Two Actions that Destroy Good Lives

1 Kings 3:3

And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places.

Solomon had everything set up for him to live a life for God and a life of great accomplishment. He started his reign right, but he did not end it right. Sadly, what started with great potential ended with Solomon having his heart turned after other gods. Imagine the man who built a temple for God now not serving the God he built the temple for. This makes no sense. Yet, that is precisely where Solomon ended up, and it influenced many generations of kings to stray from God.

Solomon’s life story seems to be lived over and over again in the lives of believers. So many people start out right, doing good, and then they start the same actions that Solomon took that destroyed his life. Let me share the two actions he took that led to his eventual destruction.

The first act that led to Solomon’s destruction was that he made affinity with the king of Egypt. Egypt is a type of the world. In other words, Solomon made friendship with the world. You can never become a friend of the world and please God at the same time. James 4:4 teaches, Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

The world is always opposed to God; therefore, there is no way you can be friendly with the world and God simultaneously. Elijah brought this to light when he challenged the prophets of Baal. He said in 1 Kings 18:21, …How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him…. You cannot walk on both sides of a fence; you must choose a side. Though Solomon tried to straddle the fence, he eventually chose the world’s side, and people always do.

The second act that led to Solomon’s destruction was he almost did all that he was supposed to do. 1 Kings 3:3 says, And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places. Notice the word only. It was the only in Solomon’s life that led to worshipping other gods. Whatever area you give an exception to sin is the area that becomes the cancer for it to slowly eat through your walk with Christ until it kills you. You cannot have only’s in your life and serve God. God commands complete obedience because He knows that it is the only way to enjoy His blessings and avoid sin from destroying your life.

Have you made the same mistakes that Solomon made? Have you made peace with the world? Does the world seem palatable to you? The area where you seem to be in agreement with the world is the area that one day will lead you to the only in your life. The only friendship with the world that a believer ought to have is no friendship. This does not mean that I have to be mean or obstinate to those who live in the world; it simply means that you must avoid those associations with the world that eventually will pull you from God. Let me challenge you to look at your life and see if you have an only in your life or if you have made friendship with the world. Be all in for God, and these two actions will have no part in your life.