You don't need to be a genius to realise that as the "sheep of his pasture" our heavenly "Farmer", or rather, "Father", goes to the same lengths to ensure that we, "his people" (Psalm 100:3) are kept safe. Consider for a moment some of the fences that God has placed around you. There are your parents, who were not invented to make life a misery, but to love and take care of you; there is a conscience within you that the Holy Spirit works through to guide and keep you from danger; and there's the Bible, that helps to continually update and re-programme your conscience. God's fences to keep the wolves away!
But there is something about a fence that challenges us to jump over it, or at least get a good look at what's on the other side. For sheep, and us, it seems that the grass is always greener on the other side. If we relate the area of our sexuality to our analogy, we must confess that although we know what God desires for us, we often catch ourselves up against the fence, trying to push it to the limit, wanting to leave the security that it offers and try our luck on the side where the wolves hang out. God has set guidelines for us, not because he's a cosmic killjoy, nor to cramp our style and youthful energy, but because of his loving concern for our safety. Not only is He our Shepherd, He is also our creator, as it says, "It is he who made us."
Michael W. Smith has put it like this,
"When God gave sex to men and women, He gave them a wonderful gift - and a tremendous responsibility. Is it any wonder, then, that the Bible tells us to handle sex with care? A lot of self-appointed experts who seldom open the Bible claim that God is against sex. Nothing could be further from the truth. What God is against is stupid, selfish use of sex to gratify lust. Of course the Bible warns against stupid sex because God created sex for your good and enjoyment - to be done in the right place at the right time - within marriage with someone you love in a lifetime commitment." (From "Old Enough to Know", Page 94,95)
God's fence around our sexuality is graphically depicted in His Word: Among you there must not even be a hint of immorality - Eph 5:3 Be Holy...avoid sexual immorality - 1 Th 4:3 Flee the evil desires of youth - 2 Tim 2:22 Encourage the young men to be self-controlled - Titus 2:6
There is no such thing as bending the fence. When we decide that God's desire for us to leave sex for marriage is cramping our style, and that bending his rule is cool so long as we are in love and stay in control, we are "breaking" and not just "bending" the rules. Scripture clearly says, "Marriage should be honoured by all and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral" (Hebrews 13:4).
It takes incredible courage and determination for young people to stand against what Michael calls "stupid sex" when society accepts it as the norm, where sex out of marriage is the main theme of the afternoon soaps, and where youth culture attaches more importance to losing virginity than to protecting it. Next time you face a decision between love and lust, stop! Take time to pray that God will help you follow Christ and not your feelings. But it is no use pushing it to the limit, using the "how-far-can-I-go" approach, and then hoping to be safe. That's like a person on ski's who tries to stop the ride on the way down the slope - the only way out at that stage of the ride is to take a tumble. It is the "tumble" that God is wanting to protect you from!
The Wolves outside the fence are real. There is the possibility of an unwanted pregnancy and the horror of abortion; the reality of a sexually transmitted disease, like AIDS; and later finding your marriage relationship is severely scarred by pre-marital experimentation; but, most importantly there is the break in fellowship with Father God that results whenever you go against what He has decided is best for you. Nothing is worse than a broken relationship with the only person who can truly satisfy your craving for love and security.
We can have two types of relationships with people. An "I-It" or an "I-You" relationship. In an "I-It" relationship we can treat the other person as an object to be used, possessed and then discarded when we feel like it. But, we should engage others in an "I-You" relationship where we view the other person as a subject, someone with who we can empathise, share with and respect. In fact, we must realise that God is waiting to be encountered within the other person, according to Scriptures like, Genesis 1:26,27; Matthew 25:31-46 and 1 Corinthians 6:19.
With this "new" ethic, Sexual interaction suddenly takes on a sacred dimension which prescribes how we should relate to people in aing people like an it - you can use a thing, exploit an object, and manipulate an "It" for your own satisfaction, but when you view the other person as an opportunity to encounter God, everything changes.
The rules are clear: Stay away from sexual experimentation. Remember scoring sexually with your partner
means striking out with God! [1 Thessalonians 4:3]. Check out Psalm 119:9-11 for sound advice on how
you can stay sexually pure:
1. Know the Principles of God found in His Word to guide you
2. Discover the Presence of Christ in your life to guard you
3. Rely on the Power of the Holy Spirit to help you overcome temptation
Take some time out to explore two case studies, Joseph in Genesis 39:1-23 and David in 2 Samuel 1:1-27. Try to discover why David slept with Bathsheba even though he was married and it would break God's heart; and how, on the other hand, Joseph resisted the repeated sexual advances of Potiphar's wife.
JOSEPH'S TEMPTATION
Check out Joseph's life at the time he was tempted (v1-6).
1. Why do you think the temptation was really tough to handle?
2. What factors helped Joseph's have victory over temptation?
3. What were the results of his stand against temptation?
DAVID'S TEMPTATION
Check out David's life at the time he was tempted (v1,2).
1. Why do you think the temptation was really tough to handle?
2. What factors helped David's get defeated by temptation?
3. What were the results of his giving into temptation?
Written by Mark Tittley: Email
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