Inconvenient Biblical Teaching - Sexual Issues
It’s true that moral guidance and counsel need to be given, but the way you say it and to whom you say it are as important as what you say. It’s obvious, isn’t it, that the law code isn’t primarily for people who live responsibly, but for the irresponsible, who defy all authority, riding roughshod over God, life, sex, truth, whatever! They are cynical toward this great Message I’ve been put in charge of by this great God."
-The Apostle Paul, witing to Timothy, head of the first church in the City of Ephesus; written in the 1st century, A.D.
[9th message of the Why I Don't Believe Series]
The messages in this series discuss how some people who reject Christianity do so because they either cannot accept an inconvenient biblical teaching, or they have an irreconcilable stance against the teachings of Jesus.
This is understandable as all of us do not want anyone telling us what to do. The bible actually alludes to this as free will. We have also discussed that some people do the opposite as they find themselves doing what other people tells or expects them to do -- one reason for this is peer pressure or because they do not wish to be cancelled (a fate worse than death in some societies). And also because they want to continue to live their life the way they want to.
Human Nature
Humans are sexual beings. and (it may surprise some that) the bible talks about sex multiple times and not just to tell us about those sexual activities we ought not to engage in.
But while any of this sexual activities outside of biblical marriage, as established by God, is frowned upon by the followers of Jesus, the focus is not on people but on the act.
Delicate
This issue of sex and sexual sins has always been a delicate one and one which the Apostle Paul was telling Timothy about in the excerpt we read above taken from one of two letters Paul wrote to him.
Christians are not taught to hate those who engage in sexual activities outside those specified in the bible.
On the contrary, Christians are told to extend God's love to everyone and not to judge anyone through their appearance or the way they live their lives, their sexual preferences included.
Everyone Welcome
Everyone should be aware that the church is not a place for perfect people. If it is then it would be empty for no one would be able to get in but Jesus Christ.
But because precisely the life that Jesus lived and His once and final payment of the ransom for our salvation --
"forgiveness of all our sins and healing of all our diseases, redemption of our life from the pit and crowning us with love and compassion, and the satisfaction of our desires with good things so that our youth is renewed like the eagle’s" (Psalm 103)
makes everyone in the church perfect.
Jesus redeemed us from ourselves and the desires of this world (sexual desires one of them).
And so He does not expect us to be perfect. In fact being perfect will exclude anyone from being part of God's plan of salvation.
Everyone Sins
Everyone of us has fallen short. All of have sinned against God and others.
Sexual immorality or sexual activities outside of the context of biblical marriage is just one of these things that we trip over.
But this will not exclude us from being reached by the saving arms of God.
Coming Back Home
Jesus calls us to repentance and to come back home, as beatifully depicted in His story of the Prodigal Son.
The story tells us that the father waited patiently for his long lost wayward child who he didn't prevent from leaving home and going away to a distant land, and spending all of his inheritance on loose living.
The prodigal (or lost) son (or daughter) did not even need to feel sorry about his promiscous living but only needed to decide to come back home and live with his father once again.
Father's Love
His father's love and mercy will cover up his sins but the expectation is for the son to start living his new life under his father care.
In doing this, the son will come to realize that his ways lead to a life of trouble and then having come back home, he now has the opporunity to set his steps towards the path that will lead to life.
Incidentally the other son who did not leave the father was shown to be terribly angry with his father's mercy and most probably despised him and his brother.
Sexual Nature
This is the same with us today, those who are pointing their fingers at others because their sins are of a sexual nature often are the ones who are actually needing the father's mercy because somehow they feel superior and falsely believe they do not have a mark or a blemish.
People engaging in sexual sin are always welcome back to the family of God. In fact there are numerous accounts of this in the bible.
One of which is about the Samaritan woman at the well who has no husband but is living with a man (the sixth she's been with).
There was also the woman that the Pharisees brought to Jesus who they caught in the act of adultery (how they caught the woman in the act is still a mystery).
This was when Jesus bent down and started writing something on the ground and said His immortal words,
“Let any one who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”
Of course everyone left and when Jesus was alone with the woman, He told her that her sins are forgiven and to sin no more.
Teaching
What we need to take away from the sexual issues we may have with the teachings of Jesus is we need to know how Jesus approached those living in sexual sin. Jesus neither condemned them nor threw them out.
He spoke with them like He did anyone else (with the exception of the religious leaders of His time whom He called as vipers).
What is Important
And like how Paul was teaching Timothy, who was telling him that in (delicate) matters such as this, it is important how we talk to people.
God's Word is not for the self-righteous but for those who needs God's mercy and understanding. And that God's love will make them fall in love with their Father in heaven and will make them turn away from the temporal things of this world and back to the things of God.
The Kingdom of God is here, but we can only experience it once we decide to come back to Him.
The Story of the Lost Son
Jesus Talks With A Samaritan Woman
A Woman Caught in Adultery
As we have mentioned in previous messages of this series, all of us are given free will and the freedom of choice.
When we respect each other's right to choose and see others in the same way God sees them, this world will be a better place. We have no right to judge anyone. And especially we have no right to judge others because their sin is different than ours. We all have sinned.
Everyone Sins
Everyone of us has fallen short. All of have sinned against God and others.
Sexual immorality or sexual activities outside of the context of biblical marriage is just one of these things that we trip over.
But this will not exclude us from being reached by the saving arms of God.
Coming Back Home
Jesus calls us to repentance and to come back home, as beatifully depicted in His story of the Prodigal Son.
The story tells us that the father waited patiently for his long lost wayward child who he didn't prevent from leaving home and going away to a distant land, and spending all of his inheritance on loose living.
The prodigal (or lost) son (or daughter) did not even need to feel sorry about his promiscous living but only needed to decide to come back home and live with his father once again.
Father's Love
His father's love and mercy will cover up his sins but the expectation is for the son to start living his new life under his father care.
In doing this, the son will come to realize that his ways lead to a life of trouble and then having come back home, he now has the opporunity to set his steps towards the path that will lead to life.
Incidentally the other son who did not leave the father was shown to be terribly angry with his father's mercy and most probably despised him and his brother.
Sexual Nature
This is the same with us today, those who are pointing their fingers at others because their sins are of a sexual nature often are the ones who are actually needing the father's mercy because somehow they feel superior and falsely believe they do not have a mark or a blemish.
People engaging in sexual sin are always welcome back to the family of God. In fact there are numerous accounts of this in the bible.
One of which is about the Samaritan woman at the well who has no husband but is living with a man (the sixth she's been with).
There was also the woman that the Pharisees brought to Jesus who they caught in the act of adultery (how they caught the woman in the act is still a mystery).
This was when Jesus bent down and started writing something on the ground and said His immortal words,
“Let any one who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”
Of course everyone left and when Jesus was alone with the woman, He told her that her sins are forgiven and to sin no more.
Teaching
What we need to take away from the sexual issues we may have with the teachings of Jesus is we need to know how Jesus approached those living in sexual sin. Jesus neither condemned them nor threw them out.
He spoke with them like He did anyone else (with the exception of the religious leaders of His time whom He called as vipers).
What is Important
And like how Paul was teaching Timothy, who was telling him that in (delicate) matters such as this, it is important how we talk to people.
God's Word is not for the self-righteous but for those who needs God's mercy and understanding. And that God's love will make them fall in love with their Father in heaven and will make them turn away from the temporal things of this world and back to the things of God.
The Kingdom of God is here, but we can only experience it once we decide to come back to Him.
Amazing Love
The Story of the Lost Son
Jesus Talks With A Samaritan Woman
A Woman Caught in Adultery
As we have mentioned in previous messages of this series, all of us are given free will and the freedom of choice.
When we respect each other's right to choose and see others in the same way God sees them, this world will be a better place. We have no right to judge anyone. And especially we have no right to judge others because their sin is different than ours. We all have sinned.
To God we are all made righteous by Jesus.
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