Why Should We Run from Sexual Sin?

Scripture: “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.” 1 Corinthians 6:18-20

A fire provides warmth, light and comfort. But if a fire gets out of control, it can destroy your home, your possessions and even your life. Sex is a lot like that. The proper place for sex is between a husband and wife. Outside of that relationship, sex is destructive to you and to others, just like an out of control fire. Here are 3 important reasons to avoid sexual sin.

1. Sex Affects Our Body, Mind and Spirit

God created us with a body, a mind and a spirit. These parts of us are completely woven together. When we use our bodies to do things outside of God’s will, we not only impact our body, but our mind and soul as well.

2. It Offends God

God wants us to avoid sexual sin. 1 Thessalonians 4:3 says “God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin.” When you came to know Christ, His Spirit came to live in you. When we sin sexually, we are, in a way, “taking Him along for the ride” – to a place He tells us not to go. After King David confessed his sexual sin, he addressed God, saying “Against you, you only, have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight” (Psalm 51:4).

3. It Hurts Others

Jesus said, “If you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea” (Matthew 18:6)The Lord uses very strong language here, because our responsibility as His followers is to teach others godly behavior that glorifies Him. Leading another believer into sin is the exact opposite of what we should do.

When we are tempted to lead someone we believe we love into sin, we have to question if the feelings we have for that person are really love. After all, God reveals to us that love is patient, not selfish, and that it does not take pleasure in evil. Instead, love waits patiently with the best of intentions toward the other person. (1 Corinthians 13:5-7, Ephesians 5:25-28)

How do we leave sexual sin?

God always gives us hope and a way out (1 Corinthians 10:13). Whatever you have done, know that God is always ready to forgive (1 John 1:9). Are you ready to accept Jesus and leave sexual sin? Click here to start a new life with Jesus.

Why Do I Keep Repeating the Same Sin?

Scripture: “I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.” Romans 7:15

Do you ever feel like you keep repeating the same sins over and over? We are all sinners and we cannot stop ourselves from doing wrong. Fortunately, God can renew our minds to help us avoid repeating the same sins.

God Made Humans

God’s Word says that He “made all the delicate, inner parts of [the human] body, making [it] so wonderfully complex!” (Psalm 139:13-14). God created our brains just like our bodies; both of them form habits. Brain habits are called “thought patterns.” Our good habits and positive thought patterns can be used to please God.

Sin Corrupted the World

Humans naturally follow “the desires of the body and the mind” (Ephesians 2:3). As sinners, we create negative thought patterns that build sinful habits in our lives. Sometimes, our brains have the habit of focusing on the wrong things, and we get stuck in sin. However, through the power of Jesus Christ, you do not have to feel stuck repeating the same sin over and over again.

God Renews Our Minds

God’s people are instructed to “let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think” (Romans 12:2). We have to let God take over our wrong thoughts so we can become more godly. Are you ready to let God renew your mind? Click here to learn how to accept Christ and let God transform your mind.

The Bible encourages us to “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (II Corinthians 10:5). When you want to change your behavior, you have to ignore your sinful habits and let God’s power heal you. Today, “fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise” (Philippians 4:8). With God’s help, you will no longer repeat the same sin.

The Battle for the Bible

Can we trust, even to the point of changing our very lives, a collection of ancient manuscripts that we know today as the Bible? Over the past two weeks I have been presenting solid evidence that we can indeed confidently rely on these very words of God.

This week I will show how God Himself answers His critics—in nature, in celestial bodies and in the Bible.

Here in Cincinnati my wife Bev and I often take walks at the Cincinnati Nature Center. We never cease to be inspired by God’s magnificent creation. Can you imagine what we—or you—would think if we walked around a corner one day and came upon a 325-ton Boeing 747 ready for takeoff? Wouldn’t we instinctively and naturally ask: Where did this come from? Who put it here? Who designed and created it? Or would we assume that it just put itself together?

What’s the statistical probability of that?

Consider this fact: Sir Fred Hoyle, a renowned Cambridge physicist, once calculated that the probability of cellular life evolving was about one chance in 1040,000. A number with 40,000-some zeroes is a pretty large number. To illustrate how implausible cellular evolution is, he wrote in 1981:

“The chance that higher life forms might have emerged in this way is comparable to the chance that a tornado sweeping through a junkyard might assemble a Boeing 747 from the materials therein.”

Clearly the physical universe speaks eloquently of our Creator. Since childhood I’ve had a love of astronomy. From our solar system to our galaxy to the billions of other stellar systems, I never cease to be awed at all that’s out there in the universe. As I think about this and view the night stars from, it bears humbling testimony to David’s words in Psalm 19:

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands…night after night they display knowledge” (verses 1-2, New International Version).

But unfortunately, as David also wrote, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God’” (Psalm:14:1 emphasis added throughout). The apostle Paul later magnified this: “God’s invisible qualities have been clearly seen…so that men are without excuse” (Romans:1:20, NIV). Because men in Paul’s age and our time today will not acknowledge the self-evident Creator, “their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools” (Romans:1:21-22
).

The outcome of this foolish thinking? “ They exchanged the truth of God for a lie”(Romans:1:25).

It is this sort of arrogant thinking that forms the basis for many, even most, of the grievous problems besetting our planet. It is flawed and illogical thinking of the creation boasting against the Creator! It is this type of thinking that produces an unsubstantiated, biased and contemptible attack on the Bible, as what appeared in Newsweek in late December (2014).

There are many, many ways God reveals Himself to us. To those who are willing to surrender and open their minds, God promises to fill to the full.

A chief proof of the Bible is simply God doing what He promises in a very intimate way.

So do you want to please God? You simply have to trust and believe that He exists, and that He rewards those who seek Him earnestly (Hebrews:11:6). In this age, we worship an invisible God. As Paul declared: “We do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen…we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians:4:18; 2 Corinthians:5:7). God invites you to take Him at His word: “‘Test me in this,’ says the Lord Almighty” (Malachi:3:10, NIV).

Are you ready to claim what the Bible describes as “exceedingly great and precious promises”? (2 Peter:1:4). As I quoted earlier in this series “God in the past overlooked such ignorance, now he commands all people everywhere to repent” (Acts:17:30, NIV). “Repent” is an English word translated from the Greek word “ metanoeó, ” which means to change one’s mind or purpose, literally to “think differently.”

Earlier in this series I suggested that you request our free Bible study aidTransforming Your Life: The Process of Conversion . But I also want to issue a bit of a challenge. We have many men—ordained servants of Jesus Christ—who, ministering together with their wives, can directly help you understand what it means to “think differently.” They can help you learn from the Bible how God thinks and what He offers to you. I invite you to contact one directly. Go to www.ucg.org/congregations/all on our website and find one close by. They won’t ask you to join anything, but you may find knowledge of great value.

We live in challenging times. May you confidently find strength, comfort and direction in the very Word of God!

You are an Ambassador for Christ

Scripture: “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, certain that God is appealing through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, ‘Be reconciled to God!’” 2 Corinthians 5:20

You are a Citizen of Heaven

Christians are united with Christ through faith, so “our citizenship is in heaven...” (Philippians 3:20).Hebrews 11 tells us about great men and women who had faith and “agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth but they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland....That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them” (Hebrews 11:13,16).

You Represent God

Jesus prayed and said “Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world” (John 17:18). Jesus prayed these words because we have a mission. God calls all who follow him to be messengers of peace and light to those who live in darkness. That means we have to represent God in a world that is dark and full of sin.

You are God’s Messenger

“God has given us this task of reconciling people to him….” (2 Corinthians 5:18) Reconciliation means to rebuild a friendly relationship that has been seriously broken. To rebuild the friendship, God gives us a message of love to tell the world. The message is that “God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

When you accept Jesus, God no longer counts your sins against you. You get God’s love, power, and presence. God even gives you an eternal home in heaven. How can we hold back from spreading this joyous news!? Click here to learn how to accept Jesus and become an ambassador for Christ today.

You Are God’s Masterpiece

Scripture: “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:8-10

The Bible says when we accept Jesus, we are forgiven and given new life. When you start your new life, God crafts you into a masterpiece. Here are 3 things that happen when God turns you into a masterpiece.

You are Forgiven

Do not let your past mistakes keep you from living the joyful life God wants you to have. Jesus said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9). God’s love and grace is bigger than any sin. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from ALL unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

You Show Other People How Great God Is

You are a living, breathing testimony of God’s grace and love through Jesus Christ. God says He picked you to be part of a new family, meant to show the difference He can make in a life. “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9).

Your life is like a beautiful painting that gives recognition to its painter. As God’s masterpiece, you should“Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in Heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

You Become the Light of the World

Jesus sets you free from the slavery of sin when you accept Christ. Sin won’t control you anymore. God gives you the Holy Spirit, who is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. (Romans 8:11) When you have the Holy Spirit, you will reflect God’s love, peace and patience. (Galatians 5:22-23)

The Bible says “We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.” (2 Corinthians 4:7). That’s why you will lead people to Jesus when God’s light shines through you. Are you ready to let God turn you into a masterpiece? Click here to start your new life with Jesus.