Fornication

Goodmorning and welcome in everyone.  Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture from 1 Cor.

1 Corinthians 5:1-2  It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife.  And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.

Fornication is having consensual sexual relationships with somebody else whom you’re not married to. Consensual means both parties agree to participate.  Those who profess Christianity as their faith are not supposed to have anything to do with this kind of behavior.  We are taught as Christians to abstain from certain things, one of which is fornication.  Abstain means to choose not to do, or not to have something.  

For example, John the Baptist completely abstained from consuming any alcohol.  Although there is nothing sinful in partaking of alcohol when enjoyed in moderation and not overdoing it, some people choose to abstain from it and not have it at all.  Abstain means to refrain from deliberately, and often with an effort of self denial from a certain action or practice. Unlike having the choice to eat or drink what one chooses, being involved with fornication is completely outside the realm of the Christian Life because it isn’t love, it’s lust.  This may happen out in the world, but not between people who profess to follow the Lord Jesus Christ. It’s sexual gratification of earthly desires, driven by the carnal nature. When people are involved with this kind of licentious behavior, they become extremely puffed up with pride, even boasting about the details of their promiscuous relationships with others. It is evil and wicked and God will certainly punish this behavior.

Jude 1:7  Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

Those who profess to be Christian and get involved with fornication, are going to be punished as disobedient children, because it stirs up God’s wrath.

Colossians 3:5-6  Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:  For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

In a Christian marriage the bed is undefiled.  Those who live in fornication defile themselves.

Hebrews 13:4  Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

Broadly speaking, a whoremonger is anyone who engages in a sexual relationship, outside of marriage.  Before we became a baptized believer, we may have been involved with these kinds of things, but as a Christian, it is forbidden.  Instead of being ashamed because of this wicked behavior, some people will arrogantly glory in their sin.  This is some of what was happening within the Corinthian Church.

Philippians 3:18-19  (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:  Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

Romans 6:21  What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.

The Christian Life is a marriage to Christ, and like an earthy marriage, our bodies belong to Him.  When we partake of Holy Communion in the church, we become partakers of Christ’s body. This is why sexual sin is so evil because those who commit sexual fornication are committing adultery against Jesus.  What you are doing is sinning against your own body, which is yoked to Jesus through the marriage of Holy Communion.

1 Corinthians 6:13-20  Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.  And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.  Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.  What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.  But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.  Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Fornication is so serious that you are not ever supposed to be involved with it.

Ephesians 5:3  But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;

In the Corinthian Church, they weren’t sad about the sin that was going on among them but were puffed up and proud. They actually believed that it was a praiseworthy thing, like people who sit around and boast about robbing a bank.  Getting involved with sin should cause you to weep.

Luke 6:21  ……..Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.

Matthew 5:4  Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Sinning should make you feel sad and grieve your heart for doing the wrong thing. The humble publican was so sad that he was beating on his chest. If those feelings are not there, if you are incapable of crying about what you have done wrong, its because you lack the Godly sorrow required to lead to a changed life.  Sincere humility will cause you to mourn and weep in the presence of God.

James 4:9-10  Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

2 Corinthians 7:9-11  Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.  For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.  For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort,……..

When you are contrite, it means to feel or show sorrow for a sin or short coming.  it is to express remorse, and to be affected by guilt.

PS 34:18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

Isaiah 66:2……. but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.”

Once again, Godly sorrow is true sorrow that is led by the heart, that will eventually lead to a changed life.  Some people are only sorry because of consequences resulting from poor decisions.  That isn’t the same kind of sorrow that causes you to become a changed person. Godly sorrow results in heartfelt contrition and penitence, that ultimately leads to reformation from sinful deeds and behaviors.

1 Corinthians 10:8  Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.

Fornication is grievious in the sight of God, so keep your distance from it, and from those who claim to be followers of Christ, who arrogantly and impenitently participate in it.

Let’s think about these things for right now, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow.  Till then, bye bye everybody. ❤️

tlkjbc.wordpress.com

Please take note that we have absolutely no affiliation with any advertisement you might find on our posts. Thanks!

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.