The Idol of Sex
UNCENSORED Sermon Series
Week 1: The Idol of Sex
The Bible teaches that God is the author of sex – his good gift to man and woman in the confines of marriage for procreation and for their pleasure as husband and wife. It is a powerful gift that unites two into one flesh. The strength of the bond between husband and wife is a necessary ingredient for a family to be raised in healthy and nurturing relationships that lead to a healthy outlook in life.
However, sex, created as a good thing, was perverted along with everything else when humanity was plunged into sin. All throughout history, societies have embraced the perverted understanding of sex. Just take a look at today’s sex-laden pop culture. It is common for people to engage in sinful sexual activities most see as “normal” or as their “right,” yet these have resulted to many social ills – broken families, sexually transmitted diseases, sexual crimes, promiscuity and pornography, to name a few. The consequences of perverted sex is devastating, to say the least, considering its impact in the lives of those so affected – insecurity, identity confusion, emotional and physical trauma, guilt, shame, rejection, violence, even death.
Why is sexual immorality so prevalent in culture? The answer lies in the fact that sin sought to replace God in the hearts of people with counterfeits. Because of sin, sex – that which was given as a gift from God – has now become an idol in the hearts of many. Tim Keller said in his book, Counterfeit Gods, that an idol is “anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, anything you seek to give you what only God can give.” Sadly, sex is seen today as a source of life and value rather than a gift from God.
In Scripture, sexual immorality has always been connected with idolatry! Romans 1:18-32 gives a definitive insight as to how sexual immorality and all other evils were, and still are, direct results of rejecting God:
Man rejecting God: “although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him”… they “exchanged the glory of the immortal God” for images of creation… “they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator”… and “they did not see fit to acknowledge God.” (Romans 1:21,23,25,28, ESV)
The results of rejecting God: “They became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened”… “God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves”… “God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.”… “God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.” (Romans 1:21,24,26-28, ESV)
The Good News…
Sexual immorality has affected every person one way or another. As with idolatry, sexual perversion will be punished (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). The good news is that even if we’ve sinned sexually, there is hope! In Christ, we can be cleansed from sexual perversion! “And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:11, ESV)
We can look to Christ’s finished work at the cross, put our faith in him and ask for his forgiveness. He is faithful to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). If we are in Christ, we are called to set our hearts and minds on things that are above, where Christ is, and not on worldly things (Colossians 3:1-2). Because we are hidden in Christ, and his grace is abounding in our lives, we can put to death all worldly things in our lives – sexual immorality, impurity, lustful passions, evil desires and covetousness! In and through Christ alone can we live victoriously over all these things!
The issue here is who sits on the throne of one’s heart. Is it God or the idol of sex? Sex as an idol will enslave; sex under God’s rule is a liberating gift and blessing!
1 Excerpt From: Timothy Keller. “Counterfeit Gods.” iBooks. https://itun.es/us/WTyvv.l