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welcome to everyone it's good to be back in the house of our God you can turn with me to Psalm 119 Psalm 119 for our call to worship verses 97 to 104 Psalm 119 beginning in verse 97 oh how I love your law it is my meditation all the day you through your Commandments make me wiser than my enemies for they are ever with me I have more understanding than all my teachers for your testimonies are my meditation I understand more than the Ancients because I keep your precepts I have restrained my feet from every evil way way that I may keep your word I have not departed from your judgments for you yourself have taught me how sweet are your words to my taste sweeter than honey to my mouth through your precepts I get understanding therefore I hate every false way amen we'll turn in your hym books to Psalm 1 Psalm 1 b as in bravo and we'll stand as we sing together on way for for God is for is roll tree highest is and [Applause] all [Applause] will all will for s the right well let us pray our great and Holy Father we thank you for the the blessedness of being in the house of God on the Lord's day we call upon you tonight we pray that you would Ren the heavens and come down and be found amongst your people here we thank you for that glimpse of the glorified Christ in the Book of Revelation where he stands in the midst of the lampstand we thank you for that we know the presence of God most high is our greatest good so we pray that you would be here that you would be glorified and honored As we sing as we pray as we look to the holy scriptures may you indeed be glorified we ask that you would bless and look with favor upon this local church we ask that you would look with favor upon those struggling with physical illness and difficulties and trials and hardships we pray for Shirley that she would recover continue uh continue to recover in the hospital and that you would just bless her and encourage her and strengthen her in the Inner Man as well God we pray for each and everyone in this local body with the the various spiritual trials and and temptations and the difficulties that we face in this present evil age we ask that you would fill us with your holy spirit guide us according to your holy word grant us that Grace that we need daily we stand in constant need of of the grace of God most high for perseverance and for uh pursuing those things that are pleasing in your sight and even now Lord God we confess our transgression to you you've called us to live in a manner consistent with our with our calling in the gospel and we confess that remaining corruption we confess that there is that waywardness in us and we trust in your faithfulness and your Justice to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness we rejoice in that not so that we may continue in sin that Grace May abound but when we do sin we have an advocate with the father even Jesus Christ the righteous we thank you for his current session that he makes intercession for us and that he always lives to do so and we look forward to his return again in glory to judge the living and the dead and our God we pray for any and all who are here tonight that are dead in their trespasses and sins that you would awaken them that you would convict them of that sin and show them the glory of the Redeemer King that one who is able to save that one who has purpose to save a great multitude that no man can number and may it be the case that today would be the day of salvation here and elsewhere as your gospel has gone forth we thank you that we're one small part of a much larger whole whole that the kingdom of Christ the the Church of Christ is going forward that Christ is building it and the gates of Hades shall not Prevail against it may we think of this wonderful thought each and every day may we understand the reality that we are in a in a in a time of of warfare that you would grant us the grace to to be faithful and to wage that good Warfare not with carnal weapons but with prayer and with the word of the Living God we ask you would bless other churches in our community we thank you that we're not alone here in chilak we pray that you would Prosper the the the Churches of Christ that are Faithfully proclaiming your truth and worshiping you according to Holy scripture we pray for the churches in Su and Armstrong and drent we just ask God in heaven that they would continue to be kept by you and blessed by you and that you would add to their numbers such as should be saved be with the brethren in siga toek we thank you for the work there we pray for the pastors that they would be faithful men proclaiming the whole Council of God and we thank you as well for the church in Elder at Kenya and for this present uh progress with reference to the building we pray for continual progress spiritually in terms of the Proclamation of your truth and the the education of the people of God there bless pastors naph and Remy and Moses and cause those Brothers to be fa faithful and use them not just in eldet but in uh Kenya as a whole and even into to Rwanda we thank you for reformation going on in that country as well God we pray for the ongoing situation in Myanmar we pray for Peter that you would just continue to furnish this man with wisdom with great grace and help from on high that he may be able to glorify you and may you indeed continue to protect that Orange Grove the psalmist said as the mountains surround Jerusalem so the Lord surrounds his people and we take great comfort in that reality that those who are yours are protected and defended by you so God continue to look with favor upon them there and Lord bless those persecuted in various countries for their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ we know that this is not just one small segment of this world we know it goes on in many countries it goes on regularly and we just call upon you to Grant Grace to your suffering Saints and may they like the disciples in the book of Acts count themselves blessed because they are worthy to suffer shame for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ we thank you Father that we can call upon you we pray now that you would continue to guide guide us by your Holy Spirit and help us in all things to praise your great and awesome name and we ask through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen we can turn again in your hym books to number 446 44 6 we'll stand as we sing [Music] together to be my God s with the and with me Lord my father my true son my my mighty my soul shall my PR my in now and am the Mery Heaven my are my you can turn with me in your Bibles to the book of Deuter uter omy for our evening scripture reading we're in Deuteronomy chapter 19 Deuteronomy chapter 19 I mentioned this morning the distinction between manslaughter or accidental homicide and murder well the Cities of Refuge were places where those who committed accidental homicide had to flee and go for a period of time again it was to discourage carelessness within the body politic you weren't treated as a murderer you weren't executed Ed for your crime but you were certainly disrupted in terms of the EB and flow of life so that's the first section here in Deuteronomy chapter 19 beginning in verse one when the Lord your God has cut off the Nations whose land the Lord your God is giving you and you dispossess them and dwell in their cities and in their houses you shall separate three cities for yourself in the midst of your land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess you shall prepare roads for yourself and divide in into three parts the territory of your land which the Lord your God is giving you to inherit that the manslayer May flee there and this is the case of the manslayer who flees there that he may live whoever kills his neighbor unintentionally not having hated him in the past or in time pass as when a man goes to the woods with his neighbor to cut timber and his hand swings a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree and the head slips from the handle and Strikes his neighbor so that he dies he shall flee to one of these cities and live lest the Avenger of blood while his anger is hot pursue the manslayer and overtake him because the way is long and kill him though he was not deserving of death since he had not hated the victim in time past therefore I command you saying you shall separate three cities for yourself now if the Lord your God enlarges your territory as he swore to your fathers and gives you the land which he promised to give to your fathers and if you keep all these Commandments and do them which I command you today to love the Lord your God and to walk always in his ways and you shall add three more cities for yourself besides these three lest innocent blood be shed in the midst of your land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance and thus guilt of Bloodshed be upon you but if anyone hates his neighbor lies in wait for him Rises against him and Strikes him mortally so that he dies and he flees to one of these cities then the elders of his City shall send him Ascend and bring him from there and deliver him over to the hand of the Avenger of blood that he may die your eyes shall not pity him but you shall put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel that it may go well with you you shall not remove your neighbor's Landmark which the men of old have set in your inheritance which you will inherit in the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess one witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits by the mouth of two or three Witnesses the matter shall be established if a false witness Rises against any man to testify against him of wrongdoing then both men in the controversy shall stand before the Lord before the priests and the judges who serve in those days and the judges shall make careful inquiry and indeed if the witness is a false witness who has testified falsely against his brother then you shall do to him as he thought to have done to his brother so you shall put away the evil from among you and those who remain shall hear and fear and Hereafter they shall not again commit such evil among you your eyes shall not pity life shall be for Life eye for eye tooth for tooth hand for hand foot for foot amen well let us pray our gracious God and Father we thank you for your word we thank you for what we read and in a passage like Deuteronomy 19 we see that even Bloodshed innocently must be must be dealt with properly it must be atoned for we thank you God that you have indeed dealt with our sin through the Precious Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ we ask God in heaven that you would cause us to reflect upon that glorious gospel each and every day and may we know and may we be convinced of the the glory of God demonstrated at the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ as we prayed earlier we pray again that many more would come to a saving knowledge of our blessed Lord and we ask this in jesus' name amen well for our final hymn before the preaching you can turn to 538 538 again we'll stand as we sing together take my and myus my sing take my mes my my every shall choose shall be no my heart is it shall be my RO it shall be my RO will be ever well please turn with me in your Bibles to the Book of Proverbs Proverbs Chapter 6 Proverbs chapter six I'll read verses 20 to35 Proverbs 6 beginning in verse 20 my son keep your father's command and do not forsake the law of your mother bind them continually upon your heart tie them around your neck when you roam they will lead you when you sleep they will keep you and when you awake they will speak with you for the Commandment is a lamp and the law a light reproofs of w instruction of the way of life to keep you from the evil woman from the flattering tongue of the seductress do not lust after her beauty in your heart heart nor let her Allure you with her eyelids for by means of a harlot a man is reduced to a crust to brat and an adulterous will pray upon his precious life can a man take fire to his bosom and his clothes not be burned can one walk on hot coals and his feet not be seared so is he who goes into his neighbor's wife whoever touches her shall not be innocent people do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving yet when he is found he must restore Sevenfold he may have to give up all the substance of his house whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding he who does so destroys his own soul wounds and dishonor he will get and his reproach will not be wiped away for jealousy is a husband's Fury therefore he will not spare in the day of Vengeance he will accept no recompense nor will he be appeased though you give many gifts amen well let us pray Father in Heaven again we thank you for your word word we thank you for the instruction that we have here from Solomon ultimately from our blessed God we know this just isn't a collection of of quit uh uh little sayings but it is the Divine inspired word of the living and true God so give us ears to hear Hearts to receive and again forgive us and cleanse Us in that precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and we pray in his name amen well God willing we'll return to our studies in John's gospel next Sunday morning and then our studies in Ephesians next Sunday night it may seem a bit odd that we're going to take a bit of a detour here in Proverbs 6 20-35 it is basically a warning against adultery and there's three reasons why we're taking this detour first we were in the neighborhood we looked at the sixth commandment in some detail this morning so we'll look at the seventh commandment tonight in a bit of detail secondly when we look at our section that we've worked through recently in Ephesians 5:22 to3 3 it dealt with the husband and wife relationship and if you've been married for any amount of time you'll know that there are difficulties along the way there are arguments to be dealt with there are tensions at times but there is one thing that brings or has the potential to bring irreparable damage and that is the sin of adultery but as well thirdly we get some instruction here at least by way of a pattern on how Solomon instructed his children so as we move along in the book of Ephesians specifically in chapter 6 at verse 4 Paul says uh fathers do not provoke your children to wrath but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord so Solomon here serves as a good pattern for Parental instruction with reference to our children so those are the reasons for the detour now let's investigate what Solomon says here specifically in chapter 6 at verses 20-35 he's already spoken in chapter 5 in the Book of Proverbs with reference to the dangers of adultery and in chapter 7 he highlights the tactics of an adulterous woman so this wasn't a foreign concept this was obviously a real Temptation a real situation again Solomon part of the Book of Proverbs is his instruction of his sons those sons that would eventually occupy the throne those sons that would succeed him and would indeed Rule and govern and Reign Over the nation of Israel so it was imper ative that they have self-control it was imperative that they manage things effectively it was imperative that they didn't end up like he does ultimately in First Kings chap 11 and so we see here this ex exhortation of a father specifically in verses 20 to 29 and then secondly the consequences for an adulterer in verses 30-35 so note first with reference to the exhortation of a father there's two subse sections here first the necessity of God's law verses 20 to 24 and then secondly the warning against adultery in verses 25- 29 but notice the necessity of God's law he speaks of its instruction in verses 20 and 21 my son keep your father's command and do not forsake the law of your mother bind them continually upon your heart tie them around your neck so this emphasis on his sons to not disregard his their mother's words in other words parental instruction is absolutely crucial in the context of a Christian home and children are to give heed to that listen to Solomon keep your father's command do not forsake the law of your mother Bridges says God never intended young people to be in independent of their parents instruction from every quarter is valuable but from parents always supposing them to be Godly Parents it is the ordinance of God they will bring you God's word not their own so again a good reminder a good admonition for us both as parents to give this kind of instruction and for you children to pay heed to this kind of instruction your parents are not trying to lead you astray they're not trying to take you down a dark path they're not trying to ruin you or decimate you rather they want your good they want good to happen they want you to to to know the fear of the Lord they want you to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and once saved by God God's grace go to that law as a pattern for sanctification the necessity here about binding them continually upon your heart and tying them around your neck in other words I think the idea is do not forsake it receive that teaching clutch on to that teaching and don't let that teaching go we need to remember that this teaching is most valuable it is most excellent it is most wonderful now Solomon directs his son to consider the blessing of the Lord law in verses 22 and 23 notice the blessing verse 22 when you roam they will eat you when you sleep they will keep you and when you awake they will speak with you in other words they are a constant companion whether you are up whether you are in bed where you are in work whether you're in school no matter where you are that law of God is a constant companion and it is a Most Blessed companion for the children of God and then notice he gives specific reason in verse 23 for the Commandment is a lamp and the law a light reproofs of instruction or the way of life your word Psalm 11915 says is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path so Solomon sees the value of God's law so uh Solomon sees the the benefit of God's law so Solomon seizes upon the opportunity in the Book of Proverbs specifically to instruct his sons in the way that they should go he's training them up in the way that they should go so that when they are old they will not depart from that so Solan is putting into practice what he has preached throughout this Book of Proverbs and again as far as parents we ought to take that seriously and see our responsibility to bring up our children in the training and admonition of the Lord now notice he goes on to highlight the protection that the law affords in a general sense in verse 24 and then this serves as a bridge to deal specifically with seventh commandment situations so notice in verse 24 the benefit of the law verse 23 the Commandment is a lamp the law is a light reproofs of instruction are the way of life and then notice in verse 24 to keep you from the evil woman from the flattering tongue of a seductress now the emphasis is not on the intrinsic wickedness of all women he's not suggesting that every single woman out there is dangerous and you need to fear that rather or not rather but in addition to that Solomon is not suggesting that Ultra adulterous men are not liable for their actions he's not saying if all those women would just clean up their act and every man would be great that's not the point what he is pointing out is the danger of some women falling into this category and hence he warns his son to be on the lookout to be on guard to make sure that he resists that temptation to make sure that he refuses that particular sin the existence of that kind of Temptation out there calls upon you son to be aware to be alert to be mindful to recognize and then to depend upon that law of God that when you roam it leads you when you sleep it keeps you and when you wake it will speak with you now the background of this admonition or this uh uh uh General principle in verse 24 to keep you from the evil woman from the flattering tongue of a seductoras is the seventh commandment the seventh commandment deals with the sins of the flesh the sins prohibited by the seventh commandment which are in Exodus 204 and then Deuteronomy 5:18 that's where the seventh commandment is given its its uh voice but then as we survey the law of God we notice that the sin of adultery or the seventh word encompasses a whole a whole slew of sins of the flesh I'm just going to read them off so adultery obviously fornication incest rape sodomy beastiality unlawful divorce immodesty polygamy prostitution and pornography so there's a lot of things that are behind or or or applicable with reference to the seventh commandment it's like with the sixth commandment you shall not murder obviously that applies to the to the man burying the axe in his neighbor's head with malice of forethought but it applies to abortion it applies to maid it applies to to to recklessness it applies to a whole host of things it applies to heart problems or heart dispositions and as we move through the study tonight we'll notice that that is in view here too so we've got the seventh commandment but also the 10th commandment notice what he goes on to say in verse 25 we'll unfold this in a moment do not lust after her beauty in your heart so in other words Solomon does what Jesus does in Matthew Chapter 5 he doesn't just externalize the sin in so far as you don't go into your neighbor's wife you've fulfilled the law no you're not supposed to engage in heart lust you're not supposed to engage in that sort of uh conduct that God forbids or prohibits Exodus 2017 Deuteronomy 521 we are told very specifically you shall not covet your neighbor's wife and so we've got the external application the act of these sexual sins but we've got the internal heart disposition the Lost that fuels those particular sins so that's the general statement in verse 24 now notice he gives a specific warning against adultery in verses 25 to 29 he gives an admonition verse 25 and then he gives an argument in verses 26 to 29 notice the admonition verse 25 do not lust after her beauty in your heart nor let her Allure you with her eyelids Jesus says in Matthew 5:28 but I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to Lust For Her has already committed adultery with her in his heart so again whether you actually engage in the particular activity if it's in the heart you need to kill it you need to resist it you need to refuse it you need to be like Joseph in Piper's house who runs from that Temptation and so Solomon emphasizes that very thing CH Spurgeon commenting on Matthew 5 he says if sin were not allowed in the mind it would never be man made manifest in the body this therefore is a very effectual way of dealing with the evil Proverbs 4:23 keep your heart with all diligence for out of it spring the issues of Life many emphases throughout the Book of Proverbs on self-control self-management it's a fruit of the spirit self-control according to Paul in Galatians chapter 5 self-control and self-government go a long way to helping a man navigate in this present evil age without self-control without self-management or government you are going to be a lawless Reckless rebel against the living and true God again good parental instruction here we encourage we exhort we we we command our kids to engage in self-control they're not allowed to lose their minds they're not allowed to to engage in whatever Lawless activity they want to engage in and then notice or one more one more uh quote here from Watson he says as a man may die of an inward bleeding so he may be damned for the inward boilings of lust if it be not mortified that's a very powerful statement when you read the writers the older writers they really impact with what they say concerning these particular sins again verse 25 nor let her Allure you with her eyelids look over at verse or chapter 7 chapter 7 I've already mentioned he gives the tactics of the adulterous woman and specifically in chap 7 at: 10 to 23 and there a woman met him this is talking about the foolish young man the man the devoid a simple man devoid of understanding according to verse 7 and then in verse 10 it says and there a woman met him with the attire of a harlot and a crafty heart she was loud and rebellious her feet would not stay at home at times she was outside at times she was uh in the open Square lurking at every corner so she caught him and kissed him with an impudent face she said to him I have peace offerings with me today I've paid my vows so I came out to meet you diligently to seek your face and I have found you I have spread my bed with tapestry colored coverings of Egyptian linen I have perfumed my bed with myrr alows and cinnamon come let us take our fill of love until morning let us Delight ourselves with love this isn't a prostitute I'm going to argue in the next section in Proverbs Chapter 6 he's not dealing with a prostitute he's dealing with an adulterous woman and we see that specific specifically in verse 19 of chapter 7 for my husband is not at home he's gone on a long journey he has taken a bag of money with him and will come home on the appointed day now notice verse 21 with her enticing speech she caused him to yield not her gorgeous looks though probably she had something going on but it was her enticing speech it was the flattering tongue it was the promise of benefit it was the promise of good things with flattering lips she seduced him immediately he went after her as an ox goes to the slaughter or as a fool to the correction of the stocks till an arrow struck his liver as a bird hastens to the snare he did not know it would cost his life and on the heels of that description of the tactics of the adulterous woman listen to Solomon in verse 24 now now therefore listen to me my children pay attention to the words of my mouth do not let her heart turn or let your heart turn aside to her ways do not stray into her path for she has cast down many wounded and all who were slain by her were strong men her house is the way to Hell descending to the chambers of death he's pleading with them he's exhorting them he's entreating them give me your heart son don't give your heart to the to the adulterous woman and so with reference to the admonition in verse 25 of chapter 6 don't lust after her beauty in your heart nor let her Allure you with her eyelids now here's his argument in verses 26 6 to 29 and just as I mentioned earlier we need to clarify that he's dealing with an adulterous woman so verse 26 he says for by means of a harlot a man is reduced to a crust of bread now it's a bit of a difficulty in terms of translation but I think the focus May beond the sin of adultery versus prostitution now Solomon isn't endorsing prostitution anymore than he endorses theft in the succeeding passage but he is rather highlighting or contrasting the differ between prostitution and uh an adulterous woman the price of a harlot is a crust of bread but the price of adultery with a married woman is one's own life so when it says in 26a for by means of a harlot a man is reduced to a crust of bread and an adulteress will pray upon his precious life again he's not suggesting that prostitution is fine he's rather giving us a comparison the ESV Capt uh translates it this way for the price of a prostitute is only a loaf of bread but a married woman hunts down a precious life the NIV is similar for a prostitute can be had for a loaf of bread but another man's wife prays on your very life it's not going to just cost you a loaf of bread it's going to cost you your Everlasting Soul it's not going to just cost you whatever it costs today for a loaf of bread it's going to cost you in succeeding Generations it is going to leave a mark it is going to leave a mark upon you of the in a manner in a way that prostitution doesn't and again just want to make sure I qualify this this is not an endorsement of prostitution and then notice the recurring emphasis on the fact that this is indeed an adulterous woman notice specifically in verse 26 an adulteress will pray upon his precious life and then verse 29 so is he who goes into his neighbor's wife and then in ver uh uh uh the references in verses 32 and 34 as well demonstr Ates this so the bottom line from what Solomon is saying is don't do this and here's the reason why it's going to hurt you it's going to devastate you it's going to damage you this isn't playing around this isn't flirting this isn't something that you can do somewhat innocuously or innocently this is going to ruin you it will bring Devastation so again Ephesians 5: 22-33 all of us can testify that there are some difficult patches in a good marriage but you're able to work through those difficult pass uh patches in a good marriage it is difficult to work through the sin of adultery not saying it's an impossibility I'm not saying that it never has happened but I am suggesting that it's a whole lot more different than hey dinner wasn't ready at 5:30 or pick up your socks you lazy Beast the bottom line is is that Solomon wants his sons to take heed to the reality that if you go into your neighbor's wife you are dancing with the devil himself and you need to be alert you need to be on guard you need to bind that law around your neck so that you do not depart to the left or to the right so qu uh Solomon just uh uh Solomon is not saying prostitution is acceptable he is saying however that uh adultery is a vile and wicked thing and then notice that he goes on to give the inevitability of punishment for the adulterer notice his logic in verse 27 can a man take fire to bosom and his clothes not be burned well of course not you can't take fire put it to your bosom and not burn your clothes of course it's going to burn so fire does and then notice he goes on to say can one walk on hot coals and is feet not be seared of course he can't you walk on hot coals and something's going to happen to your feet there a chemical reaction involved and you're going to get burned it's going to sear it it's going to damage and then from that he concludes with the point in verse 29 so is he who goes into his neighbor's wife whoever touches her shall not be innocent so he uses these analogies in the created order fired the bosom walking on hot coals and bare feet to demonstrate the inevitability that results in a man who commits adultery with an adulterous woman and then that brings us to the con consequences for an adulterer in verses 30 to35 he first presents a contrast with the thief and then he sets forth the consequences for the adulterer notice the contrast with the thief in verses 30 to 32 people do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving yet when he is found he must restore Sevenfold he may have to give up all the substance of his house so he's speaking to what would be a truism a general principle he doesn't say it's okay to commit theft he's not endorsing the commission of theft in fact he demands Sevenfold recompense for the theft that has occurred but Brethren face it if you heard that a man went into Walmart and stole a ham because he was starving to death you kind of understand the motivation I mean you can't condone the theft you don't endorse the shoplifting you don't say well that's perfectly acceptable because he was hungry no it's an offense it's criminal it's it's wrong but there's a place where you understand it right or a poor man goes into Walmart to steal a ham to feed his Starving Children again we don't endorse it he has to pay back he has to deal with the fairy man but we understand it we we get it there's a sense wherein we know the reality involved people don't despise thieves if they steal in order to feed themselves again this does not mean approval but it means a recognition of the pitiable condition of a man who is forced or rather feels forced to go steal in order to provide food for himself and for his children but the obvious contrast here is that the thief who steals to satisfy himself when he is starving is different than the man who steals his neighbor's wife not because of Any need not because of Any lack not because of Any deprivation but because of his own godlessness because of his own wickedness because of his own wretchedness so back to verse 20 people do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving yet when he is found he must restore Sevenfold he may have to give up all the substance of his house I mean you do the time or do the crime you got to do the time he needs to be reminded of that Exodus 21 deals with recompense usually it's 2 to five the Sevenfold here may represent a full payment back this giving up the substance of his house he may have to sell himself into indentured servitude that was a reality an old Covenant Israel if you were caught stealing and you had no money with which to pay it back you would be a slave or servant to that particular family and you'd work off your debt you wouldn't go to jail to pay your fine or your duty to the state you'd pay back the victim of your crime it's kind of an kind of an interesting phenomena the Bible is pro victim not prate making money off the victim and so when it comes to that he's not saying it's okay but then notice the contrast with reference to the adulterer the man who steals his neighbor's wife whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding he who does so destroys his own soul so it's not the giving up all the substance of his house it's giving up all the substance of his soul it's not deprivation in terms of the temporal it's decimation in terms of the spiritual it's not just a temporary thing but it is a longlasting Eternal thing and so with reference to the adulterer he lacks understanding and then with re uh with reference to that contrast when we read in verse 30 people do not despise a thief I would suggest when we get to verse 32 it's not stated but I think we've all felt it what's the tendency when you hear that somebody cheated on your friend you despise the cheater you don't despise the thief who's starving to death and goes into Walmart to to to bag a ham but you do when it Go a man goes into your neighbor's wife there is that despising there is that disgust there is that disdain that occurs in the hearts of most people when they see that most sacred Bond the Covenant marriage fractured and ripped apart because of a man's lack of self-control listen to Gil he says the thief lacks bread and therefore steals but this man lacks wisdom and therefore acts so foolish AP part the one does it to satisfy hunger the other a brutish lust Bridges says but the sin of the adulterer claims no sympathy no one's ever sympathetic to the adulterer nobody's like well I pity you I understand you I you know I just want to ache alongside of you for this vicious and vile crime that you've engaged in that that's not what happens the sin of the adulterer claims no sympathy his plea is not the Cry of hunger but of lust not want but Wess but uh not the lack of bread but of understanding and so just as the thief is in fact going to have to give up all the substance of his house the contrast with verse 32 he who does so destroys his own soul and then that brings Solomon to deal with the consequences for the adulterer in verses 33 to35 he leaves untouched here the consequences relative to God he deals with that in Proverbs 5 and Proverbs 7 we've already sort of seen that in in Proverbs 7 for she is cast down verse 26 many wounded and all who were slain by her were strong men uh her house is the way to Hell descending to the chambers of death so he certainly deals with the godword ramifications for the adulterer but here specifically in verses 33 to35 he deals with the manw ramifications he deals with what you're likely to get son when you engage or if you engage in this kind of sinful activity now notice he faces the wrath of man verses 33-35 wounds and dishonor he will get and his reproach will not be wiped away what do that mean well verse 34 is going to explain it for jealousy is a husband's Fury that's explanatory of verse 33 where does this fellow get the wound and dishonor he gets he gets it from the husband of the woman who was violated by this Godless man he goes over and he dots his eye he goes over and he punches his nose now now Brethren I'm not advocating I'm not endorsing I'm not suggesting that Solomon is giving tacd approval what Solomon is doing is telling you the way the world is for the most part people don't despise thieves when they steal to satisfy their hunger but for the most most part everybody despises a an adulterer or an adulteress he's dealing with adulterer here not that women are somehow above this no women can be adulteresses and can be you know the the sorts of people that that bring these things on as well but Solomon is telling you what is he's telling you what is this this is the reality wounds and dishonor he will get his reproach will not be wiped away for jealousy is a husband's Fury therefore he will not spare in the day of Vengeance so the infliction of wounds and dishonor now the actual penalty for adultery according to Leviticus 18 and Deuteronomy chapter 20 and then again in Deuteronomy chapter 22 is capital punishment so the wounds and dishonor he's getting here it's not from the Civil State it's not in preparation for the death penalty we're going to give you a few wounds and dishonor and then we're going to let you have it in terms of the capital punishment no it's the husband the husband's Furious the husband's outraged the husband is is is is insulted the husband has been stolen from and so the husband responds in kind for jealousy is a husband's Fury therefore he will not spare in the day of Vengeance and then it goes on to say in verse 35 he will accept no recompense nor will he be appeased though you give him many gifts you see what Solomon is saying it's a much different category than the thief of food who's starving this is a thief of a man's wife who's not starving who has no want who has no lack who has no deprivation rather it is a man who is driven by and governed by his lusts and so Solomon says if you go down this path son you are going to end up in great Jeopardy you are going to be destroyed if the husband doesn't kill you the Civil state will and when that happens you are then in the hands of a Thrice holy God God and the wrath of God relative to sexual sin is spoken of by Solomon turn back to Proverbs 5 specifically in verses 21 to 23 for the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord and He Ponders all his paths his own iniquities entrap the wicked man and he is caught in the cords of his sin he shall die for lack of instruction and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray we've already seen 724 to 27 we've got the teaching of Jesus Jesus says it's better to you know cut off your right hand and pluck out your right eye enter into heaven maed then be whole and be in sin Spurgeon made the observation there better a blind Saint than a quick-sighted sinner with a declaration of the Apostle Paul in Hebrews 13:4 he says marriage is Honorable among all and the bed undefiled but fornicators and adulterers God will judge we looked at Revelation 218 this morning morning to see that murderers find their place in the Lake of Fire guess who else finds their place unrepentant of course in the Lake of Fire there is the sexually immoral there are those people who didn't govern their lusts there are those people who didn't heed the admonition there are those people that thought well you know this is just a little thing just flirting a little bit just lusting a little bit just looking at a little porn there's no little porn there's no little flirt there's no little bit of sexual sin that is somehow acceptable there's no little fornication there's no little homosexuality there's no little bit of these sins that is somehow acceptable to God most high if that's the mindset cast it out because the Lord Jesus Christ said pluck out the eye cut off the hand now he's speaking metaphorically origin one of the early church fathers took him seriously and castrated himself because he didn't want to sin that particular sin but he is speaking metaphorically in other words he's saying deal radically with this sin don't let it Bubble Up In Your Heart don't let it rise up don't give it vent don't give it a little space don't treat it like a little kitty cat that you can just set in your lap and pet I remember a sermon series on Cain and Abel by by Albert and Martin and he uses that very illustration Sinners think that sin is like a little kitty cat you can just take that little kitty cat right in your in your lap if you're so inclined I'd prefer a puppy but but you take take that little kitty cat and you just Pat it and stroke it and you enjoy it he says that's not sin sin is a roaring lion sin comes to pounce sin can't be you know negotiated with it can't be trafficked in it can't be Bartered with just a little bit of of of harmless flirting just a little bit of harmless pornography just a little bit of harmless no it's not harmless listen to Solomon listen to the word of the living and true God so the population in the Lake of Fire includes murderers and it includes sexually immoral people again we need to make sure we qualify that unrepentant there's a blessed statement of the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 it's going to end the sermon here but I'll put it right here now sexual sin is not the unpardonable sin murder is not the unpardonable sin when it comes to murder when it comes to adultery when it comes to sexual sin of all sort we know that there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God do not be deceived neither fornicators nor idolators nor adulterers nor homosexuals nor sodomites nor thieves nor Covetous nor drunkard nor revilers nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God well we understand that that's the killing aspect of God's holy law you commit this crime and you will do the time you will be cut off and excluded from from the kingdom of God most high but you see Paul doesn't stop there and one of the interesting things about the church at Corinth what's the city of Corinth it was the the the debauched and Godless sensual City there was all kinds of wickedness all kinds of sins of the flesh remember the Apostle had to deal with with incest in 1 Corinthians 5 he had to deal with prostitution in 1 Corinthians chapter 6 why is that because the city was flooded with it these people had come out of that background so Paul goes on to say after after underscoring that these people will not inherit the kingdom of God and then he says and such were some of you but you were washed you were Sanctified but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God so there is forgiveness with God in terms of these particular sins if you're guilty if I'm guilty what do we do we repent we forsake we find Mercy from God most high the reality is Brethren is that there is forgiveness in and through the blood of the the Lord Jesus Christ but if we're not repentant if we're not believing on Jesus if there's no justification by faith the consequences relative to the sin of adultery is the wrath of man and that is outshined ultimately by the wrath of God most high now in conclusion I want to just summarize the wickedness of adultery the wickedness of adultery the effect upon the adulterer the effect upon the adulterer its Soul destruction its Soul damage listen listen again to Solomon whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding he who does so destroys his own soul now between the world and the devil and other remaining corruption that you and I have we don't need to help it along we don't need to advance the cause of of of Satan we don't need to advance the cause of a fleshly sensual age in which we live we need to resist it we need to reject it we need need to refuse it we need to run from it secondly the effect upon the other party so here the the the spotlight is upon the man but the adulteress is there too it's an interesting phenomena I can't commit adultery alone you have to have another partner another person and that person is married fornication is unmarried persons engaging in that which is reserved for the covenantal context of marriage but those who are married engage in this particular activity and there is an effect not only upon the one who initiates but upon the one who engages with them listen to Watson he says the adulterer not only wrongs his own soul but does what in him lies to destroy the soul of another and so kills two at once he is worse than the thief for suppose a thief Robs a man yay takes away his life the man's soul may be happy he may go to heaven as well as if he had died in his bed but he who commits adultery endangers the soul of another and deprives her of Salvation so far as in him lies now what a fearful thing it is to be an instrument to draw another to hell so there's effect upon you and upon the other person then Dabney argues that there is an effect upon society as a whole and when you look at our day and age we've got the murder problem to be sure I highlighted a few of those particulars this morning we got a seventh commandment problem big time we've got lots of lacks of self-control we've got lots of being governed by glands we've got lots of unlawfulness rampant around us it's pretty common place today to hear of even men in public office men in pulpits men all over the world that commit adultery or women who commit adultery listen to what Dabney says RL Dabney who's a southern Presbyterian he said says were all to take the license of the adulterer men would in due time be reduced precisely to the degradation of wild beasts the sin of the adulterer therefore is scarcely less enormous than that of the murderer the latter murder destroys man's temporal existence the former adultery destroys all that makes existence a boon it is calculated for Devastation it is calculated for decimation it is calculated to ruin not only both parties but how do children and families respond to that now again God's grace is wonderful God's grace is glorious God's grace gets us through things that we never thought we could get through but the damaging effect upon a family in the wake of an adulterous relationship is horrifying it is horrible let us listen to Solomon and resist the temptation and refuse it I would suggest secondly the means for protection good marriages good marriages our confession gives us three purposes for marriage that doesn't mean that that's the authoritative standard it takes it right out of the Bible defines it this way in 252 marriage was ordained for the mutual help of husband and wife wasn't good that Adam was alone right he needed a a helper comparable to him for the increase of mankind uh with a legitimate issue so procreation and the preventing of uncleanness the preventing of uncleanness there means sexual sin what's the remedy to sexual sin it's God ordained God sanctioned God approved relations in the covenantal context of marriage that's his remedy that's the purpose I've joked before that a man you know proposing to a girl doesn't want to necessarily say honey I want you to be my bride for the prevention of uncleanness you're probably not going to Winter over with your romantic talk but but that's part of it that's a purpose in it that's what God has given it one of the reasons why God has given it and then Solomon has some really good instruction in chapter five in terms of a good marriage such that you will not be prone to wander prone to stray and now Brethren it takes both parties here Paul speaks very clearly in First Corinthians chapter 7 that a man has authority over his wife's body and a wife has authority over a man's body again covenantal context of marriage not you know every man over every woman or every woman over every man but in the covenantal context of marriage Paul says the man has Authority the woman has Authority what's his point don't deprive one another don't do that you're creating a powder cake might as well just throw a match on it right now don't do that the only time the only season that you would deprive one another is to come apart for prayer and fasting but even that doesn't need to be 40 days you need to return to the god-given ordinance of marriage or the aspect of marriage that that is a prevention of uncleanness so notice Solomon in chapter 5 he wants well let's just read verse one my son pay attention to my wisdom lend your ear to my understanding that you may preserve discretion and your lips may keep knowledge for the Lips of an immoral woman drip honey and her mouth is smoother than oil but in the end she is bitter as wormwood she uh sharp as a two-edged sword her feet go down to death her steps lay hold of Hell lest you Ponder her path of Life her ways are unstable you do not know them isn't it amazing that people will hear that and will just run headlong into it they're simple it it's Folly it's wrong you need to pay attention you need to you need to see what's at stake here verse 7 therefore hear me now my children and do not depart from the words of my mouth and then he gives three Rs here I think for the sexual uh for sexual Purity the first R is verse eight remove your way far from her and do not go near the door of her house right re removal don't click that button Don't Go Near That Door don't go down that road take take steps necessary to resist the potential Temptation This isn't legalism Brethren this isn't do this and you'll live no justified by grace alone through faith alone uh uh Christians Believers should want to embibe a pursuit of Holiness and and so thus we take those steps necessary if we're not you know literally cutting off hands and gouging out eyes we can alter our schedule a little bit so that we're not in a precarious position so remove your away far from her and do not go near the door of her house lest you give your honor to others and your years to the cruel one so the first R towards sexual Purity is remove the second R is Verse 18 this drives with 1 Corinthians 7 look at Verse 18 this is Rejoice Rejoice let your fountain be blessed and rejoice with the wife of your youth what's a good means for the avoidance or prevention of unclean it's to obey the Apostle in 1 Corinthians chapter 7 it's to the obey the Apostle in uh Hebrews chapter 13 the marriage bed is undefiled it's not Wicked it's not dirty it's not icky that's the place the covenantal context for these relations and so God doesn't look down I don't want to no God made Adam he made Eve he brought Eve to Adam guess what they most likely were engaged in or were going to do at some point point when they figured everything out God is Not anti God is anti outside of Covenant marriage he's not anti within Covenant marriage if you got a prudish bent to you or you've got this well it's kind of icky you need to take your mind to Proverbs 5 Verse 18 and Hebrews chapter 13 and verse 4 and 1 Corinthians chapter 7 and see that God is Not anti- relations God is pro- relations provided it's in the context of marage that's uh Solomon's counsel so you've got remove rejoice and then remember we already read the section and the word remember is absent but I think that's what he wants you to do he says for the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord verse 21 and he Ponders all his paths in other words remember the eyes of Yahweh are in every place they behold the good and the evil you go through the door of her house right into her bed God sees that you know nobody's up Nobody's around you and your computer God sees that remember is what Solomon is enjoining upon us for the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord and He Pond all his paths his own iniquities and trap the wicked man and he is caught in the cords of his sin he shall die for lack of instruction and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray so remove your way Rejoice with your wife or your husband and remember that God Pond all your paths it's a reality he's an omniscient being remember Psalm 139 this morning he deals with the omnipotence of God he deals with the omnipresence of God he deals with the omniscience of God God knows all things not by sort of a discursive analysis he's not learning he's not growing in his understanding all things are always known to God he always has every bit of knowledge that they're possibly is available to him at all times it's not even available to him there's no like accessing it for for God he P all our paths so remove rejoice and remember and then I would suggest fourthly that or or thirdly we remember p uh the pattern of instruction for parents this will help us when we get to Ephesians 6:4 Solomon High highlights the importance of God's law Solomon uses very Vivid very Lively very real illustrations to show the the the wretchedness of adultery that's not a bad teaching technique when Jesus wanted to caution the disciples about anxiety he points to birds and he points to lies Solomon was typical in the teaching manner of our Lord Jesus he was typical in terms of kingship Christ is a greater King according to Matthew 20 uh 12:42 but what Solomon does in terms of teaching we see our Lord Jesus Christ do that as well Solomon gives a comparison to demonstrate the vess of adultery he appeals to to his children at the level of oh yeah I don't really despise a thief because he's starving to death I I have some pity for him I have some compassion for him when it comes the adulterer there's no pity there's no compassion nobody gets an award for that nobody's recognized and said wow we're going to applaud you for The Wretched behavior that you have engaged in and Solomon lists the consequences involved in order to warn his sons well I want to end on that high note of gospel blessing there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared if you are uh guilty if anyone that you know is guilty and you have chance to speak with them encourage them with the Gospel of Jesus Christ the lord there is forgiveness there is Mercy Hebrews 9:22 lays down the principle without the shedding of blood there is no remission but the blood was shed the blood came is the blood of the the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world and that blood is efficacious to wash us from all our sins the sins of adultery the sins of murder there is forgiveness with God that he may be feared well let us pray Our Father in heaven we thank you for the clarity and the consistency of your holy word we pray that you would give us ears to hear and hearts to receive these things and as we look around our Our Generation cause us to be on guard cause us to Be watchful and prayerful cause us as well to remove our way from those Temptations and sins that that that seek to devour as well God help us in our marriages to Rejoice with our our our husbands our wives and to Delight in the good gifts that you have given to your people and God help us to be mindful of your omniscience to know that you are uh pondering our paths and may we seek by grace through faith in Our Risen Lord by the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit to pursue those things that are pleasing in your sight and we ask this through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen we'll close with a brief time of meditation