In today’s culture nearly everything goes… This idea is: If it feels good, even for a moment, then that’s what’s right for you. Right and wrong have become relative, not to what is truly righteous and evil, but to our wants, our lusts, our desires for things that can’t be righteously fulfilled.
Many of us live by this doctrine…even in the church. We wear the label “Christian” then ignore that the first part of that word is “Christ”. Christian means like Christ, so if Christ wouldn’t do it, and we’re Christians, we won’t either.
Some of us may wear a shirt that says in big bold brightly colored letters: “Yes! I’m a Christian AND I swear”. Maybe we eat a lot junk food, making ourselves sick and overweight. Maybe we entertain ourselves with books, music, movies that have content we are told by God’s word not to do so we tell ourselves it’s ok to be entertained by evil as long as we don’t actually do it. Maybe it’s drugs (even prescription when unnecessary) or alcohol, or another kind of intoxicant, when the Bible says to “be sober”. Or we may have a sexual relationship with someone to whom we’re not married, whether single or sometimes even during our marriage, then say it’s ok because it feels right, or because we’re lonely, or because we’re separated or upset with our spouse. Wearing Christ’s name doesn’t take evil out of evil, but it should mean we have chosen to join with Him to take evil out of us.
The 7th commandment tells us not to commit adultery. That’s sometimes a word that’s lost it’s meaning, but in this context it means we are commanded to be faithful in every way, every thought, every action, to God and to our spouse, not conditionally, not relatively, but undoubtedly, completely, and decisively.
Sexual immorality is a form of adultery and Paul tries to simplify the concept by saying: “Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For “the two,” He says, “shall become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him…Flee sexual immorality.” Paul further explains that every other sin that a man does is outside the body, BUT the one who commits sexual immorality sins against their own body. Paul also clarifies when we decide to repent and accept Christ as our Savior, the Holy Spirit cones to dwell in us, and he reminds us of that by saying “Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” I Corinthians 6:13-20
This concept applies even to a broader range than solely sexual immorality. Did you catch that when we accept Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us? ANYTHING we do after that is subjecting the Holy Spirit to do with us. No, the Holy Spirit doesn’t become intoxicated or promiscuous, but feels the damage those actions are having on us, His precious creations, and I’m sure fills Him with grief, sadness, and likely frustration and anger if we are knowingly intentionally disobeying Him.
Going to the altar, saying the “sinner’s prayer”, being baptized, going to church, reading the Bible, doing all the “right” things does not “poof” us into being a Christian, as it requires repeated repentance, solid resolve, continual course-correction, and self-determined commitment of our heart, soul, mind, body, and spirit to God and all Jesus told us. Jesus explains in John 14 and 15 that we are His friends and love Him WHEN we KEEP His word and do whatever He commands.
Sometimes…actually, continuously…we need to re-evaluate how we use and spend the precious life Jesus Christ entrusts to us, and His precious name. In His eyes and from His perspective, do our choices devalue and defame His name and who He is? The world will look at CHRISTians and assume they are seeing Him. Are they?