1 Corinthians 6:18 “Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.”
Fornication is a word that is not used much anymore. If ever used, it is usually said with tongue in cheek. We have come to the age of sexual permissiveness, and nonrestrictive indulgence. What has happened to us? Why is it that sex of all kinds and of any kind has become a preoccupation of the whole world? According to Bible history, we have almost come full circle in the realm of morality. Morality: now there’s another word that is used today with a wink of the eye. What about the word virgin? Do we hear any young unmarried man or woman proudly stating that they are a virgin? Perish the thought! Why, it would be so embarrassing to be one of those. It seems that most young people today, instead of trying to remain a virgin are trying not to remain a virgin. Let me say to every youngster who may read this article, to remain a virgin until you are married is not only the best thing, but it is the only right thing.
There are whole industries that thrive on our sexual permissiveness and nonrestrictive indulgence. For instance, the clothing industry, pharmaceutical, entertainment, abortion, plastic surgery, movie, TV, music and dozens of others rake in billions every year from permissiveness and nonrestrictive indulgence.
The above verse of Scripture shows us that, any sexual activity outside of marriage is not only a sin against God, but a sin against your own body. However, fornication is being glorified by the movie, music, and TV industry. There was a scandal in a certain High School in another part of the county a few years ago over 18 teenaged girls who made a pact to get themselves pregnant. I will not go into their reasons for this insidious pact, but the point I want to make is, this: there seemed to be no consideration on their part that what they did was a sin against God and against their own bodies. In all of the news reports that I listened to, there was no mention of sin.
The whole concept of birth control being made available to school children and college students to “prevent pregnancy among our teens” is a concept that was developed and promoted by the devil himself. We have done nothing but encourage young people to indulge in sexual activity. A campaign to teach and promote abstinence in the schools has been sharply rejected. This idea has been scoffed and mocked by liberals at every level. However, even with the teaching of abstinence, no one is willing to say that per-marital sex is a sin. Tell our children that it’s a bad idea; that it can harm their health; that they are not mature enough, but don’t mention the “S” word. May I go on record here and now and say that, any and all sexual activity which takes place outside of marriage is a sin against God and a sin against your own body. This sin includes boys and men equally with girls and women. It doesn’t matter if you are young or old God holds you equally responsible.
I will conclude by saying, that the basic cause of today’s sexual permissiveness and nonrestrictive indulgence is because the standard of right and wrong has been removed from the forefront of our thinking and teaching. In the early days of our country, the Bible was the primary textbook for both public and private school. It was the standard by which law was formed and enforced. It was the guide for the lives of most people. The Bible once held prominence in the public and private lives of the society. Today, the Bible has been placed on the back shelf of our private lives and kicked out of the schools and public forum. Is it any wonder that many people today do not know that fornication?
