We just finished a weekend retreat to help those who recently gave their lives to Christ establish their faith in Him. We concluded our first day with the session,
“Sexual Sin”. Borg, our Music Director
for Worship Services did the session with the men and my wife did the one for
the women.
While listening to them prepare for their sessions, I couldn't help
but think of the misconceptions people (young and old) have about sexual sin.
I realized how these misconceptions most of the time, lead us away from the
freedom we so desire to have. Here's what came to my mind:
I don’t have a
problem with it.
Really now? That’s
the most common lie and probably the most effective one. Denial. The longer Satan can convince you that
your struggle with lust is nothing but an occasional stint and is totally
harmless to you and your family, the longer he can keep you in the cage and
beat your moral purity to a pulp.
1Cor. 10:12 So, if you
think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!
I’m the only one
going through this.
This one right here must be the oldest trick in the
book. Isolation. The thought of
disclosing your struggle against lust with anyone you think can help brings
shivers down your spine. Satan keeps reminding you, “When they find out, the
shame will be unbearable. You are the only one doing it”
1Cor. 10:13 No
temptation has seized you except what is common to man…
This is probably one
of those things that I just have to accept defeat in.
Now this one wipes you out even before you can start
fighting. Surrender. Satan will remind you of the countless times
you tried but failed. The strategies you
employed that came to nothing but even more disappointment. He tells you, “Why bother? Victory is
impossible”
Matt. 19:26 Jesus
looked at them and said, “With man this is
impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
This will all go away
when I get married.
Finally, this one gets you hoping only to disappoint you in
the end. Naiveté. All single people watch
out for this one. This one is a ticking
time bomb of crushed hope. Satan will
convince you to invest your faith on what God has given (institution of
marriage) rather than on God himself. Then when it’s too late, he leaves you
with dismay, frustration and hopefully bitterness. What happened to you? You have been conned.
Marriage is not the answer. Jesus is.
Prov. 13:12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
The battle for purity is real. But Jesus has already won the victory. Put
your hope only in Him for He alone can save. Through Jesus victory is possible.
7 comments:
What categorizes as sexual sin? Going all the way? Petting? Masturbation? Lustful thoughts? I think your readers will find those specific tidbits useful....
this topic also puzzle me... what part in our sexual acts should we guilty about? for thoughts is sometimes hard to control... sexual sin is highly subjective... let us just ask our Lord for His guidance... Yahweh bless.
Thanks for the tip Morena,
WHAT CATEGORIZES AS SEXUAL SINS?
This is a good question. Here are two biblical descriptions that might help understand sexual sins.
1. It begins in the heart
Matt. 5:28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
2. It begins with a hint
Jesus put it this way.
Ephesians 5:3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.
Ralph, thanks for your comment. hope this helps.
Q: WHAT PART IN OUR SEXUAL ACTS SHOULD WE BE GUILTY ABOUT?
A: All sexual acts outside the bounds of marriage
Hebrews 13:4 Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.
Q: What is an adulterer? sexually immoral?
A: Matthew 5:28, Ephesians 5:3
I agree that thoughts are sometimes hard to control. I'd even go as far as to say, it is impossible to control ALL the time. That is why man needs a savior and that is why God sent his son Jesus Christ. There is no victory apart from His grace, our ability to control our self have never been and will never be sufficient.
This probably makes me a jezebel. ^.^
Hi Pastor, you probably won't remember me. My name is Niña Simon. I tried joining VCF before in UPLB. Most of my friends knew me as an agnostic when we were in school. I was way into occult and they knew that I had abilities that are not common among other kids. When they were thinking of leaving the cells they were in and they saw me in one of the fellowships, they wondered why I was there and if there was something that they were missing or not understanding.
I never told anyone but it was because of you. I heard you speak and I felt it. I understood it. It didn't feel like I was listening to yet another values ed class.
I didn't stay in VCF for long. I was too much of a wild child then. My UPLB life was a bit of what we call a downward spiral. But it being in that fellowship and feeling like I can communicate with God when I am at my worst, least faithful self, reminded me that I can't be an atheist and it's not just for personal convenience that I never became a Christian.
I am still a Catholic but I think that I have a better understanding of how weak my faith really is and how miserable people can be.
Sexual Sin IS everything outside of Marriage. And people do hope that once they get married things would be different for them.
But the problem here is that THEY ARE THE SAME PERSON the day before the wedding and the next day after that. NOTHING changed in them or at least, they would later realize that because their so-called new life is just like the one before it because they didn't strengthen their faith, they didn't challenge themselves to face their fears or remove negative influences in their lives.
I am a retired party girl and a newbie good girl. I learned that happiness as a single woman doesn't have to be tied to a man to love and protect me. But that love should be shared when I am emotionally and mentally able to share my love.
Next time around, I would correct my mistake. I would find a Godly man. Maybe he would be a better influence than I have been to others.
^.^ *I will be reading your blogs and sharing them to my friends.
All the best,
NRS
hi Niña,
it is nice to have connected with you here.
Grabe ang technology talaga and how it connects people. Thanks for posting your insights and sharing your story. We are all a work in progress and none of us are perfect. But thank God we don't have to be alone in our plight.
feel free to visit our website
http://victorylosbanos.org/
hope we could connect more with you there!
and if you are visiting elbi again, give us a holler!
I am actually dropping by to support Elbipie15 and see a friend of mine. ^.^ Catch up and stuff. But I don't think I would have time to see anyone else. I am still hanging out with Anette (don't know if you remember her) and she is married to another VCF too (Ryan). Theirs is a very good Christian marriage. ^.^ If I happen to find a Godly man like him, I am sure I would be as happy as Anette. ^.^
All the best!
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