The Sunday Mail
Pastor Tinashe Zinyemba The Christian Youth —
Tuesday is St Valentine’s Day, many are running around so as to impress their loved ones. Some are hoping for surprises.
There are some who are going to be heartbroken this week while some are going to be happy. Others will get too excited and lose control. For some, they will do almost anything to fit in.
In all of this, remember that Almighty God is your maker. ln Jeremiah1:5 He said, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; …”
You do not need to force yourself to fit in with the crowd because you are a unique creation, a master piece. If you are single, do not get worried, God is preparing someone for you somewhere, just make sure you remain rooted in Christ.
The scourge of sexual sin has permeated into our society and the Christian community is not immune to this cancer. We need young men and women who cherish their virginity and guard it as an honour.
We need married people who honour their vows and respect their marriage beds by keeping pure and holy before their spouses and before God.
It is unfortunate that some of these core values have been eroded.
Nobody is immune to sexual temptation. It is a serious problem and deserves serious attention.
Here are some of the most common questions on this topic:
“Is masturbation a sin?”, “Is pornography a sin?”, “Is flirting a sin, if you are single?”.
God has a lot to say about sexual sin, especially in the New Testament.
1Thesselonians 4:3-9 says, “God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor – not in lustful passion like the pagans who do not know God and his ways. Never harm or cheat a Christian brother in this matter by violating his wife, for the Lord avenges all such sins, as we have solemnly warned you before. God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives”.
l encourage you to examine your own heart and the motives behind your actions. If you are wondering if what you are doing is okay, it most likely is not.
Instead of looking for what you can and cannot do regarding sexual sin, ask yourself, “Does this help my relationship with God?” or “Will this benefit me as a Christian?”
Answers to these questions are important in addressing sin of any kind, including sexual sin. l hope this helps in answering some of your questions regarding pornography and masturbation.
Porn addiction is just one form of sexual sin but it is also becoming much more common.
Here are just a few of the dangers of pornography:
Pornography has been shown to damage the bond between romantic partners, even more so in marriage;
There is a strong correlation (85 percent) between those who watch child pornography and those who engage in it;
Pornography induces violent attitudes toward women;
The objective evidence that supports the notion that pornography is harmful has been suppressed by the media;
Through pornography, you are playing with fire. This sexual sin involves initiating this arousal system through methods that often result in actions that hurt ourselves (porn addiction, sexual sin against self) or our relationships (God and our spouses).
This makes us particularly susceptible to sexual sin because it acts on our natural arousal system. This is why infidelity and porn are currently so prevalent.
Besides masturbation and pornography, there is fornication – sexual intercourse between two people who are not married.
I advise you not to engage in fornication for whatever reason. There are absolutely no benefits from fornicating. Actually, fornication and adultery are destructive.
They usually result in emptiness. Countless people hope to find happiness in sexual sin, but instead of being fulfilled, they wind up empty.
The main reason is that pleasure itself is temporary. Pleasure requires continual attention, devotion, and effort in order for it to be sustainable.
True joy on the other hand comes from God and therefore allows us to receive it eternally without any effort.
Self-destruction is another negative side effect.
1 Corinthians 6:18 says, “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.”
In the Bible, sexual sin is the only sin that results in us sinning against our own body. Sexual sin may seem like a good idea at first, but it will tear you down from the inside out.
Ultimately, the worst part is that sexual sin results in separation from God. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” God has instructed us to stay away from sexual sin, and when we disobey Him, we reject Him. We need to realize just how dangerous sexual sin is and take precautions to do everything we can to avoid it.
For those who have indulged in sexual sin, there is still hope, simply step out of that road to destruction and begin to live a righteous life with a clear conscience.
It starts with you acknowledging your sins and making some hard decisions. Then you take practical steps to leave that lifestyle.
Find an accountability partner, change your environment, and get rid of anything that could lead you back to that sinful life. Cut ties with all unhealthy relationships and practice self-control.
The road will not be easy but it is definitely worth it.
For those who have kept themselves pure before God, well done. Stay true to yourself and your convictions and do not be discouraged by what you see in the world.
In the coming weeks we will look at rape, incest, homosexuality and much more.
Till next time, take care and God bless.
Tinashe Zinyemba is a pastor with New Life Covenant Church. Email feedback to [email protected]
