God's View on Sex (Part 3 of 3)

Greetings All,

This will be the last installment on God's Views On Sex unless you go to the Word on your own. Those of us who have been *saved* for any length of time can tell you that the Holy Spirit will allow certain Scripture to jump out at us when He wants to get our attention. We may have read the same chapter every day for months and it was about God's amazing love. Then the day you really needed to hear from the Lord...... He's right on time.  SO MEN PLEASE LISTEN UP!

"Why Does Proverbs Include So Many Warnings About Unauthorized Sex?"

(Proverbs 5:3)  "For the lips of an adulteress drip honey and smoother than oil is her speech;"  

This "Adulteress Woman" is a Prostitute. Proverbs includes many warnings against unauthorized sex for several reasons: (1) A lady of the evening's charm is used as an example of any temptation to do wrong or to leave the pursuit of Wisdom. (2) As previously mentioned, sexual immorality of any kind was and still is notably dangerous. It destroys family life. It disintegrates a person's ability to love.  It degrades human beings and turns them into objects. It can lead to disease. it can result in unwanted children. (3)  Remember Sexual Immorality is against God's law. In Corinthians 6, teachings about sexual immorality and prostitutes was especially important for the Corinthian Church because the temple of the love goddess Aphrodite was in Corinth. Paul clearly stated that Christians are to have no part in sexual immorality, even if it is acceptable and popular in our culture. Back in 1 Corinthians 4 Paul told the Corinthians  to imitate him. Men we ought to listen to the man of God. Now Paul was able to make this statement because he walked close to God,  spent time in God's Word and in prayer, and was aware of God's presence in his life at all times. Paul wasn't expecting others to imitate everything he did, but they should imitate those aspects of his beliefs and conduct that were modeling Christ's way of living.

"In Sexual Sin Someone Always Gets Hurt"         

(Proverbs 6:25-35) Let's be honest in the past how many times have you thought that it is right to break God's law against sexual sin especially if nobody  gets hurt. If truth be told, somebody always gets hurt. Men, spouses are devastated. Children are scarred. The partners themselves, even if they escape disease and unwanted pregnancy, lose their ability to fulfill commitments, to feel sexual desire, to trust and to be entirely open with another person. God's laws are not arbitrary. They do not forbid good, clean fun; rather, they were used against destroying ourselves through unwise actions or running ahead of God's timetable.  In Romans 1:26-27  We're reminded of God's plan for natural sexual relationships for his creation, you and me. Unfortunately, sin distorts the natural use of God's gifts. Sin frequently means not only denying God, but also denying the way we are made. When people say that any sex act is acceptable as long as nobody gets hurt, they are fooling themselves. Brothers can we talk, In the long run  ( and often in the short run), sin hurts people - individuals, families, whole societies. How sad it is that people who worship the things God made instead of the creator so often distort and destroy the very things they claim to value!

Men homosexuality was as widespread in Paul's day as it is in ours today. Many pagan practices encouraged such behavior. Our God is willing to receive anyone who comes to him in faith, and Christians should love and accept others no matter what their background. Yet, homosexuality is strictly forbidden in scriptures (Leviticus 18:22). "You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination."  Sexual desires and activities must be placed under Christ's control. God created sex for procreation and pleasure, and as an expression of love between a husband and wife. Sexual experience must be limited to marriage, to avoid hurting ourselves, our relationship to God, and our relationships with others.  

"Ways To Avoid Sexual Sins"

Proverbs 7:25-27   There are precise steps you can take to avoid sexual sins, first, guard your mind. Don't read books, look at pictures, or encourage fantasies that stimulate the wrong desires. Second, keep away from settings and friends that tempt you to sin. Third, don't think only of the moment - focus on the future. Today's thrill may lead to tomorrow's ruin.

"Committing Mental Adultery"

You have heard that it was said, you shall not Commit Adultery;  (28) But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Back in Exodus 20:14  You shall not commit adultery. But Jesus said that the desire to have sex with someone other than your Spouse is Mental Adultery and thus Sin. Jesus emphasized that if the act is wrong, then so is the intention. Men to be faithful to our Spouse with our body but not our mind is to break the trust so vital to a strong marriage. Jesus is not condemning natural interest in the opposite sex or even healthy sexual desire, but the deliberate and repeated filling of ones mind with fantasies that would be evil if acted out.  Some think that if lustful thoughts are sin, why shouldn't a person go ahead and do the lustful actions too?  Acting out sinful desires is harmful in several ways:  (1) It causes people to excuse sin rather than to stop sinning;  (2) It destroys marriages;  (3) It is deliberate rebellion against God's Word; (4) It always hurts some one else in addition to the sinner. Sinful action is more dangerous than sinful desire, and that is why desires should not be acted out. nevertheless, sinful desire is just as damaging to righteousness. Left unchecked, wrong desires will result in wrong actions and turn people away from God. We are in a battle for our lives and the lives of our families. If we stay Pure, Clean and Healthy in the Lord, what chance will our families have in the long run. Remember when Jesus said to get rid of your hand or your eye, he was speaking figuratively. He didn't mean to actually gouge out your eye, because even a blind person can lust. But if that were the only choice, it would be better to go into heaven with one eye or hand than to go to hell with too. Sometimes we abide sins in our lives that, left unchecked, could eventually destroy us. Brothers it is better to experience the pain of removal  (getting rid of a bad habit or something we treasure, for instance) than to allow the sin to bring judgment and condemnation.  Men SCRUTINIZE your life for anything that causes you to sin, then take proper precautions to remove it.

Have a wonderful Christmas in the Lord and please remember God's Views on Sex.

Humbly Yours in Christ,

              Jim