Sexual Immorality primarily refers to voluntary sexual intercourse of an unmarried or married person with anyone of the opposite sex, but there are all forms of inappropriate sexual behaviour.

Biblically, sexual relations is the seal of commitment between a man and a woman in a marriage covenant. Taken out of this content, the gift which God gave to be enjoyed is lost of its fulfilment and is seen as an aspect of God's gift which has been corrupted and devalued because of selfishness and greed.

Sexual Immorality is the sin which does the most harm spiritually, for a person commits sin against God, and emotionally, it does the most damage to close family members; it usually destroys the family. When a Christian commits Sexual Immorality, it causes grieving of The Holy Spirit who indwells the believer.

All fall short in keeping God's standards, for mankind is not perfect. This however is not an excuse. Pardon or acquittal of sin is based on repentance and being willing to make spiritual life first priority. To restore God's favour, it is required to seek His forgiveness and Him to forgive. Sin must be repented of with a desire to live a godly life. It is also required for people to forgive each other, just as God forgives in His mercy. Sexual immorality is contrary to God's Law and principles. This type of behaviour is wide spread throughout the world in all walks of life, and has no place in Christian life.

With disobedience, there is always a call to repentance and sadly many spurn the Truths of God, not receiving forgivenss and condemn themselves. All forms of Sexual Immorality are despicable in God's eyes, but all are forgivable.

Sexual Sin begins in the heart and is rooted in lust, it is regarded in scripture as an act of unfaithfulness, a sincere breach of trust, and is permissible grounds for divorce. God considers lust as sinful as adultery, and it has its consequence, as adultery leads to divorce. Remarriage after a divorce in some cases is adultery. Sexual unfaithfulness is given as a ground for divorce by Jesus because it undermined the marriage covenant from the earliest times. Even outside the people of God, Sexual Immorality has been regarded as serious. It is defined as the wicked outrageous behaviour lacking moral principle and lack of recognition of proper obligations.

There are many transgressions which go out of the bounds that God has set for the enjoyment of sex.
As well as adultery and fornication, there is the nature of sin in pre-marital sexual relations, homosexuality, pedophilia, rape, seduction, bestiality, and incest. Sharing in the actions of any immoral behaviour is not acceptable to God and does result in judgement in this life and the final judgement to come. People do participate in this way by associating themselves with the company of evildoers. These sins are life-dominating, but can be broken through the power and grace of Jesus Christ.

Adultery is identified as extra-marital infidelity. God's gift of sexuality between husband and wife is abused. The bodies that God created to be His Living Temple for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit are degraded. Both husband and wife are to be bound by strict morality and fidelity to each other.

Sexual Immortality is unfaithfulness to God, unfaithfulness leads to judgement, although there is restoration following repentance. Unfaithfulness is a breach of trust to the partner in a relationship. It is failure of responsibility and covers the breaking of more than one Commandment, in fact almost all of the Ten Commandments.

In Old Testament times adultery and all sexual sins were punishable by death, and is serious sin that incurs The Divine Wrath of God. Christ took mankind's punishment and God's Wrath upon Himself so that mankind might continue to live. In the New Testament, Jesus Himself condemned this act and also those who had adulterous thoughts. Jesus claimed it was adultery to divorce a wife and marry another. God considers adultery to be idolatry. Adultery and murder are used as equal examples.

It is wrong to use sexual acts for physical sensations outside of marriage. Marriage is a covenant, and the breaking of it is condemned in Scripture. If unfaithful behaviour in the marriage is reprehensible, how much more is infidelity towards God?

Sexual Immorality does separate individuals from God. All must remember God's mercy and forgiveness, because of Jesus, through repentance.

Fidelity is foremost a moral issue based on the foundations of family life, and Sexual Immorality is a violation of that union. Adultery destroys individuals and society at large.

Christians are continually warned against adultery and fornication, through The Word of God and their conscience.

Fornication is the term for any sexual relations outside of marriage including pre-marital sex, and is included as a form of prostitution. The Bible forbids parents to allow their son or daughter to become involved in the practise of prostitution. Fornication is a symbol of harlotry and idolatry against God. Fornication is also marital unfaithfulness with an unmarried person. Parents should not lower their principles and morals to accommodate the lifestyle of their children.

Sexual Immorality is offensive and defiles the sinner, for it insults God and other people. There is a need for holiness among all persons and the living of godly lives. There is God's judgement on Sexual Immorality, for temptation can be resisted. Concerning Christians, The Body of Christ has to be kept pure, and lust dies if a believer lives and walks in the ways of The Holy Spirit.

The forceful sexual violation of an individual is deeply traumatic for the victim and is the evil that God's Word condemns. The trauma of rape comes from desire, selfish emotion, violence and lust. Jesus teaches that all come from the heart.

Some people deliberately entice others to abandon godly principles, usually by thoughts planted and advanced promises and persistence. Iniquity is the perversion of the heart, a moral evil of wickedness and lawlessness.

All Sexual Immorality is incompatible with The Kingdom of God. Sexual disorder comes from rejecting God, it is a consequence of and the result of worldly corruption, because of the rejection of God. Proud and disobedient resistance to God's Will and commands is stubbornness, and leads to the soul's downfall.

Being tempted into sexual sin is not in itself a sin. Sin arises when people give in to the temptation. The Word of God encourages those facing temptation when personal discipline has gone. Every human being knows temptation, and any behaviour which might cause others to do wrong must be avoided, especially in the case of a believer of Christ. Resisting temptation by mortifying lust is a problem not only for adults but also teenagers who do not understand the principles of morality in regard to their own self, as individuals, that they are loved by God, who expects them to enjoy sex within His limits, for their own betterment.

In some families and societies sexual impurity has been accepted as normal and they have forgotten moral obligations, it is a sin against God first of all, in the steps of priorities.

It is only the Sovereign pardoning power and grace of God in His attitude towards Sexual Immorality which forgives the defiling of this gift of God. Sexual disorder is a consequence of rejecting God.

Sexual Immorality in society today has been excused through human theories that sexual behaviour relieves tension and prevents neurotic guilt. Guilt is due to not from abstaining illicit acts but from their practice. This guilt can only come from forgiveness after repentance.

The modern glamorisation of deviant sexual behaviour underrates attempts to instil sexual morality to the children of society. The deliberate enticement of someone to abandon godly principles has dire consequences. Children are sexually active in today's world and are very open, regarding the boasting about it. Technical knowledge may have increased, but the moral standards and values of self respect have glided down to decadence. Children and teenagers or any single persons do not have the maturity to repsect themselves, if they are willing to lower thier moral and self-standing principles to indulge in Sexual Immorality.

God has given His moral standards in the hearts and minds of all the human race, as well as His written standards in His Word, The Bible. Without God's standards, individuals as well as nations, fall morally away from a state of goodness, decency, abundance, health, and do deteriorate, and experiencing a gradual fall into an inferior condition of a progressive decline in the quality of society. Christians are urged to shun all Sexual Immoralities because sexual abuse has always been widespread. Christian virtues since the days of the Romans 2,000 years ago, won for believers great respect because of their high moral behaviour in obedience with God's Word, and moral respect is relevant today and as practical.

It is a matter of importance and moral standing that people keep their bodies undefiled and uncorrupted, especially Christians.

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Managed by Stefan Kreslin, Last updated 9 July 1998