Sunday, May 30, 1999 This Week's Lesson:
In this week's lesson, which came from Proverbs 9:13-18, we learned about recognizing and avoiding certain kinds of temptation. This lesson was particularly directed at the young man who is so easily drawn to the wrong kind of woman. Throughout the Book of Proverbs, Solomon has warned young men to be careful concerning certain sexual situations with the opposite sex. He knew, in some regards, that the male is definitely the weaker sex, so he began this passage by describing the ways of a foolish woman. Foolish comes from the Hebrew word meaning foolish or stupid. Clamorous comes from the Hebrew word that means to make noise, to be loud, or to be in an uproar. He was saying that a foolish, stupid woman is loud and boisterous. She is naïve, lacks deductive skills, and calls to all that will listen. Matthew Henry described this kind of woman as a temptress, trying to bring down the foolish man. He wrote, "How diligent the tempter is, to seduce unwary souls into sin! Carnal, sensual pleasure, [stupefies] conscience, and puts out the sparks of conviction. This tempter has no solid reason to offer; and where she gets dominion in a soul, all knowledge of holy things is lost and forgotten. She is very violent and pressing. We need to seek and pray for true wisdom, for Satan has many ways to withdraw our souls from Christ."
The process of being withdrawn from Christ begins by our being tempted. Temptation is all around us. Often, the foolish are drawn by its luring power, but occasionally, even the wise will succumb. The tempter offers understanding to the simple-minded. However, this offer usually cannot be trusted because the tempter is not able to deliver. When we are enticed to do something wrong, the tempter will many times tell us that no one will ever know. In Proverbs 9:17, Solomon indicated that the tempter says that fun things done in secret are pleasant and that no one will be hurt. Unfortunately, the simple person is the one who usually falls for this deception and is sucked in by these powerful devices of Satan. Being enticed is easy. However, we do not have to submit. The Bible teaches by example and by instruction to just walk away from temptation. Psalms 119:101 says, "I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word." Romans 6:12-14 says, "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace."
Through God's Word and also through an inward relationship with Christ, we can be set free from the devil's powers. I Corinthians 10:13 says, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." God is faithful, and He will protect us through all the different forms of temptations and trials. We can trust Him. Therefore, as you go through the coming week, seek Him with all your heart, mind, and soul and try to be the person that He would have you be.
Tom of Spotswood"He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." (I John 5:12)
"And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13)
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