Sex and Suing - Part 1

This is the fourth lesson in a series on 1 Corinthians. Please read all about it in the Introduction. This Sunday, we only made it through half of what I'd prepared, so I've decided to separate the original lesson into 2 parts; one this week and one next. This week will have 3 journal prompts instead of the usual 5. I’ve still linked the Scripture references to biblegateway.com; click the blue font references. And as always, I’d love to hear what you’re learning!

Week 4: Sex and Suing - Part 1 (1 Corinthians 5-6)

This week we talk about sex.

In the class of young unmarried college women I teach; statistics say that almost half of them have already had sex. Even as I’m getting some great feedback from those of you studying these blog lessons with me, I KNOW that this is the place where I can lose you. The beauty of this lesson will be completely lost on some of you because you can’t get past this one point.

You’ve messed up with sex. Regret and shame even now are threatening to grab you by the throat. Your memories may be decades old or so fresh you still feel numb by the shock of what you’ve done.

Please don’t go yet.

This week we are going to start at the end to learn what God says about sex, and more importantly what He says about you. And can I just give you a sneak peek so that you won’t walk away? He says you are loved and that He likes you even now and that this sin that wounds is not the end of you. He washes you, sets you up on new feet, and declares you Not Guilty.

Don’t give up. There is freedom even from sexual sin.

A few years ago I studied the book of Hosea. It’s all about sexual sin and idolatry {um, pretty similar themes to 1 Corinthians}. I want to share this verse from God’s own Voice along with what I wrote about it.

“Read Hosea 6:6 - “For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” ESV

Consider the word “desire” in Hosea 6:6. This word means “to like very much, to bend toward.” Think about what/who you really like, those people and things that inspire you to bend toward them. Are you grinning? That’s how God feels about sincere repentance, about steady love. If you are hesitant to believe that God really wants to forgive you when you mess up, see this picture. As you try to work up the courage to offer an apology He is already leaning toward you grinning – He is delighted. Read the following verses in several translations and note in your journal what they teach. 1 John 1:8-9, Romans 10:9-10” (Fisher, 67)

  

Journal Prompt: Do you love God? He delights in your love for Him MORE than sacrifices to Him. What are the ways you’ve been trying to earn love through sacrifice?

Read 1 Corinthians 6:15-20, read it over and over in different translations.

The Truth about Sex

What’s the big deal? That’s what the Corinthians would’ve been asking. We are going to cover their sordid story later, first I want you to hear Paul’s question right back into YOUR story; Don’t you know (15)? Your body is precious and important because it is joined to Jesus. The word joined in verses 16 and 17 mean “glued together” (Prior,101). You’re glued to Jesus – one with Him!

A few weeks ago my daughter was trying to fix a headband with super glue. I can never get a second use out of a super glue tube because the lid always glues itself on after I’ve used it once. Finding that exact scenario in our junk drawer, my daughter tried to pry the glued on super glue lid off with her teeth….and it worked! {And got super glue on her tongue}. She came into the kitchen saying something like, “Mahm! ah gah supah glah ahn mah tahnnnn!!”

Super glue is super sticky.

When you choose Jesus for salvation, you are gluing yourself to Him {Jesus}.

When you choose to have sex with someone, you are gluing yourself to him {not Jesus}.

As a believer, when you move and live and think and eat and rest and talk and share and….{get the picture?}, you take Jesus with you. The image that Paul paints for them in verse 15 is shocking. When you visit a prostitute thinking your spirit is separate from what your body is doing, you take Jesus with you.

The glued together imagery started in Genesis 2:24 (the reference Paul quotes in 1 Corinthians 6:16). This is foundational teaching on marriage and sex. Marriage is two people becoming one flesh, glued together. In Ephesians 5:26-27 we see that marriage illustrates God’s great love for His Church. Sex is a physical act that reflects the spiritual connection {oneness} of God and the Church.

Think back to the Hosea verse at the beginning of our study. God’s desire, delight is relationship; to be loved and known. The most intimate way for two people to relate is sex. So sexual sin has a spiritual component that attacks the core of your spiritual identity; which is a pure relationship with God. I think this is what Paul means in verse 18 when he says that sexual sin is against our own body.

Imagine the vulnerability and naked (literally) trust it takes to offer another person your body and emotions in sex. In marriage you are entrusting this most vulnerable part of you to someone who has promised to love and accept you just as you are. In a God-led marriage, sex can banish the insecurity as you are wrapped up in love and acceptance and…..well, oneness.

Now try to make the application spiritually; you have the choice to offer the most secret and vulnerable part of your soul and spirit to God who has promised to love and accept you just as you are. His acceptance banishes insecurity in the oneness of eternal relationship with God, your Creator. He knows and loves you and desires (delights) in being known and loved back.

Don’t you know? Your body is His temple. (6:19)

Remember last week’s teaching on the temple? Click on last week’s lesson and then scroll down to the picture of the Temple to review that section. The words here are the same. In Jesus’ day hundreds would’ve entered the temple. At each progressive level of entrance into the temple, fewer people would’ve been acceptable to pass through to the next level….fewer and fewer until only one – the High Priest on one day a year was acceptable to enter the Holy of Holies where God dwelt. And now you are acceptable, not only to enter but to be the dwelling place of God. No words.

God dwells in US as a body of believers (3:16), now this week we see that He dwells in YOU, in me. How miraculous and beautiful is it that YOU individually AND with a body of believers are the most holy and precious dwelling place of God? You belong to Jesus, He dwells in you. You are glued to Him. When it comes to sexual sin, it’s less that sexual immorality is wrong {although it is}, and more that it’s simply absurd when you know who you are.

Journal Prompt: How does this change your view of your body and your sexuality?

Read 1 Corinthians 6:12-14

No Excuses

The quotes around all things are lawful for me and food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food indicate that the Corinthians were adopting secular slogans from their culture to defend their sinful actions. “The Corinthians have adopted from the culture around them the idea that the body is permitted to have everything that it craves.” (ESV, 2198) I believe this part to be one of the most applicable points we've seen so far. Our culture is without a doubt about the satisfaction of cravings. It creeps into everything. Because of a rainy Saturday this weekend, our entire family got to stay home for much of the day. We sent our son out twice; once for Sonic and once for frosties from Wendy's. We like to satisfy cravings.

We will visit the subject of resurrection in much depth later when we tackle chapter 15. For now it’s clear in verses 13-14 that Christian bodies aren’t worthless! They are meant for the Lord and will in a resurrected form live forever (14).

Read 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

BE Not Guilty!

Ok, y’all.

This is one of my favorite passages of all time.

Seriously. {I get teased about saying this all the time, but it’s true}.

I love a book called Classic Christianity. There are a few books that truly deeply shaped what I believe, this is one. Author Bob George tells the story of a man named Lee who came to seek counseling. He’d been a homosexual for many years and had recently been introduced to Jesus and trusted Him for salvation. But as he faced the same old temptations, he felt discouraged and unchanged. Bob George points him to 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. Just verses 9-10 {see what he did there?}.

Then he tells us the story of what happened next:

“Why start there [with verses 9-10 only]? Because I’m committed to truth [about homosexuality]…[however]…Too often, we stop reading the Bible in the wrong place. Lee really didn’t need convincing – he knew his sins. What he needed was good news that would set him free! And it’s right there in the next verse: “And that is what some of you were“ (1 Corinthians 6:11). Do you see that, Lee? I asked. “You came in here and told me that you are a homosexual. But the Bible Says that that’s what you were. That’s not your identity today! Let me finish reading the verses: “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:1)….Lee responded this way, “Bob, if these things are really who I am, then that old activity just doesn’t make any sense, does it?” That’s exactly the point.” (George, 108)

It is exactly the point.

“and such were some of you” (ESV)

“And such some of you were [once]” (AMP)

“Some of you were once like that.” (NLT)

“A number of you know from experience what I’m talking about, for not so long ago you were on that list. Since then…” (The Message)

“You were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

Washed is salvation; the beginning of it all.

Sanctified is Inside Out Holiness; the process of growing up spiritually.

Both of these are such miracles and are enough for this life. But what happens if we trust Jesus for salvation and grow up in Him only to still be found guilty by the sin that we will struggle against until our dying breath?

Meet Justified, “here Paul uses justified not in its ethical sense (be seen righteous), but in its judicial sense (declare righteous).” (ESV, 2198)

Justified means that you are declared righteous, declared not guilty. How tender of God to see us through the entire process. 

Washed. Sanctified. Justified.

He’s not about changing your image, He’s about changing your identity.

The Corinthians were still stuck on image and missing this point.

Journal Prompt: What does 1 Corinthians 6:11 teach about your identity? What are some old names you’ve been calling yourself? Read Romans 5:1 and Romans 8:1, 33 and journal what you learn.

So....there is half of the lesson on Sex and Suing. 

Next week will include 1 Corinthians 5 and the sordid story behind Paul's warnings about sex and church discipline. We will also address the issue of Christians suing each other in chapter 6. 

What a joy and a challenge studying 1 Corinthians has been so far.....looking forward to the rest of the journey with you!

Jamy


PS. I found this blog post that illustrates the "Glued Together" part of our lesson. It would be a good follow up to what we've studied this week.