A Little Leaven

LESSON:  I Thess. 4:1-8

TEXT:       I Thess. 4:3

DATE:       July 16, 2000 (Youth Anniversary)

Pastor Phillip spoke about adornment while Pastor Adewale spoke about pleasures of this world.  Both of these tell about and help define the word “defilement”, which is the central topic for this year’s youth Anniversary.  Today, I am told to further expatiate on the word “defilement” by treating “sexual immorality” as one of the things that defile people.

To defile is to profane, pollute or render unclean.  And anything that is polluted or unclean is anti-God.  For God is hold and we must be holy.  Now if we allow sexual immorality to come into our lives, then we are living a life of profanity and disobedience.

Sexual immorality has been spelled out to us in the lesson Lev. 18:1-end.

Sexual immorality simply put = all unlawful sexual relationships i.e. sexual relationship outside of married heterosexual people.

A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump, therefore abstain from sexual immorality.

Causes of Sexual Immorality 

• Outward adornment and beauty instead of inward – Prov. 6:20-29
  
  

• Leisure & Lack of Contentment (Ojukokoro)  2 Sam. 11:1-5 (David with Uriah’s wife)
  
  

• Loneliness – I Cor. 7:2

• 
  

• Selfishness – I Cor. 7:3-4
  
  

• Lack of Self Control – Gal 5:23
  
  

• Lust
  
  

• Hunger to fulfill desires of the flesh
  
  

 All things put together, we say that Sexual Immorality is an offense against:

God.  I Cor. 6: 13-14

Jesus 15-17

Holy Spirit 19-20

Your body Vs. 18

 End result of Sexual Immorality 

• I Cor. 6:9 – leads one to loose heaven
  

• Rev. 21:8 – Leads one to hell fire
  

• Leads one to diseases and untimely death even before hell.
  

 To avoid the dangerous end:

1.)Flee 1 Cor. 6:18


2.) Acknowledge that all things are profitable for you. 1 Cor. 6:12


3.) Abstain and choose to live holy. 1 Thess. 4:3-5

List of sexual immoralities discouraged by the Bible:

Cheating on one’s spouse

Mating while unmarried

Mating with animals

Perverted sexual relationship – homosexuality

                                                   Lesbianism

                                                   Prostitution

 Sexual Immorality is a little leaven that destroys the lives of Christians.

 Flee today.  May the Holy Spirit help us.  Amen.