The Folly of Adultery, the Wisdom of Marriage, & the Gift of Sex

Proverbs 5:1-23

1 My son, pay attention to my wisdom,
    turn your ear to my words of insight,
2 that you may maintain discretion
    and your lips may preserve knowledge.
3 For the lips of the adulterous woman drip honey,
    and her speech is smoother than oil;
4 but in the end she is bitter as gall,
    sharp as a double-edged sword.
5 Her feet go down to death;
    her steps lead straight to the grave.
6 She gives no thought to the way of life;
    her paths wander aimlessly, but she does not know it.

7 Now then, my sons, listen to me;
    do not turn aside from what I say.
8 Keep to a path far from her,
    do not go near the door of her house,
9 lest you lose your honor to others
    and your dignity to one who is cruel,
10 lest strangers feast on your wealth
    and your toil enrich the house of another.
11 At the end of your life you will groan,
    when your flesh and body are spent.
12 You will say, “How I hated discipline!
    How my heart spurned correction!
13 I would not obey my teachers
    or turn my ear to my instructors.
14 And I was soon in serious trouble
    in the assembly of God’s people.”

15 Drink water from your own cistern,
    running water from your own well.
16 Should your springs overflow in the streets,
    your streams of water in the public squares?
17 Let them be yours alone,
    never to be shared with strangers.
18 May your fountain be blessed,
    and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.
19 A loving doe, a graceful deer—
    may her breasts satisfy you always,
    may you ever be intoxicated with her love.
20 Why, my son, be intoxicated with another man’s wife?
    Why embrace the bosom of a wayward woman?

21 For your ways are in full view of the Lord,
    and he examines all your paths.
22 The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare them;
    the cords of their sins hold them fast.
23 For lack of discipline they will die,
    led astray by their own great folly.

Discussion Questions

What is the outcome of someone who disregards God’s design for sex and relationships?
Culture tells us to follow our heart and to do the things that make us happy. Based on the passage, why is that actually a really bad idea?
If we try to find happiness outside of God’s design, we’re told that it results in ruin and regret. Why do you think people are so willing to try a different way than what God suggests?
What does Proverbs 5 teach us about marriage and sex? Why do those two things need to go together?
If God is always watching us (v.21), how can that help us make better choices?
How does the gospel of Jesus Christ help us understand and apply these things?