Getting Serious about Sex
Lenten Devotional Series Day 24. Today’s meditation is on the seventh commandment, “You shall not commit adultery,” found in Exodus 20:14.
Adultery is sexual intimacy between a married person and someone other than his or her spouse. The seventh commandment explicitly prohibits adultery, and by implication, any and all other sexual acts outside of marriage. If there is any doubt about this, the rest of Scripture is overwhelmingly clear: God intends sexual intimacy exclusively for a man and a woman united in marriage.
To modern ears, such restraint is beyond prudish, to the point of being repressive, perhaps even dangerous. Through technology and social progress, many believe that we have overcome all those unnecessary restraints our ancestors faced—e.g. superstition, social stigma, legal prohibitions, pregnancy and disease. Nowadays, the thinking goes, people can and should have as much sex as they want, with whomever they want. Among those who think this way are the many voices within the church who advocate liberty in all things.
Christian believers today live in a state of constant tension between the Bible’s clear prohibitions and our incredibly permissive culture. There is great temptation, particularly among single Christians, to experiment sexually. A bit of exploration in this area can’t do that much harm, can it?
In truth, God’s word teaches that sexual exploration outside of marriage is harmful, because sex is powerful. Within marriage, it is a strong force for good. Beyond the pleasure and children that it can bring, it’s also a powerful adhesive between married persons. God designed it this way, because he intended for marriage to symbolize the greater spiritual union between the Lord Jesus and his people (Eph 5:25-33). Outside of marriage, sex is confusing and destructive. It forges physical bonds between people lacking a commensurate covenantal unity. In so doing, it tells a spiritual lie–that union with Christ is possible without mutual commitment. The result is both emotional and spiritual confusion. For this reason, we mustn’t treat sex lightly as contemporary culture tempts us to do. A little experimentation with sex outside of marriage today is every bit as harmful as was the first experimentation with lawbreaking back in Eden.
What hope is there for Christians who have sinned in this way? Plenty. If we send all our problems, all our difficulties, and all the devil’s works to the cross of Christ, Jesus will forgive us ours sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). And if we set all our hopes on the risen Christ, then his resurrection offers us assurance of our own victory over sin. Death will not have the last word. We will be forgiven and raised to new life. If you want to experience forgiveness and healing in this area, make a date to pray with a pastor or a mature Christian friend who can anoint you with oil and trust God with you for cleansing and release slavery to sin.
Regardless of our past sexual history, the Apostle Paul encourages us today to flee sexual sin (1 Cor 6:18). Do you? Or do you edge toward it? Do you keep the letter of the law but transgress it in spirit with pornography or other means? God’s Word calls us to get serious about sex and run from temptation in this area.
Today in prayer, begin with the Collect of the Day (below) and ask for God’s defense against sexual temptation and sin. Confess to him any past transgressions in this area, sending them to the cross, and seek his healing power by putting your hope in risen Christ. Then conclude with the Lord’s Prayer.
Collect of the Day. Almighty God, look upon the sincere desires of your humble servants, and stretch out the right hand of your majesty to be our defense against every enemy, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.