[Biblemat] S:> Sexual Immorality
Ethan R. Longhenry
disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com
Tue Apr 1 20:37:18 CDT 2008
http://www.deusvitae.com/faith/outlines/index.html
Sexual Immorality
I. Introduction
A. Proverbs 2:1-11, 16-20
B. Proverbs 5, 6:23-35, 7
C. The proverbs author shows great concern for sexual propriety
1. These are major sections of the beginning of the book!
2. Many times the author goes to great lengths to express how
this is wisdom, something for which the son must prepare
himself
3. What is he so worried about?
D. The sin of sexual immorality is no worse or better than other
sins before God, but represents a significant stumbling block
for mankind
1. Paul mentions it first in many sin lists: 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,
Galatians 5:19-21
2. A great concern in Corinth: 1 Corinthians 5:1, 6:13-20
3. The only legitimate reason for divorce: Matthew 5:32, 19:9
E. Since the Scriptures speak so much regarding the sin, it is good
for us to consider it
1. What is sexual immorality?
2. What makes it sinful?
3. How can we avoid it?
F. Let us investigate the matter
II. What is Sexual Immorality?
A. The concept of "sexual immorality" is vague
1. Difficulty comes from trying to convey a Greek word that is
not easily rendered in English
2. Greek: porneia ("pornography")
3. There is no word in English that properly conveys the
meaning of porneia
4. Old meaning: fornication; such now refers almost exclusively
to pre-marital sex
5. "Sexual immorality" popular, but could be misleading: porneia
does not refer to every kind of sexual sin (lust et al goes
under aselgeia, lasciviousness)
6. Best understanding: sexually deviant behavior-- actual sexual
conduct that goes against the sexual norm
B. How can we define "sexually deviant behavior"?
1. The Greek term, in general, refers to conduct like fornication,
adultery, pedophilia, incest, homosexuality, and bestiality
2. But to truly establish what is deviant behavior, we must
understand what acceptable behavior is
3. Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:4-6, 1 Corinthians 7:1-2, 9,
Hebrews 13:4
4. The sexual norm is sex between a man and woman whom God has
joined together
5. We can see, therefore, that all other sexual conduct beyond
this relationship is illicit sexual intercourse, that is,
porneia or sexual immorality
C. Aspects of porneia / sexual immorality
1. Sexually deviant behavior can take on many forms
2. Deviant behavior contrary to nature: bestiality, homosexuality
3. Deviant behavior transgressing marital commitment: adultery
4. Deviant behavior transgressing proper relationship boundaries:
pedophilia, incest, bigamy, polygamy, polyandry, rape
5. Deviant behavior that reverses God's intentions for a
relationship: fornication, sexual play
D. Such is the nature of sexual immorality
III. Why porneia is Sinful
A. What is it that makes sexually deviant behavior deviant?
B. Throughout time, man has continually rebelled against God's
sexual boundaries
1. While there is general agreement of the wrongfulness of much
of what is called sin, there is often little agreement in the
realm of sexuality
2. People today just cannot see what is wrong with things like
fornication or homosexuality, especially if the parties
involved "love" each other
3. Other sexual sins, like adultery, may be officially frowned
upon but committed by many
4. After all, where is the harm with many sexual sins?
C. There is understanding about the wrong present in some sexual
sins
1. Most understand that pedophilia is a horrendous evil, quite
devastating and destructive to its innocent victims
2. The same is true of rape
3. Bestiality is also understood as an abomination
4. The pain and suffering that adultery causes demonstrates its
error
D. Porneia is sinful because it "misses the mark" of God's
intentions for sex
1. hamartia, Greek word for sin, means to "miss the mark"
2. As we have seen, God intends for sex to be enjoyed between a
man and a woman whom He has joined (Genesis 2:24,
Matthew 19:4-6, 1 Corinthians 7:1-2, 9)
3. Sexual desire was part of the creation, something with which
God blessed man
4. It was called "very good", and is not evil (Genesis 1:31)
5. What is evil and not good is the misdirection, misapplication,
or excess of sexual desire
6. Thus fornication and multiple partners are wrong
7. Sex cannot fulfill its proper function if there is no
commitment-- no joining by God
8. If God has not joined two persons because one or both are
improperly divorced, then the sexual act is adultery
(Matthew 5:32, 19:9)
9. If a man or woman attempts to have multiple wives or husbands,
they abuse the "two becoming one flesh" concept involved in
a monogamous relationship, God's intentions from the beginning
(Genesis 2:24)
E. Porneia is a sin against the body
1. 1 Corinthians 6:13-20
2. It is true that with some forms of sexual sin, "no one else"
is hurt
3. Yet Paul indicates how porneia is a sin against the body, a
defilement of God's temple
4. As Christians, we have been bought with a price, and we are
not our own-- therefore, we are to glorify God in our bodies
5. We cannot glorify God in our bodies if we are defiling it
sexually!
F. Many aspects of porneia are sin because they violate God's
intentions for nature
1. Romans 1:24-27
2. Species are to mingle with their own kind-- bestiality is
therefore aberrant
3. Sex is designed to facilitate procreation-- pedophilia and
homosexuality are therefore aberrant
4. Inbreeding leads to genetic abnormalities-- incest is
therefore aberrant
5. That which is aberrant is against God's purposes and is sin!
G. Porneia often leads to intense suffering and pain
1. Adultery may be pleasurable for the moment, but it destroys
families
2. Fornication may seem like fun, but the loss of innocence
without proper commitment often leads to guilt
3. The humiliation and suffering of victims of rape and
pedophilia is great
4. If it's so right and good, why does it cause such pain and
suffering?
H. Porneia reflects a lack of positive qualities: self-control and
sobriety
1. Our society is to be condemned for its wantonness and
lasciviousness
2. There is little concept of self-control in terms of sexuality
3. Thousands are intoxicated by sexual desire, and society
feeds that desire with every sort of temptation
4. Porneia is quite often the result of a lack of sexual
self-control and of mental intoxication with sexual desire,
contra 1 Peter 4:7, Galatians 5:21-22
5. As Paul indicates in 1 Corinthians 7:1-9, sex is not a
necessity, even if we think it to be!
I. Thus we can see the sinful nature of porneia / sexual immorality
IV. Avoiding Porneia / Sexual Immorality
A. Seeing the great evil of porneia, how can we avoid it?
B. Keep sex in its proper place
1. Going back to Proverbs 5:15-19
2. Be satisfied with the one with whom God joined you
3. If you can focus on that one alone, you will do well
C. Flee temptations
1. Too often we feel the need to stand up to temptations
2. In terms of sexual temptation, however, there is no shame in
running away!
3. Genesis 39:11-12: Joseph fled from Potiphar's wife
4. 1 Corinthians 6:18: thus Paul commands it
5. If you run from the source of temptation, you will not
succumb to it!
D. Avoid temptations
1. Consider James 1:14-15
2. All temptation begins with being enticed
3. If we do not put ourselves in the position of being enticed,
we will fare better!
4. There's no gold star for seeing how close you can get to
temptation and avoiding it
5. Proverbs universally warns one to stay away from sexual
temptation
6. Proverbs 2:16, 6:23-26, 7:4-5
7. Indeed, Proverbs 6:27-28 is wisdom: if you get too close to
the fire, you're going to get burned!
E. Focus on righteousness
1. This is all well and good, but quite difficult in a
sex-saturated age
2. We cannot just avoid the evil-- we must be filled with the
good
3. Consider Philippians 4:8-- let us mentally dwell on the
holy, not the unholy
4. Titus 3:8: let us be devoted to doing good things and not
have time to sin
V. Conclusion
A. porneia / sexual immorality a difficult issue today
1. It has been a stumbling block for as long as man has existed
2. No society has been immune from the plague of sexual deviance
B. Even if society's standards are lax, let us remember the source
of truth
1. God has established that sex is to be enjoyed by a man and
woman whom He has joined together
2. All other sexual behavior is deviant, and therefore porneia
C. Let us flee from sexual immorality!
D. Invitation/songbook
Ethan R. Longhenry/ disciple_of_iesus at hotmail.com
Evangelist, church of Christ in Norwalk, Ohio
[http://www.norwalkchurch.org]
Homepage: http://www.deusvitae.com
AOLIM: Deus Vitae/ ICQ#: 28317056
MSN Messenger ID: deusvitae/ Yahoo! Messenger ID: discipuliiesus
Matthew 10:25a (ESV): "It is enough for the disciple to be like his
teacher, and the servant like his master."
Renewed in Spirit
http://www.renewedinspirit.org
an interactive online spiritual publication for those seeking the Kingdom
More information about the Biblemat
mailing list