Sexual Sanctification is the Will of God - II

Introduction

> The sexual experience in marriage is part of God’s creative design & order. God inspired men to write on the subject in the bible. Therefore sex is intended to be good for us.

> God expects His people to handle sexual relations His way & prove the goodness of God in sex.

I. Review

¨ Last week we saw that God intends for His children to make progress in sanctification [set apart from sin] – (1Th. 4:1c).

¨ We looked at the Means & Method for sexual sanctification (1Th. 4:1-5). God uses human & divine means. Now the method for sexual sanctification is to abstain from sexual immorality & know how to control our own bodies & desires (1Th. 4:3-5).

¨ Because of the level of interest & encouragement from many of you, I want to begin our investigation of the Motivation for sexual sanctification.

II. God’s Holy Purposes For Sex

A. A means of bringing glory to God (1Co. 6:19-20)

Everything was created to bring God glory & point to God’s goodness – including sex. Sexual intimacy in marriage should cause the believer to love God more, to be more thankful for His goodness, care & love for us. The intensity, joy & satisfaction of sexual intimacy is to remind us of what it’s like to know God (Gen. 4:1); …Gentiles who don’t know Him (1Th. 4:5). God uses sexual terminology to describe His relationship w/His people – (Ezek. 16:4-10; Eph. 5:22-32).

B. The way for procreation (Gen. 1:28; 4:1)

She conceived and gave birth to a son. Children are a gift from God to parents in marriage; to increase our love for & thanksgiving to God. Sex in marriage is the way God designed to bring new life into the world. Ps. 127:3.

C. A means of godly joy & delight (Pr. 5:18-19)

God Himself designed sexual intimacy in marriage to bring joy & to be delightful for both husband & wife. Spouse is like a fountain of water that fully satisfies the thirst for sexual love bringing joy & delight. “intoxicated” = fully captivated by love for your spouse. This is not simply the sex act but the sexual experience = (SoS 1:2-4a, 13,14,15; 5:10-16; 6:7-10; 7:1-3, 10) – mutual anticipation, admiration, satisfaction (1Co. 7:3-5). So sex in marriage is to be much more than a duty & remedy to satisfy lusting desire. It is to be a delight!

III. God’s Holy Purposes For Sex Should Keep Us Holy

A. Is glorifying God your primary goal in sex?

This obviously rules out any sexual perversion & sin. God cannot be glorified in fornication, adultery, homosexuality, pornography, self-sex, etc. God cannot be glorified if you have ulterior motives, deception, lust, anger, unforgiveness or any other sin in your heart. God is glorified when the marriage bed is kept holy (Heb. 13:4).

B. Is procreation one of your purposes for sex?

God may not have given some husbands/wives the ability to have children but He gives grace to handle this fact with contentment & joy. However, some spouses simply want sex w/o being bothered with children = self-centered & serving. Remember children are a gift from God = blessing!

C. Is godly joy & delight one of your purposes for sex?

Much more that marital duty, it is to be true joy & delight…

God’s plan for His children is to have true delight in relationships – delight in relationship to Him & each other. Therefore we are commanded Ps. 37:4; Pr. 5:19 & Eph. 5:22-32.

ILL: “Strengthening Your Marriage” by Wayne Mack, pg. 98

APPL: I’m certain that many married couples here today are facing this problem of finding true delight in your spouse. Sexual frustra-tion, aggravation & disappointment are daily realities for you. That is not the way God intended it to be. By the grace of God & power of the HS you/your situation can be changed today. God has given you everything necessary for His holy sexual purposes to be fulfilled for you in marriage. But you must repent from any known sin (outwardly or in your heart) & trust the Lord to give you genuine joy & delight with your spouse. Stop your excuses, blaming & doubting that your spouse will change & start delighting in your spouse!

!! CONCLUSION

You might think that this sermon is only for married people – NO this sermon is for those who are married & single. You are commanded to delight in the Lord & your spouse if you are married. But if you are single, you are still commanded to find your delight in the Lord. Every individual is affected by one or both of these commands because they are interrelated. Even if you are single & planning to get married sooner or later, these commands will help you prepare for marriage. Learn to delight yourself in the Lord until He give you a spouse in whom you can find delight also. If you are single with the gift of celibacy & have no intentions for marriage, then you also must grow in your delight in the Lord to resist the devil & his temptations.

Even if you are an unbeliever, God commands you to repent from finding delight in other things of the world & turn to Jesus to find true delight in Him. Once you have been born again, you will find true delight in Jesus & He will teach you how to truly love life & have good days. But you must believe in Christ, trust Him & obey Him. Do it today. Please do not delay!

So do you see the goodness of God in all of His provisions for us in life? Let us not grieve, quench or resist the Holy Spirit today but rather let us yield to Him who enables us to love life & have good days.