Some things in life are sacred. To be ‘sacred’ means to be set apart by God for a higher purpose. If something is sacred, then it is set apart for special use. It cannot be used in any which way. It must be respected and kept ‘holy’ or ‘sanctified.’ These are foreign ideas in our culture, but they provide the rationale for the biblical view of sexuality. Human beings are sacred children of God, created to reflect God’s image. Our sexuality moreover is like the inner sanctum of our sacred selves. It is particularly in their complementary togetherness that the male and female parts of humanity reflect the diversity-in-unity of God himself (Genesis 1:27). This is why the Bible draws such a tight circle of sanctity around sexual activity. Pleasure is the by-product of sex, not its purpose. The purpose of sex is to consummate the relationship that completes our humanity. It creates a deep spiritual connection and even new life. That is why the Bible limits the expression of sex to the context of a lifelong marriage commitment between a man and a woman. It is because our sexuality is sacred. There is, moreover, a deep sense of desecration then when this sanctity is violated in any way. This is not some outdated puritanical ideal. It is a vital and timeless moral-spiritual imperative that relates to the high dignity of our humanity. The Bible does not teach this to degrade people with shame but to elevate us to the full realization of our sacredness. Strive then to guard your sexual purity. Your body is a temple of God (1 Cor.6:19).
Admit to God where you have gone wrong and ask Jesus to lift all shame off you.
Read 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12
