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| Glorifying a deadly sin |
Jesus Christ referred to the generation He encountered in Israel 2,000 years ago as "wicked and adulterous" (Matthew 16:4). How would He refer to today's generation that's gone way beyond the wickedness and perverseness of that ancient civilization?
He would likely use much stronger language because today's generation is not only exponentially more wicked than that generation, but it glorifies and celebrates wickedness. In what ways? Specifically in the ways of sexual sin such as adultery, fornication and sexual perversion.
Today is Valentine's Day, a day when sexual sin proliferates. Millions of folks will commit adultery and fornication, completely oblivious to the fact that sexual immorality is one of the worst sins in God's eyes, and a sin that can bring curses upon those who are sexually immoral.
The apostle Paul expressively warned the early church to avoid sexual sin like the plague because "all other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies." (1 Corinthians 6:18-20)
To the church in Ephesus, Paul issued this caveat: "But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them." (Ephesians 5:3-7)
How prevalent is adultery? According to some studies, it's become very common. Lisa Penn, of Yourtango.com, claims that about 70 percent of married men admitted to cheating on their wives! Another study found that 2/3 of women are not aware of their husband's affair...What about the women? Most statistics found that about 50 to 60 percent of women admitted to having an affair. This one really shocked me. Are there really millions of cheating women in the states? I never even imagined these statistics.
The seventh of the 10 commandments says this: "You shall not commit adultery." (Exodus 20:14) Adultery encompasses more than just having sex with another person's spouse; it also encompasses fornication because sex was meant for marriage only.
Thus, anyone who's guilty of breaking that commandment--and that includes professing Christians--is in danger of eternal damnation unless they confess their immorality to Christ and repent of it. And repentance means permanently turning away from sexual immorality.
What about those who've married and divorced, and remarried again? Christ said this: "It has been said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.' But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery." (Matthew 5:31-32)
Thus, millions of folks who divorced and remarried for reasons other than infidelity, are guilty of adultery. Does that condemn them to eternal damnation? Only if they refuse to repent of that sin. And repentance means confessing the sin of adultery to God and pledging never to commit that sin again. Otherwise, they will suffer eternal punishment.
Concerning the danger of adultery, the Book of Proverbs says this: "Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned? Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched? So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished." (Proverbs 6:27-29)
And so, avoid sexual sin like a deadly plague. Because it can afflict you with more than just a sexually transmitted disease. It can afflict you with eternal damnation.
Today is Valentine's Day, a day when sexual sin proliferates. Millions of folks will commit adultery and fornication, completely oblivious to the fact that sexual immorality is one of the worst sins in God's eyes, and a sin that can bring curses upon those who are sexually immoral.
The apostle Paul expressively warned the early church to avoid sexual sin like the plague because "all other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies." (1 Corinthians 6:18-20)
To the church in Ephesus, Paul issued this caveat: "But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them." (Ephesians 5:3-7)
How prevalent is adultery? According to some studies, it's become very common. Lisa Penn, of Yourtango.com, claims that about 70 percent of married men admitted to cheating on their wives! Another study found that 2/3 of women are not aware of their husband's affair...What about the women? Most statistics found that about 50 to 60 percent of women admitted to having an affair. This one really shocked me. Are there really millions of cheating women in the states? I never even imagined these statistics.
The seventh of the 10 commandments says this: "You shall not commit adultery." (Exodus 20:14) Adultery encompasses more than just having sex with another person's spouse; it also encompasses fornication because sex was meant for marriage only.
Thus, anyone who's guilty of breaking that commandment--and that includes professing Christians--is in danger of eternal damnation unless they confess their immorality to Christ and repent of it. And repentance means permanently turning away from sexual immorality.
What about those who've married and divorced, and remarried again? Christ said this: "It has been said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.' But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery." (Matthew 5:31-32)
Thus, millions of folks who divorced and remarried for reasons other than infidelity, are guilty of adultery. Does that condemn them to eternal damnation? Only if they refuse to repent of that sin. And repentance means confessing the sin of adultery to God and pledging never to commit that sin again. Otherwise, they will suffer eternal punishment.
Concerning the danger of adultery, the Book of Proverbs says this: "Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned? Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched? So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished." (Proverbs 6:27-29)
And so, avoid sexual sin like a deadly plague. Because it can afflict you with more than just a sexually transmitted disease. It can afflict you with eternal damnation.
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