Smooth talk

DEVOTION

PROVERBS

SMOOTH TALK

Prov 22:14

14 The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; he who is under the LORD's wrath will fall into it.

NIV

It would seem this speaks of sexually immorality using an adulteress as the trap. Those who have rejected Christ live in the trap of the adulteress. There could be some history here in the sense that during the time before, during and after the time of Christ there were temple prostitutes in some form of religion. Certainly it was not Christianity, or Jewish but nevertheless it was thought as a form of worship to some god, by those who would be considered pagan. This form of religious rite would have been present in the time of Solomon. Being the son of King David and having built the temple of God in Jerusalem we would have to believe Solomon was openly opposed to this behavior. He worshipped the God Almighty who certainly is opposed to the adulteress. However, Jesus encountered a woman caught in adultery and did not punish her, but rather taught the men they too are not without sin. Is one sin more damning then another? But there may be another idea here that is spoken about in regards to the mouth of the adulteress. Although we think of the believer as a child of God, all of mankind is his creation. God did not send his Son into the world just for the believer, but yet while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Rom 5:8

8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners , Christ died for us.

NIV

We would have to conclude that Jesus died for all mankind, for all his creation. We know God desires that none should perish.

2 Peter 3:8-9

8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish , but everyone to come to repentance.

NIV

Therefore we have to consider those who have not come to repentant, who are still the Lords people, his creation are in fact committing adultery with the world. It is bad enough that we believers would consider having an affair with the world. The world is the adulteress and her mouth beckons us. But it is those who worship her are those who are under the Lords wrath. It is not that he wants that, but it is his justice which demands that result for that adulteress behavior. But this also speaks to us as believers. We are in fact the bride of Christ and we should not be enticed by the mouth of this adulteress world. Sure we might say we live a holy life, but do we? We might say we do not smoke, drink or run around with woman who do, so to speak, but is that really all there is to being a believer? There are so many ways we are enticed by the world it would be difficult to list them all. Yet being enticed is not the sin. James makes that clear.

James 1:13-15

13 When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

NIV

Yet it may not even be the world which entices us, but our own evil desires. Our own heart may be the mouth of the adulteress, or at less could be. Nevertheless the idea is we are being enticed and if we allow that enticement to have reign in our hearts, it gives birth to sin. We start having an affair with sin, we get involved with it and there is when we get in trouble. Do we become objects of wrath because we fall, we slip in some way and commit a sin? No; we do not lose our salvation because we fail to maintain a perfect life. We cannot ever be perfect. But it is when we lose sight of God, and slip from the life centered on Christ to the life centered on ourselves we might be giving up our salvation. It is then we have been enticed into action that leads us away from God and into the arms of the world. We know the world apart from God is already under his wrath and those who live for the world fall even more into the trap of it’s wooing. Let us remain unaffected by its smooth talk.