Day 5
Lisa Sheffler, author
On Day 5 of the Engage God Daily, we spend some time digesting what we’ve learned during the week and inviting the Spirit to transform us. For some, this week’s study may be the first step in seeking greater help and accountability. But all of us should be committed to pray for ourselves, our families, our fellow Christians who may be struggling, and our world where so many are being hurt by sexual sin. Take some time today to seek God. Confess, repent and rejoice that all our sins are forgiven in Jesus.
Reflect
The pursuit of purity is not about the suppression of lust, but about the reorientation of one’s life to a larger goal. – Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Working through our own sinful attitudes about sex and obeying God’s commands regarding sexual purity are essential to growing in our relationship with Christ. But it’s not something we take on in our own strength. The Holy Spirit lives within us and wants to empower us to set aside all the destructive beliefs and sinful habits so we treat our sexuality as the gift it truly is.
As we saw in our study of Colossians 3, we must “put to death” sexual sins. But that is a defensive strategy. Is there anything we can do to prevent the idols of sexual sin from luring us in the first place? As Bonhoeffer says in the quote above, we can reorient our life to a larger goal. What if we came away from this study with a desire to worship God more completely, love each other more devoutly, and see the gospel spread throughout a world that desperately needs Jesus?
Historians tell us that from the beginning, a major difference that “set apart the new and strange sect called Christians from the rest of their culture was their strange sexual ethic.”[1] Early Christians did not participate in prostitution, sexual exploitation of slaves or the poor, divorce, or adultery. Most pre-modern cultures enforced sexual restraint on women, but Christianity placed the same restraint on men. To the Roman culture, Christians held a “bizarrely exalted view of marriage as reflecting the image of God himself.”[2] Not only that but held up lifelong celibacy as an equally exalted state of life.
Their emphasis on sexual purity, was a way that the early church showed their rejection of Roman idols and their complete devotion to Christ. The lives of Christians made an impression on people because they saw something different in the followers of Jesus and were attracted to the gospel. Perhaps that could be the “larger goal” that we reorient our lives toward.
Let’s review the steps we’re going to be taking each week:
- Under the Spirit’s guidance, we’re going to identify the idols of our hearts and recognize how God meets the need we’re trying to satisfy with an idol.
- We’re going to turn from that idol — release it and repent of it. In the words of Deuteronomy 12:3, we’re going to smash our idols!
- We’re going to turn to God. We’re going to worship God with our whole hearts and ask the Spirit to grow our faith. We’re going to gratefully receive the abundance that God offers us in Christ.
Pray
Father,
Show me how I can commit myself, body, mind, soul, and spirit, to worshipping you alone. I commit myself to you and repent of sexual sin. I desire the freedom and peace that comes from following your design for my sexuality. Guide me to become a person with sexual integrity.
Give me compassion for those who are struggling with sexual sin. I want my life to represent your grace and truth.
Jesus, it’s in your name I pray, Amen
Talk about it
- Discuss with a trusted friend or family member your biggest takeaway from this week. Ask for them to pray for you and help hold you accountable as you commit to smashing idols in your life. If you need help, our re:generation or Re|engage ministries will welcome you.
Coming next week
Next week we’re wrapping up our series by smashing the idol of entertainment.
[1] Pascal-Emmanuel Gobry (September 3, 2014) “Why so many Christians won’t back down on gay marriage” https://theweek.com/article/index/267244/why-so-many-christians-wont-back-down-on-gay-marriage
[2] Ibid.
