“I APPEAL to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].” (Romans 12:1,2)
“My Body is About Him”
by Max Lucado
“Don’t you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you?” (1 Corinthians 6:19 NLT). Paul wrote these words to counter the Corinthian sex obsession. “Run away from sexual sin!” reads the prior sentence. “No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body.” (v.18 NLT).
“What a salmon scripture! No message swims more up-stream than this one. You know the sexual anthem of our day: “I’ll do what I want. It’s my body.” God’s firm response? “No, it’s not. It’s mine.”
Be quick to understand, God is not antisex. Dismiss any notion that God is anti affection and anti-intercourse. After all, he developed the whole package. Sex was his idea. From his perspective, sex is nothing short of holy.
He views sexual intimacy the way I view our family Bible. Passed down from my father’s side, the volume is one hundred years old and twelve inches thick. Replete with lithographs, scribbling, and a family tree, it is, in my estimation, beyond value. Hence, I use it carefully.
When I need a stepstool, I don’t reach for the Bible. If the foot of my bed breaks, I don’t use the family Bible as a prop. When we need old paper for wrapping, we don’t rip a sheet out of this book. We reserve the heirloom for special times and keep it in a chosen place.
Regard sex the same way? as a holy gift to be opened in a special place at special times. The special place is marriage, and the time is with your spouse.
Casual sex, intimacy outside of marriage, pulls the Corinthian ploy. It pretends we can give the body and not affect the soul. We can’t. We humans are so intricately psychosomatic that whatever touches the soma impacts the psyche as well. The me-centered phrase “as long as no one gets hurt” sounds noble, but the truth is, we don’t know who gets hurt. God-centered thinking rescues us from the sex we thought would make us happy. You may think your dalliances are harmless, and years may pass before the x-rays reveal the internal damage, but don’t be fooled. Casual sex is a diet of chocolate? it tastes good for a while, but the imbalance can ruin you. Sex apart from God’s plan wounds the soul.
Your body, God’s temple. Respect it.”
These days, we hear all kinds of things in regards to sex and “our” bodies. People really do think that whatever pleases them is okay. That is such a deception. If you carefully devote time and attention to making something, do you then, allow it to make decisions that will cause all of your work to be for naught? For instance, I design and make jewelry. After I have designed a piece and put my work into the detail of the design, do I allow someone to come along and abuse my work? Not likely! Why, then, do we think that God will allow His creations to use and abuse themselves, with each other, simply because it feels good, or because we feel like it?
He has created so much beauty–in us and for us to enjoy; but God is a God of order. He has determined how and when we can appropriately use everything that He has created. If we choose to do things our way–and against His principles, then we suffer. There are consequences for ALL of our choices–some are good, but some will kill us–it depends on our choice.
What is really sad is that even in many churches, there are people who identify themselves as born-again Christians, who think that sexual immorality is not really a bad thing–or that it is excusable. It is bad and it is not excusable–it destroys. It destroys the family unit, as God intended it to be. Sex outside of the confines of marriage has a multitude of consequences. There are spiritual, emotional and physical consequences. Those consequences are often so life altering, that many never really recover from the misuse of the temple of God (“our” bodies). I am sure you can name some of those consequences:
1) Loneliness–to engage in sex, without a marriage partner, leaves a feeling of emptiness and a longing for something more–particularly, with women. Why? Because, women are receivers. It is our nature to become emotional–whenever a woman has sex, she needs more than the physical act to truly be satisfied. Without commitment of marriage, there is NO guarantee of commitment. Men generally are not as emotional about sex, as women, but they give a part of themselves (emotionally), in the act of intercourse, as well. Most women, admittedly or not, are looking for more than the physical act–and have a hope of something permanent, when they engage in sex, outside of the confines of marriage. Unfortunately, it often doesn’t work out that way–but even if they do marry, these marriages are often troubled.
2) sexually-transmitted diseases–they aren’t only a nuisance, but they can take lives. HIV/AIDS, has wreaked havoc on the family. When AIDS first became known to us, most heterosexuals thought they were safe. Not so, AIDS doesn’t discriminate. Mothers get AIDS and pass it on to their children. Men engage in risky behavior and bring HIV and AIDS home to their wives. Teenagers are contracting HIV and AIDS, in record numbers. Some diseases that aren’t as deadly as AIDS, take a woman’s ability to have children when she decides that the time is “right” for her to settle down with one man, and marry. Some diseases, caused by risky sexual activity, in youth, may cause cancer–later. Is it really worth the risk??? Many people are of the opinion that you shouldn’t marry someone until you have “tested the waters”. They say, how will you know if you are compatible, sexually??? It is much safer, as well as right, to trust God, in choosing a husband or wife. (Actually, HE that findeth a wife, findeth a good thing!) But, the point is, WE won’t choose correctly, with or without sex–if we don’t allow God to be in the equation!
3) Children growing up with only one parent–It’s hard enough for two married people to parent, in this day and age, but it becomes a gargantuan task for a single parent! Effective parenting is difficult enough, without the benefit of both parents being fully engaged in the process. That is very difficult for two unmarried to do–we witness the problems that children of divorce suffer, all of the time. What about the child who grows up, not knowing who one of his parents are? What about women trying to raise sons to be quality men and husbands–women can’t teach boys, how to be men! Women can’t show their daughters how they should be treated by men, like Daddy can–when he is a positive presence in the family home. The home is where little girls learn what to look for in a man, when they grow up. Finally, it is emotionally and physically draining to parent alone–it can also be very lonely; especially in the church (where it may feel like everyone is a couple, except you, or those who aren’t couples, don’t have children).
The aforementioned consequences are but a few–and there are more that come out of these! It should be obvious to any born-again believer, that sex, is for marriage–ONLY! Sadly, many of us compromise, allowing our flesh to rule–rather than walking after the Spirit. It is a choice, though! Choose the way of life; choose to follow the plan that God has given to us, and avoid the consequences of sin.
Lord, keep us from wayward thinking. Give us minds that are singularly devoted to You; cause us to choose Your perfect way, and find life. Help us to devote “Your” bodies, that we live in, to holy living and all that pleases You.
In Jesus’ Name,
AMEN
Abundant Blessings!!!
Lisa