STRATEGY ONE:
Know Our Battle:
For us to win the battle against immorality, every believer must
answer this question: “What is sexual impurity or immorality?” For us to avoid sexual impurities and flee from them, we must know them first. I think many Christians are failing simply because they don’t know what sexual immorality is. It has never been defined for them. Some believers would even say that, it is just “intercourse” as if it is very common.
So many people believe that oral sex, anal sex, masturbation, heavy petting, etc., are not part of sexual immorality. With such belief they open such mentioned doors as avenues of satisfaction of their lust yet maintain their “virginity.”
However, with such, they are really in sexual immorality, opening the door for enemy's attack that can bring them under greater sexual bondage.
Therefore, it is important to answer that question. What is
sexual impurity?
In order to answer the question, there is need to consider 1 Corinthians 7:1-3:
Now for the matters you wrote about:
It is good for a man not to marry.
But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.
The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband.
Paul said that it is good for a man to stay single without marriage. But because of immoral temptations, each person should consider marriage as a spiritual protection. In marriage, the husband and the wife fulfill each other’s sexual satisfaction. From this, we can gain this basic definition of sexual impurity: Sexual immorality is the attempt to fulfill natural sexual desires outside of the marriage union between a man and a woman. It includes everything as: oral sex; anal sex; masturbation; heavy petting; pornography; even sexual imaginations. In short, sexual immorality it sums up in all Acts and thoughts designed to fulfill sexual desire outside marriage. Jesus said this about sexual immorality in Matthew 5:27-28:
You have heard that it was said,
Do not commit adultery.’
But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
That means, a person had already committed when he lusted, since the lust is outside of the marriage union. This might seem unrealistic to some people. “How can people keep themselves from sexual thoughts?” And some might even ask, “Why would they?” The reality is that God created sex and He has given us ethics for its use. If we pursue these desires outside the marriage union, we do it at our own risk. Anyone in such, sins against his own body, and against God too. How then should an unmarried person respond to his natural desires? The Bible uses the analogy of sleeping for those desires.
Let's consider what Solomon’s fiancée said in the song of Solomon:
Daughters of Jerusalem,
I charge you by the gazelles and by the does of the field:
Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires” (Song of Solomon 3:5).
She urged the young ladies in Jerusalem to keep their desires asleep until it is time. Well, the followup question comes: How can we allow the desires to sleep?” That will serve as our next strategy.
Reflection
- What was your previous understanding of sexual immorality?
- Define sexual immorality. Why is it important to know its definition?
- How commonly do you think people open sexual doors simply because of lack of truly understanding the definition? 4. Why is it important to keep sexual desires asleep?
- When should churches and parents start instructing children about sexual immorality?
- What other questions or thoughts do you have about this section?
- In what ways can you pray in response?
Take some minutes to pray as the Lord leads you.
DISCLAIMER:
The original work really is not mine. I only extrated from it reading it. WHY?
I, really was captivated, so I decided to share it with you. But none of the original content is here except the book cover page.