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Sex is a very difficult area for many Christians to discuss. And people have all sorts of opinions as to what is right and wrong. This is complicated by the fact that we live in a world, at least in the West, where sexual absolutes are increasingly rejected and replaced with an "anything goes" kind of attitude.
This Bible Study works on the basis that God's Word is always true and is our only standard for Christian behaviour in the area of sexual ethics.
Gen 13:13 But the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the LORD.
Gen 18:20-21 And the LORD said, "Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave, (21) I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I will know."
Gen 19:4-5 Now before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both old and young, all the people from every quarter, surrounded the house. (5) And they called to Lot and said to him, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may know them carnally."
Gen 19:24 Then the LORD rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the LORD out of the heavens.
It would seem that the judgment of God came upon Sodom because of the widespread practice of homosexuality.
Lev 18:22 You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination.
The Law of Moses expressly forbade homosexual practice.
Rom 1:26-27 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. (27) Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
Both male and female homosexuality are described here by Paul as "vile passions".
1 Cor 6:9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,
Homosexuals will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
(Homosexuals can visit www.exodus-international.org for sound Christian help and advice.)
Ex 20:14 You shall not commit adultery.
The prohibition against adultery is one of the basic commandments God gave to humanity.
Lev 18:6 None of you shall approach anyone who is near of kin to him, to uncover his nakedness: I am the LORD.
Sex with a close relative is forbidden. (Lev 18:7-18 gives more specific details.)
Lev 18:23 Nor shall you mate with any animal, to defile yourself with it. Nor shall any woman stand before an animal to mate with it. It is perversion.
God forbids sex with an animal and classifies it as a perversion.
1 Cor 6:9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,
Fornicators will not inherit the Kingdom of God; fornication is sex outside the marriage relationship, and includes premarital sex.
Mat 5:27-28 You have heard that it was said to those of old, "You shall not commit adultery." (28) But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Jesus raised the standard of sexual ethics under the New Covenant and said that lust was the same as committing adultery.
Gen 2:24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
The pattern outlined here (and reinforced by Jesus in Mat 19:5) is that of one man with one woman.
This was the way it was meant to be from the beginning of creation.
1 Tim 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behaviour, hospitable, able to teach;
1 Tim 3:12 Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
Titus 1:6 if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination.
New Testament leaders were expected to have only one wife, not because leaders are to have a higher standard, but because leaders are to exemplify what every Christian should be like.
Heb 13:4 Marriage is honourable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.
Sex within the confines of the marriage relationship is undefiled, in other words pure.
There is no room in the Christian's thinking that sex is somehow dirty or displeasing to God.
Gen 1:27-28 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. (28) Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
Part of God's command to humanity was to be "fruitful and multiply" which clearly involved having sex; this verse makes it clear that sex is part of God's blessing to humans.
Gen 1:31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
On the sixth day, God saw that everything He had made, including sex, was very good.
Gen 2:24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
Becoming one flesh is a clear reference to having sex, and in the context of the marriage relationship, is commanded by God.
Jesus reinforced this by repeating this command in Mat 19:5, as did Paul in Eph 5:31.
If you like these Topical Bible Studies, don't forget to check out our Expository Bible Studies too.