The world’s sliding scale of ethics and morality provides a
fitting non-foundation for a society enamored with limitless
personal freedoms without the corresponding personal
responsibility.
It is perfect for people who want to feel good about themselves
no matter how they live. It makes “sense” to those who see no
ultimate purpose for their lives.
“You shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14)
is not limited to sex outside of marriage.
God commands us to abstain from all sexual immorality,
including premarital sex (fornication), homosexuality,
incest, voyeurism, bestiality, public nudity and much
more (see Leviticus 18 and 20)
The Bible is very clear that we’re not to be hypocritical when
dealing with sin.
Scripture’s parameters regarding sexual sin are extremely narrow
and govern not only our actions, but our words and thoughts as well.
That leaves me guilty.
How about you?
Where’s your mind when you’re reading that romance novel or watching
that steamy movie?
Are you using pornography?
Flirting with that good looking co-worker even though you’re married?
Using double entendres or other suggestive remarks?
Exchanging inappropriate e-mails with another man/woman?
Fantasizing about sexual encounters with someone you’re not married to?
Going farther than you should, physically, on a date?
Before we start thinking about addressing the sins others commit,
we first need to make sure our own hearts, hands, and mouths are
clean by repenting from any sexual sin we’re participating in.
Be true to oneself, quit lying and ask what is really really the
reason for wanting to go out with her/him and knowing it was
inappropriate; do not sell yourself down the road of no-return,
deceiving oneself for momentary pleasures and reaping an eternal
regret and horrible consequences.
In the New Testament, Paul adds licentiousness, uncleanness
and lewdness (Ephesians 4:19), which largely deal with liberal
attitudes towards sexual matters. Men seem to “get away” with
adultery while unfaithful women are considered tramps.
This double standard is ancient.
In John 8:3-11, a crowd was ready to stone a woman caught
“in the very act,” but where was the adulterous man?
We have a God who does not change (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8),
and since His Word is based on His very character, it does not
change either.
God’s Word, however, deals with both sexes equally.
His Word does not take sexual sin lightly either.
Leviticus 20:10 commands death for both participants for
adultery, as well as for sodomy and homosexuality (verse 13).
Paul reminds us that God killed twenty-three thousand
Israelites in one day for sexual sins (I Corinthians 10:8).
In Abraham’s day God destroyed five entire cities by fire
for their aberrant sex practices.
God sent the Israelites and Jews into captivity for immorality,
among other reasons.
Jesus struck the heart of the matter in His Sermon on the Mount.
Christians must not even lust after another—fantasizing or
committing sex with them mentally (Matthew 5:27-28).
Nowadays, many psychiatrists, psychologists and counselors
actually advise people to fantasize, or perhaps even have
a “little fling.”
Advertisements and fashions all play to the lust of the flesh,
making it increasingly more difficult to obey Jesus’ command.
Teens sometimes scorn their peers if they are still virgins
by fourteen. This topsy-turvy world has completely lost its
understanding of this commandment.
Why should we flee temptations?
Revelation 21:8 states that God will sentence the sexually immoral
to the Lake of Fire, right along with murderers, idolaters, liars
and other unrepentant sinners.
Paul adds, “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit
the kingdom of God?” Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators,
nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites
. . . will inherit the kingdom of God. (I Corinthians 6:9-10)
Much like our big cities today, ancient Corinth was filled
with sexual temptations. Paul advised the brethren there to
“flee sexual immorality” (I Corinthians 6:18).
Too often we flee, yet leave a forwarding address!
It is unwise to hang around people, places or situations that
tempt us into sexual sins.(Proverbs 5:3-14; Genesis 39:7-12).
When we flirt with temptation, we can end up as an ox going
to slaughter (Proverbs 7:6-27).
But for us, it is a slippery slope to the second death.
Through His law, God has provided us a fixed standard,
a pattern of approved behavior that is valid and profitable
for anyone in any place at any time.
This is the factor that allows us to have unshakable faith
in Almighty God and His purpose for us. And we need such an
unshakable faith during these last days. Paul warns us in
II Timothy 3:1 that our time would be “perilous” to us
because of our belief in the truth of God.
What are the results of rejecting and being disobedient to God?
Disobedience would lead to ….
1. Uncleanness, meaning moral impurity;
2. Longing or desiring, especially what is forbidden;
3. Disgracing each other by mutual consent, meaning unlawful
and impure connections with one another. Verse 24 contemplates
not just a perversion of sex—homosexuality—but any use of it
outside of God’s Law, such as fornication.
Paul describes more of what rejecting God leads to:
For this reason God gave them up to vile passions.
For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves
the penalty of their error which was due.
The apostle then lists specific attitudes (verses 2-5), many of which apply to these three examples of traditional ethics and morality being turned upside-down.
Though the world continues to increase its store of knowledge, the people and their leaders are always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
One day, hopefully soon, the folly of man’s misguided immorality will be revealed by the coming of Jesus Christ and the establishment of the Kingdom of God.
Then, “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” (Habakkuk 2:14), and the problems will truly begin to be solved.
BE CAREFUL!
BE SURE YOUR SINS WILL ALWAYS FIND YOU OUT!
Berean