But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints.
Ephesians 5:3
The word ‘fornication’ is porneia from which our word ‘pornography’ derives. It’s a term that takes in all forms of sexual sin.
Before our conversion, fornication is more than likely one of the sinful lusts in which we indulged. I doubt that I need to prove that a vast majority of our society is steeped in sexual sin. It defines lost people. It is the essence of worldliness.
Sex was designed for the marriage relationship only. There alone it is pure and beautiful. Hebrews 13:4 says, ‘Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.’
Note that last phrase. Sex outside of marriage is a perversion. God says, ‘Let it not be once named among you.’ It doesn’t fit being a Christian.
That means unmarried Christians should not engage in the sexual permissiveness of the predominant dating lifestyle. This includes flirting or intimate physical contact. Not one time!
That means married Christians should not commit adultery, often referred to as ‘having an affair.’ Never.
Christians should not divorce and remarry (unless it meets specific Biblical exceptions). No way! We should work through difficulties rather than give up (let me know if I can help you).
True Christians want nothing to do with incest, paedophilia, homosexuality, or any other sexual sin.
In addition, Christians should not view pornography. Ever.
Nor should Christians provide any form of pornography either. Coloured underwear is not appropriate swimwear. Christians should not dress provocatively or revealingly, highlighting our form with tight clothing, which may cause a person of the opposite sex to stumble. God has zero tolerance for such activity.
God says, ‘Let it not be once named among you.’ Not even once.
Ephesians 5:8, which last week was our church memory verse, states that there is a distinct contrast between the life of a saved person from an unsaved. It is darkness and light, chalk and cheese.
Just because the fashion industry designs and manufactures it doesn’t mean Christians have to wear it.
Just because ‘everybody does it’ doesn’t justify ‘having a fling’ either.
Watching movies with undressed actors and actresses (partially or not) defiles the mind.
These things don’t suit a Christian. By God’s grace we are light. The world is dark…very dark.
The Lord commands His people in 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7, ‘For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel [body] in sanctification [purity] and honour; Not in the lust of concupiscence [lustful longings], even as the Gentiles which know not God: That no man go beyond and defraud [cheat] his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.’
Thank the Lord that even for sexual sin there is forgiveness available when we repent and forsake our sin. (1 John 1:9). But if we’re serious about that repentance, we won’t make ‘provision for the flesh’ (Romans 13:14).
Father, thank You for giving us all the help we need to live in a sex-saturated society without being tainted by it. Make sexual sin so detestable to us that we won’t be guilty of these things. Help us not to love the world, but to love You. Keep us living aware of Your close presence. Guard our hearts. Guard our eyes. Guard our minds. Keep them pure. Enable us to rescue others who are enslaved to these sins, pointing them to Your dear Son and Your Word for the help they need. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.