It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister.

The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.

1 Thessalonians 4: 3-8

Is it an understatement to say that we live in a culture that is preoccupied with sexual matters? Just last week, the Supreme Court considered cases revolving around transgender issues, soI don’t think it is an understatement at all. Perhaps no single gift of God has been more distorted and corrupted by humanity than the gift of sex and sexuality.

Today’s view held by many is that sex desire is a normal, healthy appetite to be satisfied without consequences. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Scripture provides a very different perspective. From the beginning, sex was God’s idea for a man and his wife (Genesis 1, 2) and Jesus reiterated the same when asked about the hot topic of adultery in His day (Matthew 19:4-6).

It is this teaching that provides the foundation of Paul’s words to the Thessalonians and to us. Like our culture, the Graeco-Roman world was full of sexual promiscuity. The biblical standard stood in stark contrast then and now. Simply stated, any sexual activity outside of heterosexual marriage is immoral including today’s ever-present pornography or even a lustful look because “anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28).

In the passage above, Paul reminds the Thessalonians they should “avoid sexual immorality,” “learn to control” their bodies and to be “holy and honorable” so as not to take advantage of another person along the way.

Even though the culture around us may not take sexual immorality seriously (they may not even describe it as immoral), God does take it seriously. Paul reminds them (and us) that sin has consequences and that sexual immorality is a rejection of God himself.

So, what are we to do? First, we should “flee sexual immorality” (1 Corinthians 6:18) in whatever temptation that confronts us, but we should also make the pursuit of God our single-minded focus.

“Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (2 Timothy 2:22).

In the face of a shifting culture where we are called to pursue a different path.