Proverbs 5:7-8 tells us what we should do based on what was shared in Proverbs 5:1-6. These two verses have some very easy, but powerful charges for us to follow.

If you notice in Proverbs 5:7 it starts with the word “therefore”. A professor in College once said to me, “If you see the word ‘therefore’ you must ask yourself the question, ‘What is it there for’.” That is a good practice. So what is it here for? It is a bridge between what was said before to what is going to be said now. Because of this immoral woman, you must do xyz. What are these things?

We start where Solomon says to hear him and to not depart from his words. The word hear has been covered in Proverbs 1, 4 and now in Proverbs 5:7. We will not delve into this but I would encourage, as a way of example to look at Proverbs 1:5, 8; 4:1. Naturally, we then see to not depart. Solomon is calling for the hearers (and we the readers) to not depart from the good things he is about to say. We find the call to depart from evil (Proverbs 3:7), and the call to remove from evil (Proverbs 4:27), but in this instance, this is to not depart but to stay put. What Solomon is doing here is to set the stage for what he is about to say. Notice he is talking about the words of his mouth. In this instance what he says in Proverbs 5:8.

Now we look at Proverbs 5:8 and we find that there is to be a removing from her. The word way has the idea of path, road, direction. The call is to remove your path away from her. Her being an individual. There is an author who was writing about witnessing. One of the things he would do is pick up prostitutes in his car and witness to them. In the book, he said it was not the wisest thing but something he did. I am all for witnessing to everyone we can. But I am also very strong on being wise about how we do it. On the other side of this, there are some who almost seem to run straight toward those who will destroy them. They struggle with sexual impurity (whether they were saved from a life of sex, or pornography), and to even drive near a place that sex is their commerce, is a temptation. They then plan their routes AROUND those places even if it means a longer drive or walk. Good for them. I believe this kind of picture is perfect for what is being said here. Move your way away from these people individually.

But then notice what it says! Do not go near the door. This is her dwelling (or in our day, probably her place of business). Do not do it! We have some powerful verses such as Proverbs 1:15; 7:8, 25; 29:3. I believe the imperative here is to be careful of what you are near, especially if you struggle with this form of sin. But Jesus goes one step further to show how much we should ABHORE sin. Matthew 5:29. Do we see the picture? We will not develop these above verses too much until we get to them later.

It is wise, especially as men, to heed what is being said here. Solomon goes deeper than this in Proverbs 6:26-28. Again, Lord willing, we will cover this in greater detail in that text, but please hear the wisdom of sexual purity that is being called for. Husbands, have your own wives. Wives, have your own husbands. Jesus taught that marriage and sexual union was safe inside the bounds of marriage between one man and one woman for life (Genesis 1:28; Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:4-6; Mark 10:6-9). Some may argue and say,

This is old fashioned, or you are being too hard. There is nothing wrong with just LOOKING!

I again point us to Matthew 5:27-28. Jesus not only took the teaching of committing sexual immorality, adultery in this context, and raised it to being a matter of the heart itself. With that knowledge, why do we think it safe to go near places that are designed to tempt us with sexual pleasure? Why put it on our T.V.? Phone? Why have it anywhere? That is the temptation we must be guarded against. Do not go by the individual, and do not go near her door.

The fact of being near the door is important. A door does not move. That means this is an intentional move of the individual. They purposely went to the door itself. It is here the temptation will be the strongest. It is foolish to think we can stand right at the door of temptation and not be touched. Solomon, for all his wisdom, shows us the risk inherit in ignoring his advice (1 Kings 11:1). They led him away from God. If he was wiser than anyone else, and he was led away, would that not be a cautionary tale for us to learn from?

Dear believer, whether you are a man or a woman, please understand that God has designed sexual intimacy for a special place, time and purpose. It is cheapened by the world and Satan to bring it down from where it should be. It is only when intimacy is kept in its proper place, and in the proper way, that we find the joy, pleasure, and yes, spiritual truth that God intended through that union. Do not let an outsider spoil it, whether it is done visually or physically. Keep your purity for your husband or wife. Then God will be pleased.

But what happens if we do not follow this advice? What if we feel that we are stronger and this is too old and not “fun”. Well, we will look at the consequences in Proverbs 5:9-14.