Avoiding The Mistake Of Sexual Immorality Series

5. If we are not careful we can make the same mistakes.

6. Now that we have looked at Samson’s mistakes, let’s talk about our method for avoiding the mistake of sexual immorality.

II. Our Method

A. If I were to describe this morning a society in which immorality was widely accepted, and the concepts of purity and chastity were ridiculed and even considered odd – would it sound familiar?

1. If I were to speak of a culture in which the institution of marriage was crumbling, prostitution was widely available, and homosexuality was accepted – would it ring a bell?

2. No, I am not speaking about 21st century America – I am describing the first century Roman Empire!

3. That was the kind of world in which the gospel first appeared.

B. It is ironic that we talk a lot about restoring First Century Christianity, and in terms of morality we find ourselves right back in a First Century world!

1. We live in the very same moral climate, and we’re struggling with identical attitudes and actions and consequences.

2. And it’s not very comforting to realize that those same attitudes eventually led to the collapse of the once-mighty Roman Empire.

3. As we look at a text from 1 Thessalonians, we must realize just what a radical message the apostle was writing to those early Gentile Christians – he was telling those believers something that to them was new and unheard of!

4. They were learning that the standards of God’s people are quite different from the standards of the world!

5. We need to understand why God gives us such a high standard, because the world teaches us something entirely different.

6. I want us to understand why God set boundaries around the expression of sexually: they are not to restrict individuals or to cheat them out of any good thing – God’s will is designed to protect His children, and to keep them from being hurt or cheated or used.

7. God is good – God’s will is good – and if he commands us to wait until marriage, and to remain true and faithful within marriage, there must be a good reason!

C. Look again at Paul’s instructions in 1 Thessalonians 4.

1. First, he says that we should be holy. “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified…” (vs. 3).

a. God’s people are to be holy – that means to be set apart, to be different, not like the world.

b. This comes first because it is the key to everything else we’ll read!

c. We are children of our Father, so we should be like him!

2. Second, Paul says that we should avoid sexual immorality. “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified; that you should avoid sexual immorality…” (vs. 3)

3. Third, Paul clarifies that. “That each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God.” (vs. 4-5).

a. What is the standard of the world? “If it feels right, do it!”

b. I cannot think of a more silly, superficial, dangerous guide in morality! That seemed to be Samson’s attitude.

c. The Bible is emphatic – we can’t always do what FEELS right – we have to be in control of our body, not allow our bodies to be in charge of us.