Sexual Sins

Flee immorality.
Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body,
but the immoral man sins against his own body.
1 Corinthians 6:18

Sin is sin. But not every sin destroys in the same way or carries the same consequences. Some sins are “worse” than others because of the destruction they bring into our lives, or the harm they cause other people. For example, if I get angry and shout an unkind word at my friend, Tom, that’s sin. I shouldn’t have done it. But if in my anger I shoot Tom in the head, that’s much worse! Now I’ve committed murder and the consequences for myself and others will be far more serious (especially for poor Tom!).

Contrary to what most think today, sexual immorality is that kind of serious sin that always brings devastating consequences. You play with fire, you will be burned. That’s true whether we’re talking about the man who views pornography, the young couple engaging in premarital sex, or those caught up in adultery and homosexuality, the result of all such sins is a form of spiritual suicide (see Romans 1:18-32)

Does that sound too harsh? Listen to what the apostle Paul said in 1 Thess 4:8. As he was urging fellow believers to stay clear of all immoral behavior he warned that the one “who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.” In other words, when you choose to engage in sexual sin, you choose to reject God! You show that you’d rather have the temporary thrill that titillates the body for a moment, at the expense of the infinite satisfaction that comes from the God who made your body and gave it to you so you could glorify and enjoy Him forever!

I think maybe that’s why 1 Cor 6:18 warns that such sins are “against” the body. It is taking what God made for our good – our sexuality – and using it as a weapon to reject Him and cheat ourselves of the ultimate satisfaction that can only come by embracing the purity of Christ (a purity that includes the joy of sexual experience in the confines of marriage). This past weekend at Rockport, we attempted to teach our men many of the basic Gospel principles for walking in the joy of biblical holiness. That’s not easy in a perverse culture like ours where temptations jump out from every dark corner. So pray for our men (and women) as we seek to be conformed to the beauty of Christ and to see our marriage and lives transformed into His image through grace.

Growing with you by His Holiness.

Pastor Scott Lee