Proverbs Chapter 5

Proverbs 5:22
"His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins."

Chapter five of Proverbs deals primarily with sexual sin and immorality. Solomon exhorts his son to heed his warnings and teachings about strange, loose or immoral women. I think we can stay true to the Scriptures and broaden the application of the principles of wisdom Solomon gives to his son. In particular, verse 22 speaks about the tremendous power sin can have over the person whose lifestyle is wrapped up in it.

There are two words used to describe “sin” in verse 22. The first “his own iniquities”, by the context, strongly conveys the idea of deliberately twisting or perverting that which is right and moral. This is not the type of sin that “overtakes” a person. This is what occurs when we choose to willfully give in to temptation. Eventually this sin will “take“ or “captured” us like a city is captured by an invading army or an animal is captured by a skillful hunter. The invading army plans a long siege. The hunter patiently tracks his game until it is taken. We can deceived in thinking that we can continually choose to sin without regard for the consequences. We may think we can choose at any time not to sin but in our constant and willful disregard for God’s ways we will eventually become captive to our sinful choices.

The second word for “sin” is, interestingly, used to describe Cain‘s fight with sin in Genesis 4:7. Cain was told that if he chose to do wrong then sin was “lurking at the door” ready to pounce on him. Picture a robber or mugger who lurks in dark places waiting for a victim to come his way. He pounces on the victim. He beats him and binds him. He can then easily rob him of his valuable possessions. If we walk the path of sin we will become the victim of sin. We will be beaten, bound and robbed by it.

Solomon tells his son and us how to avoid sexual sin, and by extension to avoid sin in general. He tells us to gain wisdom, knowledge and discretion; To learn to recognize the strange, immoral woman and the danger she represents; And to avoid going down the path that leads to her door.

Thanks be to God that those who find themselves captured and bound by sin need not stay captured and bound. If we will confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive. Jesus Christ sits willing and able to free us from the bonds of sin. Isaiah 61:1 says that He is come to proclaim liberty to the captive and free those that are bound. What joy it is to be free from the bondage of sin! He wants to set you free. Walk in that freedom today!