Sexual Immorality

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“Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God, but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood” (Acts 15:19-20).

The first-century Apostles told new believers to abstain from idolatry, but they didn’t stop there. They also mentioned “sexual immorality.”

One reason this was included is because sexual immorality has always been included at the very foundation of the worship of false gods. Why would that be? Part of the reason, as we have learned, is that mankind craves to fulfill the lusts of the flesh and eyes.

However, an even more important reason lies at the heart of the promise of a Redeemer, given to Adam and Eve after they had sinned.

“And YHVH God said to the woman, ‘What is this you have done?’

“The woman said, ‘The serpent deceived me, and I ate.’

“So YHVH God said to the serpent:

“‘Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; on your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life.

“‘And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel’” (Genesis 3:13-15).

This is the beginning of the war of the ages, between the Serpent and the Seed. YHVH promised that the Serpent would bruise the heel of the Seed, but the Seed would deliver the mortal blow, bruising the head of the Serpent.

Ancient oral traditions also share a similar story, even portrayed in the constellations of the sky, likely from the very days of Adam. A woman will give birth to the Promised Seed, and the Dragon will seek to destroy that Seed at all costs.[5]

“Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth.

“And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born. She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne. Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days.

“And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

“Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, ‘Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Messiah have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.’

“Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child” (Revelation 12:1-13).

Satan knows that he is fighting a losing battle, and his anger is fierce. He seeks to destroy the Seed, the Messiah – but because he is not completely sure Who the Seed is, Satan seeks to destroy every child! If nothing else, he knows that the Seed can be perverted by sin, so he seeks to cause the godly and righteous seed of God to lust after the daughters of men.[6]

You can be sure that when you make a public decision to follow Yeshua, the Promised Seed, in obedience to His Torah, Satan will come after your home and seek to pervert your godly “seed,” your children and grandchildren.

He will use lust and seduction, pornography and thrills.

He will sow discord among the brethren, causing arguments and divorce, adultery and abuse.

“Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously with one another by profaning the covenant of the fathers? Judah has dealt treacherously, and an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem, for Judah has profaned YHVH’s holy institution which He loves: He has married the daughter of a foreign god…

“YHVH Adonai has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, with whom you have dealt treacherously; Yet she is your companion and your wife by covenant.

“But did He not make them one, having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring [Hebrew zera, or seed].

“Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth.

“‘For YHVH God of Israel says that He hates divorce, for it covers one’s garment with violence,’ says YHVH of hosts. ‘Therefore take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously'” (Malachi 2:10-11, 14-16).

He will try to steal your children’s purity. He is sneaky and perverted, but growing ever more bold.

“Because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control” (1 Corinthians 7:2-5).

“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

“Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints” (Ephesians 6:11-18).

Remember that when Balaam could not curse the children of Israel, he advised the Moabite and Midianite women to entice the men of Israel to sin.

“Now Israel remained in Acacia Grove, and the people began to commit sexual immorality with the women of Moab. They invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel was joined to Ba’al of Peor ” (Numbers 25:1-3, 9).

“But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality” (Revelation 2:14).

“Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols” (Revelation 2:20).

The worship of false idols often started with sensual immorality, often performed in high places and in groves of trees. It included male and female prostitution, drunken orgies, sensual music and dancing, and immodest dress, even nakedness. It ended with babies sacrificed to Molech and in our times, with abortion and abandonment.

“And Aaron made a proclamation and said, ‘Tomorrow is a feast to YHVH.’ Then they rose early on the next day, offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play…  So it was, as soon as [Moses] came near the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing. So Moses’ anger became hot, and he cast the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain” (Exodus 32:5-6, 19).

“My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. “Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children.

“The more priests there were, the more they sinned against me; they exchanged their glorious God for something disgraceful. They feed on the sins of my people and relish their wickedness…

“They will engage in prostitution but not flourish, because they have deserted YHVH to give themselves to prostitution; old wine and new wine take away their understanding” (Hosea 4:6-11, NIV).[7]

The Apostle Paul warns us that our bodies should not be used in the worship of demons. Rather, our bodies are the very Temples of the Most High God Himself.

“Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are” (1 Corinthians 3:16-17).

“Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, ‘The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.’ Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell… Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

“Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:6-13).

If you are involved in these things, repent and immediately begin to walk in pure and clean ways from this moment on.

“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 Master Yeshua and by the Spirit of our God.

“All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods, but God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for YHVH, and YHVH for the body. And God both raised up the Master and will also raise us up by His power.

Do you not know that your bodies are members of Messiah? Shall I then take the members of Messiah 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.’[8] But he who is joined to YHVH 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” (1 Corinthians 6:9-20).

Could it be more clear?

“But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Messiah and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them.

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in YHVH. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to YHVH. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret” (Ephesians 5:3-12).

[5] The Woman is portrayed in the constellation of Andromeda, and Draco, the Great Serpent (the Little Dipper), portrays Satan. See The Witness of the Stars, by E. W. Bullinger.

[6] More more information, see http://www.wildbranch.org/teachings/powerpoint/.

[7] See also Ezekiel 22-23.

[8] Genesis 2:24
All Scripture in this blog post taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.