John 13:1-17, Gentleness/Faithfulness vs Sexual Sins (3)

We have previously studied “self-control.”  That quality is critical in the matter of sexual sin.  But the Bible does not just say “flee sexual immorality.”  It does say that, but that is not all.  The life we have in Christ is a life that satisfies the human soul that was created in the image of God.  We handle temptation to sexual immorality in the same way we handle all temptation:

ü By the power of the Holy Spirit.  But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you (Rom. 8:11).

ü By the precepts of the Word of God.  Let us consider the fruit of the Spirit, gentleness and faithfulness, and how these bring God’s blessing into our lives and relationships.

Gentleness.

·       Synonyms: humility, meekness.

·       Definition:

o   Yielding my personal rights and expectations to God (Gothard).

o   The meekness manifested by the Lord and commended to the believer is the fruit of power … the Lord was ‘meek’ because He had the infinite resources of God at His command … meekness is the opposite of self-assertiveness and self-interest … is neither elated nor cast down, simply because it is not occupied with self at all (W. E. Vine).

o   Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.  Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others (Paul, Phil. 2:3f).

o   The most heavily laden branches always bow lowest on the tree (Tim Keller).

·       Underlying principle: In Christ, the Christian has been blessed with every spiritual blessing (Eph. 1:4).  He is complete in Christ (Col. 2:9) and has all things, including the power of God, at his disposal.  Jesus’ act of humility, the washing of His disciple’s feet (John 13:1-17), was prefaced by these words: Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded himself (13:1-2).

Many marriages suffer for a lack of “gentleness” or “meekness.”  One or both are concerned about their rights, unwilling to yield to the other.  The relationship becomes one of demands, demands that leave them in a state of loneliness, rather than in the resting place God designed when He created Man as “male and female.”