Thursday, January 30, 2025

The Seventh Commandment: Honouring God with Our Sexuality

 

The Seventh Commandment: Honouring God with Our Sexuality

"You shall not commit adultery." (Exodus 20:14)

Sexuality is a precious gift from God, designed for the bond between husband and wife in marriage. It is a topic that must be addressed with both sensitivity and courage because Scripture speaks clearly about it. As Christians, we must uphold what God has commanded with love and truth.

Understanding “Unchastity”

Unchastity refers to any sexual activity outside the covenant of marriage. The Bible teaches that sexual relations are meant exclusively for marriage, where they serve as a deep expression of love and a means of bringing new life into the world. This includes:

  • Pre-marital sex – Engaging in sexual relations before marriage or cohabiting as though married without a covenant commitment.
  • Adultery – A married person engaging in a sexual relationship with someone who is not their spouse.
  • Pornography – A widespread issue that distorts God’s design for intimacy, readily available through digital devices.

Biblical Warnings Against Sexual Immorality

God warned the Israelites against the detestable practices of the Canaanites (Leviticus 18:30), where sexual perversion was rampant and often intertwined with pagan worship. In the New Testament, Paul addresses similar immorality in places like Ephesus, Greece, and Rome (Ephesians 5:3-5), where sexual sins were normalized. He calls believers to live in holiness:

"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light." (Ephesians 5:8)

The Relevance for Today’s Culture

Our modern world mirrors these ancient societies. Homosexuality, pride parades, and casual cohabitation before marriage are normalized. Public school curriculums often teach children to explore their sexuality in ways that contradict biblical truth. As believers, we must remain steadfast in God’s word and teach our children the right path.

The Beauty of God’s Design for Marriage

Sexual relations are reserved for marriage between a man and a woman (Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:4-6, Ephesians 5:31). Within this sacred bond, sex is a blessing and a means of deepening love between husband and wife. It also serves as the means by which children are conceived. Outside of marriage, it leads to complications—guilt, unintended pregnancies, emotional wounds, and damage within families and the church.

Young people preparing for marriage must remain pure. Dating should be with someone who loves the Lord and will honour his commandments. A man who loves Jesus above all else will take good care of his wife.

The Permanence of Marriage

Marriage is a lifelong covenant, and divorce should not be an option except in cases of adultery (Matthew 19:9). Unfortunately, divorce rates are high in Canada and the United States, and same-sex marriage has become widely accepted. These deviations from God’s design are tragic, but as believers, we must remain faithful to his word.

Sexual Purity: A Call to Holiness

Paul’s exhortation in 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8 and Hebrews 13:4 reminds us that sexual purity is essential for believers. Jesus warns that even looking at someone lustfully is sin (Matthew 5:27-29), emphasizing the need to guard our hearts and minds.

Paul calls us to flee from sexual immorality because our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:18-20). Surrounding ourselves with godly influences is crucial: “Bad company ruins good morals” (1 Corinthians 15:33). We must also avoid substances like alcohol that impair judgment and seek to be filled with the Holy Spirit instead (Ephesians 5:18).

Teaching the Next Generation

Parents play a vital role in teaching their children about godly sexuality. They must:

  • Educate them about the dangers of pornography.
  • Instill the value of purity before marriage.
  • Encourage them to date only those who love the Lord.
  • Protect them from worldly influences that distort biblical truth.

The battle for sexual purity is real, but there is forgiveness in Christ. Those who have sinned can find grace and restoration through repentance. God’s design is always best, and He calls us to honour him with our bodies and our relationships.

Let us live as children of light, upholding the beauty of God’s design for marriage and sexuality, for his glory and our good.

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Based on a lesson given to a Karen Zoom class.