30 Jun July 6 – Daily Devotional

A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON THE BOOK OF HEBREWS

FLEE FROM SEXUAL IMMORALITY

Hebrews 12:16 “See that no one is sexually immoral. . .”

(The 6^th Commandment) You shall not commit adultery.  What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we lead a sexually pure and decent life in what we say and do, and husband and wife love and honor each other.” (Small Catechism)

How do we lead a sexually pure and decent life?  The answer given in the Small Catechism is we lead a sexually pure and decent life when we: A) consider sexuality to be a good gift of God; B) honor marriage as God’s institution, the lifelong union of one man and one woman; C) reserve sexual intercourse for the marriage partner alone; D) control sexual urges in a God-pleasing way.  It says God requires those married to be faithful to their spouse.  It further states that sexual intercourse between unmarried individuals is a sin as is rape, homosexual activity, incest, sexual child abuse, obscenity the use of pornographic materials and sexually impure thoughts.

As a Christian you might want to think there is no need to have written the previous paragraph or prepare a devotion on human sexual behavior, but you know that Satan, the world, and our sinful flesh often create strong sexual temptations, including among Christians.  There is universal agreement among sociologists and religious researchers that 95% of Americans have participated in sexual intercourse prior to marriage.  And, yes, a sizable minority of the men (43%) and women (36%) in an Indiana study who were over 50 years of age reported that their most recent partnered sexual activity was with someone other than a spouse or long-time partner.

St. Paul exhorts, “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 6:18-20)  Jesus shed His blood in payment for all sins which of course includes sexual ones.  He sends the Holy Spirit, through The Word and The Sacraments into your heart to “sanctify and keep you in the true faith to life everlasting.”

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, forgive my sexual sins of commission and omission and send Your Holy Spirit into my heart to lead me to live a chaste and decent life in thought, word, and actions.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Lord, help us ever to retain The Catechism’s—doctrine plain

As Luther taught the Word of truth In simple style to tender youth.

Help us Your holy Law to learn, To mourn our sin and from it turn

In faith to You and to Your Son And Holy Spirit, Three in One.

Hear us, dear Father, when we pray For needed help from day to day

That as Your children we may live, Whom You baptized and so received.

Lord, when we fall or go astray, Absolve and lift us up, we pray;

And through the Sacrament increase Our faith till we depart in peace.

(LSB 865)