Running the Race: Overcoming Sexual Lusts

Running After Jesus

By Paul J. Bucknell

A Little Closer to God

Notice how we have seen that our convictions can be based on things that are not really God's Word. We have highlighted three areas such as tradition, experience and spiritual influences. Looking back at one's history via the chart helps enable us to get a broader perspective of influences in our lives. Other influences might be an individual such as a friend, church's teaching, church culture, books, magazines or television preacher. We will probably be able to narrow our views down to a few sources.

Remember, although a conviction was developed through tradition such as our parents, it does not mean that these convictions are wrong or right. We need to examine each area under question and make sure that what we do is because it is scripturally grounded. Only in this way can we reach the standard God calls us to and finish the race.

Although going through our beliefs in this way might seem to be rather scary, we should actually expect to meet God in a fresh new way. For one, we are taking a big step forward closer to Him. When we do this, He steps closer to us. When we begin to do things not because we have 'always' done them, but because He has said to do them, then we are developing a much closer relationship with God. We are talking to Him. We are telling Him that what He says is important to our lives. Besides this fact, we have the great confidence in our soul that we are doing what God wants. We are pleasing Him. We are living righteous lives. (A lot of people have a hang up on saying they are living righteously. What we and the scriptures mean is not that we are totally pure. We mean instead that we are conscious of no sin. We are obedient to what God has revealed to us. We are not self-righteous in that we acknowledge we are sinful creatures living by the mercy of God and the blood of Jesus Christ who has forgiven us of our sin.) Take a month to review different areas in your life.

There are many specific teachings which we could examine in regards to our topic of sexual purity. We have tried to cover many of these areas with some scripture in section 3 "Crossing the Line." There are of course many more specific topics to deal with as well as many more scriptural passages. Since they all reinforce each other, just one or two primary scriptural passages would be sufficient.

We probably could deal with each of the four major categories unless we have doubts about any one of them. then we should evaluate the particular teachings even more specifically.

#1 A Special Design: Sexuality God designed human beings as sexual beings. He created both male and female as two distinct but complementary sexes. Foundational to a stable life is understanding, accepting and affirming our own gender.	There are only two sexes. Our sexual natures are part of our persons. God has called us through our sexual natures One sex is not better than the other. The two sexes are complementary rather than competitive. Rejection of our sexual nature is rejection of God's design and best for our lives.
#2 A Blended Design: Marriage God designed us for heterosexual marriage. Singleness will be discussed elsewhere. God has defined marriage as a special covenant relationship between one male and one female. When we try to redefine marriage and its purpose, then our lives along with the whole society are broken down.	Marriage involves only one male and one female. Marrying more than one wife goes counter to God's good design. Living with a partner without marriage vows defiles both partners and grieves God greatly. Homosexuality goes counter to God's design. Masturbation goes counter to God's design.
#3 An Exclusive Design: Whole-hearted God has designed marriage for whole-hearted relationships. God has made marriage like ownership. A spouse literally belongs to each other. Straying eyes and hearts strikes right against the foundation of marriage and love.	Marriage requires the strict faithfulness of both partners. Fidelity means no sexual contact with another person. Fidelity also means desiring no other partner than one's own spouse. Lusting after others is adultery. Lust has no place in or out of marriage. All forms of pornography greatly grieves God and brings great harm to the marriage and children.
#4 A Permanent Design: Enduring Marriage is for life. The marriage vows hold "until death do we part." God has not given us alternative choices for the crises of life. There are no escape hatches because the life-long commitment is the very thing needed to force us to work through our difficulties with each other.	Marriage is for as long as both shall live. Divorce is not acceptable. There are two exceptions to not getting a divorce. Remarriage is adultery unless there is an acceptable divorce (one of the above exceptions). God gives grace for couples to work out their problems.

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