(Part II)

“THE DANGER OF SIN-SENSATIONALISM “

Genesis 3:3-7

³ but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” ⁴ Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. ⁵ For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” ⁶ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. ⁷ Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.

I.                   THE PAIN /PLEASURE PARADIGM

1.      Humans seek to avoid pain and pursue pleasure

a.       Examples

·         Training Animals

·         Training Children (Stars and Spankings)

Proverbs 13:24

²⁴ He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly.

Proverbs 23:13-14

¹³ Do not withhold correction from a child, for if you beat him with a rod, he will not die. ¹⁴ You shall beat him with a rod, and deliver his soul from hell.

b.      This is God’s Design

·         We are all hedonist to a degree

c.       God enjoys it when our senses are stimulated

·         Beautiful scenery

·         A beautiful car, boat, etc,

·         Beautiful people

d. The challenge is disregarding God boundaries for pleasure

2.      Satan Tempts us based on this principle

a.       Good is a Hebrew word “Tobi,” meaning agreeable to the senses, “pleasant to the higher nature.”

b.      Pleasant means desirable, beautiful, covet; it means to lust or take pleasure in or delight in.

James 1:12-15

¹² Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been tried, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. ¹³ Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. ¹⁴ But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. ¹⁵ Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

II.                THE DANGERS OF SIN-SATION THROUGH WRONG SEX

1.      God’s Standard on Sexual Purity

Ephesians 5:3

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity.

1 Corinthians. 6:18

¹⁸ Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.

Colossians 3:5-6

⁵ Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. ⁶ Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.

Sexual Immorality Includes Definitions of Adultery, Fornication, and Uncleanness

Adultery: The act of a married person having sexual intercourse with someone who is not their spouse (Leviticus. 20-10), (Exodus. 20-14)

Fornication: Most common definition- sex before marriage

                        (Any unlawful sexual act)

            Includes: 

·         pornography

·         bestiality

·         homosexuality 

·         pedophilia

·         prostitution 

·         orgies 

·         wife swapping

·         masturbation

·         oral sex

·         sexting

·         virtual (video) sex

            Uncleanness: Whatever is defiling or contaminates

             Includes:  

·         an impure gesture or look

·         dressing provocatively

·         impure thoughts

·         flirting

·         dirty jokes

2.      Why sex is so pleasurable

a.       Dopamine – the reward hormone. Causes heart pounding exhilaration

b.      Oxytocin – Makes you feel close

c.       Prolactin – Satiation hormone (Surges when finished and makes you feel satisfied)

d.      Serotonin – antidepressant. Happy hormone.

e.       Norepinephrine – Makes body more sensitive to touch

III.             WHY PRE-MARITAL AND MONOGAMOUS SEX IS BAD

1.      It’s outside of our creators design.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10

⁹ Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither, fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, ¹⁰ nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortions will inherit the kingdom of God.

           

2.      Sex is a physical and spiritual union.

1 Corinthians 6:13-17

“…Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body… Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! ¹⁶ Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For “the two,” He says, “shall become one flesh.” ¹⁷ But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.

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3.      Sex often produces false intimacy. 

Alice Fryling. In an article titled “Why wait for sex” writes:

Genital sex is an expression of intimacy, not the means to intimacy. True intimacy springs from verbal and emotional communion. True intimacy is built on commitment to honesty, love and freedom. True intimacy is not primarily a sexual encounter. Intimacy has almost nothing to do with our sex organs.”

a.       Premarital sex short circuits the emotional bonding process

Study of 100,000 women studied showed dissatisfaction in their present marriages, unhappiness with level of sex and prevalence of low self-esteem.

4.      It usually causes sexual dissatisfaction in marriage

5.      There is Deeper Emotional tearing when relationships don’t work

6.      Possible STD’s and pregnancy

IV.             PURSUE SUPERIOR PLEASURES

1.      The Pleasure of Self-Denial (Discipline)

Luke 9:23-24

²³ Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. ²⁴ For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.

Galatians 5:16

¹⁶ I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.

1 Peter 2:11

¹¹ Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.

2.      The Pleasure of Pleasing Jesus

John 8:29

²⁹ And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.”

Acts 24:16

¹⁶ And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.

3.      The Pleasure of Jesus’ Presence

Psalm 16:11

¹¹ Thou wilt show me the path of life: In thy presence is fullness of joy; At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Psalm 27:4

⁴ One thing I have desired of the Lord, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, And to inquire in His temple.