ResponsiveReiding

‎Wherever you see “forbidden woman” read: TEMPTATION. In this chapter – it is specifically temptation to go beyond the bounds of what God has provided for you. Its root is dissatisfaction with God and His appointments – v15 & following.

The writer uses the figure of a “forbidden woman” because he is speaking to a young man. He is addressing him where he is, where he is most prone to fall. And for young men (typically) coming of age and full of hormonal change – sexual temptation tends to head the list.

But do not be fooled into thinking this passage has no application to you as a young or mature woman, or as an aged man. Temptation comes in whatever garb is most attractive to us at any given moment.

The forbidden woman might be compromise to get a promotion at work. Cheating for a better test score. Gossiping to get back at someone who hurt you. Building too close a relationship with a man not your husband due to your own husband’s neglect or sin against you. Over-drinking to stay part of a peer group. Failing to own Christ because of what others will think. An older couple cohabiting apart from marriage to secure better benefits financially. Going into irreversible debt to get the right house, the best car or other “toys.” Speaking up so that others will look to you as the answer man and praise your wisdom and insight. Shutting up when you ought to speak so as not to be odd man out. You get the picture.

Temptation always brings its arguments with it. Why this is good, supremely pleasurable or the best option given the situation. Its counsel is sweet at first tasting. And it promises a smoother and more blessed path than obedience to Christ and honesty.

But. But! “in the end”. This is the thing which escapes us most in temptation. Failure to consider the end of the course we are taking. It is the great lie.

So it is we see in vss. 3-6 that the unmasking of sin is one of our greatest weapons in overcoming it. Seeing it for what it really is. Stripping away the illusion. It is a constant battle, and a tactic which cannot be overestimated. We desperately need to see things as they are from God’s perspective. Real reality.

Living beyond the moment. Living with eternity in view instead. Seeing the sin for what it really is and will do in the end. These are mighty weapons in our arsenal of spiritual warfare.

May the Lord be pleased to grant us great skill in wielding them.

When contemplating any course of action, it only makes sense to ask: “Where will this take me? What is the end of what I am contemplating?” In either word or deed.

But of course, this also begs the question of whether or not I am on my way to anywhere at all!

If one were to pursue a career as a lawyer – they would plot out a course that would take them there. The right undergraduate courses in college, and then Law School. Then setting their sights on passing the Bar, and then – then the practice of Law itself. It is the same with anything in life. To be a teacher, a race car driver, an electrician – name it. But as the old saying goes, if you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it – too.

Setting a course in the natural is one thing – but how many actually contemplate setting a course toward Heaven? Do we imagine we will just stumble in there someday? That “being” a Christian is the end game, the goal itself? Do we forget Jesus words: Matthew 7:13–14 (ESV) — 13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” Why do so few find it? Why do so few enter in? Because so few are actually looking for it and seeking to enter in.

If you are aiming at entering heaven, keep your eyes on that destination, and make the decisions which coincide with going there. Keep looking for the door of that Great City. Keep your eyes fixed on what you intend to do and be there – and who you are longing to spend eternity with.

No one will get there by accident. Only those who inquire as to The Way – Jesus – and who order their lives to go there to be with Him and the Father.

Where are you headed?

I do not know that the direct link between a life lived in honor of the Lord vs hiding secret sin has been fully explored.

The truth is, that for one who is born again, controversy with God, in an unwillingness to deal with sin leads to a psychosomatic breakdown. As a small pebble in the shoe throws the whole body off balance, so an even “small” sin (I use that phrase reluctantly, but as opposed to gross sin) will throw off the entire constitution. It will bring constant stress, touchiness due to a guilty conscience, judgmental-ism, false piety and a prayer life almost completely consumed with self.

In my Pentecostal roots I was taught that “healing is in the atonement.” What was meant by that is that as surely as when we trust Christ as our substitute for salvation – so too – physical healing from sickness and disease belongs to the Redeemed as part and parcel of our salvation. We only need to exercise faith for it.

Now I once heard Don Carson address this issue and he said (paraphrasing) “of course healing is in the atonement – and it will be found in the resurrection.” To which I can only add my yea and amen. But that physical healing is “the children’s right” at all times and in all cases in this present age – is brought into question all day every day by the sicknesses genuine, faith-filled brothers and sisters in Christ endure. No, we are not promised unfettered access to physical healing in this present age simply because we are Christ’s.

But. BUT!

There is a species of what we might call divine health (as opposed to divine healing) which surpasses mere deliverance from sickness and disease. It is the health of the soul, freed from guilt, shame, fear, anxiety and inner turmoil because by faith we have been united to Christ, stand clean before our God robed in Jesus’ own righteousness, perpetually cleansed from our sin – and indwelt by His own Spirit – as temple of worship unto the triune God.

It is that health of soul and mind that lives in the reality of God’s sovereignty, His absolute and inviolable promises, His love so great that He gave His only Son and that believing in Him we might have no condemnation, but eternal life. That Christ is always with us, even to the end of the age. That He who began His good work in us WILL complete it until the Day of Christ. And that every care, concern, trial, woe and experience, are all woven together by His all-wise and loving hand for our ultimate and eternal good.

That Beloved, is healing and refreshment.

This is a species of medicine that transcends any remedy we might crave for our bodies.

Agur’s prayer here is double-sided. And this, in only considering the first phrase in vs. 8.

First, it is a prayer to be kept being deceived by false teaching of any kind. It is a prayer for discernment. It is a humble prayer. He knows he does not know all, and can still be led down a wrong path. Falsehood can be so subtle and seductive. We can never guard our hearts and minds too much in this regard.

Consider the Scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ day. That had the Scriptures. They studied them assiduously. They committed them to memory. They debated them, commented on them and applied themselves to living them out. Yet deceived all the while.

So it is even today, many who come in Christ’s name in and His Church preach and teach and “prophesy” false things. May my heart be like Agur’s and plead for a discerning eye to be kept from deception.

Secondly, Agur prays that he himself may be a man of truth and integrity. He knows his own weakness. He knows in times of exposure or embarrassment, he may lie to save face. Or how at times when greed may lead to shading the truth. Perhaps in a moment of self-promotion his good deeds and accomplishments are inflated and his failures mitigated. He knows how he can try to hide his sin both from himself and God and thus live a lie.

Father, make me a man of truth. Make me one who seeks out your truth as you know it, and who seeks to proclaim your truth without embellishment, embarrassment, compromise or manipulation to make it more palatable.

Father, make me honest with my own sin before you. Hiding nothing from my own eyes let alone yours. As David prayed in Ps. 51 – how it is you delight in truth in the inward being – let the Light of your Spirit search my inward being and expose all that is there that I might not live either in self-deception nor as a hypocrite before your face and in your Church.

Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me – those of others, and those of my own.

Be willing always to suspect mixed motives in your own heart – and you will not be on the defensive when others question you. Owning our sin and sinfulness is the only sure way to have it dealt with in Christ.

When inviting sinners to trust Christ, Spurgeon, the “Prince of the Victorian Preachers” once preached thus:

“I am sure you may come, my friend, because you are the very sort of character that is bidden to come. “This man receiveth sinners.” Is not that your name? Does not the Lord say, “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts”? Is not that you? Well, if it be you, then come to him. He calls you;—you distinctly, for so he describes you; so, surely, you may come to him. I have often said that, if I had read in the Bible, “Charles Spurgeon may come to Christ,” there was a time when I should have said, “That must mean somebody else whose name is the same as mine; it is not meant for me.” Then I should have wanted to know the address, and if it had been Nightingale Lane, I should have said, “Ah! there was a man of the name of Spurgeon living there, no doubt, years ago, so the promise may have been for him.” I should never have felt sure about the matter; but when it says, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners;”—well, the devil is a great liar, but he never tried to make me believe that I was not a sinner. If he did, I should tell him I knew better than that. On the contrary, he is often telling me what a sinner I am, and I am much obliged to him for that; because, the more clearly he makes me out to be a sinner, the more certain I am that I am one of those whom Christ came to save. Martin Luther used to say, “This is true wisdom, to cut off the devil’s head with his own sword; when he charges you with guilt, reply, ‘It is quite true, I am a sinner; and, therefore, I am one whom Christ came to save.’ ” We know that Christ gave himself for our sins, but he never gave himself for our virtues; so we, having sins and iniquities, come to him as guilty sinners, and he saves us from our sins.¹

¹ C. H. Spurgeon, “Taking Hold of God’s Covenant,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1902), 34.

Vss 4-5. These 2 verses are in no wise contradictory, but in fact establish a most important principle: Scripture speaks to people on all sides of a question.

There are passages which speak of great assurance to those of weak but believing hearts – (Matt. 12 how the Messiah would not break a bruised reed or put out a smoldering wick), and conversely give great warnings to those who are complacent and careless in their spiritual lives – (Luke 12:47-48 “that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.”)

The Bible shows both how our faith is to be exercised, and how God works through it, And at the same time we see that God does not need our faith in order to work.

Believing women have absolutely equal spiritual status with men before God, and yet the roles of men and women in the Church differ.

Countless multitudes throughout the centuries had little or no personal access to the Bible and yet lived godly, Christ honoring lives. But to neglect or ignore the Word does irreparable damage to the soul.

Many Christians throughout the centuries have been debarred from Church gatherings and yet are pleasing to God. And many need to be exhorted to not to willfully forsake the gathering of the saints.

Such examples in Scripture and life are numberless. But the Word is so designed to speak to all in differing circumstances. And which may be what applies most to me at that any given time may be vastly different.

So it is to the one who is confident in their religion or perhaps even their spiritual heritage for right standing before God – we have Matt. 3:9-10 “And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

And to those outside the camp, we have Eph. 2:11-13 “Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”

Eph. 2:14-19 “For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.”

Hallelujah!