In the beginning, God made man and woman and provided for their union in marriage. Genesis 2:21-24 “And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. And Adam said: ‘This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.’ Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”
God has provided that the sexual relationship is to be between a husband and a wife only. God designed sex, and God set the rules for sex. As the famous author C.S. Lewis wrote, it’s “either marriage, with complete faithfulness to your partner, or else total abstinence.” 1 Corinthians 7:2-5 “Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.” God designed marriage to be the place where the sexual desire is satisfied.
Hebrews 13:4 “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.” God will judge those who violate His plan for marriage and indulge in other sexual relationships. By definition, fornication is sexual intercourse by people who are not married to each other, or which is considered illicit in another way. Some of the other illicit practices include homosexuality and sex with an animal (Leviticus 18:22). Today we have pornography. By definition, adultery is sexual intercourse by a married person with someone other than their spouse. We are also told in Mark 10:11-12 “So He said to them, ‘Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.’” Jesus expanded the definition of adultery to include looking and lusting. He said in Matthew 5:27-28 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
The scriptures are clear that the sexually immoral will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). In addition, we are told that they will experience the wrath of God. Colossians 3:5-7 “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.” If sexual immorality is in your life or was in your life, I encourage you to “put it to death.”
Adultery and fornication are works of the flesh. Galatians 5:19 “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness …” We each have a choice. We can choose to sow to the flesh and reap corruption, or we can sow to the Spirit and reap everlasting life. Galatians 6:7-8 “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.”
Joseph, the son of Israel, found himself as a slave under Potiphar in Egypt. We are told that Joseph was handsome in form and appearance and his master’s wife cast longing eyes on him, and said to him “Lie with me.” Joseph was tempted to commit a sexually immoral act with the master’s wife, but he said “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9) She continued to tempt him day by day but he continued to refuse her. One day when they were alone in the house, she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand and fled and ran outside. Joseph did the right thing, even though the wife later lied about what happened which resulted in Joseph being put into prison. But God was with Joseph and eventually he became a ruler in Egypt. You may be tempted like Joseph; my encouragement to you is to flee the situation. 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 “Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” You belong to God. Glorify God with your body and your spirit and avoid sexual immorality.
Sexual immorality should not even be named among us as holy people of God. Ephesians 5:3 “But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints.” If you are unmarried, it is better for you to marry than to burn with passion. 1 Corinthians 7:8-9 “But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It is good for them if they remain even as I am; but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.”
I encourage you to be sexually pure. If you are tempted in this area, flee and avoid sexual immorality.