SHINNING FOREVER IN HOLINESS  - (PART 6)       

 

Memory Verse:  “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” Exodus 20:14.

 

Bible Passage: Revelation 21: 6-8; Proverbs 6: 27-29.

 

LESSON OBJECTIVES  

We should at the end of the lesson:

Know why we should flee from fornication and adultery, i.e. all forms of sexual immorality.

 

LESSON INTRODUCTION

Chasing after fornication or adultery is like running in the rail track opposite an on-coming express train. The consequence is only one certainty – instant death.

 

LESSON OUTLINE 1:ADULTERY & FORNICATION EXPOUNDED.

There are two dimensions to adultery – physical and spiritual adultery.

 a). How do we define Physical Adultery & Fornication?

Adultery is defined as the sexual knowledge of another man’s wife or husband. Fornication is when one or both parties are unmarried.

 

Well, some of us may not have the opportunity or the courage to take another person’s wife or husband to bed.

But does that really leave us clean in this matter? Matt. 5: 27, 28; II Peter 2:14.

 

What do we have to watch out against in our lives if we are to be guiltless in this area?

Our eyes, desires, lusts, possible abuse of position, power, money, physical looks, dressing, etc. See II Peter 2: 14.

 

But why does it really matter?

Is it just the danger of un-wanted pregnancies, AIDS, and other sexually transmitted diseases? After all we can take measures against all of these.

i).  It is a sin against God. Gen. 39: 6-10.

ii). It is also a sin against one’s soul, I Peter 2: 11-12.

iii). It is destroying God’s own temple, in fact a sin against one self, I Cor. 6:18-20.

 

b). How do we define Spiritual Adultery & Fornication?

It means worshipping or seeking help from other gods or persons than the Almighty God Himself. This is often manifested by our indifference to the word of God. See Jer. 3: 6-10; 19-20.

 

LESSON OUTLINE 2: ADULTERY KILLS; DEAL WITH IT NOW

We have seen that adultery and fornication do matter both to God and ourselves. We now want to address the question,

 

What is the real danger in adultery and fornication given the fact we can take all the measures against the unwanted physical consequences?

Sexual immorality is very dangerous because it carries such terrible consequences as:

Dishonour and sorrow of heart or regret. Physical disease and illness can follow.

But finally it guarantees spiritual death and eternal separation from God. See Rev. 21: 7-8; 22:15.

 

How then do we overcome this problem?

Adultery and fornication can be overcome by following the following scriptural principles:

i). Covenant with your eyes not to commit adultery, II Sam. 11: 1-5; Matth. 5: 28.

ii). Flee from sexual immorality, Genesis 39: 10-12; I Cor. 6:18.

iii). Fulfill your sexual role/responsibility with your legally and divinely approved partner, I Cor. 7:5.

iv). Mortify your flesh – cause fleshly desires in you to die, I Thess. 4: 3-5.

v). Avoid every kind, or appearance, of evil, and not just some of them, I Thess. 5:22.

vi). Draw your strength from the Lord through the Holy Spirit, Phil. 4:13.

vii). And pray constantly that God’s will that you be sanctified becomes a daily reality in your life, I Thess. 5:17; 4:3.

 

With respect to Item iv). above, how can we mortify our flesh?

 

SUMMARY

Anyone who dies an adulterer or fornicator will go to hell (Rev. 21:8; 22:15).

The only hope for the fornicator or adulterer now is to run to the Lord Jesus for cleansing and pardon, and thereafter to rely on the Holy Spirit never to commit the sin again.