Rom. 1:26-32, Gentleness/Faithfulness vs Sexual Sins (2)

The Bible tells us of the consequences of sexual immorality.  His own iniquities entrap the wicked man, and he is caught in the cords of his sin.  He shall die for lack of instruction, and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray (Prov. 5:22-23).

·       Growing insensitivity to sexual immorality.  As we give implicit approval to forms of sexual sin, our consciences become seared (1 Tim. 4:2); we are less upset about what we called sin yesterday.

·       Growing inability to be content.  Rom. 1:21-27 is right: there’s a progression and we’ve seen it in our society (turning away from God to worship creation leads to sexual impurity which leads to unnatural relations and then to every kind of evil).

·       Preoccupation with sex has led to sickness, not health.  Who buys books on car repairs?  Those with car problems.  Who buys drain cleaner?  Those with a clogged drain.  Today: sex books abound.  Here are some quotes, including some from non-Christians who can see the societal destruction caused by debauchery.

Peter Marin, Psychology Today, 1983: We have been liberated from the taboos of the past only to find ourselves imprisoned in the ‘freedom’ that brings us no closer to our real nature or needs.

Pitirim Sorokin, in The American Sexual Revolution, wrote of Russia’s sexual liberation in the 1920’s: One could marry and divorce as often as desired, without the other spouse being notified.  Bigamy and polygamy were permissible, abortion was facilitated at state institutions, premarital relations were praised, extra marital relations considered normal … The total results were so appalling that the government was forced to reverse its policy. … We find that among civilized societies those which have remained strict in their sexual codes for the longest periods have reached the highest levels.

Historian Arnold Toynbee concluded that a society’s creative energy is tied to the control of sexual drives

J. D. Unwin in Sex and Culture (1934) said: Any human society is free to choose either to display great energy or to enjoy sexual freedom; the evidence is that it cannot do both for more than one generation.

C. S. Lewis: Though the ‘right to happiness’ is chiefly claimed for the sexual impulse, it seems to me impossible that the matter should stay there.  The fatal principle, once allowed in that department, must sooner or later seep through our whole lives.  We thus advance toward a state of society in which not only each man but every impulse in each man claims carte blanche.  And then, though our technological skill may help us survive a little longer, our civilization will have died at heart, and will – one dare not even add ‘unfortunately’ – be swept away.

What has been true in every other civilization will be true in America.  As Ruth Graham said, “If God doesn’t judge America, He’ll owe Sodom and Gomorrah an apology.”  Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge (Heb. 13:4). 

In our next post we will turn to the positive impact of “the fruit of the Spirit” in this area of sexual immorality.