In chapter 5 the preacher emphasizes the importance of sincerity in religious service. In verses 4-6 he states that we should keep our promises to God literally. Too many people walk down an aisle and make a decision for Christ without following through. When you accept Christ as your Saviour, you also acknowledge Him as your Lord. God records every decision, and holds us accountable for our follow-through. It is wrong to use God as a fire escape or a foxhole in time of great emergency and need. The Lord wants to be invited into the common-place and everyday affairs of our lives. The Christian life is a relationship, not a religion!
After chapter 6 deals with the reality of death, Solomon feels that life is not worth living, because the ultimate end will be an untimely death. Once again we must view this as the perspective of the godless man. Death is not a horrible experience for a born-again believer. Death is graduation. "For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain," Paul said.
Chapter 7 is dedicated to the subject of Christian testimony. Verse 1 says, "A good name is better than precious ointment." The most precious possession we have, apart from salvation itself, is our Christian testimony. We should carefully guard it at all times.
The Bible urges us to be of good report among them which are without. Billy Monday used to say, "When you get saved, you will change your hitching post." A good dose of Bible salvation will ruin you for this world! You must come out from among the worldly associations, habits, and haunts when Christ becomes real in your life. "How can two walk together except they be agreed?".
