Godly Passions
READ: 1 Thessalonians 4:2-5
Our world today talks a lot about sexuality. One of the main avenues of communicating this message is through TV shows. It seems each year more skin and more scenes make their way onto the screen, even during the prime family time in the evening. It is everywhere and it can’t be avoided. TV’s message is the goal of dating is one-night-stands or maybe a month long fling. Dating and sex are just about fun, and even marriage can’t be taken too seriously. The latest message from TV promotes that it doesn’t matter what your sexual orientation is either. Now shows talk about guys trying to get dates with guys as a normal and everyday event.
Whether a man or woman, the characters in many shows state their goals of finding someone who is “hot” and the ultimate goal is a sexual experience with them.
Recently the issue of same-sex relationships has been center stage in the political scene. How fitting is Paul’s message for our society. Our society can be included in Paul’s description of “passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God.”
God has called us to live sanctified lives and to avoid sexual immorality. God has called us to control our bodies, not letting our sinful desires get the best of us. God has called us to save our sexual experiences for marriage. Yet we often sin sexually in ways and at times that only God knows besides us. The guilt of such sins can be overpowering and burdensome to a Christian’s conscience. But as Christians, we repent of our sexual sins, which can be so easy to commit. In repentance we look to Jesus for forgiveness, and it is ours.
It is Christ’s forgiveness that gives us joy and contentment. It is Christ’s forgiveness that energizes us to follow Paul’s instructions, to live sanctified lives and avoid sexual immorality. In Christ we have a choice to not sin, to resist temptations. In Christ we have that freedom to stand up against our sinful nature and the sinful world around us and live to give God glory.
The world and the media claim to have sexual freedom by their sinful lives full of lust, but God shows us how to have true sexual freedom. God shows us how to use our sexuality to please and glorify him. May God help us to do this!
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT: How has the world's ungodly messages regarding sex and orientation affected your life personally? What practical steps can you take to flee sexual temptation?
PRAYER SUGGESTION: Jesus, we thank you for your forgiveness. Help us to use our sexuality to glorify you. In your name we pray. Amen.