“You know, I’m really, really happy that I chose to sleep around while I was in my teens and twenties.” “Pornography has made my marriage so much better.” “Letting my lust run wild has really drawn me closer to God.”
Okay, I’ve never heard someone say anything even remotely close to these statements. After having counseled many individuals and couples over the years, what I have heard is this: Impurity only leads to pain and destruction.
God is well aware of that fact. His Word tells us over and over to pursue purity and bolt from sexual sin (1 Thessalonians 4:3-7; 1 Corinthians 6:18). The apostle Paul wrote, “Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you” (Ephesians 5:3-10). In the NIV, this verse is rendered: “Among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity.”
Paul explains that these sins “have no place among God’s people” (Ephesians 5:3), or His holy ones. Instead of living in darkness, we’re called to “live as people of light!” (Ephesians 5:8). As we walk in His holy ways, we will avoid the ugliness and heartache that comes with impurity, but—most important—we will be doing “what pleases the Lord” (Ephesians 5:10). It’s not enough to simply know God’s commands. We’re called to obey them.
Recently I was talking with someone whose pain and remorse over previous sexually immoral choices had affected her current relationships. By God’s grace, she has repented of her sin, but the past continues to haunt her.
Paul wrote, “You will always harvest what you plant” (Galatians 6:7). By turning from impure temptations, you’re “planting” seeds that will lead to spiritual health, bring glory to God, and sow true joy that comes from Him. Remember, to be pure, means “not even a hint.”
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Job 1:1-22
More:
Carefully consider Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 3:16. Think about how impurity devastates you spiritually.
Next:
What impurity in your life do you need to bring to God in repentance? Why does one impure choice often lead to others?
conmeo on May 8, 2011 at 9:27 pm
Thank you Tom. Does this mean the seed of sin I planted will not go away? Pray for me. Thank You all. I love this site. Praise God for all of you.
tony.septimo on May 8, 2011 at 9:42 pm
In my own opinion, whatever done is done and it cannot be undone–but it could be forgiven. however, the every time the past is reminisced, most often, it also includes all the emotions felt at the time and it makes us guilty sometimes especially if its sexual infidelity or impurity. we just have to cling to what God’s word says that “whom the Son sets free is free indeed”(Jn 8:36) and that “there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”(Rom 8:1). I hope these words encourage you.
tom felten on May 8, 2011 at 10:12 pm
conmeo, I like what tony.septimo wrote to you. The effects of sin cannot be undone, but God will forgive us as we turn to Him in repentance (1 John 1:9). Psalm 51:10 is a good reminder that God can cleanse our heart and use us for His glory, even when our past hasn’t been perfect. Praise Him!
AManofGod on May 9, 2011 at 6:30 pm
As a sinner (as we all are!), I fully understand that the effects of sin cannot be undone, but I am glad in the knowledge that God forgives all my sins!
When I feel the weight and guilt of my sins I like to recall David. The Bible tells us how many awful sins he engaged in. He lusted after another man’s wife (Bathsheeba) and even gave the order to have the man killed so he could have the woman! He was truly a great sinner, but the Bible also tells us that David was a man after God’s own heart. That often confused me and I couldn’t put the two together. How could a man be a horrible sinner and yet still be a favorite of God? Due to the never ending mercy and compassion of God! He loves us in spite of our sins! He knows all of our good deeds….and all of our bad ones and still desires a relationship with us!
God is good all the time and all the time God is so good!
AManofGod
NOTE: This doesn’t give us a justification to go ahead and sin, but it gives us comfort in the knowledge that when we fall short of the will of God, we can repent and He will always welcome us back into the fold! AMEN!
anabelle624 on June 16, 2011 at 11:46 pm
I was trying to find a post by “Invisible” who shared the poignant story about his high school friend killing himself because the young man’s conservative Christian father denounced him for admitting he had feelings of attraction toward other boys. First, while adolescents are growing into adults, they often find themselves attracted to teens of the same sex, but it does not necessarily mean they are homosexual. Hormones rage during that time of life, and may be misdirected. A former homosexual Christian man who has been “cured,” and is leading the movement for other men to find their cure for homosexuality admitted on the Dr. Drew show that he is still attracted to men. It is too simplistic to say boys or girls are not “born” to be homosexual. I know of a man who was very effeminate and asexual, but he was diagnosed as having been born with an extra female chromosome. It is a very easy approach to life to simply quote passages in the Bible that support your beliefs. Although I believe the Bible is the word of God, it is filled with contradictions. How can ANY human be vain enough to claim to know the heart of God? God in unfathomable and all-knowing. If he were as simplistic as many conservative Christians like to paint him, he would not be God. As a child, I was classified as having a genius IQ. and as I grew up, I became an atheist. Religion seemed too dogmatic and simplistic for smart people. I then studied every religion imaginable, and finally came back to my childhood roots of Catholicism. Do any of you know of and respect C.S. Lewis? He, like I, was a PhD, and also an atheist who converted to Christianity. I am sure many people agree that C.S. Lewis was one of the most devout and intelligent Christians in modern history. He understood that God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and intelligent beyond any human comprehension. It sickens me when people who call themselves good Christians get on their soapbox and condemn others so freely. Who made you God?
Tyla808 on June 17, 2011 at 3:48 am
Funny…where the Spirit leads you at times. What a coinky dink to find myself on this post. I just finished a small group session with a few women of whom I have grown quite close to over this past year. We come from all lifestyles, backgrounds, ethnicities and ages and yet we’ve despite all the circumstances in our lives we’ve all been brought to a single point in time where at our lowest most shameful moment of despair, our Savior Jesus met us and gave us a new chance of life.
I say this because its not like we became “divine” beings overnight and all of a sudden are angelic-like creatures who see everything as black and white (good and evil) and ALWAYS, automatically, “instinctively and intuitively” chooses good this side of heaven.
Ha! Truth-be-told and being totally transparent we each still struggle with many thoughts, temptations and I fear that if we let the expectation of both well-meaning Christians as well as judgmental non-believers to rule our personal, spiritual walks and allow ourselves to be measured and condemned by man’s yardstick of perfection rather than God’s patient, loving, spiritually “age-appropriate” growth process…we would have all given up on our born-again lives, our faith and our God for who could ever live to perfection and expectation PEOPLE put upon each other by tearing down, using God’s Word to manipulate Hist Truth in order to control and discipline people in the way THEY see fit rather than use God’s Word to build up, strengthen, feed, challenge and hold accountable.
It’s true God forgives. But forgiveness does not remove the consequences. Every decision has a consequence, good or bad. To deny that anyone receives special treatment in that arena and has been given the “hall pass” to void any and all future consequences that have yet to be manifested for something done BEFORE we gave our lives to Christ…I’d like to meet that person.
Even before being saved. The commonality of man’s law was “do unto others…” and “what goes around…” and “you’ll pay one way or another, maybe not today but someday, somehow…” – even other religions believed in some sort of universal karma…”consequence” we’ll always reap that which we sow.
Even the example A Man of God gave for David and Bathsheeba – yes, God forgave David but they both had to live with the consequences of David’s actions by the unfortunate death of their first-born child.
Some to always remember and be sober about whenever you are ready to make a decision…it will always have an impact on your life and sometimes it will impact the people who are in your life as well.