Blog

SEXUAL IMMORALITY IN THE CHURCH – TEACHING SERMON

What is immorality?

Immorality is the violation of moral laws, norms or standards. Immorality is normally applied to people or actions, or in a broader sense, it can be applied to groups or corporate bodies, beliefs, religions, and works of art. Immorality is evil, sinful, or otherwise wrong behaviour. … Since morality refers to things that are right, immorality has to do with things that are wrong — like stealing, lying, and murdering. This is a tricky word, because people have their own idea of what’s immoral. the quality or state of being immoral; especially: unchastity.

 

Sexual Immorality

In the New Testament, the word most often translated “sexual immorality” is porneia. This word is also translated as “whoredom,” “fornication,” “adultery,” “homosexuality”, “prostitution,” and “bestiality.” It means “a surrendering of sexual purity”, and it is primarily used of premarital sexual relations. From this Greek word, we get the English word pornography, stemming from the concept of “selling off.” Sexual immorality is the “selling off” of sexual purity and involves any type of sexual expression outside the boundaries of a biblically defined marriage relationship (Matthew 19:4–5). It is used figuratively in Revelation with regard to a religious prostitute called “Babylon the Great” to describe her consulting with the rulers of this world for power and material gain. (Rev 14:8; 17:2; 18:3; Mt 5:32; Ac 15:29; Gal. 5:19).

 

The connection between sexual immorality and idolatry is best understood in the context of 1 Corinthians 6:18, which says, “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.” The bodies of believers are the “temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20). Pagan idol worship often involved perverse and immoral sexual acts performed in the temple of a false god. When we use our physical bodies for immoral purposes, we are imitating pagan worship by profaning God’s holy temple with acts He calls detestable (1 Corinthians 6:9–11).

Biblical prohibitions against sexual immorality are often coupled with warnings against “impurity” (Romans 1:24; Galatians 5:19; Ephesians 4:19). This word in the Greek is akatharsia, which means “defiled, foul, ceremonially unfit.” It connotes actions that render a person unfit to enter God’s presence. Those who persist in unrepentant immorality and impurity cannot come into the presence of God. Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8; Psalm 24:3-4). It is impossible to maintain a healthy intimacy with God when our bodies and souls are given over to impurities of any kind.

Sexuality is God’s design. He alone can define the parameters for its use. The Bible is clear that sex was created to be enjoyed between one man and one woman who are in a covenant marriage until one of them dies (Matthew 19:6). Sexuality is His sacred wedding gift to human beings. Any expression of it outside those parameters constitutes abuse of God’s gift. Abuse is the use of people or things in ways they were not designed to be used. The Bible calls this sin. Adultery, premarital sex, pornography, and homosexual relations are all outside God’s design, which makes them sin.

Of course, sex is never a sin, considering its intrinsic and extrinsic values. In fact, God Himself created sex, but He created it for two major purposes: for procreation and to serve as a bond of love between partners in marriage. However, wrong attitude to sex, abuse and perversion of it are treated with utmost disapproval by God. Today, there are many sexual perversions in the world which are causing schism in the Church of God and chaos in the world at large. Homosexuality and same-sex marriage have generated a lot of controversies especially within the Anglican Communion both at the global and the Provincial/National levels, bringing about schism within the body of Christ, in this present age.

 

What is Church?

As mentioned by Paul the Apostle, Church is the ‘Body’ of Jesus Christ. He is the ‘Lord’ of the Body, and individual Christians, each with his own function are the “members” (I Cor. 12: 12 – 17; Eph. 5: 23; Col. 1:18). Church is the assembly of the regenerated children of God, who are full and filled with the Holy Spirit and controlled by the same Spirit; who see the need at all  times and in all places only to live and please God and God alone.

It has been observed that wherever we have a congregation of people of opposite sex, immorality in various forms is inevitable (Groups like Choir, Guild of Stewards, Brigade etc). No wonder, in many Islamic countries, they barely allow women to sit where men are seated, whether in worship places, stadium etc; and where it is approved, the women will be in separate places from where men will be or they put a barrier or demarcations. As much as Paul appreciates that the love of God should rain supreme among all the children of God, he warned us to avoid immorality. He says in Eph. 5:2-3 “…and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people”.

Forms of sexual immorality

  1. Bestiality – sexual intercourse between a person and an animal.
  2. Homosexuality/Lesbianism,
  3. Incestuous,
  4. Bisexuals,
  5. Transsexuals
  6. Asexuality
  7. Masturbation
  8. Rape

 

Examples of sexual immorality in the scripture.

  • Eli and his children – 1Sam. 2:11-4:22
  • Joseph in Potiphar house – Genesis 39-40
  • David defiled – 2 Sam. 11.
  • Lot and his daughter
  • Samson and Delilah –  Judges 16

 

Causes of sexual immorality

There are many things that ordinarily propel sexual immorality.

Negligence of husband or wife (Wives should not over delegate conjugal assignments to house maid, husband should have time for his wife and not take sexual intimacy with levity).

  1. Loneliness – Divorcee (Single mothers/fathers);
  2. Untimely death of a spouse (widows or widowers not up to 60 years)
  3. State of our national economy (Poverty, Joblessness, etc).
  4. Spiritual problems/Challenge (Late marriage, barrenness etc. get some young ladies, some married women and some widow in sexual bondage with “Pastors”)
  5. Being alone with the opposite sex – office, home, committees/groups)
  6. Clubbing and partying
  7. Idleness (cf. David & Bathsheba) – 2 Sam. 11: 2-5)
  8. Secular Christianity – Lack of deep spirituality – 2 Cor. 5: 16-17; Eph. 4: 15, Col. 1: 10
  9. Lack of contentment – I Tim. 6: 6-10

 

Widow or widower not up to 60 yrs

Marriage is not only about sex, but also for companionship. When a man loses his wife or a woman loses her husband, he or she at a point will need a companion. In search of a companion may eventually lead to sexual immorality with another unmarried or even married young man or woman, unlawfully. Young widow should be encouraged to remarry – 1 Tim. 5:9

 

Consequences of Sexual immorality

  • David was cursed – 2 Sam. 12:10
  • Eli and his children died mysteriously – 1 Sam. 4:18ff
  • Unanswered prayers – Isaiah 59: 1-2
  • Reuben lost his inheritance as the first born – 49: 1-4
  • Samson lost his destiny and died prematurely – Judges 16
  • Incurring God’s wrath – 1 Cor. 10: 8-10
  • Sexually transmitted diseases
  • Unwanted pregnancy – Abortion, sterility, etc.

 

Antidotes/Solutions to sexual immorality

  1. Spiritual rebirth – John 1: 11-13; Rom. 8: 5-8
  2. Avoid pornography – Be close also to your children – 5: 27-30
  3. Flee like Joseph – Avoid being alone with and close to the opposite sex -Gen. 39: 7ff (vv. 11-13)
  4. Consistent prayer life – 1 Thess. 5: 17; Eph. 6: 10-18
  5. Don’t be unequally yoked with unbelievers – 2 Cor. 6: 14-18
  6. Encourage marital sexual satisfaction – I Cor. 7
  7. Consistent study of the scriptures – 2 Tim. 2: 15, Joshua 1: 8; Psalm119:11
  8. Guard your relationship with Christ jealously – 2 Tim. 2: 19-21
  9. Be heaven-bound and heaven conscious
  10. Fellowships, Ministries, and service groups should encourage Bible Study and Prayers when they meet.

Related Posts