Christians should glorify God with their bodies by not committing sexual immorality. That’s what Paul argues in 1 Corinthians 6:12–20. He gives at least eleven reasons a Christian should not commit sexual immorality:
- Sexual immorality is not “helpful” or beneficial (v. 12a).
- Sexual immorality can dominate you (v. 12b).
- The body is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord (v. 13).
- Your body is important because God will raise it up just like he raised the Lord’s body (v. 14).
- Your body is a member of Christ, so you shouldn’t make it a member of a prostitute (vv. 15, 17).
- You become “one flesh” with someone you have sex with, and you shouldn’t become one flesh with a prostitute (v. 16).
- Sexual immorality is something you should flee from (v. 18a).
- The sexually immoral person sins against his own body (v. 18b–c).
- Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit (v. 19a).
- You don’t own your body (vv. 19b–20a).
- Sexual immorality does not glorify God (v. 20b).
On September 18 I preached a chapel sermon on sexual immorality, and my text was 1 Corinthians 6:12–20. I focused on reason #9 above. (Bethlehem College & Seminary has one chapel service each week, and this semester most of our chapel messages are on issues related to sexuality.) I chose to preach a chapel sermon on sexual immorality because I am burdened for our students (and our faculty and staff). Most male college and graduate students today have indulged in pornography at some point in their lives, and they are fighting sexual temptations that are more accessible than at any other time in human history. One of the most strategic ways for Satan to tempt men is with immoral sex so that they would no longer be “above reproach,” which is the overarching characteristic that qualifies a man to be a pastor (1 Tim 3:2; Titus 1:6–7). Satan would be delighted if the men we are training for pastoral ministry lose this fight against immoral sex.
Even more significant, if sexual sin characterizes your life, then you will not “inherit the kingdom of God.” That’s what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:9–10. So would you pray for our students and faculty and staff?
Andy Naselli
Bethlehem College & Seminary
Steve Calvin’s Message at Chapel, September 24, 2015:
“Abortion and Christian Faithfulness”
Join us for our weekly Chapel Service on Thursday, October 8th, 12:45-1:45pm, featuring John Helmberger on marriage.
Prayer Requests:
- Pray that God would give us grace to persevere in the faith.
- Pray that God would help us glorify him with our bodies by not having immoral sex or indulging in pornography.
- Pray that God would help us treat our individual bodies as the Most Holy Place in which the Holy Spirit lives. Pray that each of us would therefore not defile our body but keep it pure because it is sacred space.
- Pray that God would help us see the pleasures of God as far more pleasurable than the fleeting pleasures of immoral sex.
