Christian Liberty and Sexual Freedom

The Corinthians that rationalize their sexual activity. Just like people to date intercourse.

The city of Corinth was synonymous with sex. In fact, the verb to print denies meant to have sex with a prostitute. So here are the current carrying another one of the cruddy things of the former life balls and hit another one here is the sin of immorality classrooms in the political arena.

Even in churches.

Thankfully you can know exactly why marriage exists, and for whom it was created. The God who designed marriage has made it clear as John MacArthur will show you in the series. He launches today called restoring marriage. So here we are in the month of February. This is the month when the world gives a fair amount of attention to love and relationships. Valentine's Day is coming just a week away now and in the series were starting today on grace to you were going to be looking at relationships from a little broader perspective than the greeting card level and of course John most important were going to look at it from a biblical perspective. What we want to do everything from a biblical perspective. And of course there is a biblical perspective on all relationships, so were going to tackle a multiweek a look at how believers can strengthen all their relationships to begin with.

Were going to start where we probably need to start and that is in the marriage relationship are going to do a series called restoring marriage, getting back to God's design. Obviously, because this is the most intense relationship in human life. This is the relationship that can go so wrong so often.

So today were going to begin to look at restoring marriage and of course by custom and by law, the world has altered the definition of marriage, hopelessly alter the definition of marriage, destructively altered the definition of marriage, but the fact is, there is nothing that the politicians and lawmakers can do to change God's view of marriage, and God is the one who designed marriage so you need to know why God created marriage and what God expects marriage to be and how to make a marriage consistently conform to God's design. It's possible it's not only possible, it's the only acceptable way to live as a Christian. So were going to start in just a few moments series on restoring marriage and also keep in mind over the next several weeks were going to bring God's truth to bear on other critical relationships really talk about relationships in the church. The home really everywhere and how to strengthen your relationship with God himself going to do a series on enjoying God great days ahead. Between now and mid March. It all starts today with a look at what the Bible says about restoring marriage stay with us.

Yes, because this series will show you not only how your marriage can flourish, but also how it can be a testimony for Christ and these practical lessons start right now with a look at what Scripture says about Christian liberty and sexual sin. So here's John MacArthur launching his study titled restoring marriage first Corinthians chapter 6, beginning at verse 12. I'm entitled this section Christian liberty and sex because that really is what it talks about and you'll see that as we begin. And in this passage he presents that Christians perspective on morality, unless you really know the Lord Jesus Christ, unless you're Christian unless you understand what it is to live for God. This kind of a morality can seem a little bit left field, but this is what the Bible teaches. See the Corinthians that rationalize their sexual activity. Just like people to date it there plenty of people who in the name of religion say you know everything taken care of were free and in religion Christianity ministries all of it up there plenty of other people share this all times that what's the big deal about sex is only biology right. We were only animals you don't get upset when dogs do it when you get upset when we do it here this all time manages the biological thing is there you go you doing, don't get all uptight about its moral of the current is it on the same thing intercourse. They had a problem to because they live in the city of Corinth and Corinth was synonymous with sex. In fact, the verb to print denies meant to have sex with a prostitute that's attached Corinth was that kind of life so they were, say, our environment is overwhelming. And Manley figured out theologically. It's all right and philosophically adjust the biological active, big deal. So were doing so. Here, the Trinity, carrying another one of the cruddy things of their former life into the church and this is the problem with every single difficulty. The Corinthian church at in the first four chapters. What problem did Paul deal with division in the church you know why they were divided in the church. They were divided over human leaders and human philosophy. Both of those were carryovers from their former life. In chapter 5 the evil in the church was the evil of failing to discipline sin a carryover from their former lives when they were tolerant of sin in chapter 6 was the sin of suing one another and you member the Corinthian society love to have lawsuits and they just carry that over into their Christian life. And here they were immoral before they were Christians. They just carried out over their Christian experience.

So all the evils there were just Dragon from their former life and was going to hit another one of here it is going to get the sin of immorality is going to take apart the rationalization sexual sin harms controls and perverts the body that's Paul's threefold argument point number one in harms verse 12 all things are lawful, and me, but all things are not expedient. Stop right there nice as all things are possible within the area of grace, but all things are not expedient. That word comes from a Greek word soon Pharaoh, which means to profit PRL FIT God will forgive but man, the price is high, immorality is one of those things God forgives if he was a Christian do that some of you undoubtedly have committed adultery or our fornication as Christians. If you have done that God is forgiven totally and completely by the blood of Jesus Christ in his in his grace.

But there's a price to pay.

There's a high price because there is harm building that sin. I want to show you that by taking to Proverbs chapter 5 there is no other sin that a man or a woman commits that has built into it. The deep rooted damage that the sin of sexual immorality has is destroyed more people than drugs or booze ever together could have destroyed. I want to show you. Proverbs chapter 5. This is really interesting.

It's very, very practical robbers five verse three will start it will stay and problems will also join us if you have your Bible robbers 53 for the lips of a strange woman drop is a honeycomb in her mouth is smoother than oil listen. That stuff is very enticing. Honeycomb lips and smooth you and the opposite comes in verse four and is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.

Her feet go down to death, her steps take hold on she'll you see what you see is not what you get.

Now he gives a little advice.

Because of this, lest thou shouldest ponder the path of her life, her ways are unstable but thou canst not know hear me now therefore all you children depart not from the words of my mouth Ellis and you can't figure this out. She subtle she seeking listen to me remove thy way far from her and time not near the door of her house. You know you're not going to have a problem committing adultery with somebody if you don't go where they are take a lot of brains figure that out less. Thou give thine honor. I know others in the years of the cruel. You know what happens when a person gets into that problem.

I lose their honor. It was their respect instead of being with honored people they wind up with the cruel people less strangers be filled with I well the person could actually come to the place where he loses his fortune many a man has destroyed his life over women.

Many a man today is saddled with paying so much alimony can hardly live himself and all of his money is going up. Even strangers are filled with your wealth and your labors be in the hands of an alien or the house of an alien people have lost their lives and their livelihood immorality and out more and at the last when my flesh and my body are consumed when you get old and you can't function anymore physically or sexually, and you have absolutely nothing but the pain, the agony and the remorse and then you will say verse 12. How have I hated instruction and my heart despised reproof and have not obeyed the voice of my teachers are inclined. My near to them that instructed me with a full that I did what I did. We verse 18.

Now God is against sex hole know he invented these four verse eight let thy fountain be blessed, and that's talking literally about a man's ability to procreate and rejoice with the wife of thy youth, live it out that's that's God's design that sex is a fabulous thing beautiful thing B is the loving kind and pleasant rose. Speaking of deer, like animals, but her breasts satisfy you at all times and be thou ravished always with her loud I mean this is great you know limit I enjoy see and why wilt thou, my son be ravished with a strange woman and embrace the bosom of a foreigner with the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he ponders all his going. Why would you go off and commit adultery when you know that the Lord is what watching you watching will look at chapter 6 interesting section. Verse 24. Now you this is practical us in this verse 23, you better start for the commandment is a lamp in the laws light and reproof of instruction are the way of life. Ice is God's law is going to give you the right path in the right light to see the true your check. Keep to keep D from the evil woman from the flattery of the time of the foreign woman foreign simply means other than your own network last not after her beauty and I heart neither letter take me with her eyelids.

All you gotta watch those eyes LOL was the sex symbol. You know what the half opened eyes and sneaky letter take the with her.

I love that seed nothing new folks know Maybelline hasn't changed anything. Now you see what happens when this occurs in verse 26 four by means of an unchaste woman, a man is brought to a piece of bread something is elevated in high and lofty as a man signing the image of God is brought down as if he were nothing but a piece of bread and the adulterous will hunt for the precious life in a man take fire in his bosom as close not be burned.

You think you can estimate sex and get away. You're wrong you can't take fire in your bosom without burning your clothes is pretty clear can one go on hot coals in his feet not be burned. Verse 28 verse 29 so he that goeth into his neighbor's wife. Whosoever touches her shall not be innocent. Verse 32 who so commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding ill. It is stupid committed over why because he that do as it destroys his own what so God may forgive it. But that doesn't make it right doesn't make it smart second sin of adultery not only harms it controls look at 612 again all things are lawful for me little diverse but I will not be brought under the power of any. The Greek verb to be brought of the power means to come out of the domination of or the power of something. It really means to enslave. I will not be enslaved, and there is no more enslaving, saying, then sexual evil this thing wants to subject does hear the Corinthian Christians in the name of liberty losing their freedom and becoming slaves in the name of Christian freedom.

They become slaves to their own desires. Paul says in first Thessalonians chapter 4 this is the will of God concerning you that you be sanctified.

Even your sanctification that you stay away from sexual sin. The next verse says that everyone of you know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor. The word vessel made by everyone of you know how to possess his body.

You know how to possess your body if you stay away from sex in first Thessalonians 43 says, then verse four says you have to control your body.

You have to get control of your flesh in Romans 813. Paul put it this way.

He said kill the flesh mortified of flesh master the flesh gain control and you you get in a situation where uncontrolled all wool urinal you've lost, you get the place we are victimized by your drive, keeping control pulses possess your vessel control your body. You don't become a slave pulses yes all things are lawful, but you do that and will enslave will become a slave and I have never seen anything so enslaving in the lives of individuals, as that particular area of sin 1/3 thing and this is the major part of the passage, and believe it or not, will run through it quickly. So not only harms enslave section, but it perverts verse 13 quickly will look at and he gives three distinct purposes and designs for our bodies that are perverted by sexual sin foods for the body. Verse 13 in the body for food that was her little statement he says wait a minute. But God shall destroy both in their you can't say well up the buys for food and food for the body and sex is for the body and the body for sex that sellers do it just biologic. Can't say that because God is going to destroy food, and God is going to destroy stomachs.

That's the real world. Your stomach God is in a wipe that out but the body is not for sexual sin is for the Lord and the Lord is for the body and I'll prove it to you because God is both raised up the Lord and will also what raise up us by his you know why your body is different because your body someday is going to be what raise the your body isn't just a temporal commodity know there's coming a time in this world will be rates.

The rapture somewhere is going to go from the grave. The body's going to be brought out of the gravy say what is another letter, that's no problem for God.

It just makes them all come together were to be in heaven and body little bodies and so he saying lacks food that is eating the necessity for eating the digestive processes of the stomach that will all cease.

Gotta wipe out all out but the body use the tunnel man incorporated in that flesh that is going to be glorified and transformed into heaven, so don't think that the biology of eating is equal to what you do in your body in terms of its union is a big difference. I give three distinct purposes. First of all is as your body is for the Lord. Verse 13. It is for the Lord eating is a natural function, but sex is far more than a natural function. People sex listener. This is a spiritual union. It transcends the biological CS Lewis says in Screwtape letters every time a man and a woman enter into a sexual relationship. A spiritual bond is established between them, which must be eternally enjoyed or eternally endured. God's as I want to destroy stomachs cinema destroy food, but bodies no. The Bible never says God's going to destroy eternally the body that body is going to be glorified. The body of a Christian is going to spend its eternity with Jesus Christ in the glorified state. Our bodies are not just biological commodities. They have biological aspects and biological functions, but they are far beyond that between food in the stomach.

There is a horizontal line between my body, my person in the Lord. There is a vertical relationship and it must not be defiled because God wants me presented to Jesus Christ, a chaste virgin right spiritually stomach was made for food but your body wasn't made for sex was made for God and within God's will. Sex is included in marriage. Outside of that you violate in the proof of it is in verse 14 God's gonna raise your body out of the grave to file that thing which was designed to spend eternity with him. Can't say sex is for the body and the body for sex bodies for the Lord second because not only is your body for the Lord but it is one with Christ.

Look at verses 15 to 18 know you not that your bodies are the members of Christ may lay at the normal word for the member of the physical body. Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of a prostitute may get a top God for bid. May it never happened.

He says lack, you are one with Christ, you are the members of Christ. When you are saved you are joined to Christ. Everyone of us is a member of his body is not right reasons. 122 and 23 first Corinthians chapter 12 Romans chapter 12 verse five we are all made one with Christ in his body and if we are committing acts of sin we are joining Christ to that prostitute God.

Sex sin is sickening. It is unthinkable that I would use Jesus Christ in a sex relations. Could you imagine if Christ was on earth going to missing Lord I'm going over to commit adultery.

Would you please come and partake with Satan. That's blasphemous, you better believe it, but it's no more blasphemous than a Christian committee could tolerate because he's writing Christ to do it right. You're a member of Christ. Sex is a union of two becoming one. Thus, in a Christian's immorality.

There is the most gross profaning of making Christ, one with that sin. Sex is not just biological know it is spiritual is two becoming one. That's the way God designed it unites two people. That's why the Old Testament says when are two single people.

If a man lies with a woman. Then he marries her why because they consummated a spiritual union and that's why the Bible says that when adultery is committed that's grounds for divorce. Why because they have consummated a union outside the marriage. Two becoming one is not just biological as the integrating of two people in the deepest parts of their being. That's why CS Lewis says what you have is an eternal spiritual bond either to be eternally enjoyed or eternally endured the Corinthians, or any Christian who commits an act of sexual sin drags Jesus Christ and will look what he says in verse 16. What will you not that he was joined to a prostitute is one body. Yes that's right 42 shall be one flesh. When you unite with a prostitute, you become one flesh. That prostitute in the deepest sense of communion of your being.

Sex act is not just biological. It is the uniting of two persons in the deepest most intimate sense when you do that with a prostitute, you gonna union with that prostitute.

When you do a somebody outside your marriage. You brought union with that person and if your joy to Jesus Christ you Dragon writing verse 17 he that is joined to the Lord is what one spirit, your one with him. How could you ever drag him into to be one with him for the result. He says in verse 18 flee sexual sin get out of you know the smartest way to handle sexual sin.

Just get out there. I said you can't have a problem if you're not around, you know, Joseph was a smart guy got in there. Potiphar's wife started laying on Joseph you big manuals and old Joseph just realized only one way out of this. He took off like a shot. She grabbed his coat and that's all she he was God say no I'm going to face it and gain the victory. That's ridiculous get out of there. Well, I must know how the world looks got to be aware of these things and show my strip just get sent Timothy 222 says, flee youthful lusts, get out of there and sit there and take it and get out looking at some that isn't good. Gather for reasons on there is a good junket you're in a situation it's going the direction of compromising sorry though say will one understand what who cares really understand is get out of there some simple solutions under everything is complicated. Verse 18, further, every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he that commits fornication or sex and sins against his own body is very difficult to understand what Paul meant because he doesn't really elucidate what what I think he means is this the while sexual immorality is not necessary. The worst sin is the most unique in its consequence. It has a way of internally destroying a man and a woman that no other sin asked why because of all sins is the one sin that is the spiritual union of two person you can commit other sins and those other sins may be superficial. They may affect you at some level, but the sin of a sexual intimacy with somebody else, is the deepest uniting of two persons. Therefore, it has the unique kind of sin that destroys a man at the very roots of his being, you know, it is far more destructive than alcohol. It is far more destructive than drugs. It is far more destructive than crime is the deepest penetrating sin that a man can commit because it unites them to another person in the vileness of that. I'll never forget seeing a girl looking to be 16 years old that you want to kill her self. She didn't want to live another day. She had looked in the mirror and wants because he couldn't stand her own face.

I said why she said because I'm so rotten from so many acts of sexual sin. She was distraught.

She looked like she was 40 years old just destroy and honor. Forget the joy it was minor, leading her to Jesus Christ and the first thing she said to me was for the first time in years. I feel clean arts grace that God all sin blackens all sin devastates but this sin destroys a person at the roots of his being.

It harms it. It devastates and it enslaves them and it just diametrically opposed everything God intended for the body of a Christian it's for the Lord and it's one with Christ. Third, your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit verse 90 what know you not. That's a six times use that formula in this chapter, knowledge is not common knowledge to you that your body is the shrine of the sanctuary, the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have of God you didn't induce the Holy Spirit you didn't earn the Holy Spirit and seek the Holy Spirit.

He was given as a gift and you are even your own. Your his temple. You say how come I'm here is because verse 20 says he bought you with a price and what was the price. First Peter 118 or 19, for you are not redeemed with gold and silver, precious stones, none of those but you redeemed with the precious blood of Jesus Christ, as of a lamb without spot without limit was the price he paid his blood lesson he bought you your the shrine of the Holy Spirit. You are the temple of the living God.

He says segment is 616 you are the temple of the living God.

God dwells in you have to drag the Holy Spirit in this you are the temple of the living God dwells in you. You are the sacred shrine but you know that how could you desecrate how could you mutilate how could you defile the temple of the Spirit of God. That's that's who you are sacred shrine of the Holy Spirit listener.

You defile the temple of the Holy Spirit are you dragging your union with Christ.

Are you dragging Jesus Christ into a Intuit sinful situation are you making him one with a prostitute say will what's a prostitute.

Anybody who prostitutes the right meaning and use of six. Are you using your body for biological expression.

Forget it. Your body is for the Lord. You see, it's just incongruous and what is the result of all of this.

Verse 20 says this therefore glorify God in your what the rest of the verse doesn't appear in the best manuscripts glorify God in your body.

That's it. What should you do anybody glorify God with it. Praise God with it. Make it a shrine where somebody can worship how could you defile yourself will forgive you. That's right, you forgive. He always does, but it will harm you.

And it'll control you and it will pervert the design. God has so I say to you what Paul said to the Ephesians, section let it not once be named you're listening to Grace to you with the verse by verse teaching of John MacArthur, Chancellor of the Masters University in seminary. Today's lesson is from his series titled restoring marriage. Keep in mind you can download all four messages of John series restoring marriage from our website Jide TY.org an ideal resource for studying with a small group or Bible study to get your copy of John study titled restoring marriage, contact us today.

This study can help equip you for the conversation, you're likely to encounter as society debates, marriage, and it's especially helpful as a resource. If you are married to an unbeliever. Again, you can download all four messages from restoring marriage free of charge an MP3 or transcript format from TTY.or if you'd like to give this series to a friend. You can purchase it in a four CD album to place your order. Call 855 race or go to Jide TY.org and when you get in touch.

Thanks for letting us know how John's verse by verse.

Teaching is strengthening your faith, your feedback is more important than you may think it also if you could make sure to mention this station's call letters that would be a big help to us. Send your email to letters@tty.org or send your letter to box 4000 panorama city, CA 91412 now for John MacArthur. I'm Phil Johnson inviting you back tomorrow when John continues his look at the principles that lead to a strong, healthy and joyous marriage. Don't miss the next half hour of unleashing God's truth one verse at a time on grace to you