Sanctified Sexuality成聖的性行為
1 Thessalonians: Steadfast • Sermon • Submitted
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Transcript
For this is God’s will, your sanctification: that you keep away from sexual immorality,
神的旨意是要你們聖潔，遠避淫行；
INTRO
INTRO
BOUNDARIES
CONTEXT
Paul’s preface to chapter 4:1-12 is this : how you should live and please God. The first thing Paul is going to say in reference to knowing how we can live and please God is in relationship to sexual purity.
Paul talks about this! I don’t if I ever heard a sermon preached on sexual purity or immorality in my church. Mabe you did, but the point is that sex and desire they belong to God. God designed our bodies our desires, so the church more than anyone else more than anything else has the authority from Scripture to speak on this issue.
The Commands of God神的命令
The Commands of God神的命令
“For you know what commands we gave to you through the Lord Jesus”
Does what Good pastor does: start with God’s word, not my opinion. When we talk about sexuality and sexual desires, I hope our conversations would be more centered around the word of God and not about “i feel this way” “or this is my opinion”, but “what does God’s word say?”
to what we already told you. God’s will has been revealed. What He has asked us to do, how He has asked us to live, He has already told us.
-Did Jesus Speak on Sexual Immorality?
-yes He did:
For from the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual immoralities, thefts, false testimonies, slander.
“You have heard that it was said, Do not commit adultery. But I tell you, everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
因為從心裡出來的，有惡念、兇殺、姦淫、淫亂、偷盜、假見證和毀謗。
「你們聽過有這樣的吩咐：『不可姦淫。』可是我告訴你們，凡是看見婦女就動淫念的，心裡已經犯了姦淫。
Jesus says that the source of sin is not outward behavior but the inside of our hearts. He is saying that any of us can be just as guilty of sexual sin as the physical adulterer, because the sin begins in our hearts.
-He brought sexual purity to not just the actions of our bodies, but the activity of our hearts and minds.
Paul says because of the commands of God we walk in sexual purity, which pleases God.
SO WHAT?
There is probably no other area that our culture hates more about Christianity than the command to be sexually pure. Our culture is out of control when it comes to sexuality. We don’t even have time to get into it. What the enemy and culture will tell you is that God’s commands “steal your joy” away! That, somehow by obeying God’s commands you are missing out on a life of fun and joy! The enemy wants to do is to make you believe that there is more joy in disobeying God’s commands than there are in obeying Gods commands.
There is a story in Tim Keller’s book on Marriage where he tells the story of a famous New York Times author. This author ended up committing adultery on her spouse and this is what she says: “During an affair, the passion is obvious. There is newness, urgency, because it is forbidden.” But as she told her husband of the affair and her marriage fell apart, Wendy looked at her parents marriage. She says this “They have this marriage of 50 years, a legacy of success. A few weeks or months of passion could not even come close to comparing to that.”
Happiness and holiness are not exclusive! True joy is found in following God’s commands.
We walk in sexual purity because God commands it.
The Will of God上帝的旨意
The Will of God上帝的旨意
For this is God’s will, your sanctification: that you keep away from sexual immorality, that each of you knows how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not with lustful passions, like the Gentiles, who don’t know God.
神的旨意是要你們聖潔，遠避淫行；要你們各人曉得怎樣用聖潔尊貴的方法保守自己的身體（「身體」原文作「器皿」）；不要放縱邪情私慾，像那些不認識 神的外族人一樣；
-His will is what he commands us to do.
-Paul is not referring to the sovereign will of God that in unbreakable, but to the desire of God for His people which can obey or disobey. And what is His desire? What is will?
“Your sanctification”:
- Sanctification-the process of becoming more personally dedicated to God; especially by becoming more distinct, devoted, or morally pure. The Holy Spirit works in the life of the individual believer through the putting to death of sin and the renewal of desires.
-both a “putting on” and a “Taking off”. In sanctification we take on the things of Christ, we put on the fruit of the Spirit, the power of the Spirit, but as we are being changed more and more into the image of Christ, but there are things that will have to die, that we will have to leave behind.
“ that you keep away from sexual immorality”
sexual immorality: pornea (Greek word)(same word as Jesus used) meaning that two people are acting as if they are married when they are not. Touching each other or sleeping with each other in a way God designed only for a man and a women who are married to each other. Sexual relations before marriage and wrong sexual relations among married people. Anything of a sexual nature that God has not blessed within the context of marriage.
-this includes pornography
-this can include fantasizing
-indulging our minds and our hearts in places or people that God has not given us.
Sanctification calls the Christian to “keep away”! “keep away”!
-”to be distant” or “as far away as possible” “not like social distancing for Coronavirus” this means run away!
Growing up there was a time when a tree outside of our house had a giant beehive. This tree was covered with bees. I remember my dad telling me, Collin, don’t go near that bee hive, don’t mess with those bees. What did I do? My friends and I had this great idea of grabbing some baseball bats running up to the tree hitting the bee hive nest and running away as fast as possible. What happened? About the 3rd time we did this, thankfully I was a faster runner, by my friends younger brother, could be heard screaming and yelling as he was getting stung by these bees! I should’ve have stayed away!
Paul says that sexual immorality is so dangerous and deadly, we need to run away. We need to flee!
The bible says that if a demon showed up at your front door tonight, the devil himself, you should stand firm? Stand firm, stand your ground. That’s Ephesians 6. But the bible says if sexual temptation shows up at your front door, we better run like the wind! Don’t mess around with it, don’t click on it, don’t flirt with it, run away!
Can a man embrace fire and his clothes not be burned?
如果人把火藏在懷裡， 他的衣服怎能不燒著呢？
I remember as a young Christian dating Allison, the feeling of love is in the air, and there is temptation to say “well how close can we get without crossing the line.” We can hold hands, we can kiss, we can be alone kiss, well, we are engaged. Paul that’s not right. The bible would call that foolish.
The attitude of a person who is being sanctified should NOT be “how close can I get without going too far” but how much can I glorify God with my body, with my mind, with my marriage, with my singleness?
But we must admit over the past year the Church community has been rocked with sexual scandals from men in leadership:
Over the past year we’ve seen men like Ravi Zacharias, completely destroy a global ministry because he did not stay away. He has done damage to the reputation of Christ, and he’s not the first. I bet there are people in this room who have personally experienced a christian leader who has fallen into this sin.
But before we are too hard on these leaders, look at some of these statistics among Christians:
A recent survey found that 50% of Christian men and 20% of Christian women are addicted to pornography.
Paul says God’s desire for you is to not get burned, to not be addicted, but to keep away. Run away from this serious and dangerous sin.
So practically what does this look like?
Christian Standard Bible Chapter 4
that each of you knows how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not with lustful passions, like the Gentiles, who don’t know God
Sexualization of Everything
You and I are living in the midst of a culture where everything has become OKAY. And to say that something is wrong, or that a sexual desire is wrong, is not allowed.
1. “In our culture sex is everything and sex is nothing” .“在我們的文化中，性是一切，性也沒有意思。” Tim Chester
Although they know God’s just sentence—that those who practice such things deserve to die—they not only do them, but even applaud others who practice them.
他們雖然明明知道行這些事的人， 神判定他們是該死的，然而他們不單自己去行，也喜歡別人去行。
Right now we have Christians approving of these lustful passions, we have churches approving of these lustful passions
Those who don’t know God
celebrate lustful passions. What God calls bad they call good, what God calls good they call bad.
In one country if your young daughter or son comes to you and says they are confused about being a boy or girl(young as 5 years old) and you don’t consult a doctor or you try and help lead them in that conversation, the government can come and take away your kids.
give in to sexual desires
They are left powerless to NOT become enslaved to these desires.
This is bondage. Ultimately no power to say “no”. This is not freedom, but bondage. You can’t quit.
Listen if this is the culture you are living in, and we are in now even more, Paul reminds us that God’s call on us to be sanctified will run directly in opposition to much of what our culture celebrates. Do not be surprised. Young people here. I feel for you. You have got a huge challenge. But I want to know, that God’s commands have not changed, and His desire for you has not changed. There is a real opportunity for you as a Christian to walk in sexual purity and freedom in this age.
However, those who DO KNOW GOD:
“control” means as Christians we can “take control of your body, don’t let your body or desires control you”.
we have been given the power to say No to sin and yes to God. Notice that even in this text, he doesn’t say you will never have another lustful thought, or you will never struggle with sinful sexual desire. That’s not what Paul says here. He says’ that through sanctification, through the power of the Holy Spirit, you will be able, to SAY NO to those desires and YES to God.That is freedom!
In Holiness:
set apart~For how God designed:
Lust does not honor God or each other. Lust is the opposite of holiness and honor.
Where lust uses our sexual desires for our own selfish gratification, as a Christian we know that God created sex, and these desires, they are good, so we use them in accordance to His Word. Devoted to Him. Sex in the context of marriage is a good and holy thing. In holiness.
our actions will be honorable.
being highly respected or revered
a culture of honor
in our church community, our community should not reflect the world’s values. I’ve heard sermons where the pastor will beat women and men over the head with this false truth of “if you really loved your husband, or your wife, your body should look this way, ect” Or the church can really do a poor job at making singles feel 2nd best. Like marriage is somehow more spiritual than living a single life. If we’ve done that here to those of you who are single, we are sorry. You living a single life have as much of an opportunity at glorifying God as a married does.
We will begin to see and view people with the same value that God sees them. We will honor people as creatures made in the image of God and not as objects for our own selfish desires.
PUT IT ALTOGETHER
Paul says that for the Christian who is being sanctified, God’s desire is that we run away from sexual immorality, and pursue holiness and honor.
SO WHAT?
BOTH GOD OF MERCY AND GOD OF JUSTICE BOTH ARE NEEDED
The Fear Of God 敬畏神
The Fear Of God 敬畏神
This means one must not transgress against and take advantage of a brother or sister in this manner, because the Lord is an avenger of all these offenses, as we also previously told and warned you.
誰也不要在這事上越軌，佔弟兄的便宜，因為這一類的事，主必報應。這是我們從前告訴過你們，又嚴嚴警戒過你們的。
Walking out our sanctification process not only deals with how what we do personally but how we treat one another.
-“take advantage” to use or manipulate to one’s advantage!
-manipulating someone to your own advantage.
-Sexual purity isn’t only worried about our own holiness but the holiness and purity of our brothers and sisters. Each other:
The New International Version Chapter 5
Treat younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity
不要嚴厲責備老年人，卻要勸他好像勸父親；勸青年人好像勸弟兄；勸年老的婦人好像勸母親；存著純潔的心，勸青年女子好像勸姊妹。
-saying things to get affirmation or compliments about your body or about your appearance from someone who is not your spouse. Intentional manipulation.
IT’s wrong, it’s sinful, and it’s an offense that God takes very seriously.
-“these offenses” it’s a very serious thing to God. Taking advantage of the weak.
HE is an AVENGER! He comes to right wrongs, to judge unrighteousness, and these offenses Paul says will be avenged by God Himself.
I want to speak carefully and lovingly to those of us who have experienced sexual abuse, or have been victims of sexual sin. Paul says here that God sees those things, He has not overlook those offenses, but in His justice, in His way, He will avenge and judge that kind of unrighteousness. We need to hear this. He has not overlooked your pain, your suffering, but He has seen it and HE will avenge those offenses.
FEAR OF GOD
-I don’t know how it all is going to work out, and we don’t know need to know HOW we just need to know that it is true. And the Bible says that it is true. And I don’t want to find out! I do not want to be this person.
-“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life” (Gal. 6:7–8).
不要自欺， 神是不可輕慢的。人種的是甚麼，收的也是甚麼：順著自己的肉體撒種的，必定從肉體收取敗壞；順著聖靈撒種的，必定從聖靈收取永生。
In this text we see God as both the sanctifier of the impure. The sanctifier of the sexually immoral. But the judge of the unrighteous. HE can wash away all of our sin, He makes all things new, our bodies, our desires, our minds, but He will also judge and avenge these offenses.
SO WHAT?
How many sex scandals are coming out every day in the news? Story after story. We live in a very graceless culture. You get caught doing something wrong, or you just get accused of doing something wrong, and your whole life could be over. Your reputation could be over. Our culture “Cancels” people over their sin. Yet here, Paul says that God is an avenger against these offenses, but He is also a gracious redeemer. He doesn’t cancel us over our sin, but instead He cancels our sin for us.
The Power of God神的大能
The Power of God神的大能
Up tp this point there might be a weight that you might be feeling. You might be feeling some conviction, maybe some condemnation. But I hope that in our final point, you will begin to feel, to hear, the winds of the grace and power of God. Paul ends this paragraph saying this.
Consequently, anyone who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.
所以那棄絕這命令的，不是棄絕人，而是棄絕把他自己的聖靈賜給你們的那位 神。
-"gives you His Holy Spirit”
Church, walking in sexual purity, is not only about the commands of God, the will of God, or the fear of God, but it also about the POWER OF GOD! His Holy Spirit.
I will place my Spirit within you and cause you to follow my statutes and carefully observe my ordinances.
我必把我的靈放在你們裡面，使你們遵行我的律例，謹守遵行我的典章。
The Holy Spirit empowers us to walk in sexual purity in a couple of ways:
He convicts of sin
He convicts of sin
When he comes, he will convict the world about sin, righteousness, and judgment:
他來了，就要在罪、在義、在審判各方面指證世人的罪。
The Holy Spirit brings much needed conviction about our sin, not condemnation. Condemnation is vague feeling. It’s not clear, it’s like a hazy fog. God’s conviction is precise, clear, and always leads us towards the hope of the Gospel. Conviction leads towards hope, condemnation leads towards hopelessness.
He reminds us of the righteousness of Christ
He reminds us of the righteousness of Christ
The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children,
聖靈親自和我們的靈一同證明我們是 神的兒女。
In this fight to walk in sexual purity, we need to be reminded that our righteousness is not in our own perfection, but in the One who is perfect on our behalf! The Spirit reminds us of this.
He produces His fruit in us instead the fruit of our flesh
He produces His fruit in us instead the fruit of our flesh
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
但聖靈的果子是仁愛、喜樂、平安、忍耐、恩慈、良善、信實、
This is the Spirit’s work in us. Part of sanctification.
But we ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God has chosen you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth.
主所愛的弟兄們，我們應該常常為你們感謝 神，因為他從起初就揀選了你們，藉著聖靈成聖的工作，和你們對真道的信心，使你們可以得救。
He empowers us to beat sin in our lives
He empowers us to beat sin in our lives
Christian Standard Bible Chapter 8
But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live
The Holy Spirit empowers us to say no to sin and Yes to God. No to sin and yes to righteousness.
CONCLUSION
Story of the wedding dress gave her the white dress(how many times have I told this?) He wants the broken rose!
The Power of God can break any addiction. The Spirit of God is a chain breaker. He is a washer and regenerator HE washes and cleanses us brand new. He can break any chain! He can wash away any stain through the perfect blood of Christ.
There is no sin that is stronger than the Gospel or stronger than the cross of Christ. I am a great sinner and Christ is a great savior. Christ came for people who have lived of life of sexual sin, HE came to set the CAPTIVES free.
ALL THINGS CAN BE FORGIVEN. ALL THINGS CAN BE MADE NEW. Right now!