How does Proverbs 5:4 warn against the consequences of sinful choices? Setting the Scene: A Sweet Lure “For the lips of an adulterous woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil” (Proverbs 5:3). • Temptation often begins with attractiveness, flattery, or ease. • Solomon pictures sin as persuasive, pleasant, even comforting—right up front. • That “honey” moment masks the poison that follows. The Warning in a Single Verse “But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a double-edged sword” (Proverbs 5:4). • “In the end” signals that sin’s true nature always reveals itself—sometimes quickly, sometimes years later, but inevitably. • Scripture treats this as fact, not possibility; consequences are certain. Two Striking Images: Wormwood and a Sword 1. Bitter as wormwood • Wormwood is a plant known for intense, lingering bitterness (Jeremiah 9:15). • Sin promises delight yet produces inner anguish, regret, and broken fellowship with God. 2. Sharp as a double-edged sword • A double-edged blade cuts coming and going—there is no safe side. • Consequences slice through relationships, health, reputation, and the soul itself (Proverbs 6:32–33). Layers of Consequence • Spiritual death—“For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). • Relational fallout—betrayal, mistrust, fractured families (Proverbs 6:27–29). • Emotional turmoil—shame, anxiety, bitterness (Psalm 32:3–4). • Physical risk—disease, violence, financial loss (1 Corinthians 6:18). • Eternal accountability—“each will receive his due” (2 Corinthians 5:10). Connecting Proverbs 5:4 to the Larger Witness of Scripture • Galatians 6:7–8—“God is not to be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap.” • James 1:14–15—desire conceives sin, sin gives birth to death. • Proverbs 14:12—“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” • Proverbs 7—an expanded portrait of the same warning, ending with “Her house is the road to Sheol.” Walking in Wisdom: Choosing Life over Bitterness • Keep God’s Word close (Psalm 119:11). • Flee temptation early—don’t negotiate (2 Timothy 2:22). • Cultivate accountability with trusted believers (Hebrews 3:13). • Treasure covenant faithfulness—marriage as God designed (Hebrews 13:4). • Fix eyes on Christ, whose yoke is easy and burden light (Matthew 11:28–30). |
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