Sexual Immorality I. Introduction A. Proverbs 2:1-11, 16-20 B. Proverbs 5, 6:23-35, 7 C. The proverbs author shows great concern for sexual propriety 1. These are major sections of the beginning of the book! 2. Many times the author goes to great lengths to express how this is wisdom, something for which the son must prepare himself 3. What is he so worried about? D. The sin of sexual immorality is no worse or better than other sins before God, but represents a significant stumbling block for mankind 1. Paul mentions it first in many sin lists: 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Galatians 5:19-21 2. A great concern in Corinth: 1 Corinthians 5:1, 6:13-20 3. The only legitimate reason for divorce: Matthew 5:32, 19:9 E. Since the Scriptures speak so much regarding the sin, it is good for us to consider it 1. What is sexual immorality? 2. What makes it sinful? 3. How can we avoid it? F. Let us investigate the matter II. What is Sexual Immorality? A. The concept of "sexual immorality" is vague 1. Difficulty comes from trying to convey a Greek word that is not easily rendered in English 2. Greek: porneia ("pornography") 3. There is no word in English that properly conveys the meaning of porneia 4. Old meaning: fornication; such now refers almost exclusively to pre-marital sex 5. "Sexual immorality" popular, but could be misleading: porneia does not refer to every kind of sexual sin (lust et al goes under aselgeia, lasciviousness) 6. Best understanding: sexually deviant behavior-- actual sexual conduct that goes against the sexual norm B. How can we define "sexually deviant behavior"? 1. The Greek term, in general, refers to conduct like fornication, adultery, pedophilia, incest, homosexuality, and bestiality 2. But to truly establish what is deviant behavior, we must understand what acceptable behavior is 3. Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:4-6, 1 Corinthians 7:1-2, 9, Hebrews 13:4 4. The sexual norm is sex between a man and woman whom God has joined together 5. We can see, therefore, that all other sexual conduct beyond this relationship is illicit sexual intercourse, that is, porneia or sexual immorality C. Aspects of porneia / sexual immorality 1. Sexually deviant behavior can take on many forms 2. Deviant behavior contrary to nature: bestiality, homosexuality 3. Deviant behavior transgressing marital commitment: adultery 4. Deviant behavior transgressing proper relationship boundaries: pedophilia, incest, bigamy, polygamy, polyandry, rape 5. Deviant behavior that reverses God's intentions for a relationship: fornication, sexual play D. Such is the nature of sexual immorality III. Why porneia is Sinful A. What is it that makes sexually deviant behavior deviant? B. Throughout time, man has continually rebelled against God's sexual boundaries 1. While there is general agreement of the wrongfulness of much of what is called sin, there is often little agreement in the realm of sexuality 2. People today just cannot see what is wrong with things like fornication or homosexuality, especially if the parties involved "love" each other 3. Other sexual sins, like adultery, may be officially frowned upon but committed by many 4. After all, where is the harm with many sexual sins? C. There is understanding about the wrong present in some sexual sins 1. Most understand that pedophilia is a horrendous evil, quite devastating and destructive to its innocent victims 2. The same is true of rape 3. Bestiality is also understood as an abomination 4. The pain and suffering that adultery causes demonstrates its error D. Porneia is sinful because it "misses the mark" of God's intentions for sex 1. hamartia, Greek word for sin, means to "miss the mark" 2. As we have seen, God intends for sex to be enjoyed between a man and a woman whom He has joined (Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:4-6, 1 Corinthians 7:1-2, 9) 3. Sexual desire was part of the creation, something with which God blessed man 4. It was called "very good", and is not evil (Genesis 1:31) 5. What is evil and not good is the misdirection, misapplication, or excess of sexual desire 6. Thus fornication and multiple partners are wrong 7. Sex cannot fulfill its proper function if there is no commitment-- no joining by God 8. If God has not joined two persons because one or both are improperly divorced, then the sexual act is adultery (Matthew 5:32, 19:9) 9. If a man or woman attempts to have multiple wives or husbands, they abuse the "two becoming one flesh" concept involved in a monogamous relationship, God's intentions from the beginning (Genesis 2:24) E. Porneia is a sin against the body 1. 1 Corinthians 6:13-20 2. It is true that with some forms of sexual sin, "no one else" is hurt 3. Yet Paul indicates how porneia is a sin against the body, a defilement of God's temple 4. As Christians, we have been bought with a price, and we are not our own-- therefore, we are to glorify God in our bodies 5. We cannot glorify God in our bodies if we are defiling it sexually! F. Many aspects of porneia are sin because they violate God's intentions for nature 1. Romans 1:24-27 2. Species are to mingle with their own kind-- bestiality is therefore aberrant 3. Sex is designed to facilitate procreation-- pedophilia and homosexuality are therefore aberrant 4. Inbreeding leads to genetic abnormalities-- incest is therefore aberrant 5. That which is aberrant is against God's purposes and is sin! G. Porneia often leads to intense suffering and pain 1. Adultery may be pleasurable for the moment, but it destroys families 2. Fornication may seem like fun, but the loss of innocence without proper commitment often leads to guilt 3. The humiliation and suffering of victims of rape and pedophilia is great 4. If it's so right and good, why does it cause such pain and suffering? H. Porneia reflects a lack of positive qualities: self-control and sobriety 1. Our society is to be condemned for its wantonness and lasciviousness 2. There is little concept of self-control in terms of sexuality 3. Thousands are intoxicated by sexual desire, and society feeds that desire with every sort of temptation 4. Porneia is quite often the result of a lack of sexual self-control and of mental intoxication with sexual desire, contra 1 Peter 4:7, Galatians 5:21-22 5. As Paul indicates in 1 Corinthians 7:1-9, sex is not a necessity, even if we think it to be! I. Thus we can see the sinful nature of porneia / sexual immorality IV. Avoiding Porneia / Sexual Immorality A. Seeing the great evil of porneia, how can we avoid it? B. Keep sex in its proper place 1. Going back to Proverbs 5:15-19 2. Be satisfied with the one with whom God joined you 3. If you can focus on that one alone, you will do well C. Flee temptations 1. Too often we feel the need to stand up to temptations 2. In terms of sexual temptation, however, there is no shame in running away! 3. Genesis 39:11-12: Joseph fled from Potiphar's wife 4. 1 Corinthians 6:18: thus Paul commands it 5. If you run from the source of temptation, you will not succumb to it! D. Avoid temptations 1. Consider James 1:14-15 2. All temptation begins with being enticed 3. If we do not put ourselves in the position of being enticed, we will fare better! 4. There's no gold star for seeing how close you can get to temptation and avoiding it 5. Proverbs universally warns one to stay away from sexual temptation 6. Proverbs 2:16, 6:23-26, 7:4-5 7. Indeed, Proverbs 6:27-28 is wisdom: if you get too close to the fire, you're going to get burned! E. Focus on righteousness 1. This is all well and good, but quite difficult in a sex-saturated age 2. We cannot just avoid the evil-- we must be filled with the good 3. Consider Philippians 4:8-- let us mentally dwell on the holy, not the unholy 4. Titus 3:8: let us be devoted to doing good things and not have time to sin V. Conclusion A. porneia / sexual immorality a difficult issue today 1. It has been a stumbling block for as long as man has existed 2. No society has been immune from the plague of sexual deviance B. Even if society's standards are lax, let us remember the source of truth 1. God has established that sex is to be enjoyed by a man and woman whom He has joined together 2. All other sexual behavior is deviant, and therefore porneia C. Let us flee from sexual immorality! D. Invitation/songbook