DISCIPLINE - China Horizon



JOY IN PURITY:

A Biblical Approach to Sexualtiy

WHY CHRISTIANS STRUGGLE WITH SEXUALITY AND PURITY

1. Traditionally, sexual ethics has made Chinese people uncomfortable. Although it is a very basic part of our existence, Chinese people mostly choose to avoid the subject.

2. But contemporary Chinese young adults are constantly bombarded with the world’s attitude to sin. The result is that we have adopted a pagan view to sex. This harms our Christian growth.

3. Some Christians have a woefully inadequate view of God’s will – that if they feel peace doing something, it is God’s will (it is the right thing to do).

4. The concept of tolerance today: a weak view of human morality and dignity.

5. Some Chinese people have taken for granted that the USA is a more open country, and that many sinful practices are common and acceptable.

6. Many struggle with guilt and shame over sin we have committed. But Christians do not confront sin in the church. Thus, unconfessed sin is allowed to fester.

Yet, in spite of the above…

THE NEED TO FACE THE ISSUES INVOLVED

1. There is hope.

2. There are Biblical norms to pure relationships between men and women.

These norms are found in God’s Law.

3. “Feeling peace about it” is not an adequate, nor a biblical approach to discovering God’s will. There are Biblical norms as to what feelings we should feel (e.g. what is true “peace in our hearts”?). We cannot follow secular psychology or secular culture.

4. Our young adults demand honest answers to honest questions.

5. Older Christians should also need to understand, and take a stand, on how our Christian faith affects our attitudes toward sex.

PURITY AND DISCIPLINE: BASIC PRINCIPLES

1. One of the primary goals of the Christian life is to nurture a conscience which is free from guilt before God. This is a tremendous source of joy and strength. God does not want us to burn with lust, nor to struggle with envy and bitterness. God wants us to live “with no secrets.” Contentment in God is the goal, and it is always available when we put our trust in Christ and his forgiveness. God has given us guidance and help, for us to live that way.

2. God is holy, and demands that we be holy. I Peter 1:15. Our sin and our pagan attitudes do not change God’s standards. As long as we do not fear God, and only live according to what others think of us(a woefully inadequate, and an unbiblical view of life stemming from Sigmund Freud’s secular psychology), we will never solve our problems properly, and experience God’s blessing.

3. We were created in the image of God. God is holy, and has created men and women in his own image. Holiness is part of this: Genesis 1:26-28, Ephesians 4:24,

Colossians 3:10. God has also created us to be wise and know the truth, and to live

righteously before him.

GOD’S WILL FOR OUR BODIES, OUR DESIRES AND SEX

4. Our bodies are just as holy, spiritual and important to God, as our thoughts, emotions and plans. We are to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, minds, souls and wills.

5. Our minds are to be holy and pure. We are to think thoughts which are noble and good in God’s eyes (Philippians 4:8-9) This means that our minds and our desires are not “neutral” areas: Jesus is Lord over our minds and desires! He wants us to follow His Word, which is truth.

6. This means that sex by itself is not dirty. It is not “fleshly” vs. spiritual. God created bodies and sex. Sex is a means which God has given men/women to (a) express love, (b) reproduce the human race, and (b) to enjoy in marriage. Sex is only sinful when it is misused.

Application: Pre-marital sex is a violation of the boundaries set by God for our bodies and desires. It begins with sinning with our minds, and ends with sinning with our bodies.

Application: Homosexual behavior (including lust in the mind and acts in the body) is a violation of God’s order.

Application: Adultery is any violation of marriage covenant, whether by sinning with our minds, or sinning with our bodies.

Application: Lust and pornography are disobedient uses of our minds and eyes.

Application: Prostitution is a disobedient use of our bodies. We come into union and fellowship with the prostitute.

Application: Virtual sex is a sin of the mind, which leads to sinning with our bodies.

TRUE LOVE:

TRUSTING GOD, HONORING OUR NEIGHBORS

7. We must believe that God desires our highest good. When we obey God in our bodies, minds and desires, He walks with us and gives us that free conscience.

8. Other people are created in the image of God. God’s creation of human beings in his own image also means that: we are not to sin against others. They have a certain dignity which is not to be violated. This includes the privacy and integrity of their bodies and hearts, and the integrity of their marriage (if married).

The Ten Commandments directs us to honor other people’s well being and

reputation. We are not to kill, not to steal, not to bear false witness, because we

should love our neighbors, and honor his/her possessions. (see below, #11)

Application: We violate other people’s bodies and souls, when we look at other

people’s clothing or bodies with lust.

Example: We cause other people to stumble, lust and sin, when we dress or act in

provocative ways, to lure others to lust after us. (“Stumble-wear”)

Example: Abortion is the killing of another (unborn) person.

Example: Jealousy, envy and bitterness over someone else’s relationships and

marriage, are rooted in ungratefulness to God, and disrespect for other people who are

created in the image of God.

By the way, the Bible speaks more of the dignity of people, than human rights.

The UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a secular version of

The teaching of the Bible concerning the image of God in man.

Love is honoring and seeking the best for our neighbor – it is not a feeling.

TRUE FREEDOM: WE ARE RESPONSIBLE

9. We are accountable to God for what we do. When man (Adam and Eve) had sinned, God asked: Where are you? Genesis 3. We cannot hide from God – Psalm 139.

10. Judgment is real. While God is gracious and loving toward humans even after we have sinned and fallen, God is also holy. God is true to his character. Exodus 34:7b.

11. Judgment includes punishment. Adam and Eve were evicted from the Garden of Eden. Even though there is grace and mercy (God made skirts of skin for them),

there are two kinds of consequences to sin:

a) spiritual (eternal death), and

b) temporal (sin enters the world of humans).

Punishment, as well as consequences, do not mean that God is not gracious.

12. We are accountable for what we do to others. God holds us accountable. He does not accept Cain’s response: Am I my brother’s keeper? Often when we sin against God, we also sin against our fellow human beings created in the image of God.

13. When we are not willing to be accountable before God, guilt and shame results.

GOD’S WILL: HONORING GOD’S LAW, EXPERIENCING GOD’S GRACE

14. God has given us His law. We are not to commit adultery: we are not to violate other people’s bodies, purity, marriage. We shall not give false witnesses. We are not to covet.

15. The law of God is valid today. It is useful in three ways:

a. For mankind to know God’s universal, holy standards.

b. For sinners to realize our need for Christ.

c. For Christians, as a guideline to holy living pleasing to God.

16. God expects his people to teach His law. Deuteronomy 6

Painting the law on doorposts: parents are to teach their children.

The family and the church are institutions ordained by God to teach His law.

Problem: we do not have the protection/teaching of the family/church today.

17. God is gracious. When mankind has fallen, God immediately provided for our

salvation. Not just healing us of our temporal consequences, but a true solution to our

spiritual punishment. The solution, in short, is the blood of Jesus Christ. God does

forgive those who repent and trust in the blood of Jesus. By extension, we are to

forgive others who repent and trust in Christ.

18. Repentance is the solution; it is the way to peace with God.

When we sin and fail, the solution is not to make excuses.

The solution is true repentance. Psalm 51

Against You, and You only, have I sinned (David, Psalm 51).

Repentance should issue forth fruit. (Cf. John the Baptist).

Repentance certainly includes accepting responsibility for our sin.

19. God is merciful. God is gracious – he solved our sin problem. God is also merciful –

he heals us in our suffering, as we face temporal consequences of sin. Jesus promises

never to leave us. (Matthew 28:19-20).

REAL HOPE AND REAL HELP, GOD’S WAY

20. Our minds need to be renewed. When we become Christians, we need to learn to

learn new attitudes, values, perspectives, and values. We are to be transformed by the

renewal of our minds. Romans 12:2

To overcome lust or bitterness, you need God’s Word to fill your minds.

21. God’s plan of salvation included the fact that Jesus Christ came to establish his

church on earth. The church is the fellowship of God’s people, washed by the blood

of Jesus Christ,called to be holy, God’s own possession.

The church exists to:

■ worship God,

■ build believers up to be like Christ, and

■ witness to the gospel of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

22. Fellowship includes accountability and responsibilities. Numbers: God’s people are

counted. Speak the truth in love – Ephesians 4:15

23. Fellowship is a spiritual bond. We are bonded to each other as the body of Christ.

Issue of shame: face the truth. Alternative: secrecy.

24. The church as the covenant community gives us spiritual protection. You and I need

spiritual protection, especially in an age when the extended family is not available.

25. God has ordained leadership in the church: team leadership, to provide protection

and accountability.

Exodus: advice from Moses’ father-in-law

Nehemiah: organizing the leaders; assignments according to household

New Testament: elders

26. Leaders are to lead in teaching and discipline.

THERE ARE PROCEDURES TO FOLLOW IN DISICPLINE

Matthew 18:15-18

a. ____________ ____________________

b. confrontation with __________________

c. tell it to _____________________

d. _______________________ from the church

In the proper order

Purpose: forgiveness, and restoration

Clinton probably did not have aides who confronted him?

TWO TERMS OFTEN MISUNDERSTOOD

27. There is a difference between “judging” and “being judgmental”:

I Corinthians 6 – God has made us competent to judge.

Matthew 7 -- Being judgmental is an attitude. I am holier than you.

We are all sinners, saved by grace.

Pronouncing judgment is a duty God has given to the church.

28. Call sin sin.

Because forgiveness is available!

HOLD GRACE AND JUSTICE TOGETHER

CONCLUSION/APPLICATION

29.Do you know God’s grace and forgiveness in your life?

30.How well do you understand God’s law? How willing are you to obey?

31.What steps have you taken to be renewed in your mind about issues and standards?

32.Do you need help? Counseling? Protection? Accountability? Discipline? Guidance?

33.What are we teaching our youth?

Psalm 51 – David prayed to teach future generations about God’s grace.

Psalm 102 – Despair ended with hope for God’s work in a future generation.

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