2:16). Jesus also reveals that pride can defile you: “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man.” (Mk. 7:21-23). Pride caused Miriam to become defiled like a leper in God’s eyes (Nu. 12:10; Dt. 24:9). Like Miriam, King Uzziah also turned into a leper when, out of pride and coveting, he tried to take on the dual role of the King and High Priest, which God had separated (2 Chron. 26:19-21). You are to be an imitator of Christ (1 Thess. 1:6; 1 Cor. 11:1). Thus, Hannah prayed: “Do not go on boasting so very proudly, do not let arrogance come out of your mouth; for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and with Him actions are weighed.” (1 Sam. 2:3). “For the wicked boasts of his soul’s desire, and the greedy person curses and shows disrespect to the LORD.” (Ps. 10:3). “They have closed their unfeeling hearts, with their mouths they speak proudly.” (Ps. 17:10). “Let the lying lips be speechless, which speak arrogantly against the righteous with pride and contempt.” (Ps. 31:18). “ . . . Why do you boast in evil, you mighty man?” (Ps. 52:1b). “They pour out words, they speak arrogantly; all who do injustice boast.” (Ps. 94:4).
(2) Lies. The second sign of an evil heart is lies, “a lying tongue,” (Prov. 6:17). Satan is the father of all liars. “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (Jo. 8:44). When you lie or gossip, you again place yourself in communion with the devil. Thus, the fear of the Lord includes “hating” evil and a “perverted mouth”: “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverted mouth, I hate.” (Prov. 8:13; Ps. 97:10).
(3) Murder / Hatred. The third sign of an evil heart is murder, “hands that shed innocent blood,” (Prov. 6:17). Murder violates the Sixth Commandment “You shall not murder.” (Ex. 20:13; Dt. 5:17). Satan was the first to sow the seeds of murder and hatred within mankind (Ez. 28:14-16). According to Jesus, whoever murders or even hates another is under Satan’s influence and is guilty of murder in God’s eyes: “You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.” (Matt. 5:21-22). “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.” (1 Jo. 3:15).
(4) Wickedness. The fourth sign of an evil heart is wickedness, “a heart that devises wicked plans,” (Prov. 6:18). “He plans wickedness on his bed; he sets himself on a path that is not good; he does not reject evil.” (Ps. 36:4). Wickedness is also Satan’s tool in spiritual warfare. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Eph. 6:12). Wickedness includes any and all of the deeds of the flesh. “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: sexual immorality, impurity, indecent behavior, idolatry, witchcraft, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Gal. 5:19-21).
(5) Embracing evil. The fifth sign of an evil heart is a person who seeks out and embraces evil, “feet that run rapidly to evil,” (Prov. 6:18). “For their feet run to evil, and they are quick to shed blood.” (Prov. 1:16). “Their feet run to evil, and they hurry to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of wrongdoing, devastation and destruction are in their paths.” (Is. 59:7). These people have lost any shame for their sins (Eph. 4:19). These persons will ultimately be handed over to their sins (Rom. 1:24).
(6) Perjury. The sixth sign of an evil heart is perjury, “ a false witness who declares lies,” (Prov. 6:19). Perjury violates the Ninth Commandment. “ You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” (Ex. 20:16; Dt. 5:20). Your tongue is a potential weapon that can inflict pain upon another: “Like a club and a sword and a sharp arrow is a man who bears false witness against his neighbor.” (Prov. 5:18; 25:18). Thus, God sees anyone who provides false testimony as treacherous. “A truthful witness saves lives, but he who utters lies is treacherous.” (Prov. 14:25). “He who speaks truth tells what is right, but a false witness, deceit.” (Prov. 12:17). By contrast, a truthful witness “trustworthy:” “A trustworthy witness will not lie, but a false witness utters lies.” (Prov. 14:5).
(7) Divisiveness. The sixth sign of an evil heart is “one who spreads strife among brothers.” (Prov. 6:19). Satan’s goal has always been to break down order through division. Satan led a third of the angels to rebel against God (Rev. 12:3-9). He then led Eve to rebel against God’s rules (Gen. 3:1-4). He then led Adam and Eve to rebel against each other (Gen. 3:16). Satan also becomes the father of those who rebel (Jo. 8:44). When influenced by Satan, the corrupt “despise authority.” (2 Pet. 2:10). Solomon later said that rebellion and division were the signs of an “evil man.” (Prov. 17:11). Rebellion and division are thus part of the spirit of “the prince of the power of the air.” (Eph. 2:2).
Rehoboam sadly ignored Solomon’s warnings. Assuming Solomon’s message was directed to his heir Rehoboam, Rehoboam rejected Solomon’s wisdom. When the people complained about their taxes, Rehoboam became prideful and imposed forced labor as a punishment (2 Chr. 10:18; 1 Kgs. 12:18). Solomon’s idolatry and Rehoboam’s divisive actions later led to the breakup of Israel into two nations (2 Chr. 10:19; 1 Kgs. 12:19).
Hans Holbein (1497/8-1543) “Rehoboam’s Arrogance” (1530)7
5. Disobedience: Avoid Disobeying God’s Commandments. Prov. 6:20-23.
Jesus wants you to obey His Commandments. Solomon also warned his son that he needed to obey his teaching to follow Yahweh’s Commandments to guard his heart from evil and keep himself on Yahweh’s narrow path. “20 My son, comply with the commandment of your father, and do not ignore the teaching of your mother; 21 bind them continually on your heart; tie them around your neck. 22 When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk to you. 23 For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching is light; and rebukes for discipline are the way of life” (Prov. 6:20-23). “Most people do not like to be rebuked or reproved about any of their ways, but God says that to listen to the correction of his word creates life in that person. The obedient heart finds God’s word to be light that leads him out of darkness, and keeps his path aright.” (Ronald Young on Prov. 6:23).8
Disobedience is like witchcraft. Solomon urged his son to obey God’s Commandments and bind them to his neck (Prov. 6:20-21; 1:8-9; 3:1-4; 4:1-4). Moses gave a similar command (Dt. 6:6-9; 11:18-20). Disobedience is such an abhorrent sin to God that Samuel warned that: “. . . rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft . . .” (1 Sam. 15:23).
God disciplines out of love. God only disciplines His people out of love to change their behavior. “For whom the LORD loves He reproves, even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.” (Prov. 3:12; Heb. 12:6). “Thus you are to know in your heart that the LORD your God was disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son. “ (Dt. 8:5). “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.” (Rev. 3:19). You are blessed when He disciplines you to transform you: “Blessed is the man whom You chasten, O LORD, and whom You teach out of Your law;” (Ps. 94:12; Job 5:17). “It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes.” (Ps. 119:17).
Let God’s Word guide you through study and prayer9
Let Jesus’ Word be your light. Solomon said that “For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching is light; and rebukes for discipline are the way of life” (Prov. 6:23). A psalmist also declared. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Ps. 119:105). “And so we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.” (2 Pet. 1:19). God will apply His Word to your life when you study it and pray for His wisdom (Jam. 1:5-6). “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.” (Jo. 16:13).
The love of God also brings the desire to keep God’s commandments. Jesus is the “I AM” who gave Moses the Ten Commandments (Jo. 8:58; Ex. 3:14). If you love Jesus, you will want to keep His commandments out of love: “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” (Jo. 14:15, 21; 15:10; 1 Jo. 5:3; 2 Jo. 1:6). [I]f you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” (Matt. 19:17). Jesus did not come to stop people from following the Ten Commandments. He instead came to correct people’s motives when doing so. He wants you to be motivated by love and not obligation. He therefore summarized His Ten Commandments as something that comes naturally once you love Him and your neighbor (Matt. 22:35-38; Lk. 10:27, quoting Dt. 6:5).
6. Sexual Sins: Avoid All Types of Temptation and Sexual Sins. Prov. 6:24-29.
Jesus wants you to guard your heart by avoiding sexual temptation, including adultery. For emphasis, Solomon repeated his prior warning that sexual sins, including temptation and adultery, were among of the greatest risks to his son’s walk with Yahweh. “24 to keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the foreign woman. 25 Do not desire her beauty in your heart, nor let her capture you with her eyelids. 26 For the price of a prostitute reduces one to a loaf of bread, and an adulteress hunts for a precious life. 27 Can anyone take fire in his lap and his clothes not be burned? 28 Or can a person walk on hot coals and his feet not be scorched? 29 So is the one who goes in to his neighbor’s wife; whoever touches her will not go unpunished.” (Prov. 6:24-29). “Now he comes back to the great sin in our contemporary society – the sex sins.” (J. Vernon McGee on Prov. 6:24-26).10 “The holy memories and sanctions of the family are invoked (Proverbs 6:20-23) to give weight to another earnest warning against the sin which destroys the purity and saps the foundations of family life (Proverbs 6:24-35).” (Thomas Thomason Perowne, Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges, Prov. 6:20-35).11
Be wary of the false allure of worldly sexual temptation. Solomon warned his son about the dangers of sexual temptation (Prov. 6:24-25). In his prior addresses, he gave similar warnings about “the lips of an adulteress drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil;” (Prov. 5:3). “To rescue you from the strange woman, from the foreign woman who flatters with her words, who leaves the companion of her youth and forgets the covenant of her God;” (Prov. 2:16-17). Sexual temptation was so dangerous to his son’s walk that Solomon would repeat this warning. “With her many persuasions she entices him; with her flattering lips she seduces him. Suddenly he follows her as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as one walks in ankle bracelets to the discipline of a fool,” (Prov. 7:21-22). But Solomon also gave into this temptation. “And I discovered as more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, whose hands are chains. One who is pleasing to God will escape from her, but the sinner will be captured by her.” (Ecc. 7:26).
Temptation can turn your heart from Jesus. God gave Solomon greater wisdom than any other person. But he failed to guard his heart and hate evil (Prov. 8:13). This led to him giving into temptation. His heart then turned away from God (1 Kgs. 11:1-4).
Jesus came to raise the standards for sexual purity. Jesus did not come to repeal the laws against sexual immorality. Instead, He raised the bar on the type of conduct that He expects from believers. “but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matt. 5:28; 19:9).
God will punish those who embrace sexual sins and fail to repent. Adultery violates the Seventh Commandment (Ex. 20:14; Dt. 5:18). Thus, Solomon warned that God would punish those who embrace sexual sins like adultery (Prov. 6:28-29). These warnings are repeated in the New Testament. “Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.” (Heb. 13:4). For the unsaved, the penalty for adultery is exclusion from heaven (Rev. 21:8; 22:15; 1 Cor. 6:9-10). If you are engaged in sexual immorality, you also risk removing God’s blessings and protection from your marriage. You may also bring a curse upon your children through family conflict and divorce. Adultery can also teach children that there is little value in a covenant, commitment, selfless love, and God’s Law.
7. Failing to Fear God: Fear The Consequences of an Evil Path. Prov. 6:30-35.
Jesus wants you to guard your heart by fearing the consequences of pursuing evil. Solomon concluded by warning his son of the consequences of giving into these evil sins. “30 People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry; 31 but when he is found, he must repay seven times as much; He must give up all the property of his house. 32 One who commits adultery with a woman is lacking sense; he who would destroy himself commits it. 33 He will find wounds and disgrace, and his shame will not be removed. 34 For jealousy enrages a man, and he will not have compassion on the day of vengeance. 35 He will not accept any settlement, nor will he be satisfied though you make it a large gift.” (Prov. 6: 30-35). “Though Solomon contrasted theft and adultery, there is an interesting link between them. Sexual immorality and adultery are like stealing. When we have sex with anyone other than our appointed partner in the covenant of marriage, we are stealing something from our spouse (present or future), from our illicit sexual partner, and from the present or future spouse of our illicit sexual partner. Paul confirmed this likeness in 1 Thessalonians 4:3-6, where he wrote that to commit sexual immorality is to take advantage of and to defraud our brother. He who does so destroys his own soul: To commit adultery (and to commit sexual sin in general) is not only sin against God and others, but also against one’s own soul, his own body (1 Corinthians 6:18-19). We usually think that the penalty for sexual immorality comes if the sin is exposed and known; wisdom and God’s word tell us that it destroys whether it is exposed or not.” (David Guzik on Prov. 6:30-32) (emphasis in original).12
Sexual immorality also damages your own soul. Unlike theft, there is no ability to set right the wrong of adultery with restitution (Prov. 6:30-31). Instead, the penalty was death, “‘If there is a man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, one who commits adultery with his friend’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death.” (Lev. 20:10). “If a man is found sleeping with a married woman, then both of them shall die, the man who slept with the woman, and the woman; so you shall eliminate the evil from Israel.” (Dt. 22:22). Thus, Solomon warned that, “One who commits adultery with a woman is lacking sense; he who would destroy himself commits it.” (Prov. 6:23). Paul also warned that sexual immorality is a sin against your own soul. “Flee sexual immorality. Every other sin that a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.” (1 Cor. 6:18). Thus, believers are warned to abstain from all forms of sexual sins (1 Pet. 2:11; 1 Thess. 4:3-5).
The fear of the Lord by hating what He calls evil. In Proverbs 1, Solomon stated that “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Prov. 1:7). In Proverbs 2, he again urged “fear of the Lord, and discover the knowledge of God.” (Prov. 2:5). Job also stated ‘“Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to turn away from evil is understanding.’” (Job 28:18). Solomon later explained that you fear the Lord when you hate evil. “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverted mouth, I hate.” (Prov. 8:13).
Reject evil and instead be holy for Jesus13
Be holy and avoid evil. If you love God, you will desire to be holy for Him: “Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 2 ‘Speak to all the congregation of the sons of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.”’ (Lev. 19:1-2; 11:44-45; Ex. 19:6). God’s exhortation for believers to be holy is repeated in the New Testament: “[B]ecause it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’” (1 Pet. 1:16; Eph. 1:4). “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matt. 5:48).
D. Kidner, The Proverbs, (Downer Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1964), p. 72.↩︎
B. Waltke and I. De Silva, Proverbs, A Shorter Commentary, (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2021), p. 130-31 (italics in original).↩︎
Image credit: Beware of gossiping slander↩︎
R. Young, Proverbs, A Commentary on the Book of Proverbs (SureWord Publications, Baltimore, MD, 2005), p. 93.↩︎
Image credit: Proverbs 6:23 — Berea Project↩︎
J. Vernon McGee, Thru the Bible, Commentary Series, Proverbs (Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville TN 1991), p. 69.↩︎
Image credit: Called to Be Holy - MidNaz↩︎
