We are ever striving for what is forbidden, and coveting what is denied us.

Ovid

But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your destruction.

God's instruction to the Israelites as recorded in Joshua 6:18

Do you remember how your parents treated you when you were little? Don't touch that! Stay away from there! Don't get into that! Get down from there! It seems that no matter what we wanted, a meddlesome parent was there to tell us we couldn't have it. Of course, I'm not bitter - no, no, no, I'm just making an observation.

Do you remember when you got old enough to do the things that your parents told you not to do? Do you remember that ever working out well? We have all eventually learned (some later than others) that Mom and Dad actually knew what they were talking about - that when they said, "No!" it was for our benefit, not our harm.

In the Joshua passage above, God was instructing his chosen people in keeping away from the forbidden things. God did that a lot, and never without reason. Every time that the people of Israel disobeyed God's instruction in this, they ended up in more trouble than they could have possibly imagined... like, for example, a four year old boy getting into a can of paint at a vacant house - not that this ever happened of course - just a theoretic example. Nothing to see here!

Just like the people of Joshua's time, we have our own forbidden things in the Christian era in which we live. God tells us to stay away from certain types of behavior - not because He doesn't want us to have any fun, but because they are bad for us, and sometimes for others. Sexual immorality always has a consequence, even if it's just "peeking" at something on the internet. Lying always destroys trust, even if it's just a "little white" lie. Filthy language and gossip and deceit always, always, always come with a penalty, even if we cannot see that penalty at the time.

The point is that God tells us to stay away from the forbidden things for the same reason our parents tried to keep us away from certain things, and for the same reason we forbid certain things for our own children.

It is because He loves us!

Are you getting too close to the forbidden?

But He disciplines us for our good, that we may share in His holiness.

Hebrews 12:10, RSV