Let’s talk about sex. Sex outside of marriage: bad. Sex within the bounds and
commitment of marriage: Good. Simple and plain. No asterisks, No conditional
clauses. Thank God.
1
Corinthians 6:12a
“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial….
“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial….
Romans
6:1-2
What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?
What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?
Thank God? Absolutely. Thank God that Paul had the opportunity to write this
letter of correction to the church at Corinth. Otherwise, us church folk would
just make it as we go along. And in doing so, we would end of with some of
anything and everything in the Church. O wait. That describes a number of
‘churches’ in this present age. In this age of moral relativism, where truth is
‘whatever I want it to be’. See, thank God for Paul’s letter to the Church of
Corinth. In it, we have God’s Word, in fact, God’s final Word on certain
behaviors within the church.
1
Corinthians 6:12b
... “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything.
... “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything.
Genesis
4:7
If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”
If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”
Point
and counterpoint. In this first verse Paul offers a rebuke to a common saying
of the Corinthian church patrons, “I have the right to do anything”. Sadly,
this saying reflects a misconception of Paul’s teaching on the concept of
Salvation by Grace. Beloved, whatever God delivered you from, don’t go back.
Leave it and leave it outside of church. Make no mistake, sin will absolutely
enslave you. You have the opportunity, by the power of the Holy Ghost, to be
free of the pain and torment the sin can exact. This is not a game of ‘Dare’.
Stay away from sin,
1
Corinthians 6:13
You say, “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.” The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.
You say, “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.” The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.
….
particularly sexual sin. Paul confronts another half truth that is really not
truth at all. There is a hint of gnosticism in the verse above. Briefly,
gnostics believed in a complete separation of the spirit of man and the body of
man. However, they mistakenly concluded that no matter what you did in the body,
there were no spiritual consequences. That led to a further mistaken belief
that God was not interested in resurrecting the carnal bodies that we currently
inhabit. Paul gets a two’fer in his response. Two responses to the
misconception propagated by this gnostic thinking. One: God cares about the
body you reside in. Two: that body should not be used for the purpose of
self-gratification alone, but to honor god in all that we engage it in.
1
Corinthians 6:15
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!
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!
John
14:20
On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.
On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.
Paul
delivers another two’fer. Your physical body belongs to Christ. You should not
engage in sexual sin. Never. Let’s explore both. Paul’s first point reinforces
the Christian teaching that God resides in the believer. Beloved, Jesus lives
in you. God lives in you. The Holy Spirit lives in you. The possibilities are
without end. The very force that hurled the stars throughout the universe at a
Word, that same force live, resides in you. His name is Jesus. Rejoice!
Genesis
2:24
That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.
That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.
1
Corinthians 6:16
Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.”
Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.”
1
Corinthians 6:17
But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.
But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.
The
other point that Paul wants to make is simply, if God resides in you, He (God)
does not want to be joined with (sexually) someone whom He is not in covenant
with.. Hey believer, sex is not a witnessing tool. (Selah) No excuses. No
exceptions. Sex is a gift from God to be experienced within the confines of
marriage between a man and a woman, preferably both of whom are Christians..
Was that clear enough?
Hebrews
13:4
Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.
Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.
--------
So then, what should be the attitude of the
believer?
1
Corinthians 6:18
Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.
Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.
Genesis
39:9
No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?”
No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?”
Genesis
39:12
She caught him by his cloak and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.
She caught him by his cloak and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.
Don’t
deceive yourself for a minute. God has not called you to ‘stand’ in the face of
sexual temptation. God has called you to flee from it. Don’t put yourself in
intimate situations with members of the opposite sex without some kind of
accountability mechanism in place. Social and business situations occur that
call for interaction with members of the opposite sex, but in short.. keep it
clean. God doesn’t want to be in that, nor does He want that for you. For those
of you that are single… wait. Save yourself for the woman or man that God has
ordained for you, who is willing to marry you in order to be with you.. It will
be well worth the wait.
1
Corinthians 6:20
you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
Beloved, we were purchased with the precious blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus
Christ, our Lord. That is no small thing. We are not our own. We belong to God.
Whether we regard ourselves as servants or as children, the mechanism that
transformed us from sinner to saint, that commuted us from death unto life was
the precious blood of Jesus. He loved us so much that He gave Himself for us…
He literally died for us so that we could live in Him. Don’t under value the
gift within you. Flee immorality, especially sexual immorality.
Selah!
.wb
All… you can see the video at: http://youtu.be/IzjvrZGfIEI
Blessings!
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