“Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel” (Proverbs 20:17).
Instant gratification (i.e. the passing pleasures of sin—Heb. 11:25) is a powerful and alluring bait on the hook called temptation. Why save up money and buy the item later when you can steal it now? Why pay a fair price for an item when you can call it “good for nothing” when bartering its price down and then later boast of the bargain you purchased (Prov. 20:14)? Instant gratification (universal sovereignty without Calvary) was what Satan promised Jesus on the exceedingly high mountain of Matthew 4:8-9.
Satan never mentions the worms of regret, guilt, and shame that are found in the forbidden fruit he is peddling. He wants you to focus only on how appealing and tantalizing the fruit is. For him, his end justifies any and every deceitful means he employs.
Repeatedly outside the garden of Eden, this scenario is found. Abram. Lot’s daughters. Jacob. Joseph’s brothers. King Saul. King David. Elisha’s servant Gehazi. David’s son Amnon. Ahab and Jezebel. Judas. Peter. Each succumbed to temptation and shortly thereafter found their mouth filled with the gravel of remorse, guilt, and shame.
These things and this proverb were written for our admonition (1 Cor. 10:11) to help make us wise unto salvation (2 Tim. 3:15).
Choose your hard. Pay me now or pay me later. One can have it all now but eventually it all goes away.