Called to be Radically Different

 

Premarital sex is not a subject frequently discussed in pulpits. Many pastors are quick to speak out against sins – even those who bravely speak out against homosexuality in this post-modern world shy away from preaching against adultery or premarital sex, though these sins are by far more common within the church.

Why is this so important? Because we were created for one purpose – to glorify God, and we do that by loving Him and doing what He commands. God has created sex to occur within the context of marriage for the purpose of intimacy and procreation. Anything outside of the parameter of marriage is sinful and blasphemes God. If we choose to sin – knowing that God has forbidden it – we set ourselves up as though we view ourselves higher than God. If we continue to live in continual, unrepentant sin, it begs the question, are we even among the Redeemed? ONE single sin is against the Creator of the entire Universe is worthy of eternal damnation.  God does not take sin lightly, nor should we.

 “But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior, because it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I Am holy.’”  1 Peter 1:15-16

“And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine.”  Leviticus 20:26

Too many pastors shy away from the subject and rely on parents to warn their children about this sin. Not only are parents often too embarrassed to discuss anything related to sex to their children, but many parents within the church are completely and totally negligent of their duties to disciple their children. They are relying on the youth group, or Sunday School teachers, to provide an adequate spiritual education. Parents also want to rely on the school system to educate their children on sex. The vast majority of church-attending youth have learned about sex from their peers or from the media.  With pornographic material (displaying not only a fictional representation of the physical act of sex but fueling the sinful and selfish desires of the flesh,) so easily accessible through all forms of media – from cell phones to day time public television – it is ever more critical that we take a bold stand in upholding truth and proclaiming God’s commands.

 “Do not love the world not the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.”  1 John 2:15-17

 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”  Romans 12:2

We are called to be different. We are called to be set apart, just as the Israelites were called to be a completely set apart nation so as to be a beacon to the rest of the entire world about who God is and what His standards are.  We are to be starkly different from this depraved world. We are to live in such a way that our lives reveal that we have been transformed by the power of the Gospel. One way we do this is by honoring God’s design and commands regarding our sexuality.

Sex Outside of Marriage is Sinful

In nutshell, sexual immorality is idolatry.  God alone deserves to be worshipped.  He made it very clear in Exodus 2:3 and Romans 1:25 that He does not want us worshipping idols.

Engaging in sexual acts outside of the covenant of marriage is an act of worshipping your fleshly desire more than God Himself. It is also a direct violation of scripture. Any kind of sexual act that is conducted outside of the marriage between a man and a woman is clearly sinful. The Bible says that God will judge those who do these things. That level of intimacy indicated by the word Yada (know), is reserved for the most holy of earthly relationships, that between a husband and a wife.

“For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God…”  1 Thessalonians 4:3-5

“For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.”  Genesis 2:24-25

God created marriage. It was His idea. He created sex. He gets to set the parameters on it. From the very beginning, God designed sex to occur between one man and one woman within the context of marriage. It is His gift to married couples. It is not shameful or dirty, but it must be used in ways that glorify God.

It is obvious from this next passage that God views sex within marriage as a way to keep from sinning. In the context of marriage, sex is a wonderful thing. God made it very clear that for the unmarried he expects abstinence.

“But I say to the unmarried and to widows that it is good for them if they remain even as I. But if they do not have self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.”  1 Corinthians 7:8-9

“But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and her woman her own husband.”  1 Corinthians 7:2

Sexual sins are in a category all of their own in regards to the harm they do. This type of sin puts us not only against God but against our own body.

God Will Judge

“Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.”  Hebrews 13:4

“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.”  1 Corinthians 6:9

 “For this, you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.”  Ephesians 5:5-6

 “When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.”  Colossians 3:4-6

“He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars–their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”  Revelations 21:7-8

“Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.”  Revelations 22:14-15

“Food for the stomach and the stomach for food”–but God will destroy them both. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.”  I Corinthians 6:13

“Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never!”  I Corinthians 6:15

 “Flee from sexual immorality. 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.”  I Corinthians 6:18-20

“Now the works of the flesh are evident,  sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, enmity, strife, fits of anger rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”  Galatians 5:19-21

The Bible is very clear.  If you do these things, if you live in an ongoing lifestyle marked by these things without any qualms whatsoever, it very well may be the evidence in your life that you are not a Christian and are in danger of going to Hell. Scripture says you will know them by their fruit.  Our lives will show what is in our heart.

When we are saved, the Holy Spirit indwells within us. God gives us a new heart filled with new desires. It doesn’t mean that we will be perfect, but we will WANT to do what pleases Him and we will hate the sin that He hates. If you can live in blatant sin, knowing that God hates it,  you may not have the Holy Spirit within you. That’s why this is such a big deal; that’s why it is imperative that the church teaches this boldly. Do you see how serious this is? Those who habitually practice sexual immorality – of any type – will not inherit the kingdom of heaven.

There are not any verses that teach that waiting is better because sex will be more enjoyable in marriage. Or waiting is better because it protects you from disease. That’s simply pragmatism. Can saving sex for marriage do those things?  It’s possible. But it is not guaranteed. We live in a fallen and corrupt world. We are to reserve all aspects of sex and intimacy for marriage simply because God commands it. We obey Him because He is holy and worthy.

In the next article in this series, we will study more in-depth what God-honoring sex is, and why it has such spiritual significance.

To read the second part of this series go here https://strivingforeternity.org/gods-view-on-premarital-sex-part-2/ ‎

Also, take a look at our link here https://strivingforeternity.org/statement-on-sexuality-and-marriage/)to learn more information about the Statement on Social Justice regarding Marriage and Sexuality.