Keep Your Clothes On

It is about fornication – sexual relations between two people not married to each other. We have all seen entertainment where characters strip their clothes off with obvious implications. Although it is certainly possible to sin without removing clothing, it is nearly impossible not to sin when the clothes are removed.

I) Bigger problem than we like to admit

I grew up in Owensboro, with typical Bible Belt values – In the mid-70’s, the local church of 200+ had a nearly constant parade of unwed mothers – In the mid-80’s it had the second highest rate of unwed teenage mothers in USA

Large numbers of adulterous preachers over the past 30 years (they are not more righteous, but you would think they know the scriptures)

In my family, and perhaps yours, relatives have been conceived out of wedlock

These are just the ones who got caught! How many more did not result in pregnancy or were aborted before becoming obvious

II) Why is it a problem?

Influence of entertainment: 1- film industry – Prudence and the Pill from mid-60’s, every female character gets pregnant, most are unmarried; In 1995 movie Nine Months, Hugh Grant, who was arrested in real life for buying a prostitute, gets his girlfriend pregnant and then learns how to be a “good” dad 2- television – Virginity is always unusual (and usually negative) – Remember the ridicule heaped on Dan Quayle for speaking out against the Murphy Brown character for intending to become pregnant outside of marriage; Friends – all leading characters regularly climb into bed with someone; NYPD Blue was the first TV show to promote nudity 3- Music – glorifies the act; all types, including country (Love at the Five and Dime), pop (Only the Good Die Young), metal, hip-hop

Influence of the world – – spend time “hanging out” with the world and become like them

1 Corinthians 15:33 ESV

Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”

Rebellious spirit – “don’t preach at me” –

Acts 24:25 ESV

And as he reasoned about righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment, Felix was alarmed and said, “Go away for the present. When I get an opportunity I will summon you.”

No convictions – you don’t decide to go on a diet after walking into Baskin-Robbins, you don’t decide when to say “NO” while you are in each other’s arms

III) What the Bible says

Sexual relations are a part of marriage – – exclusive to marriage –

Genesis 4:1 ESV

Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.”

Hebrews 13:4 ESV

Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.

Penalty is death – ;

Genesis 38:24 ESV

About three months later Judah was told, “Tamar your daughter-in-law has been immoral. Moreover, she is pregnant by immorality.” And Judah said, “Bring her out, and let her be burned.”

Romans 1:28–32 ESV

And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

It is evil – – we must abstain – , ; ; – it will keep us from kingdom – ;

Matthew 15:19 ESV

For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.

Acts 15:20 ESV

but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood.

Acts 15:29 ESV

that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”

1 Corinthians 6:18 ESV

Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.

1 Thessalonians 4:3 ESV

For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;

1 Corinthians 6:9–10 ESV

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

1 Corinthians 10:8 ESV

We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day.

Concl: Read these scriptures over again, let them rule your thoughts – – instead of the world’s influence.

Philippians 4:8 ESV

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.