Grace Fellowship ChurchGrace Fellowship ChurchPastor/TeacherPastor/Teacher

Jim RickardJim Rickard

www.GraceDoctrine.orgwww.GraceDoctrine.org

Tuesday, Tuesday, March 12, 2013March 12, 2013

1 John 1:9,1 John 1:9,“If we confess our sins, He “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to forgive us our sins and to

cleanse us from all cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”unrighteousness.”

DoxologyDoxology

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;Praise Him, all creatures here below;Praise Him, all creatures here below;Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.—Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.—Amen.Amen.

The Book of ProverbsThe Book of ProverbsChapter 5Chapter 5

“Avoid the Adulterer”“Avoid the Adulterer”

Prov 5:3Prov 5:3

Lips Dripping with Honey Lips Dripping with Honey and Smoother than Oil!and Smoother than Oil!

Doctrine of FlatteryDoctrine of Flattery::I. Definition:I. Definition:

AA Verbal Sin where you practice Verbal Sin where you practice excessive, false or sycophantic excessive, false or sycophantic

complimenting and praise trying to complimenting and praise trying to arouse favorable attention towards arouse favorable attention towards

yourself.yourself.

Flattery Related toFlattery Related to::II. Arrogance Complex of Sins.II. Arrogance Complex of Sins.III. Cosmic Evangelism.III. Cosmic Evangelism.IV. The Men-Pleaser Syndrome.IV. The Men-Pleaser Syndrome.V. The Con-Artist.V. The Con-Artist.VI. False Teaching and Religion.VI. False Teaching and Religion.VII. Conspiracy Theory.VII. Conspiracy Theory.

VIII. Marriage and Flattery.VIII. Marriage and Flattery.

There is no greater form of There is no greater form of Impersonal Love than a Impersonal Love than a woman respecting her woman respecting her

husband.husband.

Yet, when a woman stops Yet, when a woman stops cycling God’s Word and cycling God’s Word and

allows her Sin Nature to take allows her Sin Nature to take over, she stops responding to over, she stops responding to

her husband and instead her husband and instead begins reacting to him. begins reacting to him.

When the arrogance complex When the arrogance complex kicks in she is now highly kicks in she is now highly

vulnerable to flattery and the vulnerable to flattery and the enticement of others, because enticement of others, because she has imagined she deserves she has imagined she deserves

better things. better things.

Gen 3:4-5,Gen 3:4-5,“The serpent said to the woman, “The serpent said to the woman,

‘You surely will not die! ‘You surely will not die! 55For For God knows that in the day you God knows that in the day you

eat from it eat from it your eyes will be your eyes will be openedopened, and you will be like , and you will be like

God, knowing good and evil’.”God, knowing good and evil’.”

When that happens she is When that happens she is highly vulnerable to the first highly vulnerable to the first man that comes along that man that comes along that

says a few good things about says a few good things about her. her.

As a protection for both the As a protection for both the woman and the man, God woman and the man, God commands the woman to commands the woman to

respect her husband, and the respect her husband, and the husband to love his wife.husband to love his wife.

Eph 5:22-28Eph 5:22-28

When a wife does not respect When a wife does not respect her husband she is tempting her husband she is tempting

his arrogance complex of sins his arrogance complex of sins to desire respect in some to desire respect in some

form, which could lead him to form, which could lead him to seek out another who will seek out another who will

respect him.respect him.

When the husband does not When the husband does not love his wife he is tempting love his wife he is tempting

her arrogance complex of sins her arrogance complex of sins that makes her vulnerable to that makes her vulnerable to

the flattery of other men.the flattery of other men.

No man can force a woman to No man can force a woman to love him by flattery unless she love him by flattery unless she has reacted to her husband in has reacted to her husband in some negative way and has some negative way and has

made herself vulnerable to the made herself vulnerable to the flattery of another. flattery of another.

Cf. Col 3:18-19; Titus 2:4-5; Cf. Col 3:18-19; Titus 2:4-5; 1 Peter 3:1-91 Peter 3:1-9

IX. The Defense against IX. The Defense against Flattery.Flattery.

A. Spiritually Immature A. Spiritually Immature Believers are Susceptible to Believers are Susceptible to

Flattery.Flattery.Prov 14:15, “The naive Prov 14:15, “The naive

believes everything, but the believes everything, but the prudent man considers his prudent man considers his

steps.”steps.”

““Naïve” – PETHIY,Naïve” – PETHIY,“Fool, stupid, empty headed, “Fool, stupid, empty headed, etc., people who are easily etc., people who are easily

persuaded by flattery, persuaded by flattery, delusion, deception and delusion, deception and

enticement. enticement.

These believers have no Bible These believers have no Bible Doctrine in their soul and Doctrine in their soul and

they are usually easily trapped they are usually easily trapped by the details of life. by the details of life.

Prov 8:5,Prov 8:5,“O naive ones, discern “O naive ones, discern prudence; and, O fools, prudence; and, O fools,

discern wisdom.”discern wisdom.”

The flatterer is one who preys The flatterer is one who preys on weaker vessels especially on weaker vessels especially

“the lonely ones.” “the lonely ones.”

Loneliness is an invitation to Loneliness is an invitation to the flatterer to take advantage the flatterer to take advantage

of someone’s weakness. of someone’s weakness.

Loneliness makes a person’s Loneliness makes a person’s soul vulnerable, and what soul vulnerable, and what makes the soul vulnerable, makes the soul vulnerable, makes the body vulnerable makes the body vulnerable

too.too.

B. Having Wisdom in your B. Having Wisdom in your Soul gives you Discernment Soul gives you Discernment

regarding Flattery.regarding Flattery.

Prov 2:10‑17 teaches that Prov 2:10‑17 teaches that good decisions always result good decisions always result

from having metabolized from having metabolized Bible doctrine in your soul, Bible doctrine in your soul,

called CHOKMAH - wisdom.called CHOKMAH - wisdom.

Psa 119:103-104,Psa 119:103-104,“How sweet are Your words “How sweet are Your words

to my taste! to my taste! Yes, sweeterYes, sweeter than than honey to my mouth! honey to my mouth!

104104From Your precepts I get From Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I understanding; therefore I

hate every false way.”hate every false way.”

Prov 2:16,Prov 2:16,“To deliver you from the “To deliver you from the strange woman, from the strange woman, from the

adulteress who flatters with adulteress who flatters with her words.”her words.”

Prov 6:24,Prov 6:24,“To keep you from the evil “To keep you from the evil woman, from the smooth woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.”tongue of the adulteress.”

Wisdom should also give you Wisdom should also give you strength to restrain yourself strength to restrain yourself from gullibility and flattery, from gullibility and flattery,

Eccl 7:21.Eccl 7:21.

Wisdom is a filtering system Wisdom is a filtering system that rejects flattery and the that rejects flattery and the

praise of men, and gives you praise of men, and gives you the strength to keep from the strength to keep from

believing it. believing it.

1. It gives you balance, 1. It gives you balance, Ecc 7:16-18.Ecc 7:16-18.

1. It gives you balance, 1. It gives you balance, Ecc 7:16-18.Ecc 7:16-18.

2. Strength, Ecc 7:19.2. Strength, Ecc 7:19.

1. It gives you balance, 1. It gives you balance, Ecc 7:16-18.Ecc 7:16-18.

2. Strength, Ecc 7:19.2. Strength, Ecc 7:19.3. Allows you to 3. Allows you to acceptaccept the the

imperfections of life, imperfections of life, Ecc 7:20.Ecc 7:20.

4. It gives you the strength to 4. It gives you the strength to overlook the faults of others.overlook the faults of others.

4. It gives you the strength to 4. It gives you the strength to overlook the faults of others.overlook the faults of others.

5. And, to restrain yourself 5. And, to restrain yourself from gullibility and flattery, from gullibility and flattery,

Ecc 7:21.Ecc 7:21.

6. Wisdom gives you strength 6. Wisdom gives you strength to resist criticism.to resist criticism.

6. Wisdom gives you strength 6. Wisdom gives you strength to resist criticism.to resist criticism.

7. It gives you insight.7. It gives you insight.

6. Wisdom gives you strength 6. Wisdom gives you strength to resist criticism.to resist criticism.

7. It gives you insight.7. It gives you insight.8. And, reveals the fact that 8. And, reveals the fact that intimate relationships are intimate relationships are compelling but often not compelling but often not

satisfying.satisfying.

Psa 5:9,Psa 5:9,“There is nothing reliable in “There is nothing reliable in what they say; their inward what they say; their inward

part is destruction; their throat part is destruction; their throat is an open grave; they flatter is an open grave; they flatter

with their tongue.”with their tongue.”

Grace Fellowship ChurchGrace Fellowship ChurchTuesday, March 12, 2013Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Tape # 13-026Tape # 13-026

Proverbs Chapter 5 Proverbs Chapter 5

The Defense against FlatteryThe Defense against Flattery

Prov 5:3; 2:10-17; 14:15; Eccl 7:16-21; Eph 5:22-28Prov 5:3; 2:10-17; 14:15; Eccl 7:16-21; Eph 5:22-28

James James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2013H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2013