Marriage and Family Meditations XXV
Psalm 104:34 May my meditation be sweet to Him; I will be glad in the LORD.
Cornerstone Ministries Napa Valley 
Marriage and Sexual Intimacy 4
Hi Family and Friends,
As I promised you, I am continuing to do a short series on the Bible’s perspective on Sexual Intimacy and how it relates to Marriage. Much of the information that I am bringing to your attention is coming out of the letter to the Corinthians, and from what I have learned of that culture at the time, it was very much like the social culture of our time. The sexual perversions and the sexual promiscuousness of our time was obviously a “life style” habitual problem then also. Many of the Christians of that day were coming out of the same unrighteous, habitual life styles that are so prevalent today in our culture. Let us take note and be instructed by God’s word, considering how we live.
1 Corinthians 6: 9 – 11 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, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
In this verse, one thing is made clear: The unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God! The unrighteous are defined in very strong terms as those who live as fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, homosexuals, sodomites, thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers, and extortioners. Now you would think that Paul would not have had to warn and remind these believers that having been washed (of their sins), sanctified (set aside for God’s purposes), and justified, they were deceived by thinking they could continue to live unrighteous lives.
Today, Paul’s words of warning are as clear and necessary as they were for the Corinthians. You can not be a Christian and be a fornicator, an idolater, an adulterer, a homosexual, a sodomite, a thief, a covetous person, a drunkard, a reviler or an extortioner. A Christian is a believer and follower of Christ. Yet today, as then, some are being deceived and are continuing in unrighteousness, disobedience, through disbelief, and that is why we have broken marriages and broken relationships, and men, women and children continue to suffer the consequences of their unrighteous, ungodly behavior.
Continuing in chapter 6 :13 Paul explains further how the reality of Christian life should be lived.
Vs 13 – 20 Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For “the two,” He says, “shall become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.
Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
It is clear that all unrighteous, sinful living is contrary to God’s purpose for us now in Christ Jesus. All forms of sexual immorality outside of marriage, and certainly also in marriage, are especially grievous and harmful. We are members of Christ, we are joined to the Lord, and are one spirit with Him. When we glorify God in our bodies and our spirits, we show that we are God’s. When we have repented of the sinful flesh and have chosen to walk after the Spirit of Christ and the life He has given us, the life we live will be marked by the fruits of His Spirit: self-sacrificial love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. The sweetness of His grace and mercy will fill our homes.
This is the foundation that sustains and builds our marriages into everything that God intends them to be and brings us the deep sense of oneness with one another in Christ Jesus.
For more thoughts on what God’s word teaches on sexual sin and marriage you can go to my web page at http://pastorvinceasaro.wordpress.com or Pastor Bill’s blog http://pastorbillwalden.wordpress.com to read his comments on sexual sin.
Love and Blessings in Jesus… Vince