What is sexual immorality?
In the New Testament, the word most often translated “sexual immorality” is porneia . This word is also translated as “prostitution”, “fornication” e “idolatry”. It means “renunciation of sexual purity” and is mainly used for premarital sexual intercourse. From this Greek word we get the English word pornography, deriving from the concept of “clearance sale”. Sexual immorality is the “clearance sale” sexual purity and involves any kind of sexual expression outside the boundaries of a marriage relationship defined by the Bible (Matteo 19: 4-5 ).
The connection between sexual immorality and idolatry is best understood in the context of 1 Corinthians 6:18 , that says:
"Escape from sexual immorality. All other sins committed by a man are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body “.
The bodies of believers are the "temple of the Holy Spirit" ( 1 Corinthians 6: 19–20 ). Pagan idol worship often involved perverse and immoral sexual acts performed in the temple of a false god. When we use our physical body for immoral purposes, we imitate pagan worship by profaning the sacred temple of God with acts that He defines detestable ( 1 Corinthians 6: 9-11 ).
Biblical prohibitions against sexual immorality are often coupled with warnings against it “impurity ” (Romans 1:24 ; Galati 5:19 ; Ephesians 4:19 ). This word in Greek is akatharsia , what does it mean “contaminated, unclean, ceremonially unsuitable”. Indicates actions that make a person unfit to enter God's presence. Those who persist in unrepentant immorality and impurity cannot come into the presence of God. Jesus said,:
“Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God” ( Matteo 5: 8 ; cf.. Salmo 24: 3–4 ).
It is impossible to maintain a healthy intimacy with God when our body and soul are left to impurities of any kind.
Sexuality is God's plan. He alone can define the parameters for its use. In the Bible it is clear that sex was created to be enjoyed between a man and a woman who are in a covenant marriage bond until the death of one of them. (Matteo 19: 6 ). Sexuality is his sacred owner wedding for humans. Any expression of it outside these parameters constitutes an abuse of God's gift. Abuse is the use of people or things in ways they were not designed to be used for. The Bible calls this sin adultery, premarital sex, pornography and same-sex relationships are all outside God's plan, which makes them sin.
The following are some common objections to God's commands against sexual immorality:
- It is not wrong if we love each other. The Bible does not distinguish between sexual relations “loving” e “not loving”. The only biblical distinction is between married and unmarried people. Sex within marriage is blessed ( Genesis 1:28 ); sex outside of marriage is “fornication” O “sexual immorality” ( 1 Corinthians 7: 2–5 ).
- Times have changed and what was wrong in Bible times is no longer considered sin. Most of the passages that condemn sexual immorality also include evils such as greed, lust, the theft, etc. (1 Corinthians 6: 9–10 ; Galati 5: 19–21). We have no problem understanding that these other things are still sinful. God's character does not change with the opinion of culture ( Malachi 3: 6 ; Numbers 23:19; Jews 13: 8 ).
- We are married in God's eyes. This argument implies that God is cross-eyed. The mistake of this idea is that the God who created marriage in the first place would have withdrawn his command to accept what he called sin. God declared that marriage is a man and a woman united for life (Marco 10: 6–9). The Bible often uses images of a marriage and covenant marriage as a metaphor for teaching spiritual truth (Matteo 22: 2 ; Apocalypse 19: 9). God takes marriage very seriously and His "eyes" see immorality for what it is, regardless of how clever we have redefined it.
- I can still have a good relationship with God because He understands. Proverbs 28: 9 dice: “If one turns his ear away from listening to the law, even his prayer is an abomination”. We delude ourselves when we think we can stubbornly choose sin and God doesn't care. First John 2: 3–4 contains a serious challenge for those who persist in this line of thinking: “We know we have known him if we observe his commands. Anyone who says: 'I know him', but he does not do what he commands he is a liar, and the truth is not in that person “.
Jews 13: 4 it makes God's expectations for His children crystal clear:
“The marriage is celebrated in honor of all and the marriage bed is pristine, for God will judge those who are sexually immoral and adulterous”.
Sexual immorality is wrong. The blood of Jesus can cleanse us of all kinds of impurities when we repent and receive His forgiveness (1 Giovanni 1: 7–9 ). But that purification means our old nature, including sexual immorality, is put to death ( Romans 6: 12–14 ; 8:13 ). Ephesians 5: 3 dice:
“But there shouldn't be even a hint of sexual immorality among you, or of any kind of impurity or greed, because these are improper for God's holy people”.
