Sexual Immorality Defiles Our Bodies, the Temple of the Holy Spirit
Some people today don’t want to talk about sin. They view discussions of sin as judgmental. In truth, they don’t want to be confronted with their own shortcomings and faults. But the Bible addresses sin, so we’d be foolish to dismiss it.
Most sins occur outside of our body, but sexual sins are sins against our bodies (1 Corinthians 6:18-20). As followers and disciples of Jesus, the Holy Spirit fills us.
Our bodies become a temple (1 Corinthians 3:16-18). We’d be foolish to think that we know better. We are unwise to align with today’s standards. Instead we are wise to align with Biblical truth.
The internal sins against our bodies are sins against the temple of the Holy Spirit. We are the temple of God (2 Corinthians 6:16). Our sexual sins defile the temple God has made us into. That is, our sexual sins defile our temple.
The sins against our bodies are sexual immorality. Paul says we’re to avoid it (1 Thessalonians 4:3-8).
Sexual immorality is any behavior that falls outside of the accepted norm. Yet we’d be wrong to interpret this from the attitude of today’s anything-goes society.
Instead, we must define sexual immorality as was the case when the Bible was written. The Bible says a lot about the subject in very exacting detail.
The Scriptural view of sexual immorality is any sexual behavior that falls outside of a monogamous marriage between a man and a woman.
Everything else is sexual immorality. This includes adultery, prostitution, rape, incest, and fornication. And we must avoid these sins against our bodies.
We do this by controlling our own bodies and not giving into passionate lust. God calls us to live a holy life, not to wallow in impurity.
Paul concludes his teaching about sexual immorality by stating that anyone who rejects this instruction rejects God (1 Thessalonians 4:8). Pause to contemplate that.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront a status quo faith and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.
Bogged Down Reading the Bible?
Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.”
Enter your info and receive the free Bible Reading Tip Sheet and be added to Peter’s email list.