His Own Soul Prov. 6: 32 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

Eight times is Proverbs, we find a reference to a man’s “own soul.”  What he does in his life has either a beneficial or detrimental effect on his soul.  We’ll study the references in this broadcast.

A person who commits adultery destroys his own soul – Prov 6:32.  You would think that Solomon would have said he destroys the soul of the person with whom he commits adultery.  Indeed he hurts her badly, but he destroys himself.  David is a perfect example.  He was a man after God’s own heart and yet he never escaped the dishonor and reproach of his adultery with Bathsheba.  There was no remedy in the law.  You’ll reap a lifetime of pain for one night of pleasure.  And you will face the eternal consequences of lost inheritance [1 Cor 6:9-10].

A person who sins against wisdom wrongs his own soul – Prov 8:36.  Wisdom is here to help you in every area of your life.  See all of Prov 8.  When you sin against wisdom you hurt yourself.  You are the loser.

A person who refuses instruction despises his own soul – Prov 15:32.  Instruction can be hard to take but it is there to protect you and guide you [Prov 6:23].  When you refuse it, you’re the one that gets hurt.  We try to help young people stay away from trouble by giving them good counsel and instruction.  When they walk away from instruction, they come back forever scarred, if they come back at all.

A person who provokes the king to anger sins against his own soul – Prov 20:2.  Haman and Shimei are perfect examples.  You don’t survive when you have provoked the king.  And consider Jesus Christ, the King of kings.  When you provoke him to anger, you will face the worst vengeance imaginable.

A person who is partner with a thief hates his own soul – Prov 29:24.  Prov 1:15-19 explains why.  You ensnare and destroy yourself.  The Pharisees partnered with Judas Iscariot, a thief [Mk 14:6], and Israel has been suffering God’s wrath ever since [1 Thes 2:16].

A person who is merciful does good to his own soul – Prov 11:17.  You would think that mercy is all about the recipient.  But it’s not.  God is merciful to the merciful.  If you want mercy, extend mercy.

A person who gets wisdom loves his own soul – Prov 19:8.  Wisdom can be hard to obtain, Prov 2.  A man must fear the Lord and learn to fear the Lord.  But a person will go the effort to get it because it is so beneficial to him, personally.  Christ is our wisdom 1 Cor 1:30.

A person who keeps the commandments keeps his own soul – Prov 19:16.  You get the idea that keeping the commandments is for the benefit of the authority who commands you.  To the contrary, the commandments, whether they are the ordinance of man or the law of God, are for your benefit [Rom 13:1-7; 1 Pet 2:13-14].  Keeping them benefits you.