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Sexual Immorality, Adultery, Fornication and Pornography.

The most talked-about sins in the world today.

Six years ago, I was inspired to write this article but I was not sure if the world was ready for the biblical truths and standards of the topic, then.

As time went by, my understanding of God’s perspective on sin deepened.

Definition of terms:

SIN
1. An offense against religious or moral law.
: an action that is or is felt to be highly reprehensible e.g it’s a sin to waste food.
: an often serious shortcoming : FAULT
2. Transgression of the law of God
: a vitiated state of human nature in which the self is estranged from God.

SEXUAL IMMORALITY

Sexual immorality means neglecting and defying God’s law of sexual relations.

Sexual immorality is essentially the “selling off” of sexual purity and involves sexual expression beyond the boundaries of a biblically defined marriage relationship (Matthew 19:4-5).

PORNOGRAPHY

1. The depiction of erotic behavior (as in pictures or writing) intended to cause sexual excitement.
2. Material (such as books or a photograph) that depicts erotic behavior and is intended to cause sexual excitement.
3. The depiction of acts in a sensational
manner so as to arouse a quick intense emotional reaction.

In the New Testament, “sexual immorality” is most frequently translated as porneia, which means “a surrendering of sexual purity,” and is mostly used regarding premarital sexual relations. From this Greek word, we get the English word pornography, deriving from the idea of “selling off.”

ADULTERY

Voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and someone other than that person’s current spouse or partner.
Please note: it may sometimes be involuntary on the part of one of the two people. (Like in the use of force, drugs and so on)

FORNICATION

Consensual sexual intercourse between two persons not married to each other.
This can also be non consensual in the case of rape.
(Most of the definitions are from the Merriam Webster Dictionary)

Now, let us look at the biblical truths and principles concerning these sins.

  • First of all, SIN is defined in the Bible as falling short of God’s Glory.
    No Man is exempted from sin except JESUS and we become thoroughly washed and cleansed by His Blood through Salvation. Romans 3:23-26.
  • Sexual immorality, adultery, fornication are clearly mentioned and warned against in the Bible with penalty and consequences (1 Corinthians 6:18, 7:2, 1 Thessalonians 4:3, Galatians 5:19-21), while pornography is not clearly written in the Bible but it is a sin categorized under the lust of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16, 1 John 2:15-16, Matthew 5:28, Job 31:1, 2 Timothy 2:22, 20-23)
  • Since sins carry the penalty of death, which is ‘Eternal separation from God’, Jesus Christ took them away by dying in our place.
  • The heavy weight of our sins, iniquities and transgressions was laid on Him so that we might not die and be eternally condemned but that we might have Life, Eternal Life and have it more abundantly. John 3:16-18; 10:10
  • Jesus forgave the woman caught in the very act of Adultery as people gathered around to stone her to death in accordance with the Book of the Law, John 8:1-12.
  • He turned around the life of the polyandrist Samaritan woman into an evangelist. John 4:16-29
  • A Persecutor and a murder accomplice, Paul became the foremost Apostle to the Gentiles. 1 Corinthians 15:9, Galatians 1:13, Acts 7:57-60; Romans 11:13.
  • A lustful King and murderer, David was the apple of God’s eye, a man after His heart and His Servant. He genuinely repented and faced the consequences of his sins. 1 Samuel 13:14, 2 Samuel 11, 2 Kings 19:34, Psalm 89:3, 20, Isaiah 37:35.
  • The condemned and guilty thief who was nailed to the cross, repented and believed in Him and was first to get to Paradise with Him. Luke 23:39-43.

Contrary to the wishes of the people and even satan, Jesus chose love, forgiveness and mercy over judgment.

The aforementioned sinners, now Celebrated Saints may not have been the only people caught in the very act but they walked away free, to go and sin no more while others died in their sins. Had they also continued in their trespasses, they would have frustrated The Grace of God and would have been sentenced to spend eternity in Hell with satan and his demons.

People may condemn you but Christ does not. He loves you and considers you priceless. He has a purpose, a future and hope for you! Never give up on yourself! You can thrive! You can live above the flesh, victoriously triumphing over sin!

Friends, there is absolutely no reason for you to continue in your trespasses because the soul that sin shall die and he who covers his sin shall not prosper that is why Jesus came to set you free.
The price He paid with His Precious Blood is all the ransom you will ever need to walk free from satan’s grip. Ezekiel 18:4, 20, Proverbs 28:13.

Interestingly, there is no son or daughter of God actively serving Him today who has no committed any of these sins or another form of sin before repenting and receiving Jesus as their Personal Lord and Saviour.

You do not have to die in your sin. It is not worth it! Repent now and come to Jesus. He will forgive and make you whole again!

THE BIBLICAL STANDARD OF HANDLING SIN.

Christ is THE ONLY STANDARD.
Whatever He will not do regarding sin, we should not do and whatever He does, we should.
He is the epitome of Righteousness, The Perfection of Beauty and Holiness, He never struggles with sin but He makes His Blood, Grace, Forgiveness and Mercy available for those who are overtaken by fault, provided they are willing to repent, forsake their sins and follow Him.
For those who vehemently refuse to accept Him, the penalty of their sins is eternally hanging over their heads. John 3:19, Romans 6:23; 7:13, 1 Corinthians 15:56, Proverbs 10:16.

In our churches today, sexual sins are considered the worst or even the only sins whereas members freely indulge in, condone and celebrate pride, arrogance, disrespect, worldliness, jealousy, envy, lying, sorcery, slothfulness, evil speaking, tale-bearing, backbiting, disobedience, covetousness, stubbornness, rudeness, constant intimidation, boasting, stealing, looting public funds, deception, unforgiveness, oppression, manipulation, hypocrisy, rumour-mongering, hatred, falsehood, Domestic Violence, Abuse, subjugation and so on. Matthew 23:38, 2 Timothy 3:1-9, 1 Timothy 3, Romans 2, Galatians 2; 5:19-21, Ephesians 4:25-31, Colossians 3:18-19. James 1:21.

Our Lord Jesus Christ was never selective of sins neither did He condone any. He was never partisan! He hated all sins so He came to rescue humanity from the power of sin and the stronghold of satanic powers. Colossians 1:13, 2:14-16.

We also ought to hate sin but love sinners and be kind enough to prayerfully and wisely relate with them for the salvation of their souls.
We are not expected to run down, witch-hunt or castigate our brethren who are overtaken by sins, rather we are to ensure that they recover and are fully restored back in faith in the Spirit of Meekness and engage them in spiritual activities that can build them up. 1 Corinthians 4:21, Galatians 6:1, 2 Corinthians 10:1, 2 Timothy 2:25, Colossians 3:12, 2 Timothy 2:15, Jude 1:20-22.

Christ called us to be our Brothers’ Keepers and not our Brothers’ Killers.
I John 2; 3.

Shalom!

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