Spirit Empowered Sexual Self-Control
Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 11 viewsTo walk as new creatures in Christ, we must resist the temptation to give free rein to our sexual desires.
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Paul wants believers to realize their new identity in Christ by shedding their old life and putting on the new person!
This is realized experientially! (The longer we serve Christ, the sweeter he grows) The Joys of obedience!
You can do this because you have been made alive in Christ! (Chapter 2) You are a new creation. Lost men can’t mimic this fully!
This Applies To You Sexuality
Christians exercise their new identity in Christ, not by giving free rein to their desires, but by controlling and directing them through the Power of the Spirit.
We don’t give ourselves over to our sexual urges without guidance. We steward our entire selves for the purpose of love even our sexuality!
The primary avenue for this, is love.
Love produces self-control!
Impure Lives, filthy mouths, and greedy hearts!
The Wicked Nature of Sexual Sin
The Wicked Nature of Sexual Sin
Impure Lives, filthy mouths, and greedy hearts! These are common among men. Every adult person in this room has experience some form of
Outward Expressions
Outward Expressions
Outward Expressions
1. Sexual immorality: all sexual sins, any forbidden sexual act, such as adultery, fornication, or prostitution. So they are unlawful actions.
Un-lawful Actions
CLARIFICATION
Acknowledge the GOOD
He didn’t say sexual desires are unsuitable, but unrestrained sexual desires. Unrestrained sexual desires are lawless desires, desires uncontrolled by guidelines God has set. Sexual desire restrained and controlled is a blessing, but unrestrained desire is lawless and wicked!
So Examples: Incest, adultery, prostitution, fornication, rape, homosexuality
These were prevalent in that culture!
In ours too!
By age 21 81% have had sexual intercourse.
2. Impurity: It refers to immoral thoughts, passions, ideas, fantasies, and every other form of sexual corruption.1
1 MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1986). Ephesians (p. 200). Chicago: Moody Press.
(decaying, rottenness same word)
27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.
1. 64% of young people, ages 13–24, actively seek out pornography weekly or more often. [1] International studies
3. Filthy Speech- obscene, speech.
foolish talk- like a drunk man, having a gutter mouth.
crude joking- taking everything and twisting it to be obscene and suggestive.
Inward Attitudes
Inward Attitudes
4. Covetous/ greedy selfish heart!
Self-will, self-gratification, self-centerdness using other for my own desires
Is against God
Is against God
It’s self will, self-centerdness and therefore is against God!
God has the right to dictate what you do with your Body! He is your creator!
CLARIFICATION
He didn’t say sexual desires are unsuitable, but unrestrained sexual desires. Unrestrained sexual desires are lawless desires, desires uncontrolled by guidelines God has set. Sexual desire restrained and controlled is a blessing, but unrestrained desire is lawless and wicked!
Our sexual desires are a gift from God, but because of our sin nature, we take God’s gifts and misuse them!
It’s a refusal to submit to his Lordship!
24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. 26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. 28 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.
Romans 1:24-
Religious men can’t manipulate this!
It’s the Opposite of Love (masquerading)
It’s the Opposite of Love (masquerading)
love is self-giving, self-sacrificing, seeks holiness
seeks holiness
It imitates Christ! vs.2
-Sexual sin Hardens!
19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.
Our culture’s definition of love.
Our culture’s definition of love.
Giving rein to our desires, free unfetter expression. Unrestrained desires. Selfish fulfillment. I love you because of what you can give me!
This is selfishness masquerading as love.
But lustful, self-indulgent practices are not love.
Love is godly, unselfish, and forgiving.
Ephesians: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary The Perversion
It should not be surprising that the misguided quest for that kind of love leads inevitably to immorality and impurity, because that kind of love is selfish and destructive, a deceptive counterfeit of God’s love. It is always conditional and is always self-centered. It is not concerned about commitment but only satisfaction; it is not concerned about giving but only getting. It has no basis for permanence because its purpose is to use and to exploit rather than to serve and to help. It lasts until the one loved no longer satisfies or until he or she disappears for someone else.
-Sexual sin Hardens!
19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.
-Not Love Proven by the destructive nature of it.
Destroys Homes (Some say 50% of marriages end in divorce)
Application to Young People
Reject the world’s lust driven ideas of love. Be on guard of dating relationships that do not put holiness as a chief priority. You live in a family that knows God, that loves God!
-Is Not Proper.
-Is Not Proper.
Is it any wonder then that he says they aren’t fitting. We are new, we have new desires for love of God and the Church, we have submitted to Christ’s lordship, so it’s unfitting for Christian’s to be involved in sexual sin. It’s a Judas kiss to the Lord who loves us!
Avoiding this Sin
“not even be named”
Non-Married Christians
Dating
No hint of even sexual immorality. Proper Christian dating means avoiding any area of remotely potential out of control sexual desires.
Married Christians
Avoiding any type of relationship that might encourage sexual immorality. Not allowing yourself to be led by your desires, but bringing them under control.
The “Billy Graham rule” should be a standard norm among Christians.
Dealing w/pornography
Avoiding through accountability.
For many, this is a life long battle, bringing our flesh into subjection.
Pursuing a Godly Spouse
This is our work, this is who we are, and we must work that make that a reality!
The Means of Overcoming Sexual Sin
The Means of Overcoming Sexual Sin
Your body will be resurrected
-Paul says we are to avoid these things! vs. 4
Your body is part of Christ
Your body is the dwelling of the HS.
-Paul says we are to avoid these things!4
“not even be named”
1. Recognize the sin in it!
Desires for sex are not wrong, the desire for sex in the wrong way is sin!
“Put it Off” Recognize it as evil!
“Flee from every occasion!”
3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God;
4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor,
5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God;
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
2. Zealously Pursue the Godly Alternative
-Love (focuses on the needs of others)
-Thankfulness
Sex is God’s gift
-Sex is God’s gift
They have temporary purposes but ultimately it’s meant to show us the goodness of God.
The proper replacement to unrestrained desires is thankfulness! Gratitude for the blessings of God.
PART 2
THE DANGER OF UNREPENTANT SIN
THE DANGER OF UNREPENTANT SIN
False Teaching Concerning Sin
False Teaching Concerning Sin
The ESV Study Bible Chapter 5
A common deception throughout church history has been the notion that professing Christians can lead unrepentant, sinful lives after conversion to Christ (see 2 Tim. 3:1–9; 2 Pet. 2:1–3; Rev. 2:14, 20) and not suffer the consequences.
Do Not Be Deceived!
This is the lifestyle of men who die in their sins! vs. 4
This is the lifestyle of men who die in their sins! vs. 4
The ESV Study Bible Chapter 5
people who habitually live in disobedient sin without repentance and thereby prove themselves to be children of the devil
4 Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.
hebrews 13:
You must forsake this sin if you would be saved!
English Standard Version Chapter 24
After some days Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, and he sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus.
25 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.”
