Deception | Knowable Word

When Words are More than Words and Life is Really Death

May 19, 2014 By Peter Krol

Easy sex will keep you from being wise. Trusting yourself and pleasing yourself are not in line with the fear of the Lord, the love of instruction. Therefore, it is a way that leads to death. In Proverbs 5-7, Solomon has made this point repeatedly. Now, in the last section of Proverbs 7, Solomon tries one last time.

Proverbs 7:21-27 consists of two short poems, parallel in structure. Each poem has four couplets, and these two sets of four couplets follow the same topical pattern: words, path, trap, death.

A: seductive words persuade the young man (21)
B: he follows her path (22a)
C: he’s like a stag caught in a trap (22b-23a)
D: it will cost him his life (23b)

A: listen, sons, to my words (24)
B: don’t turn your heart to her path (25)
C: she has trapped many before you (26)
D: her house will take you to death (27)

Solomon writes the first poem in third person, speaking of the young man, seduced by the immoral woman. He writes the second poem in second person, directly imploring his readers to heed his counsel.

Words

Bombasticos (2007), Creative Commons

Solomon warns that words are more than words.

Immorality’s words are “seductive speech,” “smooth talk” (Prov 7:21). These words have a goal in mind, and that goal is not your best interest. We tend to hear and believe these words, but wisdom unmasks the deception:

It will feel good
It won’t hurt anybody
No-one will know about it
You’ll be glad you did it
Your pain will go away

The best weapons against immorality’s seductive speech are the father’s words (Prov 7:24). Listen to the words of Solomon, those words which were breathed out by the Spirit of Christ to profit you and equip you for every good work (2 Tim 3:16-17).

Immorality will kill you (Prov 7:23).
Turn at reproof and God will pour out his Spirit (Prov 1:23).
Hear wisdom; call out for insight. You will understand the fear of the Lord (Prov 2:1-5), which is the beginning of knowledge (Prov 1:7).
Keep the commandments, and you’ll find life and peace (Prov 3:1-2).
Wisdom is more pleasing than immorality (Prov 3:17).
The love of your covenanted spouse can be utterly intoxicating (Prov 5:19).

Path

We tend to think we’re victims to our sexual sin. There’s a sense in which this is true, for when we turn to sexual sin, we’re as dumb as oxen going to the butcher (Prov 7:22). We’re hooked, following the wrong path.

But the problem is not ultimately with the path, or with the temptation itself. The problem is not with the spring weather, when people are more likely to wear fewer clothes. The problem is with our hearts. We follow the path of immorality because we have given our hearts away (Prov 7:25). We choose immorality because we believe its lies, and we want pleasures that we don’t think wisdom can give us.

Thus, the solution to immorality will never be better Internet filtering. If we want something enough, we’ll find a way around any filter. The solution is not to stay indoors or attend a Christian university. These measures offer some help, but they won’t change our hearts. We must give our hearts to the Lord and his wisdom (Prov 4:23).

Trap

Immorality is not the way of freedom. It’s a trap. A holding cell. It’s only a matter of time before the hunter arrives and finishes the job (Prov 7:22-23).

We choose sexual immorality because we think it will make us feel good and alive. Remember that many before you have fallen into this trap. Many after you will fall into it. If they couldn’t escape, neither will you (Prov 7:26).

Death

The wages of sin are death (Prov 7:23). Running toward immorality is like jumping into an early grave (Prov 7:27).

If you know Christ, you stand forgiven, now and always. He is your hope and your life. Why would you want to prolong your slavery to foolishness? He offers joy, and you choose guilt. He offers peace, and you drive yourself into turmoil. He offers love, and you mistake it for quick lust. Put those things to death, and find something better, something far more satisfying.

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry…drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (Gal 5:19-24)

The 11 Deceptive Tactics of Seduction

May 5, 2014 By Peter Krol

Anguskirk (2013), Creative Commons

When we commit sexual sin, we are not victims but perpetrators. Therefore the solution is to keep the Father’s words in our hearts so we might see sexual temptation with new eyes. Then the glamor doesn’t seem so glamorous anymore. We’ll see the stupid deception for what it is and make better choices.

1. Initiative

And behold, the woman meets him…
‘So now I have come out to meet you,
to seek you eagerly, and I have found you.’ (Prov 7:10, 15)

We love to feel loved. We want to feel wanted. We desire desirability. Immorality flatters us. It tells us we’re something special. It comes out to meet us, unlike all those real people with real lives, who are too busy even to take notice of us.

2. Dress

Dressed as a prostitute, wily of heart. (Prov 7:10b)

Women know it; men know it: If you dress a certain way, you’ll cause people to think of you in a certain way. But just because they think it, doesn’t make it true. And just because you’re deceived by it, doesn’t make it a good idea.

3. Commonality

She is loud and wayward;
her feet do not stay at home;
now in the street, now in the market,
and at every corner she lies in wait. (Prov 7:11-12)

I know everybody’s doing it. I know it’s “every man’s battle” and “every woman’s battle.” But though immorality is loud and proud, and you can find it on every street corner and in every person’s life, it shouldn’t be that way. As a teen, I thought I should masturbate because all my friends were doing it. With the way many Christians discuss internet pornography today, those who don’t look at it will soon start to feel guilty.

4. Touch

She seizes him… (Prov 7:13a)

The right touch at the right time is like magic. It doesn’t have to be sexual (though see the next point), it just has to communicate a sense of concern and value. That’s why Jerry Sandusky groomed his victims through pats on the back and post-practice wrestling matches. Be careful how and when you touch or are touched.

5. Foreplay

…and kisses him… (Prov 7:13b)

I remember a Christian youth event about dating where the students asked the obligatory, “How far is too far?” Please pardon my flabbergasted incredulity at the woefully misinformed youth leader’s answer: “Well, other than no sex before marriage, the Bible doesn’t really say anything about it. So my personal advice is to keep it above the waist.” I pray and pray that this filthy, destructive lie might soon return to the pit from whence it came. The Bible teaches that kissing is sexual (Prov 7:13, 22:14, Song 1:2). Of course, not the “holy kiss,” which obviously was equal to a wave or handshake (Rom 16:16). I know you know the difference between that which welcomes and that which arouses.

6. Piety

…and with bold face she says to him,
‘I had to offer sacrifices,
and today I have paid my vows.’ (Prov 7:13-14)

She’s just what all Christian parents want for their grown son: a nice girl. She goes to church. Perhaps she went to Bible college. She is pretty, easy to get along with, and nice to puppies. She offers all the right sacrifices; she makes and keeps her religious vows. You think you can trust this girl with your life. But immorality can’t be trusted, no matter how often she serves in the church nursery. Remember that sexual temptation is not something “out there.” It’s right “in here” where we might not expect it.

7. Taste

I had to offer sacrifices. (Prov 7:14)

Notice the ESV marginal reading for “sacrifices”: peace offerings. Of the various Old Testament sacrifices, peace offerings were the only ones that ordinary people—not just priests—got to eat. Solomon portrays this woman as having divinely blessed lamb chops and hamburgers hot and ready. She’s got dinner waiting. And since the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, her seduction is likely to succeed.

What is the point? Only that immorality will promise to satiate every physical desire. It will try to convince you that, since your hunger must be fed, you should go ahead and take a bite. Don’t fall for it.

8. Sights

I have spread my couch with coverings,
colored linens from Egyptian linen. (Prov 7:16)

Immorality looks so good. It’s amazing what pounds of makeup and lumens of stage lighting can do to the most normal person. The human being takes on a perfect, angelic appearance. What is seen seems so real. It seems so exotic. So exciting.

9. Smells

I have perfumed my bed with myrrh,
aloes, and cinnamon. (Prov 7:17)

Immorality smells so good. A little deodorant can go a long way. The right fragrance can even cover the smell of death. Especially cinnamon. I love cinnamon.

10. Adventure

Come, let us take our fill of love till morning;
let us delight ourselves with love. (Prov 7:18)

Immorality promises something special. In fact, it promises that you are something special, and with that promise we’re back where we started. You’re not like all the others who have shared this bed. You can expect the delight to last all night till morning. You’ll have your fill of love. You won’t want to miss out. There’s an adventure to be had…

11. Isolation

For my husband is not at home;
he has gone on a long journey;
he took a bag of money with him;
at full moon he will come home. (Prov 7:19-20)

Seduction’s final tactic is the promise of isolation. Nobody sees us. Nobody will know what happens here tonight. We’re together under cover of darkness (Prov 7:9), far from prying eyes.

With the promise of isolation comes the promise of invulnerability. Because no-one knows about it, we will get away with it. Some believe sin doesn’t have consequences (the liberal lie). Others know God will forgive them, so it doesn’t matter if they capitulate again and again (the conservative lie).

All must know this sin doesn’t take place in isolation. The jealous God sees (Prov 6:34-35). The hapless victim—the willful perpetrator—rushes to the snare at the cost of his life (Prov 7:23).

If you’re caught in the snare, I beg you on behalf of Christ, please get out. We’re nearing the end of Proverbs 7, and Proverbs 8 approaches, so good news is on the way.

O simple ones, learn prudence;
O fools, learn sense. (Prov 8:5)

Unmasking Immorality’s Deception

March 31, 2014 By Peter Krol

In just a few weeks, the largest amphibious invasion in the history of the world will have its 70th anniversary. Operation Overlord turned the tide of World War II when more than 160,000 American, British, and Canadian troops landed on Normandy beaches (supported by more than 195,000 naval personnel in 5,000 ships) and began pushing into the European continent.

While you’ve probably heard of the D-Day Normandy invasion, you may not have heard of its partner invasion, Operation Quicksilver. That’s because the Quicksilver invasion didn’t actually occur; it was a spectacular deception.

In Operation Quicksilver, the Allied command took their most famous general, George S. Patton—the general whom the Nazis respected and feared the most—and put him in command of the 1st U.S. Army Group (FUSAG) stationed in Dover, England, just 21 miles across the English Channel from Pas-de-Calais, France.

Inflatable Sherman Tank

FUSAG had no troops, except on paper. Its artillery units consisted of rubber inflatable tanks. Its transport trucks were likewise inflatable and useless for any real combat purpose. The group’s mission was to convince the Nazis that the Allied invasion would land at Pas-de-Calais, and not at Normandy, hundreds of kilometers to the southwest.

Nazi agents undercover in England bought into the deception and fed wrong information back to Berlin. The Nazi high command was so bamboozled that they continued reinforcing their defenses at Pas-de-Calais for days after the landings at Normandy. They were convinced that the Normandy nuisance was merely a diversionary force, and that the real threat lay with General Patton’s imminent attack at Calais.

Proverbs 7 and the Forbidden Woman

But you were expecting a post about Bible study and not military history, right? What does Operation Quicksilver and the fictitious FUSAG have to do with Proverbs 7?

We, like the Nazi forces occupying France, are under threat of imminent assault. “The forbidden woman” is not our friend, as wisdom ought to be (Prov 7:4). The forbidden woman seeks to slay a mighty throng (Prov 7:26), and her headquarters leads nowhere but the grave (Prov 7:27). Her mightiest invasions are assisted by the spectacular deceptions of smooth words (Prov 7:5). Be on your guard.

Remember that “the forbidden woman” in Proverbs is not any particular person, but she represents every enticement to sexual immorality that you and I, whether male or female, experience. If we don’t understand her true tactics, we’ll fall for her misdirection and continue reinforcing the wrong defenses.

Thus, in Proverbs 7, Solomon unmasks her deception. He exposes her true battle plan. He details her aggressive and seductive tactics so we might be ready to fend them off. Will you listen? Are you ready to engage?

The logic of the passage flows as follows: To prepare for battle, you must lock and load with Scripture (Prov 7:1-5). Know that those who look for trouble will always find it (Prov 7:6-9). The enemy’s tactics involve all five senses and few extra tricks, but they’re not hard to recognize if you have the sense to do so (Prov 7:10-20). Make no mistake, this battle is for death or life. Which of the two do you want (Prov 7:21-27)?

Over the next few weeks, I’ll unpack each section in more detail.