Proverbs 2:16-19 gives us a sure fire way to avoid adultery: “So you will be delivered from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words, 17 who forsakes the companion of her youth and forgets the covenant of her God; 18 for her house sinks down to death, and her paths to the departed; 19 none who go to her come back, nor do they regain the paths of life.”*
So what is this “So” referring to? In the verse before, it refers to WISDOM which is NOT just mere knowledge but it is the ACTION part, or DOING, of knowledge. In other words, wisdom is the doing of what is known to be right and wisdom is only obtained from God because only He possesses it!
Now read the first part of this proverb taking you up to and through verse 16 of chapter 2 of Proverbs:
My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, 2making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, 4 if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, 5 then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.
6 For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; 7 he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints.
9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path; 10 for wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; 11 discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you, 12 delivering you from the way of evil, from men of perverted speech, 13 who forsake the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness,
14 who rejoice in doing evil and delight in the perverseness of evil, 15 men whose paths are crooked, and who are devious in their ways.
16So you will be delivered from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words…
I hope reading this entire proverb helps you to understand the context of the where the PREVENTION for adultery comes from – God’s wisdom and the living out of that wisdom in wise actions and decisions!
-Mark (why God is the only answer to every question ever asked)