CLAY CENTER – Have you ever known someone who took pride in saying something like, “My body. My choice. I am going to live however I choose?” They are right! Every person does have the human right to live and do with their bodies, whatever they want. However, it is also true that although a person has the freedom to choose, they do not have the freedom to decide the consequences of their choices.
Look at the following statement from the Bible regarding one’s personal choice about sex. “For you may be sure of this, that everyone who (chooses to be) sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous ... has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ ...” (Ephesians 5:5)
Those are strong words.
What is God saying? He is strongly communicating that people who choose to engage in sexual immorality have serious consequences, and it does not matter the religious professions he or she makes.
Let us look at the meaning of sexual immorality. God is our Creator and He has established a perfect standard for all His creation to live by, no matter if they agree with Him or not. That standard is a sexual union only between a man and woman in the bonds of a covenant marriage relationship. However, due to mankind’s natural bent toward selfish living and away from God’s standards, outside of a small faithful remnant, this has been violated for most of human history. The sexual activities people are engaged in today are nothing new. It may seem new to us, but a review of world history, will show the current perversions of God’s sexual standard, have all been done before. And I use perversion intentionally, which refers to something that has been distorted from its original purpose.
How has God’s sexual standard been distorted? Through accepting a twisted and deceptive definition of love. The Bible says in Ephesians 5:1-2, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Godly love is an important foundation of God’s sexual standard.
Godly love is demonstrated through Jesus when He suffered, died and rose again for the whole world that has fallen short of His divine standard. When He sacrificed Himself for humanity, He deliberately chose to lay Himself down for our good. He shows that real love is bound up in a choice to serve and give up one’s life for another, regardless of feelings.
Godly love between a husband and wife is shown through selfless service one to another, including in their sexual relationship.
When it comes to sexual immorality, there is no godly love, only a perverted love. How so? Because it is about being controlled by sexual impulses and feelings of attraction, then yielding our bodies to them in order to pleasure ourselves. And there are no limits, no boundaries. We are told by our culture that real love is being able to express that love however we choose. That is a twisted kind of love and far from God’s standard.
If we choose to engage in sexual immorality and practice a perverted love, then we must be prepared for the consequences, which are “... no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ ...” That means we will have no part with God, in this life and the next. And it does not matter if we say we are Christians, or have asked Jesus into our heart. For the evidence of a genuine inward faith in Jesus, is a life that conforms to His standards.
If you have fallen short of God’s standards, is there hope? Yes! No matter what you have done. Just call out to God, stop your sexual sins and turn to Jesus with all your heart. Then heaven’s gift of forgiveness and newness of life will be yours.
A prayer for you: Lord God, we confess our sexual sin. We have called it love, but realize it is not. We admit how we have failed your perfect standard. According to your mercy, please forgive us and wash us clean. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Clint Decker is the president of Great Awakenings. Share comments with Clint at cdecker@greatawakenings.org and follow his blog at clintdecker.blogspot.com.
