Sexual Immorality, the Darkside of Pride, and the Narrow Way Purity 1370

To see today's photo, go to mt4christ.com or follow me, M.t. Clark, on Facebook or Twitter. Good morning. Today's photo of a section of State Route 9J in East Greenbush, New York, running the narrow way between a pair of rainbows, comes to us from yours truly as I captured this scene on the commute home from work back on May 28th. Well, it's Saturday, and as I look forward to celebrating my wife's birthday today and the wonders of our marriage for another day of our blessed union, I want to share a message that has been increasingly put to my attention as I have been reading through the New Testament epistles and the Book of Revelation, uh, that will stress the importance of what the Bible defines as marriage and the dangers of sexual immorality and unrepentant sin. While our society likes to entertain diverse views on every aspect of life, the Christian is guided by the wisdom and truth of the Word of God to direct our lives. Christians with a biblical worldview understand that the Bible is God's inspired, authoritative, inerrant Word, and was given to teach us about Him and direct us on how to live our lives. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." So, as Christians, we trust the Bible to inform us and correct us in living here on earth. So, although the world has many ideas about how to live, Christians listen to our teacher Jesus and what the Holy Scripture teach us about life and marriage? In terms of sex and marriage, and Jesus' teachings affirmed our assigned biological genders and the Bible's definition of marriage as being defined as a union between one man and one woman. In Matthew 19:4-6, where Jesus, he answered and said to them, have you not read that he who made them at the beginning made them male and female? And said, "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no— let not man separate. He also raises the bar on sexual ethics and the severity of sexual sin, adultery, in Matthew 5:27-30, where Jesus said, You have heard it— heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that whoever looks at a man to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you, for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish than for your whole body to be cast into hell. This is Jesus talking and telling us that those who are ensnared in the bondage of sexual sin, which is lust, fornication, or adultery, covering any sexual activity that is outside the boundaries of —of the sexual activities between a husband and wife in marriage—are subject to judgment and punishment in hell. As I have been reading through the second half of the New Testament over the last several weeks, the theme of sexual immorality has been repeatedly brought to my attention, revealing that sexual purity is fundamental to our faith as Christians. We are not to take the Bible's clear teaching on the importance of sexual purity lightly. The Bible teaches that sexual immorality in all its forms are to be turned from, and although Jesus died for our sins, the teaching of Jesus and the apostles indicate that those who don't repent of their sins and persist in them will not inherit the kingdom of God. This was brought to my attention again yesterday morning as I finished the book of Revelation. I saw that one of the last passages in the Bible persists in warning us of the importance of repentance and the consequences for living in immoral lifestyles. Revelation 22:14-15 says, Blessed are those who do his commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters and whoever loves and practices a lie. Here God's Word is giving a final warning that if your life is defined by these things more than your obedience to God, God's commands, you are practicing a lie and will find yourself outside of God's kingdom. This is not a popular message to share ever, especially not in Pride Month, but I really felt convicted to share it regardless of my worries over causing offense because I fear that vast multitudes of people are being deceived into believing that their sexual lives are not important to God their final destiny, when Scripture clearly teaches that it is. While I have many people who are near and dear to me who are not following Jesus and living a lifestyle of Christian discipleship, I still love them and don't wish for them or anyone else to perish. While I am sharing this message in June, I'm not a hate monger who has a particular axe to grind with those with a sexual orientation homosexual lifestyle. I have friendships with homosexuals, and I have family members who were or are currently involved in sexual rela— homosexual relationships. While I love them dearly, because I have been convicted by the truth of God's Word, I don't affirm or approve their sexually immoral lifestyles and encourage them to repent. One such friend is Deeper Walk certified prayer minister and missionary Kristi Edge, uh, who bravely shares her testimony of how she was set free from a homosexual lifestyle in a podcast that I'm including on the blog today to encourage homosexuals of the possibility of being set free from their sin. The dark side of pride is that it perpetuates the lie that certain people are born that way and can't change, and it hides the truth that a sexually immoral lifestyle will lead to one's destruction. But I would also point out that sexual immorality concerns all sex outside of marriage, and my warning is intended to go to all my friends that practice sex, solo, homo, or hetero, outside of marriage. And it also goes out to those who practice drunkenness and sorcery like I did. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 says, "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 ho— 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. These verses were among several others in scripture, which, um, and I'm sharing a couple links to to all those verses on sexual immorality and drunk— and drunkenness that convicted me of my sins of drunkenness and sexual immorality that caused me to repent, go into recovery, and to get set free. I've been clean and sober since 2015 and sexually pure since 2018. While I know that the idea of being free from addictions to substances and casual sexual expressions may seem impossible, my testimony is evidence to the contrary and proof that what God commands is true and our obedience to follow his ways is blessed by him when we repent. The Lord's conviction hit home for me the other day when I saw a clip by R.C. Sproul that I'm, that I'm sharing, that was on YouTube that I'm sharing on the blog today as well, about how Jesus spoke of our way to salvation being narrow and how few would be saved. So I'm sharing it and my message to encourage those who don't follow Jesus or those who claim to but who are living outside of God's will for their lives to know the truth and to obey God's command on their life to repent. To change their minds and to put their faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior and to follow his ways that will lead to salvation, peace, and joy. Today's Bible verses come from the Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling by John G. Crews. This morning's meditation verses come from the section on depression, and today's verses are 2 Corinthians 11:11-23. 23 through 28 from the New Living Translation. The word of God says, are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more. I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death time and time again and again. 5 different times the Jewish leaders gave me 39 lashes. 3 times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned; 3 times I was shipwrecked; once I spent a whole night and day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys; I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers; I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles; I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas; and I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold without enough clothing to keep me warm. Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches. Today's verses fall under the 8th point of our Counseling Reference Guide's resource section on Depression. And the 8th point is: Think of what Paul went through without getting depressed, sustained by God's grace. Today's verses list the hardship that Paul went through in his service to the kingdom of God, but are listed here not as a complaint, but as a testimony of what can be endured when we are committed to sharing the truth of the gospel and the peace and joy that it can bring. Paul went through a lot to share the gospel, but he did it all with joy because he knew how important it was. It was a matter of life and death, and thus anything He suffered short of death was worth it because the work He did gave people the chance to find life. So, don't let those trials depress you. Instead, focus on the life you have in Christ and endeavor to give it to someone else by sharing the gospel wherever you go. As always, we invite all to go to M.t. Clark.com where we always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist our brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk. Today we continue sharing from Romans— well, from According to Your Word: Morning and Evening Through the New Testament by Stephen Alford. And in his devotional, Stephen Alford directs us to read a section of scripture every day, a chapter. And today's chapter is Romans 13. And from Romans 13, he shares a portion of verse 14, which says make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lust. And Stephen Alford writes, the flesh is one of the three greatest enemies of the Christian. There is no moment when this enemy is not present, ready to assert itself. And in view of this fact, the apostle says, make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lust. Give the flesh no chance whatsoever to fulfill its lust. The only way to do this is explained in the preceding command: put on the Lord Jesus. Verse 14. This is Ephesians 6:11, the armor of God. This armor, it will be observed, is complete. It guards against the world, the flesh, and the devil. Oh, to avail myself of, yeah, of the devil. Oh, to avail myself then of this armor Paul did when he cried out, 'Oh, wretched man that I am, who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God through Christ Jesus our Lord.' Romans 7:24-25. And Alfred ends by praying, 'Let me quell, quell my flesh then by daily putting on the armor of God.' Amen. And yeah, um, there it is, you know, the, the war against the flesh. And whether it's sexual immorality or drunkenness, that's the flesh crying out for satisfaction. And the word of God teaches us to crucify the flesh, to repent of our sins, and to turn from it. And regardless of our current society's views on drug use or, or the liberty of our sexual choices, The Christian is to follow what the Bible says, or to let other people know that that's what God's teaching is, that the things that people are doing outside of marriage sexually are wrong, and that to indulge the flesh in the drunkenness or sorcery, drug use, is also wrong, and that scripture indicates that if you live in those lifestyles um, here you're going to expose yourself as not a true believer in Christ, someone who didn't obey his commands, and will be shown, um, shown the door and be left outside of God's kingdom. Um, you know, and it's, um, it's a very hard message, but it's a message that convicted me of my need for salvation and for my need for repentance, because I knew I was a sinner and I knew I was doing wrong and not living how I should. And that, you know, I knew drunkenness was wrong and sexual immorality was wrong, um, and I knew I was, you know, bound for hell. But my journey was a progressive one. First I had to understand that I couldn't earn my salvation, that it was through faith alone that I could be I put my faith in Jesus. Now, thank God for that revelation that, you know, that was open to me, that it didn't really depend on what I did as much as putting my faith in Jesus to be saved. That brought me into the kingdom. But I had a big misunderstanding about being a Christian, and luckily God's Word informed me. You know, it's good for correction, as 2 Timothy tells us. And it corrected me because after coming into the Christian faith, I was excited to learn about God and to be closer to Him and to know the truth of His Word. And when I studied that truth, it convicted me that, wow, I'm really not living how I'm supposed to. Those drunken verses hit, like, you know, really hit because I was a big drunk. I mean, I used to drink every day and it made me realize I couldn't claim to be a Christian and still be an alcoholic. Not really, not if I wanted to have peace with Him. And so when the Christian Recovery Program came to my church in 2015, I knew it was for me. And I really felt that conviction back then to join it, I knew it was like, "This is for you." I mean, it was almost like a word, you know, it wasn't an audible word, but my spirit was like, "This is for you." And as it turned out, it was for me in more than one way. Not only was it there for my victory and freedom from alcohol and drugs, but it was for part of my purpose as I began teaching in the recovery ministry right after going through the program. And I've continued to be a voice for recovery ever since. And after getting clean and sober, shortly thereafter, and after the, you know, the breakup of my marriage due to a lot of sexual immorality, it was convicted on me to turn from my sexual sin, which, you know, at the time was just masturbation. But that was enough, and I realized that if I was going to go forward in my walk of faith as a single man, that I had to do so according to God's word. And I walked into the desert of sexual purity with no promise of ever finding a sexual partner. I was committed to being sexually pure and/or finding a wife. At the time, it didn't look like a wife was coming at all. And today I'm celebrating the birthday of my wife, Tammy Lynn, who came into my life in 2021, brought to me by God through my podcast. Thank you, Lord. And, you know, she heard the podcast, came to my class, became friends, and married the next, you know, the very next, the first of the year the following year, 2022. And, um, so I know God provides. He gives you the power to get set free, and he provides for all your needs. I know this personally, and I'm nothing special. The only thing that was special about me is I decided to follow and follow God's word. So that word's available to you, and that decision to follow God is available to you as well. So When you, when you follow the Lord, you come to know the peace and joy of the Lord by living in harmony with him. And whether or not that means you're going to be blessed materially or relationally is left to be seen, but your relationship with God is what counts, and that's where you find your peace and joy. And even though my marriage is very fulfilling, it wouldn't be able to satisfy me. Only our relationship with God ultimately satisfies us. So that's why I do the podcast and the blog to inform people that this thing called Christianity is really supposed to be about obedience and following God's commands, about knowing him and seeking him and doing his will. Finding your purpose in Christ. And that's what's missing in so many streams of Christianity where it's just like, you know, churchianity. Well, being a Christian is going to church on Sunday. That's not— that is true, but that is not it. That should be a very small part of your relationship with the Lord as you're supposed to be, you know, be in relationship with the with him 24/7. That's the Empty for Christ 24/7 podcast name. So we encourage you on a Saturday to follow the Lord and to, uh, you know, if you're living outside of God's will, to repent and to experience the joy that you'll have through your sanctification and your closer relationship with God. That's it for today. Uh, hopefully I didn't offend anyone too much. Um, but it's God's word that I repeat, not my opinion. I can tell you about my experience, but I'm going to point to God's word as the truth because it is. Um, and that's it. So today we have things to do, celebrations to be had, and, you know, joy to be experienced. And so I'm going to walk out and enjoy it. And, uh, I pray that, um Oh, let's just pray. Lord God, Heavenly Father, thank you for another day in your kingdom. We thank you so much for the joy that you've given us through the new life you've given us in Christ, and that for the woman you've given us in our life, Tammy Lynn. We celebrate her birthday today. We pray for her to be blessed in this next year, in her life, and in our marriage, and in our walk of faith with you, Lord. Pray for you to bless her socks off and and show her the way to go in this next year. And Lord, we pray for our friends out there, uh, in podcast and blog land, that they would also be blessed by you, that you'd come alongside them and their prayer requests and their walk of faith, and that you'd show them the will that you have for their lives. And Lord, of course, we pray for you to open our eyes to the things you want us, us to see today, and lead us and the way we should go, because all we want to do is represent you in your kingdom, uh, and we just definitely need your help with that. So we're asking for that today and always. Lord, we thank you, we praise you, we love you, and we pray all these things in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.