1 Corinthians 6:13 ...... Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body. We find that fornication falls right beside adultery in the things that will keep one from the Kingdom of Heaven. Both acts are punishable by eternal fire.
Acts 15:18 Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. 19Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: 20But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
Acts 15:29...... abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well.
Ask anyone, "wouldn't you like to do well" and I'm sure they'd say, "Yes".
Tell them it requires abstinence from fornication, and they may want to change their mind.
These days we can't even turn on the television or the radio without having some type of sexual content thrown at us. No wonder so many people think that there's nothing wrong with it. It's just common everyday life anymore.
Romans 1:29Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Oh sure, it brings pleasure, but only for a time. Until death. If unrepented, you will face judgment. Then comes eternal damnation. No fleshly pleasure is worth your very soul is it?
"You don't have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body." – C.S. Lewis
1 Corinthians 6:15Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. 16What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. 17But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. 18Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
We see there that indeed it is the sexual act that makes two, one. This sin is not only against God , but also against ourselves. Fornication is even worse than we thought isn't it? Kind of a double whamy. A simple one night stand actually joins the two into one flesh.
1 Corinthians 7:2Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. 3Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. 4The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. 5Defraud (hold out) ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency. 6But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.
In marriage, the joining together is part of the process. But in marriage only. It was never given for those outside marriage. Sex is only honorable in marriage.
1 Corinthians 7:7 For I would that all men were even as I myself (single and abstinent). But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that. 8I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I. 9But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn. Yep, I'd have to agree with Paul there. It's not worth the lake of fire. We see that Paul calls being single and abstinent a gift of God.
1 Corinthians 7:25Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful. 26I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress (necessity), I say, that it is good for a man so to be. 27Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife (only by adultery or abandonment)? seek not a wife. 28But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you.
Paul predicts trouble in marriage. If marriage is OK with God then what's wrong with it?
1 Corinthians 7:32 But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: 33But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife. 34There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband. 35And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.
There's the catch in marriage. You may spend more time caring for your spouse than caring for the things of the Lord.
1 Corinthians 7:39The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only (a believer) in the Lord. 40But she is happier if she so abide (single), after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God. Paul definitely stresses the idea of remaining single doesn't he?
1 Corinthians 10:6Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 7Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. 8Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
They were to be an example for us, of what this lifestyle will bring. 23,000 in one day, wow.
Ephesians 5:3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; 4Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. 5For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 7Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
That's very clear isn't it?
Colossians 3:5 Mortify (word for the practice of disciplining one’s body and physical appetites through self-denial) therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection(lust), evil concupiscence(desire for what is forbidden)
, and covetousness(greedy), which is idolatry: 6For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: This one is pointed directly at the Church.
Thessalonians 4:3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: 4That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; 5Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: We must learn to control our bodies. Any performing this way will be left behind at the rapture, to suffer the judgment of God during the seven years of tribulation. Even then some still won't turn from their wickedness.
Revelation 9:21 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts. This is interesting, the word sorceries as used there, in the Greek, the word is pharmakeia. Which means "pharmacy" medication. There is also reference to the word pharmakeus. Which means "pharmacist" a drug, a druggist or poisoner. So this is referring to drug addicts, murderers, fornicators and thieves.
You can certainly see by all of this, the world is in trouble unless we repent as a nation before God, or we will be judged as a nation. Sodom and Gomorrah were to be an example for us. Our end won't be pretty.
So what is the punishment God places on fornicators?
From the Apocalypse of Peter - Jesus speaking to Peter, And again behold corrupt women: they hang them up by their neck and by their hair; they shall cast them into the pit. These are they which plaited their hair, not for good (or, not to make them beautiful) but to turn them to fornication, that they might ensnare the souls of men unto perdition. And the men that lay with them in fornication shall be hung by their loins in that place of fire; and they shall say one to another: We knew not that we should come unto everlasting punishment.
It is very clear. Fornication can have no place in your life. It's the road to certain destruction. With most of the world participating, we are in trouble. Our television, our music, things of everyday life work together to desensitize us to the truth.
Matthew 4:17 ..... Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Mark 1:15 .... The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
Revelation 3:3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent.
*Repentance is a change of mind*
