SEXUAL IMMORALITY
We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. —I Thessalonians 2:4
It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit. —I Thessalonians 4:3-8
Why did the student bring a bright red, shiny apple and put it on the teacher’s desk. Was it out of love for the teacher, manipulation of the teacher or to please the teacher? Some people go to great extent to be people pleasers. They want everyone to like them and will do whatever they can to make it so.
Oh, that we would do all we can to please God. There is nothing we can do to please God for salvation except trust the finished work of Jesus—- He took the penalty and punishment for our sin on the cross and by trusting that work we are saved from hell and saved to a relationship with God through Him. But once we are saved then “we keep his commands and do what pleases him” (I John 3:22). I should seek to obey him and please Him in what I do because I love Him and am grateful for all He has done for me. God’s servants seek to please Him first, not people (Galatians 1:10).
He tests my heart. He alone fully knows it. He knows it better than I know it myself. One area He will test it is in the area of sexual morality. He knows if I am being faithful in that area and He also knows if you are being faithful in that area. He tells us to avoid sexual immorality and have control over our bodies “in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God…” Self-control is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22). Am I; are you Holy Spirit controlled in this area of our lives? Let us not be conformed to the world’s sexual immorality!
Our culture in the United States is slipping down this dark slope of sexual immorality rapidly. Schools are pushing it on children even at a very young age. Homosexuality is being taught to them as normal and it is disgusting to even mention what our educational system is telling young children. It makes me wonder how many sexual predators are in the system. These are adults pushing this on children.
We hear little to nothing from leaders speaking out on this issue. I know there are some in the Christian community that do, but the government is promoting this immorality. Where are our godly leaders? Why are they not speaking out about this area? Most government leaders are intimidated, passive or go along with this immorality.
Fellow follower of Jesus Christ, we need to be faithful in this area. I read that among the professing church in the U.S. “49 percent believed that “living with someone of the opposite sex without being married” was morally okay. Just under half of those questioned (49 percent) were comfortable with “enjoying sexual thoughts or fantasies about someone” http://www.freewonderfulbook.com/ -page 14. God tests our hearts!
Dear Father, may we be a faithful example in the area of sexual morality!