Flee Fornication (2)

Hello everyone,

How are you doing on this day? I hope well and bubbling in the Lord. We thank God for His goodness, His healing, His power, and His grace.

Primary Text

“It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife.” 1 Corinthians 5v1 (KJV)

“I can hardly believe the report about the sexual immorality going on among you – something that even pagans don’t do. I am told that a man in your church is living in sin with his stepmother.” 1 Corinthians 5v1 (NLT)

Now, fornication is something that should not be named among us as believers (Ephesians 5v3). But now, the apostle Paul hears about a sort of fornication that he says even the heathen, those who do not have a relationship with God, do not tolerate. What was happening? A man was sleeping with his father’s wife! Leviticus 18v8 (NIV) says ““‘Do not have sexual relations with your father’s wife; that would dishonor your father.” In addition Deuteronomy 22v30 (NIV) says “A man is not to marry his father’s wife; he must not dishonor his father’s bed.” And this was happening in the church in Corinth. Reuben was cursed by his father Jacob because he did this. Genesis 35 telling us that “While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father’s concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard it….” When Jacob was close to dying and he called his sons to tell them what will happen to them in days to come (Genesis 49v1), this is what he told his son Reuben: ““Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, the first sign of my strength, excelling in power. Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel, for you went up onto your father’s bed, onto my couch and defiled it.” Genesis 49v3-4 (NIV). May fornication not be once named among us, and not of this sort in the church of God in Jesus name, amen.

Supplementary Text

““I have the right to do anything,” you say – but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything” – but I will not be mastered by anything. You say, “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.” The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. By His power God raised the Lord from the dead, and He will raise us also. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ Himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.” But whoever is united with the Lord is one with Him in spirit. Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” 1 Corinthians 6v12-20 (NIV)

Prayer

Father, we thank You for Your Word. We pray that You will fill us with Your Spirit afresh and that You will pour the fear of the Lord to fall upon the church, that we may live lives that glorify You in Jesus name, amen.