Proverbs 6:23

Good parents warn their children about sexual sins. Good children appreciate their parents’ wisdom and rules and are saved from trouble in their lives by these popular sins.

Foolish parents are too busy, too concerned about less important parts of life, wait too long, are too prudish to be plain and blunt with their children, do not have a romantic marriage to earn their children’s respect, or leave the warnings to others, like pastors.

Read the proverb again. The commandment, the law, and the reproofs of instruction are parental rules and warnings against sexual sins. That is the context of this proverb (Pr 6:20-35). The second half of the sentence started by this proverb reads, “To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman” (Pr 6:24).

Noble parents set rules, give laws, reprove bad conduct, and provide instruction about this important part of life. Every wise child will heed these rules, laws, and reproofs, since they are the basis for true happiness and success. The fool that disregards his parents’ sexual warnings will destroy himself, for the danger and consequences are great.

Solomon and his wife warned their son about whorish women and adultery (Pr 6:20-35). He appealed to his son to remember their instructions about the damning results of sexual sins (Pr 6:20-24). The commandment here is from Solomon as father; the law is from Solomon’s wife as mother; and the plural reproofs of instruction are from both (Pr 6:20).

Parents must teach and warn children (Pr 22:6; 29:15; Deut 6:4-9; 29:29; Eph 6:4). And their reproofs and instruction must include regular advice and warning about sexual sins, which are mentioned often in Scripture and Proverbs (Pr 7:6-27; Gen 2:24-25; 39:7-12; Lev 18:6-30; 20:10-24; II Sam 11:1-27; Mal 2:10-16; Matt 5:27-32; I Thess 4:3-8; etc.).

Parents, especially mothers, invest much time and effort in their children’s schooling, homework, athletics, entertainment, and arts. But few parents, especially mothers, teach them about sex. Christian children may wonder how they were conceived, since there are no sparks, looks, touches, or words between their parents about sex or lovemaking. As hormones inflame their desires and thoughts, they wonder if their parents understand.

The devil used the Victorian Age and other errors to conjure up a prudish approach to sex that is foreign to the Bible. In spite of what many older Christians believe, the Bible is very positive toward sex. Just read the Song of Solomon! Repression and silence about sex continues to wreck dysfunctional havoc in marriages, which brought about the sexual revolution to counteract this ungodly distortion. The truth is between both ditches.

Godly parents are happy lovers and promote marital sex to their children, but they fully condemn fornication, limit opportunity with the opposite sex, restrict emotional attachments, eliminate lustful music, reading, movies, and Internet, chaperone dates, ridicule worldly fads, take measures to preserve virginity, and promote early marriages.

Father! Do your children know your commandments? Are they scriptural in frankness and limits? Have you defined and explained them adequately? Have you clearly described sexual temptations? Have you acknowledged the rising sex drive in your children? Have you explained the short-term pleasure does not justify the long-term consequences? Have you been there for them as the sexual frustration of youth rises?

Mother! Have you given laws to your children about love and sex? Are your rules free from foolish prudery and based on sound Bible wisdom? Are they clearly understood? Do your children trust you as a wise and balanced woman in these matters? Are you as involved in laying down laws as mothers described in Proverbs (Pr 1:8; 6:20; 31:1-3)?

Child! God does not care how old you are. If you have parents, you are a child. Sixteen-year-old youth know nothing about love, sex, and marriage, and they are not much better at twenty. The only thing they know well is finding emotional and sexual trouble. Full of folly and lust, you are a disaster waiting to happen (Pr 7:7; 22:15; Ps 25:7; Eccl 11:9-10; II Tim 2:22). Listen to your parents! God sent them to protect you from yourself.

Child! This proverb is primarily for you. Solomon told his son that his father’s command and his mother’s law were the lamp and light to keep him from the dark and painful trouble of sexual sins. Their combined reproofs and instruction were the only way to have a good life. Believe it, or die (Pr 2:18; 5:5; 7:27; 9:18). And remember, there is more than one way to die, for life can be more painful than death (Pr 1:24-31; 5:23; 13:15; 22:5).

Child! Your happiness and success depend greatly on avoiding lasting scars and costly consequences of sexual folly. Trust your Christian parents, who represent God in your life, for He created and designed love, sex, and marriage. He knows more about them and enjoying them best than the whole world put together. This should be obvious by seeing the world’s same-sex marriages, high divorce rate, abortions, and other perversions.

Reader! God is a great Father to His children. His word is filled with perfect advice and noble commandments on every subject, including sexual fulfillment in a loving marriage. It is your duty and privilege to learn His word on this subject by being in a church where the whole counsel of God is taught without compromise or embarrassment. A large part of your sanctification is your sexual obedience to God (I Thess 4:3-8; I Cor 7:1-5).

The abundant life in every respect depends on you learning and obeying His word, the Bible (Pr 3:13-18; Ps 19:11; 34:12-16; John 10:10). God’s scriptures are a lamp and light to show you the way of having the best life in this world and life in the world to come.