Flee Sexual Immorality

Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.*

On the path to Life in Christ, we can not be passive, we are in a spiritual war, one for our souls. Conquerseries.com writes that"68% of church-going men and over 50% of pastors view porn on a regular basis."* Crosswalk.com writes "50 percent of men viewed pornography within one week of attending a Promise Keepers stadium event… 54 percent of pastors said they viewed porn within the past year in a Pastors.com survey…"* Paul writes for us not to be deceived in this area. "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality... And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be mastered by anything."* A believer struggling with sexual immorality is not living in freedom, they are being mastered, overpowered by evil, their very soul is in danger.

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.*

This is not our home, we live on a corrupt earth that is dying. This body in which we live, it is dying, and sin dwells there and evil wars against this member to bring us into captivity to sin. There is salvation from this body waiting to come, the redemption of our bodies. This is the truth of the scriptures, but also we see the truth that the old man has been crucified with Christ so that sin is rendered powerless and that the Spirit puts to death the deeds of the flesh.* At some point a line is drawn in the sand, here are the children of the devil, and on the other side are the children of God, those born of God will not continue in sin.* There is a wretched state of a believer who does the things against his new man, which is spiritual, and also there is the concept of making sure of your calling, of overcoming. If Christ is in us, greater is He in you, so then "abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul."*

Therefore put to death the member, to the extent of sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and covetousness, which is idolatry.*

The word of God is powerful for tearing down strongholds. The battle is within the mind, thus we are commanded to take our thoughts captive (these the devil put there) and submit them unto obedience to Christ. Meditate on the truth and you will be set free. The word of God is the sword of the Spirit. Here are some;

"The body is not intended for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body."1 Corinthians 6:13 Jesus died so that we would be set free from sin.* "In Him, you were also circumcised in the putting off of your sinful nature, with the circumcision performed by Christ and not by human hands."Colossians 2:11 "Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." Romans 6:6 "Do not present the parts of your body to sin as instruments of wickedness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and present the parts of your body to Him as instruments of righteousness."Romans 6:13 If Christ has redeemed us we are no longer indebted to the flesh, but to our new nature, of the Spirit. If we live according to the flesh we will die. We have a choice, we can not be passive, it is spiritual warfare, one must stand and be courageous!

For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.Romans 8:13

Here is where the passivity will not work, it is a choice set before us, what will we choose, will we choose life or will we choose death? There are sins that lead to death, these sins John writes we can not pray for a brother to be healed. Paul had the church of Corinth, give a man over to Satan for living in sexual immorality so that perhaps his soul would be saved. In the new covenant in Christ, the temple is the body. Jesus spoke of His body being a temple, when he said the temple would be destroyed and raised in three days.* The body is the Temple of the Spirit who dwells within our body. The Old covenant temple, built on a corrupt earth, body, the Spirit of God dwelt in, the holiness was due to His presence there. Think about sexual immorality this way, in the Old temple, a priest bringing a prostitute into the building joining with her, in the presence of God's spirit. Our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body, a body that belongs to the Lord.* Paul writes my body belongs to the Lord though I am joined not in body with Christ but in spirit, the Spirit of Christ is in me, therefore what I do in my body will either glorify God or not.

for you were redeemed worthy, therefore glorify God with your bodies.*

God had a purpose in Christ before he created the world, He "chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love," and he blessed us in Christ, with adoption, and redemption, the forgiveness of sin.* He redeemed us because he found us worthy, favored in the Beloved, a matter of election, predestined for adoption as sons. God wanted people to love him and be loved by him, but he is holy, so these people needed to be consecrated, set apart unto holiness, so to be blameless in his presence. This purpose he accomplished in Christ, and according to this purpose, we are being conformed to the image of His Son, who is holy. God is working out all for our good, according to this plan, for those called according to this purpose. The Holy Spirit is a pledge of this inheritance until the redemption of His possession, which are his children called according to this purpose. If I am called according to His purpose, to be holy in His presence in love, called to heaven where God exists holy, then I am to put away those things that are earthly, that will not exist in heaven and glorify God in my body. I glorify God in my body when I share in His holy character.

The Tripartite Nature of Humanity: Spirit, Soul, and Body

The Tripartite Nature of Humanity: Spirit, Soul, and Body in Biblical Understanding The human being, as depicted in the Bible, is a multifaceted creation, often understood through the distinct yet interconnected components of spirit, soul, and body. While some theological perspectives lean towards a bipartite view (soul and body), which we do see in the Old Testament, a careful examination of the New Testament scripture reveals a compelling case for a tripartite understanding, where each is divided into or composed of three parts. Let’s explore the biblical distinction between spirit, soul, and body. The Body: Our Earthly Vessel The body is the physical form that interacts with the material world. From the very beginning, Genesis 2:7 states, " Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being ." This verse clearly establishes the body's origin from the earth, emphasizing its connec...

New Testament Love: Loving One Another as Christ’s Brethren

🕊️ New Testament Love: Loving One Another as Christ’s Brethren 📖 Introduction Love is the defining mark of the New Testament church. While outreach and evangelism are vital expressions of Christian witness, the New Testament places a profound emphasis on inward love—love among believers, especially toward the “least” of Christ’s brethren. This love is not sentimental or abstract; it is sacrificial, covenantal, and rooted in the very character of Christ. Jesus and the apostles consistently taught that the authenticity of our faith is revealed in how we treat fellow members of the body. 💬 Jesus’ Command: Love One Another as I Have Loved You Jesus inaugurated a new ethic of love within the community of His disciples: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. ” —John 13:34–35 (ESV) This command is not generic humanitar...

Fear and Love in the New Testament: Reconciling The Tension

🕊️ Fear and Love in the New Testament: Reconciling The Tension The New Testament presents a rich tapestry of theological themes, to be sought in a spirit of wisdom and understanding. Among the most seemingly paradoxical are the concepts of fear and love . At first glance, they appear to be opposing forces—one rooted in reverence or dread, the other in intimacy and assurance. Yet Scripture does not treat them as mutually exclusive. Instead, it invites believers into a nuanced, relationship with both, characterized by subtle shades of meaning revealing that fear and love, rightly understood, are not contradictory but complementary in the life of faith. 💖 Love That Casts Out Fear In 1 John 4:18 , the apostle John writes with striking clarity: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and the one who fears has not been perfected in love.” (ESV) This verse is often cited to emphasize the security believers have in God's lo...

The New Living Way

The New Living Way "... Now, at the present released from the Law, having died in that which held us captive, so that we serve in newness of Spirit and not the old written code " -- Romans 7:16 Paul states that we are now united to Christ in his death and also raised with him into newness of life. What held them captive was sin but also the Law, it was a guardian until the appointed time God would send a Messiah (see School Master ). Paul uses the metaphor of marriage to describe how we are released from the Law; like a wife whose husband dies, now she is released from the Law and can marry another, so also have we died with Christ and are released from the Law and bound to Christ in a new covenant. The purpose of this is that we live in a new living way of the Spirit and not fleshly through the old written code or Mosaic Law. " So then brothers, you also have died to the Law through the body of Christ to the extent you exist by creation of another, the one raising you f...

Called According to His Purpose: A Biblical Examination

Called According to His Purpose: A Biblical Examination 📖 Introduction The phrase “called according to His purpose” appears in Romans 8:28 (ESV), a foundational verse that reads: “And we know that for those loved of God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.” This statement gives comfort and more—it is a declaration about identity, destiny, and divine intent. To be “called according to His purpose” means participating in God’s sovereign, redemptive plan. God's plan is being manifested through the church through the "new covenant in his blood" as it was established by the death of Jesus, his blood. The calling is not arbitrary or based on human merit, but is rooted in God’s purpose, eternal will and love. 🔍 The Nature of the Calling In Scripture, God's calling is effectual—that is, it accomplishes what He intends. Paul writes: "...those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also...

Putting On the New Self

Putting On the New Self Theme: Spiritual Growth & Identity in Christ Key Scripture: “And to put on the new man, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” — Ephesians 4:24 (ESV) 🕊️ Day’s Reflection The Christian journey is not about becoming a better version of our old selves. It is about walking in The New Living Way , putting on the new man created in the likeness of God. Scripture calls us to put on the new man , and this call is not symbolic or abstract. It is a command grounded in spiritual truth and lived out in daily walking as Christ walked. 📜 Scripture for Meditation 2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV) “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” Ephesians 4:22–24 (ESV) “To put off your old man, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new man, created after the likeness of...

New Testament Growth in Christ: From Foundation to Fullness

New Testament Growth in Christ: From Foundation to Fullness The New Testament presents a vibrant and multifaceted picture of spiritual growth, not as a static event but as a dynamic, lifelong journey for the believer. This journey, with emphasis on a strong foundation, progresses through a transformative process of maturity forged by endurance, ultimately aiming for the profound goal of experiencing the "fullness of God in Christ." The Foundation: A New Creation The inception of growth in Christ is marked by a radical spiritual new birth, a foundational shift that defines the Christian experience. It is not merely a moral reformation, but a divine act of creation. The apostle Paul declares this truth in 2 Corinthians 5:17 : " Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come ." This new creation is initiated by faith in Jesus Christ, where believers are justified and reconciled to God through His sacrifice. ...

True Widows: A Biblical Perspective

True Widows: A Biblical Perspective Throughout Scripture, God's compassion for widows is evident. He is portrayed as their defender, provider, and source of justice. The Bible repeatedly calls believers to care for widows, reflecting God's own heart for the vulnerable. However, in his letter to Timothy, the Apostle Paul provides a specific definition of a "true" widow, emphasizing the church's responsibility in supporting those who are genuinely in need. God's Compassion for Widows The Old Testament is rich with passages that reveal God's concern for widows. In Exodus 22:22, God commands, "You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child." This verse underscores His protective nature, ensuring that widows are not mistreated or neglected. Similarly, Deuteronomy 10:18 declares, "He administers justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing." Here, God is depicted as a just and loving prov...

Word Of Life

"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life. " 1 Jesus is the Word, He was in the beginning with God. 2 All things were made through Him. He is the Word and Light of men, the way, the path, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." 4 Thus we can say as the Psalmist, Jesus, the Word, is a Lamp unto my feet, and a Light unto my path. 5 "In him was life, and the life was the light of men." 6 Concerning the Word of Life, " the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life ," Proclaimed, that our joy may be complete, a glory like that in the beginning, fellowship with the Father, with one another, and with his Son Jesus Christ, the Word of Life. "You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot...

One Grace

" moreover, One, to each of us has been given Grace, according to the measure of the gift of Christ ." 1 Grace is a founding principle of Christianity. It is by Grace we grow into the fullness of Christ through faith; " to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. " 2 Without Grace we will never reach this fullness. The weakness in the Law was it attempted to do it in the flesh, and people failed over and over, so God in His infinite wisdom, unveiled this mystery, through faith in Christ we have grace to boldly approach His throne of Grace, to receive grace and mercy as needed! This gift of Grace is properly understood by examining this verse in three parts; moreover, One Grace, to each of us has been given, according to the measure of the gift of Christ . First, we understand, One grace, it is easy to miss the One, and this verse is translated in different ways, I believe it says One Grace and i...

Love Fulfilled Ministry

Search This Blog