1 Corinthians 5
1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife. 2 And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have gone into mourning and have put out of your fellowship the man who has been doing this?3 For my part, even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. As one who is present with you in this way, I have already passed judgment in the name of our Lord Jesus on the one who has been doing this. 4 So when you are assembled and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, 5 hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh,so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.
6 Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough? 7 Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11 But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.
12 What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13 God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you.”
Praise God!
As I read today's Scriptures, I paused for quite sometime because I don't know how I can relate to it. I've been sharing my thoughts on my Scriptures readings for quite some time now, and today has been quite hard to give my thoughts to it because I don't know how-- I don't have any insights about it, but through the Holy Spirit, He shared me that I have to take its context as a whole and He even gave me the way how to understand it and learn something from it.
Yes, as Christians, as Believers, we are called by God to be pure in everything, especially in our sexual relations. And anything opposed to how He thought us to perceive sexual relations (that is between a man and a woman blessed in marriage), that is already immorality.
May these reflections be of help to you today :)
Yes, as Christians, as Believers, we are called by God to be pure in everything, especially in our sexual relations. And anything opposed to how He thought us to perceive sexual relations (that is between a man and a woman blessed in marriage), that is already immorality.
May these reflections be of help to you today :)
God gave man and woman the joy and pleasure of sexual relations within the bounds of marriage, and the Bible is clear about the importance of maintaining sexual purity within the boundaries of that union between man and wife (Ephesians 5:31). Humans are well aware of the pleasing effect of this gift from God but have expanded it well beyond marriage and into virtually any circumstance. The secular world’s philosophy of “if it feels good, do it” pervades cultures, especially in the West, to the point where sexual purity is seen as archaic and unnecessary.
Yet look at what God says about sexual purity. “You should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God.”
“For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life”
(1 Thessalonians 4:3-5, 7). This passage outlines God’s reasons for calling for sexual purity in the lives of His children.
First, we are “sanctified” and for that reason, we are to avoid sexual immorality. The Greek word translated “sanctified” means literally “purified, made holy, consecrated [unto God].” As Christians, we are to live a purified life because we have been made holy by the exchange of our sin for the righteousness of Christ on the cross and have been made completely new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17-21). Our old natures, with all their impurities, sexual and otherwise, have died and now the life we live, we live by faith in the One who died for us (Galatians 2:20). To continue in sexual impurity (fornication) is to deny that and doing so is, in fact, a legitimate reason to question whether we have ever truly been born again. Sanctification, the process by which we become more and more Christlike, is an essential evidence of the reality of our salvation.
We also see in 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 the necessity of controlling our bodies. When we give in to sexual immorality, we give evidence that the Holy Spirit is not indwelling us because we do not possess one of the fruits of the Spirit—self-control. All believers display the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) to a greater or lesser degree depending on the length of time they have walked with God. Uncontrolled “passionate lust” is a work of the flesh (Galatians 5:19), not of the Spirit. So controlling our lusts and living sexually pure lives is essential to anyone who professes to know Christ. In doing so, we honor God with our bodies (1 Corinthians 6:18-20).
We know God’s rules and discipline reflect His love for us. Following what He says can only help us during our time on earth. By maintaining sexual purity before marriage, we avoid past emotional entanglements that may negatively affect present relationships and marriages.
First, we are “sanctified” and for that reason, we are to avoid sexual immorality. The Greek word translated “sanctified” means literally “purified, made holy, consecrated [unto God].” As Christians, we are to live a purified life because we have been made holy by the exchange of our sin for the righteousness of Christ on the cross and have been made completely new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17-21). Our old natures, with all their impurities, sexual and otherwise, have died and now the life we live, we live by faith in the One who died for us (Galatians 2:20). To continue in sexual impurity (fornication) is to deny that and doing so is, in fact, a legitimate reason to question whether we have ever truly been born again. Sanctification, the process by which we become more and more Christlike, is an essential evidence of the reality of our salvation.
We also see in 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 the necessity of controlling our bodies. When we give in to sexual immorality, we give evidence that the Holy Spirit is not indwelling us because we do not possess one of the fruits of the Spirit—self-control. All believers display the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) to a greater or lesser degree depending on the length of time they have walked with God. Uncontrolled “passionate lust” is a work of the flesh (Galatians 5:19), not of the Spirit. So controlling our lusts and living sexually pure lives is essential to anyone who professes to know Christ. In doing so, we honor God with our bodies (1 Corinthians 6:18-20).
We know God’s rules and discipline reflect His love for us. Following what He says can only help us during our time on earth. By maintaining sexual purity before marriage, we avoid past emotional entanglements that may negatively affect present relationships and marriages.
Further by keeping the marriage bed pure (Hebrews 13:4), we can experience unreserved love for our mates, which is surpassed only by God’s enormous love for us.
May we all continue to yield to Him for everything-- for wisdom, for mercy, for grace, for love, for life :)
Have a great day in the Lord!
May we all continue to yield to Him for everything-- for wisdom, for mercy, for grace, for love, for life :)
Have a great day in the Lord!
Glory to GOD!
May Jesus' love abounds in us all everyday (".)
Pray for Impact:
JANUARY 2012
Wi se L i vi n g
L E A R N I N G t o WA L K w i t h G O D
Thank You, Father, that You teach us to live purposeful
and praiseworthy lives as we listen to Your voice and
submit to it.
WEEK 1: Pray that our listeners and supporters will
believe God wants to speak to them personally and learn
to listen and obey to the Father’s voice.
WEEK 2: Lift up Dr. Stanley this week, asking the Lord
to give Him clear direction for his life and ministry in
2012. Pray that he will be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and
submissive to His will.
WEEK 3: Pray that each member of In Touch’s executive
team will grow closer to the Lord by seeking His guidance
and surrendering to Him.
WEEK 4: Pray for the leadership of In Touch to do their
work as unto the Lord. Ask God to give them wisdom and
grace to deal with challenges both in the workplace and
their personal lives.
WEEK 5: Pray for all In Touch employees to seek the
Lord’s vision for their lives this year and to be obedient to
whatever He reveals.
Pray for Impact:
JANUARY 2012
Wi se L i vi n g
L E A R N I N G t o WA L K w i t h G O D
Thank You, Father, that You teach us to live purposeful
and praiseworthy lives as we listen to Your voice and
submit to it.
WEEK 1: Pray that our listeners and supporters will
believe God wants to speak to them personally and learn
to listen and obey to the Father’s voice.
WEEK 2: Lift up Dr. Stanley this week, asking the Lord
to give Him clear direction for his life and ministry in
2012. Pray that he will be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and
submissive to His will.
WEEK 3: Pray that each member of In Touch’s executive
team will grow closer to the Lord by seeking His guidance
and surrendering to Him.
WEEK 4: Pray for the leadership of In Touch to do their
work as unto the Lord. Ask God to give them wisdom and
grace to deal with challenges both in the workplace and
their personal lives.
WEEK 5: Pray for all In Touch employees to seek the
Lord’s vision for their lives this year and to be obedient to
whatever He reveals.
Bible in a Year:
Read the Bible in One Year- Here's a reading plan where you and I can focus on God's Words everyday....to make it a habit, make it a practice, Amen :)
Read with me; God speaks to us through His words :)
January 6, 2012- 1 Samuel 1-3
Today is the day :)
If you have not received Jesus Christ yet in your heart, today is the day. May you embrace His love and His gift :)
"Lord Jesus, I believe You are truly the Son of God. I confess that I have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed. Please forgive all my wrongdoing, and let me live in relationship with You from now on. I receive You as my personal Savior, accepting the work You accomplished once and for all on the cross. Thank You for saving me. Help me to live a life that is pleasing to You. Amen." (ref prayer by: Dr. Charles Stanley, InTouch Ministry)
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