“In the beginning,” God created mankind as binary, “sexual beings”—male and female He created them.” They were the final and highest order of His creation and were to propagate and rule over “every living thing that moves on the earth” (Gen. 1:1, 26-28).
God, whose trinitarian essence is said to be “Spirit,” said, “Let Us make mankind in Our image, according to Our likeness” (1:26, NASB). We understand that God is a Spirit-being (John 4:24, MEV) Who also has other essences of His divine personality, shown in His intellect, emotion and will.
We who are physical human beings were made “in the image of God” and thereby have the highest order of created intellect, emotion and will so that an invisible God could reveal what He is like. We are able to worship Him “in spirit and truth” and relate to Him with these common capacities of intellect, emotion and will.
His divine purpose for our creation is that we glorify Him forever. Subject to the world, flesh and the devil since the Fall (Gen. 3), our divine-like capacities must be redeemed and restored to our original purpose. We must “escape from sexual immorality” … and “glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Cor. 6:17-20).
A Biblical Understanding of Sexual Ethics
Ethics deal with “moral principles that govern a person’s behavior or the conduct of an activity.” They are pre-determined boundaries of what is acceptable behavior for ourselves and others. The Bible helps us establish these by certain commands, principles and examples. We must apply these to ourselves and live out our own ethical convictions (Rom. 12), proving “what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
First Corinthians 6:9-11 says,
“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, 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 Christ and in the Spirit of our God.”
The “kingdom of God,” mentioned twice in Paul’s brief passage above, is a reference to the “world to come,” where God will rule and King Jesus Christ will reign from a Holy City, coming down out of heaven from God. In this “New Heaven and New Earth,” only the righteous will live in that city. The unrighteous, including “the sexually immoral,” will be judged and consigned to the “lake of fire” forever (Rev. 21:3-8).
Contemporary Ideologies and Practices
America’s current administration has aggressively appointed hundreds of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals to serve as bureaucrats and in key positions in the federal government. One vocal American pastor warns of these “woke” ethics, describing them as “the evil power and destructive influence of the homosexual and transgender ideologies…and practice.”
Canada is even further ahead in legalizing sexual perversions. On November 29, 2021, the Canadian House of Commons unanimously passed Bill C-4, amending their code to prohibit any public challenge to or correction of an unbiblical ideology of sexual identity. The bill seems to criminalize what some call “conversion therapy,” sharing biblical counsel regarding “gender identity” and “fluidity.” The new Canadian law appears to make it illegal to preach, teach or counsel regarding God’s design for marriage and sexuality!
Since this law just took effect on January 7, 2022, faithful Canadian pastors are committing to preach on these issues in the weeks and months ahead, calling for a biblical understanding of sexual sin, specifically concerning “the sexually immoral…adulterers… effeminate… [and] homosexuals,” the eternal judgment that will fall on those who practice all forms of sexual immorality and the grace of God, which offers forgiveness and transformation to those who repent and turn away from all sinful practices, with the help of the Holy Spirit.
We must acknowledge that all sin is an affront to our Creator-God, and all sinners need to repent and be changed. But this biblical list speaks specifically of the spectrum of the “sexually immoral” who will not “inherit the kingdom of God.” U.S. pastors should stand with their Canadian brothers and sisters and, together, love sinners enough to proclaim these biblical truths at this critical juncture!
Escape the Wrath to Come
In Jack Hayford’s book, Fatal Attractions, he explains why sexual violation or sins are worse than others—not because they are harder for God to forgive but because they are more damaging, hurting others as well as hindering one’s own growth as a person and as a follower of Jesus Christ. The emotional and psychological brokenness and spiritual harm generated by sexual violations may not only negatively affect couples but their children and grandchildren—and even the generations following them.
“Can a man take fire to his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? Can one walk on hot coals, and his feet not be seared?” (Prov. 6:27-28)
Gospel ministers and teachers are to preach the truth, confront sin and call all men to repentance and obedience to the gospel—the good news that achieves soul conversion and saves sinners from eternal wrath (2 Tim. 2:24–26). Yet, many spiritual leaders tend to avoid this responsibility.
God will hold us all accountable to practice our religious beliefs and convictions. We must reject sexual immorality, resist secular pressures and endure cultural persecution in the days ahead so that we can escape God’s judgment and wrath to come (Heb. 13:4; Matt. 3:7; Rev. 6:16-17). {eoa}
Gary Curtis served in full-time ministry for 50 years, the last 27 years of which he was part of the pastoral staff of The Church on The Way, the Van Nuys’ California Foursquare church. Now retired, Gary continues to write a weekly blog at worshipontheway.wordpress.com and frequent articles for digital and print platforms.
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