AVOIDING SEXUAL IMMORALITY

Texts – 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8; 1 Corinthians 7:1-2.

Introduction – Our two text above emphasized the need to avoid sexual immorality.

The word avoid is a verb meaning to stay clear from; keep away from; bypass, circumvent, dodge, elude, escape, eschew, evade, get away, get out, keep off,  put off, short-circuit, shun, shy away from, stay off.

It is to prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening •

It is to abstain, desist, or refrain from something.

The adjective of the word avoid is avoidable.

What is sex?

Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary defines sex as ‘physical activities between two people in which they touch each other’s sexual organs, and which may include sexual intercourse.’

When sex is used as a verb it describes every activities that causes an individual to be aroused, stimulated or turned on sexually.

Sexual immorality– The evil ascribed to sexual acts that violate social conventions. Sexual immorality is the major reason for most act of abortions. Wordweb

Immorality is the quality of not being in accord with standards of right or good conduct.

The natural sexual urge that exist in human beings is put there by God and not by the devil. This urge begins to develop at puberty, when the sexual organs are developed and matured with the capacity of bearing children.

The desire for sexual intimacy which God has created in human kind is also created in animals. One major difference however is that while animals engage in having multiple sexual partners without commitment, sexual relationship in human kind is reserved by God to be satisfied only within the context of marriage. 1 Cor. 7:2. Note that it did not say ‘…let every man have his own girlfriend or fiancée, and let every woman have her own boyfriend or fiancé.’ The reason is because sex with a boyfriend, fiancé, girlfriend and fiancée is part of sexual impurity. Sex with a boyfriend or girlfriend, fiancé or fiancée is fornication. Sex is only permitted by God between husband and wife. All the ungodly sex education both in print and electronic media which encourages spinsters and bachelors to have only one sex partners and use condom since they cannot control themselves must be shunned. Abstinence is what the Bible teaches.

God condemns both premarital sex and extra marital sex . Heb 13:4

In Gen 34:2, Dinah was defiled by Shechem through premarital sex.

Satan Created Sexual Perversion

It is a known fact that whatever God create, the devil tries to create a counterfeit of it. So when God created sex the devil decides to create sexual perversion to cause sexual impurities among men. Hence the Bible has this to says in Eph 5:3-8.  NRSV.

The sexual perversion which the devil brought into the world is about ten and includes:

• Rape – the crime of using force to have sex with somebody. Deut 22:23-29. NIV
• Incest- sexual activities between two people who are considered, for moral or generic      reasons, too closely related to have such a relationship. Lev. 18:6-18 (NIV) , Lev 20:11-12, 14, 17, 19-21. (NIV) ; 1 Corinthians 5:1-7. NLT.
• Homosexuality – sexual attraction to or sexual relations with a person of the same sex. Lev 20:13 (NIV)
• Lesbianism – sexual attraction and sexual relation between women.

Romans 1:26-27 (NLT)

• Fornication – sexual intercourse between two consenting adults who are not married to each other.  1 Cor. 6:18 (KJV)
• Adultery – voluntary sexual relations between a married person and somebody other than his or her spouse. Lev 20:10 (NIV), Heb 13:4 (NKJV)
• Masturbation – this is an act of an individual stroking his/her genitals with the aim of achieving sexual pleasure to gratify fleshly lustful desires. Romans 6:12-14 (KJV). It also includes fantasies through pornography.
• Bestiality – sexual activity between a human being and an animal. Lev 20:15-16 (NIV)
• Fellatio – the sexual stimulation of a man’s genitals using the tongue and lips. It is also called oral sex. It is obscene, immoral and impure.  Eph 5:3-6 (NLT)
• Paedophilia- sexual attraction to children.
• Anal Sex – A man putting his genital into another person’s anus. It is part of turning the natural use to that which is not natural. Romans 1:26.
• Spirit sex – this is sex between a human being and a spirit being which often take place in the dream with two spirits identified in the English dictionary as incubus and succubus, the first said to be the male demon having sex with men when they are asleep, and the latter being the female demon having sex with men when they are asleep.

Every form of sexual impurities comes either as a result of ignorance, reading or focusing attention on seductive objects, listening to seductive music, watching pornographic films, evil association; all aided by an un-regenerated and unguarded heart. To maintain sexual purity therefore, you must be born again, make a covenant with your eyes like Job did in Job 31:1ff that you will not look lustfully at a person of the opposite sex, you will not read seductive literatures or watch pornographic films or websites, you will not listen to seductive music, you will not move with wrong friends and you will have your mind constantly renewed with the word of God. Remember Psalm 1:1-3; 119:9,11,105.

Destructive tendency of sexual immorality:

• It can destroy your reputation. Deuteronomy 22:20-21.
• It can destroy your future. Genesis 34:1-25; 2 Samuel 13:20.
• It can destroy your health. Proverbs 5:11. Can cause sexual dysfunction and serious mental problem.
• It can destroy your life through untimely death. 2 Samuel 13:28-29; Genesis 34:25-26.
• It can make you to destroy a life through abortion.
• It can destroy your relationship with God. Ephesians 5:1-7
• It can lead you to eternal destruction. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Revelation 21:8.

How to avoid Sexual immorality.

The scriptural command to avoid sexual immorality is an indication that it is avoidable. The question is how do we avoid it?

1. Be watchful and be prayerful. Matthew 26:41
2. Have no confidence in the flesh. 2 Samuel 13:1-12; 1 Samuel 2:9.
3. Tap strength through constant fellowship. Hebrews 10:12
4. Beware of tempting agents in the form of people, television, radio, movies, books, websites, social networks, tempting swimming pool, etc. Remember that he who walks into a coal mine with a white cloth will be stained. 1 Thessalonians 5:22
5. Cut off from immoral friends and associates. 1 Corinthians 5:9-13; James 4:4; 2 Corinthians 6:14-17; Proverbs 4:14-16.
6. Dress decently and modestly. Remember that men are sensitive to sight. Luke 17:1-2; 1 Timothy 2:9
7. Avoid creating a conducive environment for immorality. Romans 13:14
8. Keep the word of God in your heart. Psalm 119:9,11,105; Proverb 4:4
9. Keep your heart free from immoral thought. Proverb 4:23
10. Avoid immoral talks. Proverbs 4:24.
11. Control your body instead of it controlling you. Romans 6:12-14.
12. Consecrate your body to the Lord. 1 Corinthians 6:13-20.
13. Remember the law of sowing and reaping. Galatians 6:7-8.
14. See people the way God want you to see them. 1 Timothy 5:1&2.
15. Live in the consciousness of the watchful eyes of God. Proverbs 15:3; Genesis 39:9