I love to teach the principles and values found in the Bible. As 2 Timothy 3:16 states "All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness...." Thus there is nothing in life the Bible doesn't address, it is always relevant. A common issue during military deployments is the mixing of males and females who are thousands of miles away from their spouses. Wives and husbands expect their counterparts to remain faithful and honor the commitment of their marriage covenant. That is why it is called Holy Matrimony, their is a covenant between husband and wife to honor one another. To be holy means to be set apart, couples are to honor one another by setting apart their marriage as holy and fully dedicated to Christ. For many they will emotionally disconnect from their spouse. An emotional affair can be even more threatening to a marriage than physical adultery. But what can be just as dangerous is physical touch.
What physical touch boils down to for the Christian is lustful thoughts, which Jesus tells us is adultery. Yes, lust is adultery in the heart and is just as sinful as the physical act of sex.
One of the clearest principles on this issue of physical relationships is Ephesians 5:3, "But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people." You see, Jesus sees deep into the depths our hearts and minds, because "He knows what's inside of man."
Sexual immorality is not just sexual intercourse outside of marriage. It includes sexual touching, lustful behavior, and even what we look at. The Bible says, to avoid even a hint of sexual immorality. This is the principle. Our lives are to be free of even the slightest notion of sexual immorality. There are obviously some behaviors which all people agree are ‘off-limits’ - I won’t even mention these!
But when it comes to other behavior you must filter your actions through a biblical lens exercising godly wisdom as to whether it is sexual or not. Godly men and women should identify boundaries that will honor God and their spouse. Take hugging for example. There is a type of hug that is completely non-sexual. Then there are other hugs that begin to ‘hint of sexual immorality’. We know the difference and we are called to avoid even a hint of sexual immorality.
In the movie Fireproof, Kirk Cameron refused to kiss the actress playing his wife because he wanted to honor his real wife, why? Because he is abstaining from the appearance of immorality by honoring his wife as the church is to honor Christ. He is refraining from the slightest appearance of immorality.
Finally, in 1 Thessalonians 4:4 Paul writes that we should abstain from sexual immorality, so that each of us knows how to control his own body in sanctification and honor..."
Undoubtedly this post will come across as too conservative or old fashioned, but with Christian marriages falling apart in almost greater numbers as non-Christians, physical touch must be guarded against. It's temptation that will lead to emotional and sexual feelings that quickly turn to lust.
In the Hebrew Talmud (essentially the Jewish Old Testament commentary) specifies a number of restrictions to prevent men from transgressing, such a man and a woman not being allowed to touch if they are neither related or married. This is because of the fear that touching might lead to sexual transgressions. As an extension of this, Orthodox Jewish men aren't supposed to sit next to women to which they are neither related nor married.
You will also find this teaching in Islam, which they borrowed from the Jews. During our cultural brief upon our arrival in Egypt, our speaker warned against touching Muslim women because of the sexual energy that can be released. These are just examples to say that this is a teaching and for Christians commands to prevent lustful and sinful transgressions.
Guard your heart above all else by guarding against sexual touching.
What physical touch boils down to for the Christian is lustful thoughts, which Jesus tells us is adultery. Yes, lust is adultery in the heart and is just as sinful as the physical act of sex.
One of the clearest principles on this issue of physical relationships is Ephesians 5:3, "But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people." You see, Jesus sees deep into the depths our hearts and minds, because "He knows what's inside of man."
Sexual immorality is not just sexual intercourse outside of marriage. It includes sexual touching, lustful behavior, and even what we look at. The Bible says, to avoid even a hint of sexual immorality. This is the principle. Our lives are to be free of even the slightest notion of sexual immorality. There are obviously some behaviors which all people agree are ‘off-limits’ - I won’t even mention these!
But when it comes to other behavior you must filter your actions through a biblical lens exercising godly wisdom as to whether it is sexual or not. Godly men and women should identify boundaries that will honor God and their spouse. Take hugging for example. There is a type of hug that is completely non-sexual. Then there are other hugs that begin to ‘hint of sexual immorality’. We know the difference and we are called to avoid even a hint of sexual immorality.
In the movie Fireproof, Kirk Cameron refused to kiss the actress playing his wife because he wanted to honor his real wife, why? Because he is abstaining from the appearance of immorality by honoring his wife as the church is to honor Christ. He is refraining from the slightest appearance of immorality.
Finally, in 1 Thessalonians 4:4 Paul writes that we should abstain from sexual immorality, so that each of us knows how to control his own body in sanctification and honor..."
Undoubtedly this post will come across as too conservative or old fashioned, but with Christian marriages falling apart in almost greater numbers as non-Christians, physical touch must be guarded against. It's temptation that will lead to emotional and sexual feelings that quickly turn to lust.
In the Hebrew Talmud (essentially the Jewish Old Testament commentary) specifies a number of restrictions to prevent men from transgressing, such a man and a woman not being allowed to touch if they are neither related or married. This is because of the fear that touching might lead to sexual transgressions. As an extension of this, Orthodox Jewish men aren't supposed to sit next to women to which they are neither related nor married.
You will also find this teaching in Islam, which they borrowed from the Jews. During our cultural brief upon our arrival in Egypt, our speaker warned against touching Muslim women because of the sexual energy that can be released. These are just examples to say that this is a teaching and for Christians commands to prevent lustful and sinful transgressions.
Guard your heart above all else by guarding against sexual touching.
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