Jesus Christ has the answer for those struggling with sexual sins, “who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Heb 4:15). God’s will is for your holiness, your sanctification, and your abstinence from sexual immorality. God wants you to know how to possess your own body in holiness and honor, and not to become inflamed with lust (1 Thess 4:3–5). Christ can help you with every sinful and addictive behavior. His words are freely provided in the Bible. The purpose of this article is to give you scripture, and this article is packed with scripture.
Even in a life wrapped in prayers and Scripture reading, many have found themselves enslaved to a behavior that they do not want and even despise. While some Christians may not struggle with sexual temptations, many struggle with controlling sexual desires. Urging someone to read more, be saved, go to church, and stop sinning are excellent things to do, but believers can still miss how to overcome certain temptations.
Facing sexual temptations is still thought inappropriate to openly address in some churches, but people need teaching on this subject as seen by sexual immorality facing Christians from the first century unto today (1 Cor 5–7). The man who can honestly say that he has never been tempted to lust after a woman is rare. Just as rare is the woman who can say that she has not been tempted to romantically fantasize about man.
There is not any particular person or generation to blame. Christians must become accountable for themselves and to each other. Yes, it would have been nice to have avoided any exposure or abuse to such sins. However, faith compels believers to pursue freedom in Christ.
Definition of Sexual Sins What is sexually immoral? Many justify sexual sins and irrationally explain away the definition of sexual immorality. However, this keeps many from seeing how evil sin is and the state of the evil opposing them. Christians need to have an awareness and strong conviction, so that believers abhor this evil (Rom 12:9). Without recognizing, thanking, and glorifying God, people will pervert natural desires into strange lusts (Rom 1:20–28). Jesus did not have to specify what He meant by fornication and lewdness with a descriptive list.
When Jesus spoke of adulteries, fornications, and lewdness, He called these behaviors “evil things” that defile people (Mark 7:20–23). Jesus described adultery that is in the heart as coveting another man’s wife (Matt 5:27–28). Adultery is sex with another person’s spouse or for the married to sleep with anyone who is not one’s spouse. Jesus also revealed that adultery includes divorcing and marrying another person unless the divorce was because one’s spouse sinned by committing fornication — extramarital sex (Matt 5:32; 19:9;Mark 10:11–12; Luke 16:18; cf. 1 Cor 7:10–11). The definition of fornication is from the Greek word porneia. This behavior is any sexual intercourse outside of marriage between one man and one woman (1 Cor 6:16; Eph 5:31; Heb 13:4).
Jesus did not need to specify that rape, incest, and homosexuality as forms of sexual sins, because these behaviors are outside the natural union of marriage between a man and a woman. However, Jesus does infer to condemn pedophilia when He opposed the abuse of children and alluded to sexual abuses (Matt 18:7–10; Mark 9:42–50).
Jesus also used the definition of fornication according to the Law of Moses when He spoke to those who were under Moses’s Law. Within the Law of Moses, immoral sexual behavior was all extramarital sex specifically adultery, premarital sex, incest, rape (pedophilia), sex during menstruation, homosexuality, bestiality, prostitution, and uncovering nakedness, which is lewdness (Lev 18; 19:29; 20; Deut 22:5, 22–30).
Christ also spoke against lewdness. The apostle Peter defined lewdness as to “entice by sensual passions of the flesh” (2 Pet 2:18; cf. Luke 17:1; Jas 1:13–14). To cause others to lust through tempting speech, revealing clothing, and nudity is lewdness. Jesus also taught not to look to lust (Matt 5:28). Looking at another person with an inflamed craving and lust is adultery in the heart. Jesus revealed, “But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matt 5:28; ESV). Looking to lust is within the definition of sexual uncleanness, which comes from within the heart. Remember Jesus’s words that out of the heart proceed evil behaviors and evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, covetousness, and sensuality (Mark 7:20–23).
The Cause of Sexual Sins
“What is happening to me?!” How can someone become enslaved to a sin that a person does not want to do? If someone feels enslaved and feels like he or she cannot control one’s sexual behavior, the Bible offers freedom from such enslaved behavior. Sexual immorality is an enslavement — a compulsive and addictive sin.
Sexual immorality is a sin against one’s own body (1 Cor 6:15–20). Sexual sin traps many like any habitual sin. Those who struggle with such can relate to these words, “For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate” (Rom 7:15; ESV). Jesus professed, “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Mark 14:38; cf. Matt 26:41). The problem is sin dwelling within one’s flesh, and that person cannot find how to do what is good. The apostle Paul depicted,
So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. (Rom 7:17–20)
Since the sin is no longer from oneself, does this mean that someone can continue in sin and grace will abound? This cannot be (Rom 6:1). No one can overcome indwelling sin without the indwelling Spirit of God. The apostle Paul responded to such uncontrolled sin confessing, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Rom 7:24).
There is a way of escape for all. The apostle Paul revealed,
Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. (1 Cor 10:12–13)
To be continued........
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