SEXUAL IMMORALITY

The Apostle Paul was brazenly courageous in confronting the Corinthian church with the realities of its sexual sin.  He didn't run from the issues - he faced them boldly and fearlessly.  Why?  

• Because Paul loved these people that he had introduced to Christ!
• Because he wanted them to make Heaven!
• Because he wanted the Corinthian church to be a shining light for Christ in a corrupt culture.
• Because he wanted the Corinthians to enjoy the full blessing of the Lord.
• Because he wanted them to stay faithful and earn a great reward - as opposed to losing their faith.

Remember the context.  Corinth was associated with immorality, as korinthiazai had come to mean 'to practice immorality'.  On the flat summit of the Acro-corinth behind the city stood the temple of Aphrodite (or Venus), the goddess of love, and a thousand of her female slaves roamed the city's streets by night as prostitutes.  Paul had spent at least eighteen months there planting and establishing this church.  He knew the realities of this culture!

So, after addressing the issue of taking one another to court (I Corinthians 6:1-11), Paul returns to the topic of sexual immorality.  

The Corinthians (as a whole) embraced a dangerous philosophy called dualism.  Dualism held that what was spiritual was good and what was material was not.  Since the body is material - it didn't matter what you did with it.

Paul countered that God has a plan for the body.  It will be resurrected!

By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also.  [v.14]

He also taught that the bodies we have are members of Christ himself.  [v.15]

Therefore:

Shall I take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute?  Never!  Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her body?  For it is said, "The two will become one flesh."  But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit.  [vs.15-17]

Finally, Paul ends his argument with:

All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.   Do you not know that your body is a temple 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 body.  Flee from sexual immorality.  [vs.18-20]

All sin is destructive, but sexual sin is especially self-destructive.  Those who commit sexual sin come under powerful bondage.  They practice a kind of idolatry, by allowing sexual pleasure to take God's rightful place in their lives.  

 O Lord,

You are full of patience, kindness and forgiveness!

We are so grateful for that!  When we sin, we can come to You for restoration.

You have made us with the capacity for sexual pleasure.

We thank You for that!

In the context of a loving marriage, it brings us enormous satisfaction.

But, it also is an area in which we face tremendous temptation.

Overwhelming, at times.

Our enemy knows our weakness and tempts us to leave the realm of blessedness (marriage) and experiment with other ways of meeting our needs and desires.

At these times, we need Your divine intervention to call out to us and call us to faithfulness.  

Help us to be attentive to Your voice and avoid the pain of sexual immorality!

For the Kingdom's sake and for our eternal rest.  Amen.