The Bible, on the other hand, is very clear: sanctification expresses itself in bodily behavior, not in asceticism and withdrawal, but in conformity to God's wisdom and will:

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. (Rom 6:12-14)

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'Do not present your members as instruments for unrighteousness . . . ' And the way of dealing with the temptation of sexual sin is very clear: avoid the circumstances that lead to temptation. "Remove your way far from her, and do not go near the door of her house" (5:8). We are to take deliberate steps in avoiding temptation of this kind. Sexual sanctification doesn't come about by osmosis. It requires effort and planning. What precisely does this mean? Obviously, it will differ from one Christian to another-and you must be the judge of what is appropriate for you. But make the assessment, you must! It may mean getting Internet blocking protocols. It may mean stopping the cable channels. It may mean doing what Job did: making 'a covenant with my eyes' (Job 31:1). It may mean making sure that you don't give indications of flirting — it begins with what looks like an innocent statement, "She doesn't understand me." And the reply, "I know what you mean." You are on the edge of a precipice whenever you start a conversation like that.

Temptations rarely arise in the 'heat of the moment.' No, the seed of desire is planted a long time before it matures into a potent life-force. We can create the opportunities for temptation — isn't it funny how in matters of sin, we suddenly want to express our belief in God's sovereignty so as to minimize our responsibility in it!

You only have to read the accounts of Noah, Lot, David and Hezekiah to see the powerful effects of un-mortified sin.

Legalism?

I can almost hear some of you saying already, 'That sounds a bit legalistic to me!' It's interesting, isn't it, how we shy away from the 'ought' categories of Scriptures when they appear to cost us more than we are prepared to give?

"How I hated discipline,

and my heart despised reproof!

I did not listen to the voice of my teachers

or incline my ear to my instructors. (5:12-13)

Only a fool rebels against God's law. Only a fool thinks that a life with 'lack of discipline' (v.23) is a holy one. Now, you may find this outlook legalistic, but that would be a mistake. Legalism is trying to earn our way into the kingdom of God by our efforts. That is not what the Book of Proverbs is saying at all. These are words for believers, for members of the covenant family. Proverbs enjoys the same covenantal outlook on life as does the rest of Scripture. This is a book of how saved men and women live. It prescribes ways for redeemed folk to express their faith and glorify God. The "do's and don'ts" of this book are no different from Paul's or Peter's.