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| A lady of the night |
I'm occasionally asked what I consider to be the deadliest of sins. While most folks believe that murder, rape, assault and robbery are among the worst, there's one sin that's usually overlooked. And that's sexual immorality.
To be sure, all sin is evil and it has separated us from God. But indeed, there are certain sins that are extremely evil and they can bring very serious consequences to those who commit them.
How do we define sexual immorality? Sexual immorality is any sort of sexual activity outside of marriage. That includes adultery, incest, fornication, prostitution and deviant sex such as pedophilia, bestiality and homosexuality.
Most folks define an adulterer as a person who's unfaithful to his or her spouse. But Jesus Christ emphatically stated that a person who gains a divorce and remarries for any reason other than an unfaithful spouse is guilty of adultery.
Here's what Christ said: "I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery." (Matthew 19:9)
Concerning sexual immorality, the apostle Paul warned that sexual sin brings impurity, unholiness and curses upon those who willingly participate in it. Here's what he said: "Flee from sexual immorality. 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)
Paul warned the early church that those who are sexually immoral will not inherit eternal life, no matter how often they attend church or how frequently they acknowledge Christ as their Lord.
To the early church at 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)
Sexual immorality not only brings the potential for STD's (sexually transmitted diseases) but it defiles a person's soul. And since God created our bodies for His Holy Spirit to dwell in, sexual sin becomes the ultimate form of sacrilege.
Why? Because marriage illustrates God's covenant with human beings through His Son Jesus Christ. Those who are born again into eternal life by faith in Christ's death on the cross for their sins and His resurrection from the dead become members of God's true church that scripture refers to as the Bride of Christ. (Revelation 19:7-8)
Those who violate their marriage vows are synonymous with those who profess to be Christians and yet worship false gods.
The scriptures reveal that no unholy or immoral person will ever be allowed into heaven. And if they aren't allowed into heaven, then there's only one other place they dwell in eternity. And I think you know what that place is.
Certainly, we live in a culture saturated with sex. And human beings are sexual beings. Thus, a culture contaminated with debauchery, combined with the sexual nature of human beings is a very volatile combination indeed.
That's why we all need to set our "minds on things above, not on earthly things." (Colossians 3:2) That means heavenly things that please God rather than earthly things that encourage our sinful nature.
And for those who've committed sexual sin? It's time to repent. And now. I can't tell you how many folks I've encountered in life who experienced some form of misfortune or disaster. I discovered that many of them had something in common; they were living in sexual sin.
And so, the time for repentance from sexual immorality is right here and right now. Don't wait because you never know how much time you have left.
Here's what Christ said: "I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery." (Matthew 19:9)
Concerning sexual immorality, the apostle Paul warned that sexual sin brings impurity, unholiness and curses upon those who willingly participate in it. Here's what he said: "Flee from sexual immorality. 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)
Paul warned the early church that those who are sexually immoral will not inherit eternal life, no matter how often they attend church or how frequently they acknowledge Christ as their Lord.
To the early church at 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)
Sexual immorality not only brings the potential for STD's (sexually transmitted diseases) but it defiles a person's soul. And since God created our bodies for His Holy Spirit to dwell in, sexual sin becomes the ultimate form of sacrilege.
Why? Because marriage illustrates God's covenant with human beings through His Son Jesus Christ. Those who are born again into eternal life by faith in Christ's death on the cross for their sins and His resurrection from the dead become members of God's true church that scripture refers to as the Bride of Christ. (Revelation 19:7-8)
Those who violate their marriage vows are synonymous with those who profess to be Christians and yet worship false gods.
The scriptures reveal that no unholy or immoral person will ever be allowed into heaven. And if they aren't allowed into heaven, then there's only one other place they dwell in eternity. And I think you know what that place is.
Certainly, we live in a culture saturated with sex. And human beings are sexual beings. Thus, a culture contaminated with debauchery, combined with the sexual nature of human beings is a very volatile combination indeed.
That's why we all need to set our "minds on things above, not on earthly things." (Colossians 3:2) That means heavenly things that please God rather than earthly things that encourage our sinful nature.
And for those who've committed sexual sin? It's time to repent. And now. I can't tell you how many folks I've encountered in life who experienced some form of misfortune or disaster. I discovered that many of them had something in common; they were living in sexual sin.
And so, the time for repentance from sexual immorality is right here and right now. Don't wait because you never know how much time you have left.
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