I don't think many people, even Christians, really understand the importance of sexual purity.
There is SO much more to sex than the act of sexual intercourse and the things that lead to it.
We are beings.
Not animals.
Created in the image of God.
We are Body, Mind, and Spirit, and when we engage in sex, all of who and what we are is involved. This is why it is so important to God that we follow his plan for sex.
According to the Scriptures, the only place for sex is between a man and a women, once they are married. (Gen 2:24; Lev 18, 20:10-21; Prov 5, 6, 7; Rom 1; there's a lot more)
We live in a culture that has debased sex to be primarily a physical act of pleasure between two people, regardless of their marital status or gender.
We're bombarded by it everywhere we go and it's easy to become desensitized.
That's why I'm posting this. We need to get back to Square One on what God has to say about it.
When I started working on this it was my intent to
expound on each passage, and I may do that in the future, but, “All scripture
is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for
correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be
competent, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17) So I’m going to shut my mouth now.
You shall not commit adultery. Exodus 20:14
Adultery:
sexual intercourse between a married person and someone other than
their lawful spouse.
Sexual
Immorality: immoral quality, character, or conduct; wickedness; evilness.
– Webster’s dictionary.
Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person
commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his
own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit
within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own for you were bought
with a price. So glorify God in your body. I Corinthians 6:18-20
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the
desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and
the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for theses are opposed to each
other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by
the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident:
sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife,
jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness,
orgies, and things like these. I warn you as I did before, that those who do
such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:16-21
But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must
not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no
filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but
instead let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that everyone
who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater),
has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you
with empty words, for because of theses things the wrath of God comes upon the
sons of disobedience. Ephesians 5:3-7
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual
immorality, impurity, passion, evil, desire, and covetousness, which is
idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once
walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away:
anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to
one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and
have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image
of its creator. Colossians 3:5-10
For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you
abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his
own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles
who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter,
because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand
and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for impurity, but in
holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who
gives his Holy Spirit to you. I Thessalonians 4:3-8
You have heard that it was said, “You shall not commit
adultery.” But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful
intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Matthew 5:27-28
Let marriage be held in honor by all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. Hebrews 13:4
____
The Bible has a lot more to say about sex and please, read it!
____
I encourage everyone to read the following series of articles that Focus on the Family put together. I think it's one of the best explanations for God's design for sex and how we can practically live by it.
In Jesus and for His glory,
Claire
