WARNING Against Adultery, Proverbs 5

"Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave."

Proverbs 5:5

If there were no "Johns'" there would be no prostitutes and vice-verse. The oldest profession in the world is alive and well. The bills have to get paid.

Unfortunately, the underbelly of that scene is very toxic and many women in the sex business are treated like trash. The human trafficking business is really detestable.

Men have a weakness for beautiful women and we often lack the will to control our sexual desires and ultimately many married men do commit adultery (and think nothing of it). Stephen Arterburn wrote "Everyman's Battle" where he recognizes that every man must face their own sexual war. He acknowledges that men can and do succeed.

To complicate matters, men are faced with erotic television programming, Internet sites that cater to every nuance, graphic print media to DVDs, and a culture that encourages infidelity. Our minds are easy targets. We are fascinated by sex and may wind up in the danger zone.

The burning question? What is all the concern about adultery, sexual promiscuity, deviancy, etc. from the Christian right and others (yes, other religions warn about the same thing)? Why would God make this an issue? I guess if he does, we must learn about what is permissible and what is not. Fortunately, there is grace and we can recover from a past we aren't proud of and the scars of our historic behavior.

As a married man, I have to fight to control my thoughts, my eyes, and my actions. It doesn't make me a better person, but it helps me to prolong my investment in my marriage and the foundation I am building for my family. Yeah, I can expect zero tolerance from my wife who has come to trust me for making wise decisions. My young girls expect their daddy to behave.

They know daddy is still in love with his girlfriend and wife of 27 years. Their trust means everything to me. To lose that would be so terrible. I don't want to let my girls down.


"Shine" by Newsboys

Proverbs 5:15 - "Drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well."

There is so much freedom in marriage to explore and experiment. I think research shows that a healthy sex life in marriage can be incredible. You have to work on your marriage and sex is a very important area to invest and experiment. If you drink from your own well, you don't have to worry about disease, illness, or contamination of all kinds.

Proverbs 5:23 - "He will die for lack of discipline, led astray by his own folly."

There are men who grow up in errant instruction. Men are taught to have many girlfriends, wives, to be a "Playa", and to not worry about adultery. I think this can lead to generational curses and spiritual bondage. They may even miss that perfect spouse (the hottie that wanted to wait until mariage), regretting it years later. Self-control is one of the fruits of the spirit. It is an area that takes work and it may be worth it. I guess that is what all of the hoopla is all about.

On Mission, On Assignment, and in the ZONE!

Andy Valadez
e-mail: andy@marketingdynamics.org