Sexual Purity Matters - Genesis 2:18-25; Proverbs 5:15-20; Romans 13:11-14 - January 29,2006

Sunday School Lesson – Sexual Purity Matters – January 29, 2006

This is our last lesson in our study of “Things That Matter.”

We have studied:
Work Matters
Money Matters
Life Matters
Character Matters
And today we study that Sexual Purity Matters

We could add many more things that matter to our list such as family matters, relationship matters, obedience matters, making good decisions matters, etc.

The most important thing that matters is asking CHRIST to forgive us of our sins and to come into our life and be born into HIS family through the miracle of rebirth in the spirit.

The next most important thing that matters is to allow THE HOLY SPIRIT to control our life and help us build a loving intimate relationship with GOD, our FATHER through our relationship with CHRIST.

Today let’s examine sexual purity. Sexual purity is important in preventing us from adulterating our relationship with CHRIST and opening ourselves to the evil spirit world around us.

Matthew 5:28 – JESUS puts sexual purity into perspective:

28 But I tell you, everyone who looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

JESUS tells us it is not just the physical act but also includes our thought life. We must keep our thought life pure.

Paul makes it clear in 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 about joining ones self to another:
Glorifying God in Body and Spirit
12 “Everything is permissible for me,”[3] The words in quotation marks are most likely slogans used by some Corinthian Christians. Paul evaluates and corrects these slogans. but not everything is helpful. “Everything is permissible for me,”[4] The words in quotation marks are most likely slogans used by some Corinthian Christians. Paul evaluates and corrects these slogans. but I will not be brought under the control of anything. 13 “Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods,”[5] The words in quotation marks are most likely slogans used by some Corinthian Christians. Paul evaluates and corrects these slogans. but God will do away with both of them.[6] Lit both it and them The body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 God raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are the members of Christ? So should I take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Absolutely not! 16 Do you not know that anyone joined to a prostitute is one body with her? For it says, The two will become one flesh.[7] Gn 2:24 17 But anyone joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 18 Flee from sexual immorality! “Every sin a person can commit is outside the body,”[8] See note at 1 Co 6:12 but the person who is sexually immoral sins against his own body. 19 Do you not know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body.[9] Other mss add and in your spirit, which belong to God.

GOD intended sex to be enjoyed by one man and one woman. If someone has had multiple partners only GOD can cleans and restore. Thanks to our SAVIOR and LORD JESUS CHRSIT, when we confess our sins (agreeing we have done wrong), HE washes us clean as snow and restores us by HIS shed blood.

1 John 1:9-10 confirms this:

9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say, “We have not sinned,” we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us

Our background scripture: Genesis 2:18-25; Proverbs 5:15-20; Romans 13:11-14

Sex has been an issue with us as humans since the beginning of time. GOD made us to be attracted to the opposite sex for the purpose of populating the earth and to make us complete as a human.

We live in a world that uses sex to market many products we use and the entertainment we consume.

Sex is big business and pornography is one of the enslaving issues in our society. It is easy to consume pornography secretly through the Internet, looking or chatting. It is one of the sins many Christians have to deal with and especially ministerial staff. Pornography will devastate a family and an individual.

Often those featured in porn materials are victims and sadly many children are used to produce porn products.

Children are exploited, victimized and abused. Pornography breaks down a person’s character and opens them to perversions that lead them to commit acts they would not commit if they had not compromised their thought life.

GOD intended sex to be beautiful, complete and fulfilling intimate relationship between a man and woman committed to each other through the bonds of marriage.

Many in our society live together for years before they marry. Living together before marriage is a growing issue among both our young people and our older generation.

We have friends who lived together for about four (4) years before they married. She often said, “I do not know, what happened after he said “I do” but when he did, he stopped helping me around the house.” They had to readjust their relationship and work things out after they said “I do”.

Let’s explore.

Let’s read Genesis 2:15-25:

15 The Lord God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and watch over it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree of the garden,[16] Gn 3:1–2 17 but you must not eat[17] Lit eat from it from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die.”[18] Gn 3:5 18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is like him.”[19] Pr 31:11–12 19 So the Lord God formed out of the ground each wild animal and each bird of the sky, and brought each to the man to see what he would call it. And whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. 20 The man gave names to all the livestock, to the birds of the sky, and to every wild animal; but for the man[20] Or for Adam no helper was found who was like him. 21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to come over the man, and he slept. God took one of his ribs and closed the flesh at that place. 22 Then the Lord God made the rib He had taken from the man into a woman and brought her to the man.[21] 1 Co 11:8,12 23 And the man said: This one, at last, is bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh; this one will be called woman, for she was taken from man.[22] Eph 5:28–30 24 This is why a man leaves his father and mother and bonds with his wife, and they become one flesh.[23] Mal 2:15 25 Both the man and his wife were naked, yet felt no shame.

The Hebrew word for “Adam” in the original scripture text can be used for either mankind or for the first man (Adam).

GOD made man and placed him in the Garden of Eden to work it and to manage it. Then GOD formed the animals and the birds from the ground and asked Adam to name them.

According to Genesis 2:7 “7 Then the Lord God formed the man out of the dust from the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being.”

Notice that GOD formed both man and the animals (V. 19) from the dust of the ground. Eve was made from Adam’s rib.

Verse 18 tells us GOD’S objective is to make a helper “like him”.

18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is like him.”[

“Like him” means one that is able to meet his relational, emotional, and physical needs of his life. Someone who corresponds to and complements him because the two (2) of them will carry out GOD’S plan and purpose for life upon earth. Adam’s helper had to be someone who would be in the image of GOD and who would be equal to him and on the same spiritual, intellectual and moral level as Adam.

It is interesting that out of all the animals formed “no helper” was suitable for Adam. Was Adam looking for a helper as he named all the animals? Is this why man has such an enjoyment and bond with the outdoors and nature? I sure am glad Adam did not find a suitable helper among the animals. Just think about being married to a _________. You fill in the blank. No comments about who you did marry.

GOD is the first anesthesiologist and performed the first surgical procedure. HE took a rib from Adam, closed the opening and made Eve. The Hebrew word used for made means “built”. “Built” means HE used materials already in existence.

So GOD “built” Eve.

Matthew Henry’s famous statement captures the essence of GOD building woman. Why did GOD use a rib? “That the woman was made of a rib out of the side of Adam; not made out of his head to rule over him, nor out of his feet to be trampled upon by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected, and near his heart to be beloved.”

GOD built Eve “like him” – to have emotions, intellect and to be spiritual.

Was Eve the first modified clone? Adam said she is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh.

Now pay attention! I think this is priceless.

Picture a wedding. The music signals the grand entrance of the bride holding the arm of her father. The groom waits with much anticipation; Waiting to see his bride more beautiful than he ever dreamed.

Both parents are excited that their creation has reached this time in her life, her wedding day. They are proud and could not be happier.

Now let your mind drift back to GOD building a bride for Adam. HE completes HIS handiwork. HE is very proud and says this is very good, in fact excellent. Then GOD, THE FATHER of the bride brought her down the path in the Garden of Eden to be joined with her husband, Adam. (Note verse 22.)

Oh, what a beautiful picture every father should cherish. When the father of the bride walks down the aisle with his daughter to present her to her groom, it is a picture of GOD, THE FATHER presenting HIS beloved creation to Adam.

Adam’s reaction is equally as precious. In the original text it conveys and outburst of “WOW!!!! This is what I have been waiting for all my life. She is just what I need as my life long helper.”

GOD establishes the first wedding. Man and woman come together in complete harmony and complement each other. What GOD has joined together let no man separate.

There is a physical and spiritual bond between man and woman when they consummate their marriage. The two (2) become one.

This union is intended to be a lifetime bond.

Ephesians 5:25-33 puts the marriage relationship into perspective.
Wives and Husbands
22 Wives, submit[8] Other mss omit submit [9] Gn 3:16; 1 Co 11:3,7–9,11–12; Col 3:18; Ti 2:4–5; 1 Pt 3:1–6 to your own husbands as to the Lord, 23 for the husband is head of the wife as also Christ is head of the church. He is the Savior of the body. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so wives should [submit]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives,[10] Col 3:19; 1 Pt 3:7 just as also Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 to make her holy, cleansing[11] Or having cleansed her in the washing of water by the word. 27 He did this to present the church to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but holy and blameless. 28 In the same way, husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hates his own flesh, but provides and cares for it, just as Christ does for the church, 30 since we are members of His body.[12] Other mss add and of His flesh and of His bones 31 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.[13] Gn 2:24 32 This • mystery is profound, but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 To sum up, each one of you is to love his wife as himself, and the wife is to respect her husband.
Notice the scripture tells us men to love our wife but it never tells the wife she has to love her husband. Men are to cherish their wife. Our wife is a gift from GOD. The wife is to respect her husband.
Every marriage gives opportunity for love. Marriage is a building process and the circumstances of life help us build a strong loving relationship when we pull together. Marriage is 100% and 100%.
Let’s read Proverbs 5:15-20:
Enjoy Marriage
15 Drink water from your own cistern, water flowing from your own well.[9] Sg 4:12,15 16 Should your springs flow in the streets, streams of water in the public squares?[10] Pr 7:12 17 They should be for you alone and not for you [to share]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. with strangers. 18 Let your fountain be blessed, and take pleasure in the wife of your youth.[11] Mal 2:14 19 A loving doe, a graceful fawn— let her breasts always satisfy you; be lost in her love forever. 20 Why, my son, would you be infatuated with a forbidden woman or embrace the breast of a stranger?

Proverbs was written by King Solomon. Our scripture are instructions from a father to his son regarding being faithful to his wife.

Son, drink the water from your own well or in other words, don’t be unfaithful to your wife. Should you get the notion of looking for another water source, forget it. Your wife is for you alone and do not look any further. There is no greater bond and relationship you can ever have than the one you have with the wife of your youth.

Your first true love is always the most pure and strongest bond.
So cherish and protect this relationship with every ounce of fight you have in you.

This is in the Old Testament, so what does Paul tell us?

Let’s read Romans 13:11-14:
Put On Christ
11 Besides this, knowing the time, it is already the hour for you[6] Other mss read for us to wake up from sleep, for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over, and the daylight is near, so let us discard the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us • walk with decency, as in the daylight: not in carousing and drunkenness; not in sexual impurity and promiscuity; not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no plans to satisfy the fleshly desires.

In verse 10, Paul tells us “10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Love, therefore, is the fulfillment of the law.” Then he continues with verse 11, “Besides this”, that is “loving your neighbor as yourself is very important but do not forget THE LORD could return at any moment.”

Paul was looking for the eminent return of THE LORD JESUS CHRIST at any moment. So Paul says be ready for HIS return. Do not let anything divert your attention. You need to take off the old life and put on your new life in CHRIST.

Paul identifies some of the things we need to remove from our life in the flesh. He links them together:
Carousing (Partying) and drunkenness (Letting loose; acting without inhibition) – Being at the wrong place in a condition such that your judgment is impaired.

Sexual impurity (Translates the word for bed) and promiscuity (Shameless, unbridled intercourse) – this says it all.

Quarreling (Stems from self-centeredness, the need to have it ones way) and jealousy (Envy, wanting the benefits, recognition or material things others have)

These are examples of the things that show we are walking in the dark. We as humans are still drawn to the forbidden fruit. Paul tells us we have to get rid of such old natures or characters and put on CHRIST.

So how is this accomplished? Verse 14, tells us to “put on the LORD JESUS CHRIST.”

The words used here are the same as if you put on your clothes. First take off your old fleshly desires and put on the righteousness of CHRIST. Let CHRIST have full control of your life.

Paul said in Galatians 2:20:

20 and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the flesh,[10] The physical body I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Remember when CHRIST was crucified for our sins, our sin was poured into HIM but HIS righteousness was poured into us.

2 Corinthians 5:21
21 He made the One (JESUS) who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Just as we choose to put on our clothes at the beginning of each day, we also can choose to walk with our LORD each moment and to be obedient to HIS commands during that same day or not. We choose whether or not we want to put off our flesh or put on HIS righteousness.

We must not let anything divert us from having a loving intimate relationship with our FATHER and our LORD by beginning each day putting on THE LORD.

Impure thoughts, opening ourselves up to pornography or allowing evil thoughts to dwell in our minds will lead one to compromise their relationship with their spouse and their LORD.

Only a loving intimate relationship with our LORD and hiding HIS WORD in our hearts can keep our minds focused upon the things of THE LORD and control our thought life.