1 Corinthians 5-8

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%205-8&version=ESV

1 Corinthians 6:18-20 "Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body."

Sex. We have talked about it in the Bridge as we studied 1 Corinthians in class and again as we have recently finished our study of Ephesians.

But this is so important that it needs to be addressed again.

Our culture is infatuated with sex. Sex in the movies, television, Internet, billboards. Sex is displayed almost in every venue we go to.

The Corinthians were very much like our culture today. They were obsessed with sex.

Look at the arguments the Corinthians make.

In verse 12 they say that all things are lawful for them. Paul answers this by saying although you are free in Christ, all things are not helpful. He goes on further to say that he will not be enslaved by anything.

Friends, sexual intimacy is meant for marriage. It is meant to be a strong force or attraction to your mate. But when sexual relations are outside of the confines of marriage, it often becomes enslaving.

We all know of people who can not stop looking at pornography on the Internet, or saying nasty jokes, or looking lustfully at members of the opposite sex, or committing acts of sexual immorality.

Friends, in our singleness, the Lord is enabling us to get this area under control. Many think that if they get married, they will no longer look at the filth that the media espouses in the sexual realm, but that all will be fine in marriage.

Friends, that is not so. It is the GIGO principle. Garbage in, garbage out.

If you are having issues in this area, seek out help now. Confide in a Christian brother, or call the church and ask about the Barnabas Center, the counseling ministry of Second Baptist.

Friends, make a vow today to not look at pornography, lust after members of the opposite sex, commit sexual immorality, or to be involved with masturbation.

Paul gives us 4 reasons we should not be involved in sexual immorality:

1. The body is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord. (v.13)

2. Your body has become a member of Christ (v.15)

3. Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit (v.19)

4. Your body is not your own, you were bought at a price, therefore glorify God with your body (v.19-20)

Friends, I am not saying this will be easy. Each of us has sinned in this area, whether it be in our thought life, the consuming of media, or in committing acts of sexual immorality and /or masturbation.

By God's grace and through the power of the Holy Spirit the Lord will deliver you from this sin.

Friends, I struggled in this area in the past. But God in His mercy and grace has given me freedom in this area. There are times I am tempted, but I go to the Lord in prayer when I am tempted and He has been faithful and delivered me each time.

To be practical, I will tell you what I have done to protect myself from sinning in this area:

1. I pray each day that I would hate the things that the Lord hates and love the things that He loves. I pray that I would hate sexual immorality, pornography, masturbation, and lust.

2. I have Covenant Eyes software on my computers at home, work, and on my cell phone. A report is emailed to about 3 accountability partners who will see what I am looking at each week. Sometimes, you need to be afraid of what you know what others are going to see you seeing, before you understand that you should not want to look at stuff or do stuff that is not pleasing to the Lord.

3. I call some friends and ask them how they are doing and they ask me how I am doing, not only in this area, but all areas. Be open and accountable with other Christian friends. We are the Body of Christ and we are to build one another up in the love of Christ.

4. I have minimized watching TV, or watching movies. I will not go to a movie that has nudity in it. The only woman I want to see nude is my future wife, and I only want to see her nude when she is my wife, not during the engagement, but on the honeymoon and on. I also have minimized the time on the Internet when I am at home. I don't log on past 10:30 at night when I am at home unless another friend is with me there and we are looking up something together.

5. I have immersed myself in the study of the Word and reading good books. Some of them are Christian, some of them are not. Some are history, or Christian fiction, or sports related. There is nothing wrong with reading other works outside of the Bible, just don't let them take priority over the Bible.

I know you are probably thinking, man, this guy is nuts. Well, 1 Corinthians 10:12 says lest the man who thinks he is standing, be careful, lest he fall.

Friends, I do not want to fall. By God's grace I will not fall. How can I say that confidently? Listen to what Jude writes:

"Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen." (Jude 24-25)

Friends, to those who are struggling, let this be your prayer. For all of us, this should be our prayer daily. Pray that the Lord would change the desires of your heart. When you feel lustful thoughts coming on, think of Christ. Take those thoughts to Christ and ask Him to change them into Holy thoughts about Him, and the work He has done for you on the Cross.

I am sorry for the long blog today, but I felt that I must be upfront about this with y'all.

Pray today that you would have a Gospel Controlled sexuality. A sexuality that glorifies the Lord.

Soli Deo Gloria.

Today's post was submitted by Russ Shellhamer.