Flee sexual immorality

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. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. – 1 Corinthians 6.15-18

Sexual immorality is one of those areas that has cropped up from the earliest days. The problem is obvious - we are sexual beings. It is part of our make up. From the very first we were told to go forth and multiply. Multiplying, of course, requires sex. So it has always been a part of our make-up.

Corinth was a city wholly given over the sexual immorality. If the city had a website it would have been something like cityofcorinth.xxx. It was normal there for the pagan religions to incorporate sex into their observances.

Paul had to deal with this. As people were saved there they would still be living in their old culture. Sexual immorality was commonplace and would have been, for many, a part of their lives.

So Paul makes a strong argument. A Christian is one with Christ. If a Christian has sex with a harlot he becomes one with her. Therefore by doing so the Christian joins Christ with the harlot.

‘That is disgusting’ we might say. And we would be right.

But that is exactly what happens.

Not only that but sexual immorality is dangerous. And, contrary to modern ideology, there is no way to make it truly safe.

So what is the Christian response? Flee. Run. Get away. Don’t mess with it.

God’s plan for sex is wonderful. God is not a spoilt sport. His plan is perfect.

Why would we mess with anything else?