Before we delve into this topic it is important that believers understand the extent of the deliverance we have in Christ as spelled out in Romans 7 and 8. Actually this understanding is key to living in the joy of The Lord and overcoming the condemnation the devil is sure to send our way as we struggle to put to death the deeds of the flesh. When one receives, through faith, Jesus and the forgiveness he purchased (at incomprehensible cost), we literally pass from darkness to light and from death to life.
For God So Loved the World
John 3:16-21
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”
We have received complete forgiveness without any effort on our part except believing God's testimony about his son which is the only work that God requires.
John 6:29
Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”
Upon our receiving Jesus we also receive the gift of The Holy Spirit who is our guide and comforter. He also empowers us to live for Christ and once we receive Jesus we now obey his commands out of love not compulsion. Romans 7 (below) explains how we can struggle with sin yet not be condemned by it. In the process of struggling with sin the key is acknowledging the truth of it rather than attempting to justify sinful actions. God made this point with Paul for all of our benefit.
Romans 7:16-17
Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
Romans 8:1
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
What is Sexual Immorality?
The biblical definition is simply sex outside of marriage but even within marriage it can be perverted and sinful. Unfortunately in this day and age we must also further define marriage as limited to a man and a woman for which nature makes an obvious case!
The area of sexual sin is the devil's favorite ground since it has a connection to the body that no other sin has and can be difficult to overcome. Don't ever give up and remember the fact that you struggle with it doesn't change the grace you have received through Jesus. Always acknowledge the truth of it and repent (go the opposite direction) if you sin. The biggest mistake we tend to make when struggling with this temptation is allowing a foothold. The single thought will eventually give way to sin. The best way to defeat it completely is to not to entertain a single thought. As the scripture says 'bring every thought captive to Christ'. This will starve it and it will eventually lose it's strength and die altogether!
1 Corinthians 6:18
Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.
You will also notice in Revelation 17 that sexual sin plays a very large role in mankind's corruption and ultimate demise.
The Great Prostitute and the Beast
Revelation17:1-6
Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.” And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.” And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.
The world has always pursued endless sexual perversions but sadly these 'abominations' have also infiltrated the church and many have embraced these lies despite scriptures clear refutation. Ironically many times it is cloaked in God's love. But in affirming the lie of 'born this way' sexuality we have exchanged the Truth of God for a lie and we are not doing anyone in this sin a favor in accepting it. It's like ignoring the fact that someone has terminal cancer because we don't want to disturb them with the cure! Considering this disease is ends in eternal death that is most unloving!
Godlessness in the Last Days
2 Timothy 3:1-5
But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.
It is important to distinguish between hating the sin and hating the sinner. As James said, 'The wrath of man does not promote the righteousness of God.' It is God's love that win's a sinner but that must come with Truth. God's kindness is meant to lead to repentance.
God’s Wrath on Unrighteousness
Romans 1:18-32
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.
And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 3slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 3foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.