The Blight of Unethical Sexual Ethics
Part 2
Pastor David L. Brown, Ph.D.
Sermon Delivered 6/15/03
Review
There is mounting pressure on young people to join the
worldly crowd and become involved in sexual immorality. Paul wrote to the
Thessalonian believers "abstain from fornication…"
1 Thessalonians 4:3
In our last message we focused on the meaning of
fornication. Fornication can be defined as "the gratification of
sexual appetites without respect to marriage. A fornicator is
anyone who is involved sexually with someone before marriage." Then
we clearly established the fact that the Bible standard is that sexual
activity is to be confined to marriage with your spouse. All other sexual
activity is sin.
We shared four things that parents can do to help keep
their kids from becoming sexually active.
Maintain a warm loving relationship with them
Let them know they are expected to abstain from sex
until marriage
Avoid discussion of birth control
Know where your kids are when they not at home,
know their friends, and insist on things like shared family mealtimes
where you communicate.
Today’s Focus
In past decades, biblical morality was the expected
norm. However, that is no longer true in our culture. Because of that, in
this message I will to explain the meanings of some of the words that we
read in the King James Bible and how they relate to sexual ethics.
1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 "For
this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should
abstain from fornication: 4 That every one of you should
know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; 5 Not
in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not
God:"
You will note that concupiscence and
fornication are connected. However, there are probably only a few
people listening to this message who have any idea where concupiscence
is. Therefore, let me define it.
Concupiscence is an unlawful or unbiblical
desire; illicit or forbidden lust; a longing for that which is
forbidden.
The word is also translated desire, lust
after and covet. And while it does not only refer to longing
for sexual relationships that are forbidden, it does include forbidden
sexual desires. So, what is my point? We need to be careful not to occupy
our minds with thoughts that would cause us to "lust after evil things"
(1 Corinthians 10:6), such as, forbidden sexual contact.
There is a BIG problem with concupiscence
among youth today and many parents are encouraging it. Here is what I
mean. Some parents are encouraging boy-girl relationships in grade school!
Dating is common in middle school! Listen parents, dating as it is
practiced today, is nothing more than motivation for fornication and
polishing fornication skills. It leads the minds of the girls and boys
into the forbidden realm of sexual desires…concupiscence. I do not believe
that dating should begin until the people involved are of marriageable age
and then it is not to be recreational! Dating should be for the purpose of
evaluating the person for marriage. The moment either person concludes
that they would not marry the person they are dating, the relationship is
to be broken off.
If you will counteract concupiscence, you will not
allow dating until your children are of marriageable age. You will not
allow them to live in the sensual boy-girl romance novel mentality.
There is another word we must look at and understand if
we will combat the sexual immorality of our age. That word is…
Lasciviousness is linked to sexual sin in
Galatians 5:19, which says, "Now the works of
the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication,
uncleanness, lasciviousness…." It is again connected to sexual
immorality in 2 Corinthians 12:21 "And
lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that
I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of
the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have
committed."
The obvious question is, what is lasciviousness?
Lascivious can be defined as "the stirring up of
lustful desires which cannot be satisfied within God's boundaries" (Bunnell).
It also refers to excess and lack of restraint, shameless sexual conduct.
In Romans 13:13 the same Greek word is translated
wantonness. "Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not
in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not
in strife and envying." Additionally, the same Greek word translated
lascivious, and wantonness is also translated filthy in
reference to the homosexual perversion of Sodom.
While concupiscence refers to unbiblical sexual
desires within a person, lasciviousness refers to stirring up
sexual desires in others or yourself that cannot be satisfied within God’s
boundaries. Let me give you some illustrations. A young man who has sexual
intentions will often start by sweet-talking a young lady. He will tell
her how wonderful she is, how beautiful she is and that she is just what
he has been looking for, etc. The Bible calls this flattery and warns, "A
man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet."
Proverbs 29:5. When she begins to believe his
smooth talk and get starry eyed, he will begin to kiss her, touch her, and
caress her, which is wrong. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, It is
good for a man not to touch a woman. 1 Corinthians 7:1
What has happened is clear. The man is stirring up
lustful desires that cannot be satisfied within the boundaries God has
set.
The woman can also do this to a man in numerous ways.
Dressing in tight, revealing, immodest clothing is a sure way to appeal to
a man’s fallen nature. Proverbs 7 describes a
loose, sensual woman. The Bible calls such a woman a strange woman,
the implication being that she is a sexually immoral woman. Let’s look at
some of her characteristics.
She sweet-talks
(flatters) the man (5)
She is immodestly
dressed (10) – the phrase "attire of an harlot" signifies clothes that
are tightly fitted to her body revealing her form.
She is clever in her
approach (10) – Dr. Gill says the phrase "subtle of heart" means she
is a mistress of all artful and intriguing methods to seduce and ensnare.
She is loud and
stubborn (11) – That is, she boastfully pours out foolish and unchaste
words to allure and entice him. Stubborn is a reference to
being rebellious.
She is fascinated
with immorality (12-18) – She is willing to do just about anything.
This type of woman catches many men and though from the
world’s point of view men may view them as appealing, you have not read
the end of the story. Let’s read carefully verses 21 to 23.
Wise fathers (and mothers) will warn their sons about
the tactics loose, immoral women (see verses 24-27) and teach their sons
to treat the younger [women] as sisters, with all purity (1 Timothy 5:2).
Wise fathers (and mothers) will warn their daughters about the tactics of
lascivious, wanton men who would take away their daughters purity in a
second and teach them that they must dress modestly and how to behave
around men. This is a must in our sex-saturated society.
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