ResponsiveReiding

Solomon’s provision for his son is priceless. Priceless because it constantly refreshes the heart and mind as to what true Christianity looks like, as opposed to dead religion by whatever name. The religion of Christ is living and vital and affects the entire person. It kindles love in their hearts, compassion, tenderness – all the while checking cowardice and instability at the same time. Christianity is a religion fueled by the indwelling Spirit of Christ. A Spirit who is with us everywhere at all times, committed to bestowing upon us the highest honor and gift which can be given – to made more like the Son of the Living God. It is with that backdrop in mind that we re-visit a few more portions of Proverbs 10 today.

Proverbs 10:17 Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who rejects reproof leads others astray.

Comment: Notice that this verse does not imply that we are to enjoy reproof and correction. But what it does note is that the wise, listen to sound instruction, and that when we reject correction and admonition, such rejection goes beyond just ourselves – we lead others astray. For it is certain that those who do not accept correction and rebuke, invariably are trying to lead others in some way. They want always to be the leader – if only of themselves – and never a follower. And they will certainly lead those astray around them – after the same path they are on.

The truth is, one who cannot receive reproof or instruction, is one who is not fit to lead – for they will lead others only after themselves, and not after Christ. This again is a timely word to those who hold any position of authority – in the home or in the world. As a parent, if you are beyond correction, you will lead your children down that same path eventually. As an employer or manager, if no one on your team can point out an error without their heads being bitten off, you will lead that group into misery.

Father, forgive me for the hardness of heart and the pride that has so often made it difficult for others to reprove me, and for me to receive it. Teach me the gentle ways of Christ.

Proverbs 10:18 The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever utters slander is a fool.

Comment: There is a strange perversity among Christians, that knowing we are not to live in hate with others, we will simply cover that hatred up with nice speech and false friendliness. And this, we think, is a high road. It is a deception. It is to live a destructive lie. What then, ought we give full vent to our hatred? No. That is not the correct answer either. The answer is to not deny that hatred is in your heart. Rather, it is to acknowledge it, so you can repent of it. Knowing that while you must acknowledge your sin – at the same time, you cannot give permission to it. To act upon it compounds the sin. Confess and repent before you break out into sin which harms others beyond yourself. To fail in this, will lead into a most horrible duplicity. You will imagine that you can harbor hatred in your heart, while outwardly pretending there is no hatred there – and then find yourself in fact uttering slanders behind the back of the object of your hatred (either inwardly or to others) – which renders you the fool you genuinely are.

Proverbs 10:25 When the tempest passes, the wicked is no more, but the righteous is established forever.

Comment: Trials and storms weed out the imposters. Note well, such “tempests” come to the righteous and the wicked alike. And they prove which is which – when before, they might have been indistinguishable. We often want to spare one another trials and tribulations. The sentiment is proper enough, compassion bids us to want no one to suffer. And yet, trials and tribulations not only do come, they must come. This is how the genuine are proved, and the false uprooted. In Jesus’ parable of the soils in Mark 4, each soil is subjected to the same sun, the same rain and the same wind. The soil that is fruitful, is the one that endures, not the one spared the exposure. So it is with spiritual fruitfulness. The tempest tries us all. And in the final tempest of God’s judgment upon sin, the wicked will in fact be no more, but the righteous in Christ will know eternal safety. Which are you?

Continuing on course, let’s turn over a few more of the verses in Proverbs 10 and tease out some additional thoughts.

Proverbs 10:8 The wise of heart will receive commandments, but a babbling fool will come to ruin.

Comment: The contrast in this verse is in hearing over speaking. The wise are interested in hearing the Lord, and others steeped in the Lord’s wisdom. Fools are only interested in babbling out their nonsense. They want to be heard, but care little to listen.

When we are more interested in teaching others, than in being taught, we become babbling fools. As James will remind us – it is a frightening thing to become a “teacher” – and we ought not to pursue it incautiously. Better to be students, learners, disciples – than strive to be known as a teacher. The greater the subject matter – in this instance, the Word of God – the greater the responsibility.

Oh Lord – give me a hearing, humble heart. Make me to be your own attentive student. Let me not fall into feeling the need to point things out to others and get them to hear me – but in all things to have a quiet heart before you that seeks to learn, and be changed by your grace.

Proverbs 10:11 The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

Comment: Here is a high and necessary question to ask ourselves – How do our words impact others? Do we minister life to them? Or violence? Healing, or stripes? Do we build others up, or tear them down? Add burdens, or help remove them? And nowhere does this topic transect our lives more than in the home. What if husbands were building their wives up, instead of hurting them with their words? What if wives were encouraging their husbands instead of enumerating their failures? What if parents (especially fathers) were conscious of how easily they can provoke their children to discouragement by berating or caustic remarks – and children understood that demeaning their parents to others was coarse and painful?

Father, precious Father, let my words feed and refresh and nourish the hearts and lives of others, and let me not (as I have so often in the past) send out the stings of death and destruction through an acid and poisonous tongue. Deliver me from ungracious words, unseasoned with salt. With my spouse. With my children. With my siblings. With my parents. With my co-workers. With my brothers and sisters in Christ. With the lost. With those who sin against me. With you.

Proverbs 10:15 A rich man’s wealth is his strong city; the poverty of the poor is their ruin.

Comment: Men can live illusory lives no matter what their circumstances. The wealthy can imagine themselves safe and unassailable by virtue of their material goods, and the poor can reason that the reason for ruin in life is their lack of material goods. Both views are lies.

No one has any more guarantees in life – especially in spiritual terms because of how much money they have. The money itself can be lost in a moment, and more – the individual can be lost in a moment – beyond the help of the most fabulous wealth. No one is “better” because they are rich (or worse) just as no one is worse (or more virtuous) simply because they are poor. These states say no more about the soul of the individual before God than being wet or dry does. They are simply external states – states which can be used to defile us, or can be utilized to grow in grace. But by themselves, they impart and mean nothing. Alexander Whyte noted: “PROSPERITY,’ says Bacon, ‘is the blessing of the Old Testament, but adversity is the blessing of the New.’ ‘How many saints,’ exclaims Law, ‘has adversity sent to heaven! And how many poor sinners has prosperity plunged into everlasting misery!”

Heavenly Father – make us to know the whole of all true wealth is found in having you, and the only true poverty is lack of you.

As we have seen, Proverbs 10 sets the stage for the following 12 chapters which form the second great division in this amazing book. The chapter also points out the 12 recurring areas of consideration that Solomon is wanting to reinforce for his son (and the Spirit to reinforce for us). As we are aware of these, lets’ take a closer look at several.

 

Proverbs 10:2 Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death.

Comment: Remember, no matter what it is we “think” we might gain by any particular sin – it is a lie. In the end, you will suffer for it. It IS destructive. Only the righteousness of Christ, received by faith and lived out in the power of the Spirit delivers from death. The supposed treasures gained by our sin will always prove to be loss. Always.

 

Proverbs 10:3 The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry, but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.

Comment: “I can’t get no satisfaction” is the anthem of the wicked. No matter what the delight, no matter how excessively pursued, the heart still yearns for it knows not what.

Let the Christian take note then, that when his or her own heart seems perpetually discontent, that we are somehow failing to indulge fully in the Lord who is our portion. There IS satisfaction and contentment to be had, but if we seek it in the same things the wicked do – looking to the things of this life – we will suffer the same craving pangs they do. And how much worse is it – to starve, when the cupboard is in fact abundantly full?

Proverbs 10:4 A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.

Comment: This is as true in the spiritual as it is in the natural. One simply cannot make true spiritual progress apart from the discipline of working at it. The Bible must be read. Prayer must be engaged in. Fellowship must be sought out and cultivated. Worship must be participated in.  We would never dream of telling our doctor that he was legalistic for telling us we must eat, drink, exercise and breathe. These are the things which make for the sustaining of life. So it is with our souls. They will grow weak and impoverished if we do not tend to them. This isn’t legalism – it is life.

Proverbs 10:5 He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame.

Comment: There are seasons when we gather spiritual fruit which if we ignore, will leave us empty in the times when gathering cannot be done. Pay attention to those times when your heart is especially stirred to seek the Lord and His Word. Take time to drink deeply, make notes, put away those treasures. And if there is a scant season ahead, you will something to draw from and be satisfied.

Do you have a good pastor who preaches the Word to you well – take the best advantage of it you can. He may soon be gone.

Are you in a good church? Don’t harp on its faults – plug in all you can, you may be called upon to move or it providentially may suffer a split or dissolution. Take advantage of it while it is still available.

Do you have resources at hand for reading and understanding the Word? Use them – lest you suddenly find yourself without them, and bereft of their benefit.

Proverbs 9:1 Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn her seven pillars.

Proverbs 9:13 The woman Folly is loud; she is seductive and knows nothing.

As we saw Sunday, this high end to the first section of Proverbs pits Wisdom against Folly in the most descriptive and helpful of ways. Once again we are confronted with two very different ways of understanding all of life. The Biblical Worldview, with a Creator God who has set an eternal plan in motion; and the Naturalistic Worldview – where everything just meaninglessly came to be, exists and then ceases to exist. And we saw how Wisdom was built into the original Creation so that all human beings know innately that God exists. But in the Fall, as Paul notes in Romans 1 – how we all strive to suppress that knowledge apart from God’s intervention.

This reality of a Creation made upright and holy, and now defaced by sin is a reality we must grapple with if we would live in truth.

Below, is a morning prayer by Lancelot Andrewes, 16^th-17^th century English Bishop who saw this reality most clearly – and demonstrates in his prayer what it is like to live in it reverently, carefully, and most joyfully in Christ.

Two things I recognise, O Lord, in myself:

nature, which Thou hast made;

sin, which I have added:

I confess that by sin I have depraved nature;

but call to remembrance, that I am a wind

that passeth away,

and returneth not again;

for of myself I cannot return again from sin.

Take away from me that which I have made;

let that which Thou hast made remain in me;

that the price of Thy precious Blood perish not!

Let not my wickedness destroy

what Thy goodness hath redeemed.

O Lord my God, if I have so done

as to become Thy culprit,

can I have so done as no longer

to be Thy servant?

If I have thence destroyed my innocence,

have I at all thence destroyed Thy Mercy?

If I have committed that for which

Thou mightest condemn me,

hast Thou at all lost that by which

Thou art wont to save?

Truth, Lord: my conscience

meriteth damnation,

but no defence equals Thy compassion.

Spare me therefore;

because it is not unbefitting Thy Justice,

nor unwonted to Thy Mercy,

nor difficult to Thy Power,

to spare the penitent.

Thou Who hast created me,

do not destroy me;

Thou Who hast redeemed me,

do not condemn me.

Thou Who hast created me

by Thy goodness,

let not Thy work come to nought

through my iniquity.

What is Thine in me, acknowledge;

what is mine, take away.

Look on me, the wretched,

O boundless Loving-kindness:

On me, the wicked,

O Compassion that extendest to all!

Infirm I come to the Almighty,

wounded I hasten to the Physician:

reserve for me the gentleness

of Thy Compassion,

Who hast so long held suspended the sword

of Thy vengeance.

Blot out the number of my crimes,

renew the multitude of Thy compassions.

However unclean, Thou canst cleanse me;

however blind, enlighten me;

however weak, restore me;

yea, though dead, raise me.

Of what kind soever I am, be it good or bad,

I am ever Thine.

If Thou cast me out, who shall take me in?

If Thou disregard me, who shall look on me?

More canst Thou remit, than I commit;

more canst Thou spare, than I offend.

Let not noxious pleasures overcome me;

at the least let not any perverse habit overwhelm me;

[Preserve me]

from depraved and lawless desires;

from vain, hurtful, impure imaginations;

from the illusions of evil spirits;

from pollutions of soul and of body.^[1]

Proverbs 8:1–9 Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice? 2 On the heights beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand; 3 beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud: 4 “To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the children of man. 5 O simple ones, learn prudence; O fools, learn sense. 6 Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right, 7 for my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips. 8 All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them. 9 They are all straight to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge.

Speech is more than just communicating facts by audible sounds. When we speak, with what tone and in what way, under what circumstances also communicate – beyond the mere words themselves. The tone of the voice often says volumes more than the words alone. This of course does not mean that the words are not important – but rather that communication is a complete package. So it is Wisdom lets us know that Her speech is ennobling speech, rather than caustic and degrading. That She speaks what is right, and does not lead astray. That She utters truth – and that She does not engage in what is wicked itself, nor encourages wickedness. That Her words are not crooked or misleading. And one would have to tie that to Her tone and Her timing as well. All aspects of Her speech hang together – they coincide to give one, non-contradictory message. She has the best interest of Her hearers at heart, and that comes through loud and clear. She is not saying “I love you” through clenched teeth.

It is so with us?

In re-reading this portion, I was struck with the remembrance of another powerful “speech” passage. It is found in Mark 15 – at the trial of Jesus before the Council. There we read of Peter: Mark 14:66–72 “And as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came, 67 and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with the Nazarene, Jesus.” 68 But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you mean.” And he went out into the gateway and the rooster crowed. 69 And the servant girl saw him and began again to say to the bystanders, “This man is one of them.” 70 But again he denied it. And after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, “Certainly you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.” 71 But he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know this man of whom you speak.” 72 And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.”

This passage is not meant as a polemic against foul language per se. Yet it is instructive in that regard. Instructive of wise speech.

What is the mechanism by which Peter wishes to demonstrate to those accusing him of belonging to Jesus that he is not? Cursing and swearing.

It would appear that this mode of language is one of the most identifiable traits of those in the world – of those who are not Christ’s. At least it was so in Jesus’ day and culture. But I wonder if it is not also true today? And I wonder if we take note of how easily we pick up the distinguishing marks of those outside of Christ in the adoption of words and phrases that link us more readily with the world, than with Him.

The language of Jesus is blessing, not cursing – even in reprimand and rebuke. It is speaking the truth, not lying. It is in affirming Gospel realities, not seeking to dodge discovery of Christ. It is ennobling, not crude.

More than the tag line so common again today of “what say you?” ought to be – “how say you?” Does your speech betray the reality of one bought by the blood of the Lamb and redeemed from the trench of lostness? Or does it pass easily as the same as the world around us? Are we full of cursing, invective, vitriol and denial? Of gutter language, or that from the streets of Heaven – full of blessing, honoring, love and affirmation of Christ?

What tell-tale signs have crept into our daily vocabulary – that prove we are identifying more with the world than Christ? What words and phrases in ordinary conversation would never pass our lips in the pulpit, but find little restraint when outside of the Church context? And are we not duplicitous in this regard? It is something to consider.

As the Psalmist prayed: May the words of my mouth – as well as the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight.

Lord, let it always be so with me.

Proverbs 7:18 “Come, let us take our fill of love till morning; let us delight ourselves with love.”

Indwelling sin will do anything is can to thrive and survive. It is as though it has a mind of its own. In a sense – it does have a mind of its own – but the mind is OUR own. It dwells in the deceptiveness of our own hearts. It hates the thought of being governed by anyone or anything other than its own desires. It is constantly seeking supremacy over our being. It wants to be Lord. And it will not stop at anything to get there – even destroying us in the process.

As we noted on Sunday, one of the most potent tactics indwelling sin uses to reason us into letting it have its way is mischaracterization. Lying. As in the text above, calling an illicit sexual encounter “love.” In the broader context this is the picture of a married woman, offering her young victim a night of unbridled physical lust but naming it other than it is. Because if she called it adultery, fornication, sin – it would be offensive. It would be too ugly. He might back off. But it is the way of the World – and indwelling sin still trades in the World’s market.

Words mean something. Otherwise, there could be no such thing as education, nor communication, and certainly not persuasion. All of these trade on the fact that words carry meanings. But in the deceptive shadows of our sin-filled hearts, we allow words to take on alternate meanings so as to palliate our consciences. Hence we pick up the culture’s way of referring to sinful behaviors, rebellious behaviors – as sickness. The medical model removes the moral component. So we no longer refer to drunkards or drunkenness, but to alcoholics and alcoholism. Not that those words are wrong in themselves, they simply do not convey the whole truth.

Almost no one is unaware of the recent tragedy which came to light in the city of Cleveland Ohio where Ariel Castro, kidnapped and imprisoned Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight for over a decade. Castro sexually abused these women in his home repeatedly throughout their captivity. When allowed to speak at his trial, Fox News on August 1 reported: “Castro, dressed in an orange jumpsuit and a beard, sat motionless…He waited for his turn to tell the court that he is “not a monster.” He reminded those at his sentencing hearing that he was married, held a job as a bus driver and is happy person on the inside. “I believe I’m a porn addict,” he said. “I’m not a violent person, I just kept them there without being able to leave.”

Other news outlets reported that he simply said “I’m sick.” Never mind that he caused one of the women to miscarry 5 times through his violence.

Note carefully the words: “addict” and “sick.” These were used by Castro as mitigating words. Words calculated to take the edge off of the moral reality of his crimes. We will not argue that anyone who would do the things he did is sick – but not all sickness is merely medical and void of moral responsibility. Sin-sick – yes! But sick so as to be relieved of the voluntary and moral responsibility that belongs to each one of us? No.

Don’t get me wrong, there is no question that we can engage in sinful thought patterns and actions that over time become such bondage as leave us virtually out of control. But that absolves us of nothing. Because one may drink alcohol until they are no longer in full possession of their faculties doesn’t excuse them from the actions they take while under that influence. Why? Because they put themselves under that influence.

Christian – be careful how your own heart will lie to you about contemplated sin, by re-labeling it as something more acceptable. Don’t let your own heart deceive you. Theft isn’t the “reallocation of assets.” Fornication and adultery aren’t “love.” Giving in to homosexuality isn’t adopting an “alternate lifestyle.” Lying isn’t “creatively re-telling truths.” Revenge isn’t “justice.” Dissensions aren’t “standing upon principle.” Rivalry isn’t “competitiveness.” Jealousy isn’t “caring too much.” Fits of anger aren’t “righteous indignation.”

Call sin – sin. And you are well on your way to robbing it of its power to master you. Christ is the way, the truth and the life, not “A” way, some nice ideas and fun. Don’t be fooled.

Proverbs 7:6–9 “For at the window of my house I have looked out through my lattice, 7 and I have seen among the simple, I have perceived among the youths, a young man lacking sense, 8 passing along the street near her corner, taking the road to her house 9 in the twilight, in the evening, at the time of night and darkness.”

Christians seldom fall into grave sin all at once. Almost invariably, there is a progression. Knowing how this progression works, gives us a powerful means to stop it before it is too late. To stop it before as James outlines it: ”each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” (James 1:14–15) There is a roadmap to sin and this passage opens it up.

Our text traces the progression of it in this case in three movements. 1. Passing near temptation’s corner. 2. At the corner, taking the road to her house. 3. Moving closer and closer under the increasing cover of darkness.

Temptation begins in the mind. It is usually only an inward movement at first – flirting with an idea. An idea we won’t let go of. This is equally as true of temptation to sexual sin, as it is to unforgiveness and bitterness, revenge, theft and even such things as fear and anxiety. But it is at this point that temptation is still most conquerable. What we allow ourselves to dwell upon mentally, if unchecked, will bring us to taking some form of action outwardly.

A passage like Colossians 3:16–17 takes on huge importance in this regard. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

If the subject matter of God’s Word takes on an increasing place in my daily thought life, coupled with expressing the bounty of those things to others, and rejoicing in them in a life revolving around magnifying the name of Jesus and filled with thanksgiving – it is hard for sinful things to find much root. Thankfulness in particular may be the single greatest weapon in the arsenal – as a mind that is full of what it DOES have, doesn’t leave room for musing on what it doesn’t. When I am convinced (as is true) that Christ really does have my best interest at heart and has never deprived me (and never will) of what is best – lusting after revenge, position, material goods, attention from another person, power etc., is defanged.

However, once failing to check our thoughts, it will not be long before we verbalize those thoughts. It may start by only saying it to myself in the mirror, or in a journal, or diary. Then maybe on – Facebook, MySpace, Pinterest, a text or an email – whatever.  This is taking the road to her house, after having passed by her corner. It is the next step. We know it will bring us closer, but we convince ourselves it is not “actual” sin, and so it is harmless. That saying isn’t doing. Which is true – but not completely. Even our legal system has laws against conspiracy to commit a crime. Saying it is often the first motion of doing. And stopping the flood here, while not impossible, it exponentially harder than before. For in verbalizing the matter, we’ve started the process of growing accustomed to hearing it out loud without objection. We’ve normalized to ourselves. We’ve said it out loud, and lightening didn’t strike – we’re still OK. And we dwell there.

Thirdly, we inch closer and closer to actually acting in the sin, after building layer after layer of what we think is protective secrecy. Maybe I can’t do it in broad daylight, but I flirt with doing it in the evening, at twilight. And if I’m too discoverable then, I’ll wait until it is fully night – and dark. When no one (I imagine) can see.

And at this point, the possibility of escape is nearly gone. I’ve circumvented all the roadblocks. I’ve schemed around every objection. I’ve said “yes” – even though the act isn’t consummated. But I have at last given myself permission. And I am ignoring the fact that death cannot be far behind.

Beloved, hear the Spirit’s voice through Solomon, and begin to examine and seek His power to control your thought life now – or you will find yourself in pain and shame of such bondage as you’ve never imagined. Christ has made a way of escape for us – but we must take it.

Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Proverbs 7:1–5 My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you; 2 keep my commandments and live; keep my teaching as the apple of your eye; 3 bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call insight your intimate friend, 5 to keep you from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words.

It is hard to miss the repetition and emphasis in these opening words of Proverbs 7: “keep”, “treasure”, “keep”, “keep”, “bind”, “write”, “say”, “call” – All in reference to God’s Word. Solomon is truly driving his point home. He is telling his son that he not gain expect to gain the mastery in his struggle against sin – especially given the deceitfulness of his own heart – with a mere passing interest in God’s Word. It is meant to be bread, and life.

It is interesting to note that Solomon’s choice of words here by the Spirit’s superintendence is not to be ignored. “Keep” is repeated 3 times alone. And while we rightly think of keeping God’s word in terms of obeying it, that is not the only signification of the word. In fact, it seem that it is almost always also tied up with the second word Solomon uses – treasure. In other words, to keep God’s word is not merely to obey it, but to keep it as a treasure – to cherish and value it, and in some cases, even to protect it.

Here is then is one great “secret” to obedience – that God’s Word is “treasured”, prized and delighted in. And not because of the material only, but especially because of Who has written it to us. We delight in Him and therefore want to know everything He has said. When that kind of love is at the bottom of our reading and study – we are never in the place of simply carrying out commands, we are indulging ourselves in our highest Love.

Only an entranced love can keep you from the seductions and wiles of the enemy. Nothing else will do.

As the 19^th century Scottish divine wrote in his famous treatise on “The Expulsive Power of a New Affection”: “There are two ways in which a practical moralist may attempt to displace from the human heart its love of the world – either by a demonstration of the world’s vanity, so as that the heart shall be prevailed upon simply to withdraw its regards from an object that is not worthy of it; or, by setting forth another object, even God, as more worthy of its attachment, so as that the heart shall be prevailed upon not to resign an old affection, which shall have nothing to succeed it, but to exchange an old affection for a new one… In a word, if the way to disengage the heart from the positive love of one great and ascendant object, is to fasten it in positive love to another, then it is not by exposing the worthlessness of the former, but by addressing to the mental eye the worth and excellence of the latter, that all old things are to be done away and all things are to become new.”

Nothing has the power to move us from something we love (even a sin) than loving something else more. But, you cannot love whom you do not know. And you cannot know Christ – apart from His Word. We cannot have the freedom we desire, until we love the One who is supremely lovely, and the object most worthy to be loved and adored above all else.

So it is when confronting our sins, we always have to ask ourselves, why is it my love is so deficient, that the love for this sin rules? And then seek to remedy that condition, thru exposing ourselves incessantly to the wonders of His beauty and grace and goodness, until our hearts are brought to the full.

Lord Jesus – let your Spirit truly cause our hearts to overflow with your love – that we might love you as is fitting, and so walk with you in all freedom and joy. Master us in your love.

Proverbs 6:26–29 “for the price of a prostitute is only a loaf of bread, but a married woman hunts down a precious life. 27 Can a man carry fire next to his chest and his clothes not be burned? 28 Or can one walk on hot coals and his feet not be scorched? 29 So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife; none who touches her will go unpunished.”

Sex. Talk about the obsession of our age. Sex is it. So it is E. L. James’ erotic novel 50 Shades of Grey has sold of 70 million copies and is the fastest selling paperback of all time. So it is that everything from beer to cars to internet services to bikinis for 8 year olds to an infant’s t-shirt that says “I’m Hot!” flood the marketplace. So it is that sexually explicit sermons mark many ministries today. And who hasn’t heard about the grotesquely sexualized performance by Miley Cyrus at last week’s VMA’s? The fact of Paul’s assertion in Romans 1 that the wrath of God upon fallen humanity is revealed in how we’ve been given over to “lust and impurity and the dishonoring of [our] bodies among [ourselves]” is daily re-established in every medium known to man.

In one way then it is obvious that the World makes altogether too much of sex. Given prevailing attitudes and actions, one would seem to be amazed to find that no one EVER died from a lack of it. There is no question that sexual urges, are indeed strong, but there is no reason why they cannot be controlled. Such control is fundamental to a New Covenant worldview lived in the power of the Holy Spirit. Society says it is unreasonable for young people to remain sexually pure and celibate, but the Bible says otherwise. And even in the Church it can be heard that “Men will be men” – so women ought to turn a blind eye to pornography or other sexual sins. We are told that “sex is all men think about.” Yes, we are bombarded with images, yes we are visually affected in ways most women are not by those images – but absent that exposure, we are no more prone to dwell on sex than women. I personally heard extra-marital sex justified among Christians by the argument that “sex is everyone’s right no matter what their circumstances.”

Solomon addresses the reality of this state of affairs in warning his son especially against seeking sexual gratification outside of the marriage relationship – either in the form of prostitution or adultery. And his words in regard to prostitution – sexual gratification granted for money (whatever the form) – he exposes the severely distorted value system by telling his son: “the price of a prostitute is only a loaf of bread.” In other words, when it is all said and done, in the grand scheme of things – sex is so unimportant, you can buy it for a loaf of bread. So why in the world would you expose yourself to the wickedness of adultery and its horrid outcomes for something so truly worthless? Not only that, but like a loaf of bread, which is common and consumed in the eating – satisfying for only a moment – so is sex. Why give your life to what is so fleeting and common?

On the other hand, we have to note that the World makes far too little of sex, because it has absolutely no concept of the glory of it within the plan and purpose of God. The World makes it dirty instead of holy and sacred. They focus on the physical aspect instead of the Spiritual union intended to give us foretaste of our holy union with Christ. They can have no conception of sex as an aspect of worship. They can have no conception of sex as genuine ministry between married believers. And while the physical relationship between a husband and a wife (the ONLY Biblically sanctioned context for sexual gratification) IS important – it is not even CLOSE to all important.

Virtually every animal in creation can have sex. Only the believing married couple however can truly ascend above the physicality of sex, and then beyond even the psychology and emotion of sex to the type and shadow of intimacy with Christ sex is meant to give us insight into. The secret to a happy sex life isn’t technique or frequency or anything else of the kind. It is found in Ministry. Husbands ministering to their wives in making them feel cherished and safe. And wives ministering to the husbands in making them feel accepted and impactful.

What if each married person used the physical relationship as an opportunity to let their partner experience absolute acceptance, value, safety and impact in KINDNESS turned into physical pleasure in the light of Ephesians 2:4-7? “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

What if each married partner, in the act of physical intimacy was communicating to the other: “God has this in store for you in eternity – experiencing the immeasurable riches of His grace and kindness toward you – and I want to be the means of you having a taste of it here and now.”

We’d find out what it means to move beyond exciting, ecstatic or exceptional sex – to eschatological sex. What only a Believing couple can do for one another in genuine Gospel ministry.

The World hasn’t got a clue.

Proverbs 6:12–15 “A worthless person, a wicked man, goes about with crooked speech, 13 winks with his eyes, signals with his feet, points with his finger, 14 with perverted heart devises evil, continually sowing discord; 15 therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in a moment he will be broken beyond healing.”

Christians are to be people of truth. We come to know our need of salvation, only when we are exposed to the truth of the Fall. We come to know our separation from God only when we realize the truth that God is – and then contemplate that we do not know Him. We only come to be saved, by knowing that Christ died in the place of sinners, and that all who put their trust in His substitutionary atoning sacrifice on their behalf may be reconciled to God, forgiven of all their sin, and granted the gift of eternal life. And we only live the Christian life in power when we come to know the truth of the indwelling presence of the Spirit of God. Indeed, Jesus Himself declares that He IS “the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

Christianity thrives on truth, the revealed truth in the Word of God. Not on myths, theories, suppositions, imaginations, mere customs, traditions or hearsay. As Peter reminds his readers in 2 Peter 1:16 “we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.” Then Jesus tells us “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24 )  Ps. 51 says “Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being.” Couple this with the startling pronouncement of Jesus in John 18:37c “Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” And the weight of knowing and living in the truth comes home with unavoidable force.

It isn’t a mystery then that our text binds those who play fast and loose with the truth through “crooked speech” and by means of being indirect and subtle with the “worthless” and “wicked” man.

Lying in our public figures has become such a way of life in America today, no one even blinks an eye anymore. It seems everyone lies about everything and that’s just the way it is. Yet how completely antithetical to Biblical Christianity can this be? And how easily can we as Christians slip into the same way of thinking and living. Which begins by the way – living in untruthfulness inwardly, with ourselves. Lying to ourselves about the depths of our own sin, the reality of our great need of Christ, and the lack of true progress in growing in His image. It then moves from lying to ourselves, to lying to others. The reality is, those who fall into the habit of indirect communication fall into the company of those who are dishonest and villainous. We cannot avoid the connection.

We are to be a plain spoken people. That does not mean we are to be crass, harsh or overly blunt. It is to say we are to say what we mean, and mean what we say. Hints, innuendo, curved words – are not the way of truth.

And where does this need to be played out more than in our homes. With ourselves, our spouses, and our kids. How much of the strife that our homes endure, is due to the fact that we want others to pick up on our hints, interpret our signals and divine the inwards moods and emotions we couch in indecipherable coded actions, words and tones of voice?

This is not loving toward one another, and it is not the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of Truth.

From time to time I am challenged again in this capacity when I re-read the way Jesus dealt with people in the Gospels. Bold, loving frankness. The kind of which is all but absent in our day. Even with the Church, in His messages to the 7 in the opening chapters of the Revelation. See how He is unsparing in His searching out their ills, while affirming them in all that He can – and all with an eye toward their good, and increasing intimacy with Himself.

Our sweet Savior never soft-soaps our sin, nor fails to hold and affirm. For without truth, we cannot love. We may side-step our own discomfort for a moment, but in the end, we sin against those with whom we will not walk in honesty and truth. It takes the kind of courage only authentic love can carry out.

Never forget, we owe our eternal salvation to that fact Jesus never lied to us or misled us in the slightest. Nor could He be our Savior if He did. What a great Savior we have.