One of the controversies
current today is the issue over sexual immorality. For some of the sophist it
is an issue of ‘pick and choose’. For
some commentators both male and female the issue of adults having sexual
relations with under age children depends solely on the sex of the
perpetrator. If a young girl is the
victim it is viewed as a horrendous act, yet if the victim is a young boy and
the perpetrator is a woman, well they say, ‘heck boys will be boys or words to that effect. But it goes deeper than that. Morality itself
has been placed on the altar of relative worship. But the problem arises that if one (1)
issue is ‘relative’ then all issues must be relative or does one pick and
choose was is and what is not depending on their own criteria. If therefore all
things are relative then each individual that has lived, is living, and will
live is accountable to nothing. There
can be no right or wrong, there can be no law. The moment one says that ‘something’
is either right or wrong then there must be something from which to measure
that ‘act’ to determine its correctness or incorrectness.
Having said that, one finds
in the book of Leviticus, 18:22; 20:13: . . .
“You shall
not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination”; “If there
is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them
have committed a detestable act; they shall surely be put to death. Their blood
guiltiness is upon them.” In Deuteronomy
22:5, “A woman shall not wear man's clothing, nor shall a man put on a woman's
clothing; for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD your God.”
In
Romans Paul furthers the issue: Rom 1: 19-32: “... the wrath
of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of
men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within
them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible
attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being
understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
For even though they
knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile
in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they
became fools, and
exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of
corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.
Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to
impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth
of 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 over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the
natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the
natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men
with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due
penalty of their error. And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God
gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper,
being filled with all
unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit,
malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant,
boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding,
untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; and although they know the ordinance of God, that
those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same,
but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.”
But the good news is that though sexual
immorality was punishable with death, that is the reason that God Himself came
and took on human flesh, was born as a human as Jesus for the sole purpose to
take on the punishment of all sin against the law of God so that we would not
have to pay that penalty. Those who violated the law before the first advent of
Christ that died in their sins, were eternally condemned in hell awaiting the
final judgment. But now, today those who have sinned, violated the law of God,
can be forgiven of their transgressions and go from death to eternal life. That
is why Jesus said to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who
believes in Me will live even if he dies.” (John 11:25).
There is salvation waiting for all.
People have purposefully closed their ears and hearts to the gospel because
they desire to satisfy the flesh temporarily regardless of the fallout. “Marriage
is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to
be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.”
(Hebrews 13:4).
The bottom line is that the
individual person can change but only through the working of the Holy Spirit. “Don’t be deceived because God is not mocked,
what a man sows that he will reap. For the one who sows to
his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the
Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” (Galatians 6:7,8).
