Articles
The Seduction of Sin
The wise writer has given us plenty of beneficial instruction to help us make it through life, pointing us to the fear of God (cf. Prov. 1:7), and warning against following the ways of the wicked (cf. Prov. 1:10-19). He also warns the young man to not heed the seducing words of the immoral woman (Prov. 5:1-14; Prov. 7:1-27) lest his end be ruin or death.
In those words warning against falling prey to the sweet words of the seductress, we find the parallel to every sin that our spiritual enemy will use to tempt us and lead us to ruin and spiritual death. Let us see how the seduction of sin can entice us and lead us to destruction, and let us be warned.
The Target of Temptations. The wise writer describes the seductress as one who targets “the simple” and the one “devoid of understanding” (Prov. 7:7). This is the favorite target of temptations, too! One who is naïve to the destructive ways of sin, the one who does not understand what it will do to the spiritual well-being of ones who succumb, and the one who naïvely says, "I would never do that" are the very ones temptations target because our spiritual enemy knows those are the ones most easily led astray. We should not be surprised to find her seductions work (Prov. 7:21, 22).
When we think sins or temptations will never touch us or even appeal to us, we are setting ourselves up for spiritual destruction just as surely as this foolish young man yielded to the seductress. Let us heed the warning of the wise writer when he said, “Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways, do not stray into her path” (Prov. 7:24, 25). There is a reason Peter warned against our spiritual adversary (1 Pet. 5:8)!
Walking Where Temptations Exist. Part of the foolishness of this young man lay in the fact “he took the path to her house” (Prov. 7:8). It was not accidental that he ran into this immoral woman; he purposefully took the path that led to her house! How foolish is the one who walks where temptations exist — where one knows there is a great possibility of meeting the very thing that would draw one into sin!
There is a reason Paul exhorted Timothy to “Flee also youthful lusts” (2 Tim. 2:22), and the Corinthians to “Flee sexual immorality” (1 Cor. 6:18) and “flee from idolatry” (1 Cor. 10:14); hanging around where those temptations existed would be a sure way to be led into sin and spiritual destruction. It's one thing to meet temptations unexpectedly, and another to go where we know they are!
If we learn anything at all from the example of this foolish young man, it is that we should not put ourselves in spiritual danger by purposefully going where we know we will be tempted. If we are tempted by the fleshly desires, don't watch movies or TV shows or go to websites where indecency or pornography is expected or offered, and don't go where we know others will be immodestly dressed; if we are tempted to drink, don't go where it is served; the point is, if we know what our weakness is, it is utter foolishness to purposefully put ourselves in situations or places where those temptations may be found. As we so often say, Don't even go there!
Temptation Can Be Found Anywhere. In this story, it is said the seductress “At times…was outside, at times in the open square, lurking at every corner” (Prov. 7:12). The point was, she didn't limit her efforts to one place or time. She was not just going to wait for someone to find here, but was out actively looking for a new victim.
Peter warns us our “adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8); he's not going to wait around for us to find him, but is actively searching for new victims constantly! Our enemy is sometimes “in the open square” because he is not shy about throwing temptations in our face, blasting it in our ears, or making sure it is always in view; sometimes he is “lurking at every corner” because he knows he can sometimes catch us off guard and unprepared to answer the temptation. He doesn't care how we are seduced into sin, as long as we are enticed. We must be always prepared to answer every temptation, no matter where or when it may appear. And let us not think our enemy ever rests, either! When we are least expecting it is when he will appear.
Temptations May Come Under the Guise of Spiritual Purposes. We might miss the irony of the seductress here, but when she tells the foolish young man, “I have peace offerings with me; today I have paid my vows” (Prov. 7:14), she is trying to make it appear she has nothing but good and righteous intentions. She means to do nothing righteous!
Disciples must not let the desire for righteousness and godliness lull us into thinking every action or every intent is innocent or harmless. Many godly people have fallen to temptation with other godly people because they let down their guard and put themselves in situations that led to ungodly thoughts and behavior. Sometimes, godly people are led into situations that are portrayed as innocent or with only 'good' intentions, but are setups to lead one into sin. This potential is why God urges the spiritual one, when restoring the erring brother, that he should do so “considering yourself lest you also be tempted” (Gal. 6:1).
Temptations Are Aimed Specifically At You. When the seductress told the foolish young man, “I came out to meet you, diligently to seek your face” (Prov. 7:15), she was telling the truth — but it wasn't for anything good or righteous!
Let us not think that our spiritual enemy won't be aiming temptations at us, specifically targeted at the things that are our weaknesses. He will use what works best, and what better way to successfully lead us into sin but by offering the very things that we desire? James reminds us, “each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed” (Jas. 1:14), and the devil knows that and will use it to his advantage. When we see something that is one of our weaknesses, it just may be that it's not an accidental meeting!
Sin Is Presented As Pure Pleasure. The seductress tells the foolish young man, “Come, let us take our fill of love until morning; let us delight ourselves with love” (Prov. 7:18), and she is not wrong. The very lure of every sin is the pleasure it promises to bring us. What temptations make us forget, though, are the consequences.
It is when we forget that sin always leads to spiritual death (Rom. 6:23; Jas. 1:15) that we fall to the lure of temptation. But we do! We forget, if only for that moment, that sin is a rejection of God's way, and a temporary pursuit of one's selfish desire. The pleasure may indeed be real, but the consequences are just as real.
The Lie Of “No One Will Know.” The seductress further gives reason to indulge in the sin, telling the foolish young man, “my husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey” (Prov. 7:19, 20). She is basically telling him he doesn't have to worry about getting caught!
How many times do we tell ourselves this foolish lie? How many times do we think, "No one will ever know"? We surely remember that even if no other person on earth ever knows, God sees and knows all, and we cannot hide sin from Him.
Such is the seduction of sin. Don't be fooled. Don't go there. —— Steven Harper
