Read 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, 13-14, 19-20

If you have discovered anything so far in this series, it is that the church in Corinth was, truly, jacked-up. There was so much going on that it’s hard to even fit into a devotional series. Can you imagine Paul getting word of all that’s going on and the furiosity in which he must have been penning these words?

One area that seems to come to the forefront is the Corinthian’s issue with sex. Sex is such a broad topic, and just about every aspect of it was covered in Paul’s letter.

It’s safe to say that we all can agree on the fact that today’s world looks a lot like what we read about Corinth. How do you grow in your faith in the midst of a sex crazed society? Are you struggling with truly standing out?

While we could cover so much in this devo, I want to, instead, point to Jesus and His intention for sex.

We know from reading Genesis 1:27 that males and females are equal in value. Genesis 2:24 talks about the first marriage and how:

“…a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.”

The Bible says that any expression of sex outside of marriage is a mistake – a sin. (see 1 Corinthians 6 and 7). But we can love and encourage those friends and point them to Jesus. God only knows what is in a person’s heart.

I am not going to change the person. I will invite them to consider the teachings of Jesus.

If we submit our sexuality and our life to God, then God can use us.

Do you agree?

On the flip side, we need to recognize that the Church hasn’t been kind to those who aren’t on the same page when it comes to sex. Either they are having sex outside the confines of marriage, they identify with the LGBT community or they have been abused in the past, instead of pointing them lovingly to Christ, the Church has judged them (when it’s God’s job to do that) and kept them at arm’s length.

God loves them and we should too.

What side of the coin are you on?

Are you struggling with sexual sin? What steps are you going to take in order to clean up that part of your life and live the life God intended for you?

Or do you need to repent of the harshness in which you have treated people before? Have you cast judgment, or even blame, onto the person? Take it upon yourself to apologize, first of all, to God and then seek out the person that you hurt and apologize to them as well. Take advantage of that moment and direct them to Christ and His plan for them.

“Speak the truth in love.”

Tom Weckesser