Acceptance of Sexual Impurity is Rejection Of God I Thessalonians 4:3-8

10/11/2009 - Acceptance of Sexual Impurity is Rejection Of God I Thessalonians 4:3-8

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Acceptance of Impurity is Rejection Of God

REFERENCE: I Thessalonians 4:3-8 God´s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. 4 Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor; 5 not in lustful passion like the pagans who do not know God and his ways. 6 Never harm or cheat a Christian brother in this matter by violating his wife, for the Lord avenges all such sins, as we have solemnly warned you before. 7 God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives. 8 Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

Observation: It seems that sexual sin is the prevailing sin of our age. Sure, there are many competitors; avarice, greed, materialism, pride, but our culture is so sex-saturated that we can´t seem, even for a moment, to get away from it.

There are two things we need to remember; first, God expects us to control our bodies. The "I-can´t-help-it" defense just won´t cut it. We need to control what our bodies watch on TV or go to on the Internet or do sexually. If we need help, we need to get it.

Second, we are not simply violating our own conscience or some Christian/social norm, we are rejecting God when we choose impurity. We have to see that it is that important.
Remember that impurity is more than simply sex with another person. It is a mindset of sensuality and giving into lust even just in our own minds and/or with our own bodies (masturbation). God wants us not to simply live chaste lives, but pure and holy ones as well.

Why does Paul say we are rejecting God when we reject these principles? Because we are making senuality/sexuality our God, we are worshipping at its altar and expecting it to bring us happiness, fulfillment and satisfaction--something only God can do.

Application/Confession: Surrounded by lustful images, in media and even on two legs, even when I am not looking for them, I struggle to keep my mind pure. I need to remember what this verse says; impurity is not simply a violation of human principles, it is a rejection of God. It is idol worship. I do not want to do that. I love God and I want to keep Him close to my heart.

PRAYER: Lord, forgive me for the impurity that is a rejection of You and Your holiness. I never want that to happen. Help me to always control my mind and body and keep You close.

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