Reflect: 1 Thessalonians 3:1-4

Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God;

Respond:

Over the years I’ve been able to travel some across the world. I’ve seen different customs in different cultures and I’ve noticed that sexual morality (of the lack of) is one consistent issue. Let’s think for just a moment of the approaches in the Muslim world and the greater American culture compared to a Biblical view.

The difference seems to be in how we approach the topic.

One approach is to assume that sexuality itself is basically wrong and we should avoid the topic altogether. Women may be required to be completely covered to avoid tempting men with their beauty.

Others in our culture will say that sex is no more than a natural and healthy appetite that should be fed. Sex is just an event. It’s an activity. Nothing more. Nothing less.

But, the teachings of the Bible in both the Old and New Testament give us a very different picture. God created the whole idea of sex in the first place. He endorses it and, as we read yesterday, it is much more than physical.

Reflect:

I’m convinced that the secular American approach leaves much to be desired and the Muslim approach only masks the issue, so let’s consider these questions –

• Is our culture’s approach to sex working?
• Are marriages today lasting longer?
• Are there long term consequences of sexual immorality
• What does Biblical sexuality look like?